Hilltop Holdings (HTH) stock is soaring 6.87% in pre-market trading on Friday following the release of its impressive third-quarter earnings report. The financial services company significantly outperformed analyst expectations, driving investor enthusiasm.

For the quarter ended September 30, Hilltop reported adjusted earnings of $0.74 per share, substantially beating the mean analyst estimate of $0.49. This result also marks a significant improvement from the $0.46 per share reported in the same quarter last year. Revenue rose 7% to $112.39 million, surpassing the analysts' expectations of $109.86 million. The company's net income for the quarter stood at $45.82 million.

Despite the stock's 2.9% decline this quarter prior to the earnings release, Hilltop Holdings has gained 13.3% year-to-date. Analysts maintain a "hold" rating on the stock, with a median 12-month price target of $34.00, representing a 4.6% upside from its last closing price. The strong earnings report may potentially influence future analyst revisions and recommendations.