Topic: How To Invest

Could I have your opinion on BB&T Corp.? Thanks.

Article Excerpt

BB&T Corp., $39.23, symbol BBT on New York (Shares outstanding: 718.5 million; Market cap: $28.2 billion; www.bbt.com), owns Branch Banking and Trust Company, the ninth-largest U.S. bank by deposits. It has 1,825 offices in 12 southeastern U.S. states and Washington. D.C. Aside from banking, it operates in the brokerage, asset management, mortgage and insurance businesses. The bank is starting to see higher demand for loans from buyers of income-generating real estate (up 10.6% in the 2014 first quarter from the 2013 fourth quarter) and improvement in key markets like Florida and Texas. BB&T’s focus on lending to oil and gas companies and equipment finance is also paying off with higher loan volumes. It needs a continued rise in loan demand to offset a higher cost of funds and a number of less-profitable loans it obtained through acquisitions. The bank’s growth by acquisition adds risk. The stock trades at 13.3 times this year’s forecast earnings of $2.95 a share. It yields 2.5%. BB&T Corp.’s near-term…