** Hovde Group says U.S. Midwest banks had a great start to the year considering the overhang of tariffs and cross currents in macro fundamentals
** Nearly 80% of the 30 Midwest banks in Hovde's coverage beat EPS expectations for Q1, with interest margin expansion being the huge highlight
** Brokerage upgrades Bank First BFC.O, First Savings Financial Group FSFG.O, Lakeland Financial LKFN.O, and HBT Financial HBT.O to "outperform" rating
** Hovde says BFC and LKFN are firmly in the high-performing category for community banks, while HBT is also worth viewing through this lens
** Says FSFG has several bank-specific catalysts, given a more palatable business thanks to its strategic shift as well as a discounted valuation
(Reporting by Arasu Kannagi Basil in Bengaluru)
((ArasuKannagi.Basil@thomsonreuters.com;))
Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.