HTH Gains 13.5% So Far This Year: Should You Buy the Stock Now?

Hilltop Holdings Inc. (HTH) has gained 13.5% so far this year, outpacing the industry’s 9.5% growth and the S&P 500’s 10.9% rally. Compared with peers, it has underperformed Hancock Whitney (HWC), which is up 17.5% year to date, but it leads Commerce Bancshares (CBSH), up 10.7%. The article highlights improving net interest income (NII), with NIM rising to 2.98% in 2025 from 2.81% in 2024 and continuing to expand in the first six months of 2026. It also cites disciplined expense management and forecasts management expects non-variable expenses to rise only 0–2% in 2026.