Umpqua Holdings Corp (NASDAQ:UMPQ)

The main focuses for UMPQ at the moment are on increasing loans to deposit ratio, improving credit quality and increasing the quality of services provided.

As always the ratios I use to have a quick look at the bank are: (I haven’t include trends and long annotations for obvious reasons)
NPA / Total Assets: 1.24%
Allowance for Credit Losses to NCL: 1.61%
Price-to-Tangible Book Value: 1.39
Tangible Equity to Total Assets: 8.6%
TCE: 9.16%
Tier 1 Capital Ratio: 13.11
Equity / Assets Ratio: 14.4%
NIM: 4.12%
NPL to CO Ratio: 8.00
Efficiency Ratio: 64.04
Pre-Provision Net Revenue: $45.37 mil
TCE / Total Assets: 8.62%

Bull Case:
NPA’s are improving
Recognised $2.5mil in loan recovery this quarter and more potential charge offs to be recovered in future
Provision for Loan Losses Trend: Improving:
Provisions for loan losses has been declining and has declined 41% since Q2 2011
Net Charge offs: lowest net charge off rate recorded since 1Q08

Things to watch:
Reserves-to-Loans Ratio
Core margins to remain stable and above the 4% range
Continuing trend in decline for loan losses

This financial holding company has made 9 acquisitions since 2000, however, unlike most banks which make acquisitions, on the naked eye it seems it they have been smart, aiming at increasing presence in the marketplace and states where they had limited/no presence. Although it took on TARP, and slashed its dividend during the financial crisis, the outlook is positive having paid that down and increasing its dividend in the most recent quarter. Umpqua has a positive future outlook with more to come.

I believe there will be a tender offer from a major to buy UMPQ. This is a very well managed bank with good growth prospects.

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I live in the Pacific Northwest and have had the opportunity to work directly with several of the Regional banks on a professional basis. Each of these Regionals calls the PNW "home". Each has had their share of challenges and headlines to deal with, as well as the necessity of raising capital/equity. Many different strategies have been followed in this "survival" process, as well as communication methods to investors and the general public. Those two behaviors are what I've watched most closely, and Umpqua Executives get the best grade of all the pure PNW Regional banks in those two areas. They, like others, still have challenges as our regional economy is weak with high unemployment, etc., but I consider Umpqua the best of the PNW based regionals.

Financial stocks carry a P/E ratio of 22.4, and the so-called "recovery" has been especially strong in bank stocks. Therefore, I’m concentrating my shorting interest in the banking sector.

Another institution that has garded against need for government financial bailout. This regional bank will be sought out by investors, in the future inflation period caused by federal reserve dollaar excesses, to make sound decisions and be a self supporting institution.

As an Oregonian, I can tell you that folks from the Northwest prefer to do business locally with a small player than a big bank from the east coast. With the implosion of Washington Mutual, UMPQ will gain marketshare. I believe the worst hits UMPQ will take are already priced into the stock.

March rally won't be sustained. Growth-adjusted PE is quite high compared to banking average.

umpq is greatly undervalued. it is sharing the bad news on the money center banks but it is a conservative bank who is in great position to to be the dominate bank in the pacific northwest.

I expect this stock to recover from these levels. Long term investors aren't looking to happy, but those looking to average down and those looking to ride the recovery should cause this stock to see higher levels in the next week if not days.

They just watched their number one competitor (WaMu) fall away, leaving the premium retail banking space (at least on the west coast) almost entirely in their hands. Solid organic growth in retail deposits, trading below book value.

mortgage investment/regional banks

Regional bank (my regional bank) set to do well in the aftermath of current environment. Customer driven service, decent reputation in the community, and a hidden gems pick I believe?

SOUTHWEST & LATIN BANKING = GROWTH

5.80% yield, was a Stock Advisor pick as of 10/2007

anything Bank is depressed. This Bank seems to be doing well given the market. I expect it will shoot off once the sub-prime/housing depression is over.

Bank stocks are battered. This is a very innovative regional bank that is buffered from the majority of the mortgage problems.

little exposure to subprime mess. Made some loans to Sacramento-area builders who ran into trouble. Wrote them all down last quarter. Most importantly, I bank there and the tellers are really friendly.

Small regional bank with a solid balance sheet, minimal exposure to the sub-prime mortgage fiasco, great management team.