Is WesBanco Stock a Buy After a Member of the Board of Directors Purchased Shares Worth $100,000?

Zahid Afzal, a member of the Board of Directors for WesBanco (NASDAQ:WSBC), purchased 3,321 shares in multiple open-market transactions on October 30, 2025 according to a SEC Form 4 filing.

Transaction summary

Transaction and post-transaction values based on SEC Form 4 weighted average purchase price of $30.11 on October 30, 2025.

Key questions

How significant is this purchase relative to Mr. Afzal's historical trading activity?
This transaction is the largest individual open-market acquisition disclosed by Zahid Afzal as of October 31, 2025, increasing direct holdings by 33.54%, from 9,902 to 13,223 shares as of October 30, 2025.

What is the scale of this purchase in monetary terms and direct ownership?
The purchase totaled approximately $100,000 on October 31, 2025 and brought the market value of direct holdings to approximately $398,000 as of the close on October 31, 2025, based on the weighted average acquisition price.

How does the acquisition compare to available trading liquidity and capacity?
The October 30, 2025 purchase increased direct ownership by 3,321 shares, reflecting an expansion of holdings rather than a reallocation among existing shares. This was not constrained by available capacity as direct holdings rose significantly following the transaction.

How does the trade timing relate to market pricing and recent stock performance?
Shares were purchased at a weighted average price of approximately $30.11 on October 30, 2025, close to the October 31, 2025 closing price of $30.10.

Company overview

Note: 1-year price change calculated as of November 7, 2025, using a calendar-year window.

Company snapshot

WesBanco is a regional financial institution with a diversified product portfolio. It operates in two segments: community banking and trust/investment services.

The company offers a comprehensive suite of retail and corporate banking products, trust and investment services, mortgage banking, and insurance solutions. It generates revenue from loans, deposits, trust, brokerage, and insurance operations.

Foolish take

Mr. Afzal's purchase of WesBanco stock demonstrates a belief that shares possess upside. While he holds 13,223 direct shares, he also owns another 36,896 shares indirectly via trusts.

Mr. Afzal's buy comes days after WesBanco reported third quarter earnings results. The financial institution delivered solid performance with Q3 net income available to common shareholders of $81 million, up from $34.7 million in the prior year. This led to Q3 diluted earnings per share of $0.84 compared to $0.54 in 2024.

WesBanco's acquisition of Premier Financial Corp. earlier in 2025 led to credit losses and other expenses that weighed on the stock. Shares are down from a 52-week high of $37.36 reached last November.

However, the acquisition looks to provide long-term benefits. WesBanco's deposits rose 54% year over year to $21.3 billion thanks to the addition of $6.9 billion from Premier Financial as well as 4% organic growth.

Mr. Afzal's expansion of his WesBanco holdings seems like a good move. The bank's short-term acquisition headwinds will pass in time, and over the long run, WesBanco looks like a stronger financial institution.

Glossary

Open-market transaction: The purchase or sale of securities on a public exchange, not through private or insider arrangements.
SEC Form 4: A required filing disclosing insider trades of a company's securities by officers, directors, or significant shareholders.
Insider trading: Buying or selling a company's stock by individuals with access to non-public, material information about the company.
Direct ownership: Shares held personally by an individual, not through trusts, funds, or indirect accounts.
Weighted average purchase price: The average price paid per share, accounting for different prices in multiple transactions.
Dividend yield: Annual dividend income expressed as a percentage of the stock's current price.
Trust and investment services: Financial services managing assets, estates, or investments on behalf of clients.
Brokerage: A service facilitating the buying and selling of securities for clients.
Community banking: Banking services focused on local individuals and small businesses, typically within a specific region.
TTM: The 12-month period ending with the most recent quarterly report.

Robert Izquierdo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.