Prosperity Bancshares Signs Merger Agreement with Stellar Bancorp
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 28 2026
0mins
Should l Buy PB?
Source: Benzinga
Prosperity Bancshares Inc. has seen its stock price drop by 8.56% as it hits a 20-day low amid broader market gains, with the Nasdaq-100 up 0.83% and the S&P 500 up 0.32%.
The company has signed a definitive merger agreement to acquire Stellar Bancorp for approximately $2 billion, which is expected to close in Q2 2026. This merger will elevate Prosperity's deposit ranking in Texas from 9th to 5th, significantly enhancing its competitive position. Additionally, Prosperity reported a net income of $139.9 million for Q4 2025, a 7.6% increase from the previous year, driven by improved interest income and operational efficiency.
The merger with Stellar Bancorp is anticipated to strengthen Prosperity's market position and provide opportunities for future growth, particularly in the Houston area, as the company aims to solidify its competitive advantage in a diverse economic market.
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Analyst Views on PB
Wall Street analysts forecast PB stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for PB is 80.50 USD with a low forecast of 75.00 USD and a high forecast of 85.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
10 Analyst Rating
5 Buy
5 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 73.060
Low
75.00
Averages
80.50
High
85.00
Current: 73.060
Low
75.00
Averages
80.50
High
85.00
About PB
Prosperity Bancshares, Inc. is a regional financial holding company providing personal banking services and investments to consumers and businesses throughout Texas and Oklahoma. It offers certificates of deposit, interest checking accounts, money market accounts and savings accounts. It also offers agricultural loans, home equity loans, debit and credit cards, digital banking solutions, trust and wealth management, retail brokerage services, mortgage services, and treasury management. It operates around 283 full-service banking locations: 65 in the Houston area, including The Woodlands; 30 in the South Texas area including Corpus Christi and Victoria; 62 in the Dallas/Fort Worth area; 22 in the East Texas area; 31 in the Central Texas area including Austin and San Antonio; 44 in the West Texas area including Lubbock, Midland-Odessa, Abilene; Amarillo and Wichita Falls; 15 in the Bryan/College Station area, six in the Central Oklahoma area, and eight in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Prosperity Bancshares Completes Merger with Southwest Bancshares
- Merger Completion: Prosperity Bancshares successfully completed the merger with Southwest Bancshares and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Texas Partners Bank, on February 1, 2026, marking a significant expansion in the Texas market.
- Share Issuance: Under the merger agreement, Prosperity issued 4,095,397 shares of common stock to former shareholders and award holders of Southwest, enhancing shareholder engagement and trust in the company.
- Management Integration: Executives from Southwest Bank will join Prosperity Bank's management team, ensuring a smooth transition for the combined organization and maintaining business continuity to enhance customer service quality.
- Business Integration Plan: The 11 branches of Texas Partners Bank will continue to operate under their original name, with integration expected to be completed by November 2026, at which point customers will gain access to Prosperity Bank's full-service offerings, further strengthening market competitiveness.
See More
Key Deals Reported Across Sectors This Week
- Acquisition Target: Structure Therapeutics (GPCR) saw a 1.5% stock increase following reports suggesting it could be a prime takeover target for large pharmaceutical companies, indicating its market appeal and potential value.
- Apple Acquisition: Apple Inc. (AAPL) acquired Israeli startup Q.AI for nearly $2 billion, with patents indicating its technology could be used in headphones or glasses to communicate via 'facial skin micro movements', enhancing Apple's technological edge in wearables.
- Aviation Industry Merger: VSE (VSEC) announced it would acquire Precision Aviation Group (PAG) for approximately $2.025 billion in cash and equity, which will bolster its service capabilities in the aviation aftermarket and enhance competitive positioning.
- Banking Sector Consolidation: Prosperity Bancshares (PB) agreed to acquire Stellar Bancorp (STEL) in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at around $2 billion, making it the second-largest bank in Texas by deposits and significantly increasing its market share.
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Musk Considers Merging His Business Empire
- Potential Merger Plans: Elon Musk is reportedly considering merging SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI, with a SpaceX-Tesla deal potentially leveraging Tesla's energy storage and solar capabilities for space infrastructure, enhancing synergies in both space and energy sectors.
- Investment Context: Tesla's recent $2 billion investment in xAI not only underscores its commitment to the AI sector but may also lay the groundwork for future mergers, further driving technological integration and market competitiveness.
- IPO Considerations: While SpaceX is exploring an IPO, Musk's merger plans could impact investor confidence in SpaceX's independent growth trajectory, potentially causing short-term fluctuations in its stock price.
- Industry Dynamics: In other M&A news, Mitsubishi Electric completed its $1 billion acquisition of cybersecurity firm Nozomi Networks, reflecting ongoing market interest in technology and security integrations, which may provide insights for Musk's merger considerations.
See More
Prosperity Bancshares Reports Strong 2025 Earnings and M&A Activity
- Net Income Growth: Prosperity Bancshares reported a net income of $543 million for 2025, a 13.1% increase from $480 million in 2024, with diluted EPS rising to $5.72, indicating significant improvement in profitability.
- Margin Expansion: The bank's net interest margin reached 3.30% in Q4, up from 3.05% in the same quarter of 2024, reflecting ongoing improvements in interest income that are expected to enhance future profitability.
- M&A Activity: Prosperity has completed its merger with American Bank and anticipates finalizing the merger with Southwest Bancshares on February 1, 2026, while the acquisition of Stellar Bancorp will elevate its Houston deposit rank from 9th to 5th, strengthening its competitive position.
- Asset Quality Concerns: Although nonperforming assets rose to $150 million from $119 million in the previous quarter, net charge-offs remained low at $5.9 million, demonstrating the company's effectiveness in managing credit risk.
See More
Prosperity Bancshares Acquires Stellar Bancorp, Creating $54 Billion Bank
- Acquisition Agreement: Prosperity Bancshares has announced a $2 billion acquisition of Stellar Bancorp, with 70% of the deal in stock, resulting in a combined asset total of $54 billion, enhancing its competitive position in the Houston market.
- Market Share Increase: The pro forma bank will hold the number one deposit market share in Beaumont County and fifth in Houston, significantly improving its market position and expanding its customer base.
- Financial Impact: The acquisition is projected to boost Prosperity's earnings by over 9% by 2027 while cutting 35% of Stellar's non-interest expenses, thereby enhancing overall profitability.
- Investor Concerns: Despite the potential of the acquisition, it will dilute Prosperity's tangible book value by nearly 8%, with an estimated 4.5 years needed to recover, leading to cautious investor sentiment and an approximate 8% decline in stock price.
See More
Prosperity Bancshares (PB) Earnings Transcript
See More
Prosperity Bancshares Completes Merger with Southwest Bancshares
- Merger Completion: Prosperity Bancshares successfully completed the merger with Southwest Bancshares and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Texas Partners Bank, on February 1, 2026, marking a significant expansion in the Texas market.
- Share Issuance: Under the merger agreement, Prosperity issued 4,095,397 shares of common stock to former shareholders and award holders of Southwest, enhancing shareholder engagement and trust in the company.
- Management Integration: Executives from Southwest Bank will join Prosperity Bank's management team, ensuring a smooth transition for the combined organization and maintaining business continuity to enhance customer service quality.
- Business Integration Plan: The 11 branches of Texas Partners Bank will continue to operate under their original name, with integration expected to be completed by November 2026, at which point customers will gain access to Prosperity Bank's full-service offerings, further strengthening market competitiveness.
See More
Key Deals Reported Across Sectors This Week
- Acquisition Target: Structure Therapeutics (GPCR) saw a 1.5% stock increase following reports suggesting it could be a prime takeover target for large pharmaceutical companies, indicating its market appeal and potential value.
- Apple Acquisition: Apple Inc. (AAPL) acquired Israeli startup Q.AI for nearly $2 billion, with patents indicating its technology could be used in headphones or glasses to communicate via 'facial skin micro movements', enhancing Apple's technological edge in wearables.
- Aviation Industry Merger: VSE (VSEC) announced it would acquire Precision Aviation Group (PAG) for approximately $2.025 billion in cash and equity, which will bolster its service capabilities in the aviation aftermarket and enhance competitive positioning.
- Banking Sector Consolidation: Prosperity Bancshares (PB) agreed to acquire Stellar Bancorp (STEL) in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at around $2 billion, making it the second-largest bank in Texas by deposits and significantly increasing its market share.
See More
Musk Considers Merging His Business Empire
- Potential Merger Plans: Elon Musk is reportedly considering merging SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI, with a SpaceX-Tesla deal potentially leveraging Tesla's energy storage and solar capabilities for space infrastructure, enhancing synergies in both space and energy sectors.
- Investment Context: Tesla's recent $2 billion investment in xAI not only underscores its commitment to the AI sector but may also lay the groundwork for future mergers, further driving technological integration and market competitiveness.
- IPO Considerations: While SpaceX is exploring an IPO, Musk's merger plans could impact investor confidence in SpaceX's independent growth trajectory, potentially causing short-term fluctuations in its stock price.
- Industry Dynamics: In other M&A news, Mitsubishi Electric completed its $1 billion acquisition of cybersecurity firm Nozomi Networks, reflecting ongoing market interest in technology and security integrations, which may provide insights for Musk's merger considerations.
See More
Prosperity Bancshares Reports Strong 2025 Earnings and M&A Activity
- Net Income Growth: Prosperity Bancshares reported a net income of $543 million for 2025, a 13.1% increase from $480 million in 2024, with diluted EPS rising to $5.72, indicating significant improvement in profitability.
- Margin Expansion: The bank's net interest margin reached 3.30% in Q4, up from 3.05% in the same quarter of 2024, reflecting ongoing improvements in interest income that are expected to enhance future profitability.
- M&A Activity: Prosperity has completed its merger with American Bank and anticipates finalizing the merger with Southwest Bancshares on February 1, 2026, while the acquisition of Stellar Bancorp will elevate its Houston deposit rank from 9th to 5th, strengthening its competitive position.
- Asset Quality Concerns: Although nonperforming assets rose to $150 million from $119 million in the previous quarter, net charge-offs remained low at $5.9 million, demonstrating the company's effectiveness in managing credit risk.
See More
Prosperity Bancshares Acquires Stellar Bancorp, Creating $54 Billion Bank
- Acquisition Agreement: Prosperity Bancshares has announced a $2 billion acquisition of Stellar Bancorp, with 70% of the deal in stock, resulting in a combined asset total of $54 billion, enhancing its competitive position in the Houston market.
- Market Share Increase: The pro forma bank will hold the number one deposit market share in Beaumont County and fifth in Houston, significantly improving its market position and expanding its customer base.
- Financial Impact: The acquisition is projected to boost Prosperity's earnings by over 9% by 2027 while cutting 35% of Stellar's non-interest expenses, thereby enhancing overall profitability.
- Investor Concerns: Despite the potential of the acquisition, it will dilute Prosperity's tangible book value by nearly 8%, with an estimated 4.5 years needed to recover, leading to cautious investor sentiment and an approximate 8% decline in stock price.
See More
Prosperity Bancshares (PB) Earnings Transcript
See More
