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Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 29th, 2026

Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its stake in Community Financial System, Inc. (NYSE:CBU – Free Report) by 1.1% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,818,395 shares of the bank’s stock after purchasing an additional 20,428 shares during the quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP owned approximately 3.46% of Community Financial System worth $106,647,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in CBU. IFP Advisors Inc lifted its holdings in shares of Community Financial System by 507.0% in the fourth quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 522 shares of the bank’s stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 436 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Community Financial System by 177.0% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 781 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $44,000 after acquiring an additional 499 shares during the period. Lipe & Dalton purchased a new position in Community Financial System during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $52,000. Strs Ohio purchased a new position in Community Financial System during the first quarter valued at approximately $102,000. Finally, Kestra Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in Community Financial System during the 4th quarter worth approximately $155,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 73.79% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms have issued reports on CBU. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Community Financial System from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday. Piper Sandler boosted their price target on shares of Community Financial System from $62.00 to $66.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Community Financial System from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Thursday, July 2nd. Finally, Raymond James Financial reiterated a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $75.00 price objective on shares of Community Financial System in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has assigned a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Community Financial System has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $69.75.

Get Our Latest Stock Report on CBU

Community Financial System Stock Down 2.7% CBU stock opened at $64.78 on Wednesday. The company’s 50 day moving average is $65.51 and its 200 day moving average is $63.05. The stock has a market cap of $3.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.72 and a beta of 0.77. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. Community Financial System, Inc. has a 1-year low of $51.12 and a 1-year high of $71.11.

Community Financial System (NYSE:CBU – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, July 28th. The bank reported $1.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.18 by ($0.02). Community Financial System had a net margin of 21.26% and a return on equity of 11.24%. The company had revenue of $218.45 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $221.77 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.04 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts predict that Community Financial System, Inc. will post 4.7 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Community Financial System Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 13th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be given a dividend of $0.49 per share. This is an increase from Community Financial System’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.47. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $1.96 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.0%. Community Financial System’s dividend payout ratio is 47.57%.

Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, Director Mark J. Bolus sold 12,191 shares of Community Financial System stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.00, for a total transaction of $816,797.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 94,060 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,302,020. The trade was a 11.47% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Eric Stickels sold 2,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, June 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $63.98, for a total transaction of $127,960.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 31,592 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,021,256.16. This trade represents a 5.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders own 1.15% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Community Financial System Here are the key news stories impacting Community Financial System this week:

Positive Sentiment: Management projected 10% to 11% net interest income growth and 5% to 6% loan growth for 2026, signaling continued expansion in the bank’s core business. Community Financial projects 10% to 11% net interest income growth in 2026 while guiding 5% to 6% loan growth Positive Sentiment: Second-quarter revenue rose 12% year over year to $218.45 million, while earnings increased from $1.04 per share a year earlier to $1.16. Several reports characterized the quarter as delivering record earnings or a sales beat on certain operating measures. Community Bank’s Q2 CY2026 sales beat estimates Neutral Sentiment: Management’s earnings call provided additional detail on the outlook, including the company’s growth plans and operating performance. Community Financial System Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript Negative Sentiment: Second-quarter adjusted earnings were $1.16 per share, below analysts’ consensus estimates of approximately $1.18 to $1.19. Revenue of $218.45 million also fell short of the $221.77 million consensus estimate, likely contributing to the selling pressure despite year-over-year improvement. Community Financial System Q2 Earnings Lag Estimates About Community Financial System (Free Report)

Community Financial System (NYSE: CBU) is the bank holding company for Community Bank, National Association, a full-service commercial bank headquartered in DeWitt, New York. Through its principal subsidiary, the company offers a range of banking and financial services designed to meet the needs of both consumer and business clients. Its organizational structure centers on community-based banking operations supported by centralized technology, risk management and administrative functions.

The company’s product offerings include deposit accounts, residential and commercial mortgage loans, commercial and consumer lending, treasury and cash management services, and electronic banking.

Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Community Financial System These 3 Stocks Have Soared in 2026—Can They Keep Climbing? Hasbro’s Earnings Beat Shows Why This Is No Longer Just a Toy Story Rambus: Another AI Phoenix Ready to Rise From the Ashes of Correction Chips & Clips: Memory Tariffs Rewire Tech Supply Chains Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CBU? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Community Financial System, Inc. (NYSE:CBU – Free Report).

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Community Financial System NYSE: CBU reported record second-quarter operating results as net interest income expanded for a ninth consecutive quarter, while executives said insurance revenue remained below expectations amid softer premium markets, lower contingencies and organic-growth challenges.

GAAP earnings per share were $1.16, up 19.6% from the second quarter of 2025 and 7.4% from the preceding quarter, Chief Financial Officer Marya Burgio Wlos said. Operating earnings per share were also $1.16, compared with $1.04 a year earlier and $1.15 in the first quarter. Operating pre-tax, pre-provision net revenue per share reached a quarterly record of $1.62.

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President and CEO Dimitar Karaivanov characterized the period as “another consecutive record quarter,” citing net interest income growth, fee performance in banking, employee benefits and wealth management, and managed recurring expenses. He said credit quality and liquidity remained “top tier,” while noting certain nonrecurring expenses and weaker-than-expected insurance results.

Net Interest Income and Margin Expand Second-quarter net interest income rose to $139.1 million, an increase of $4.4 million, or 3.3%, from the first quarter and $14.4 million, or 11.5%, from a year earlier. The company’s fully tax-equivalent net interest margin increased four basis points sequentially to 3.49%, supported by lower funding costs.

Cost of funds declined two basis points from the prior quarter to 1.18%, primarily because of lower deposit costs. Karaivanov said the company has avoided participating in certain highly priced deposit opportunities, noting that some rates in the market were above wholesale funding costs. He also pointed to the company’s 76% loan-to-deposit ratio and expected securities-portfolio cash flows as providing funding flexibility.

The company expects net interest income to grow 10% to 11% for the full year. Management forecast continued margin expansion over the final six months of 2026, with the company exiting the year in the low- to mid-3.5% range. However, Wlos said third-quarter margin could face temporary pressure of between one basis point of expansion and two basis points of contraction, partly because of seasonally higher overnight borrowings.

Management expects more than $1 billion of cash flows from the securities portfolio over the next 18 months, beginning to become meaningful in the fourth quarter. Karaivanov said that redeploying securities yielding about 2% into loans yielding roughly 6% could provide a longer-term margin tailwind.

Loans, Deposits and Expansion Efforts Ending loans increased $151.6 million, or 1.4%, during the second quarter and rose $763.7 million, or 7.3%, from a year earlier. The quarterly increase primarily reflected organic growth in business lending, while year-over-year growth included expansion across business and consumer portfolios.

The company’s total deposits declined $159.7 million, or 1.1%, from March 31, primarily due to seasonal municipal deposit outflows. Deposits were up $1.01 billion, or 7.4%, from a year earlier, including $543.7 million assumed through the Santander branch acquisition and $120.1 million from the ClearPoint acquisition.

Karaivanov said the company’s de novo branches held approximately $140 million in deposits at the end of the second quarter. Combined with acquired Santander branches in the Lehigh Valley, Community Financial System expects roughly $700 million of new additive funding in growth-expansion markets by year-end.

Management expects full-year loan growth of 5% to 6% and deposit growth of 3% to 4%. Karaivanov said commercial lending pipelines remain solid, mortgage activity should contribute more in the third and fourth quarters, and auto lending activity has improved as pricing has become more attractive.

The company’s mortgage pipeline was at its highest level in seven years, Karaivanov said, adding that Community Financial System ranked as the No. 2 bank originator in its footprint under the latest HMDA data, compared with No. 5 four years ago.

Fee Businesses and Insurance Pressure Operating non-interest revenue increased $4.8 million, or 6.4%, from the prior-year quarter and rose $0.3 million sequentially. Higher employee benefits, wealth management and banking fee revenue were partly offset by lower insurance-services revenue. Operating non-interest revenue represented 36% of total operating revenue in the quarter.

Karaivanov said employee benefits pre-tax earnings rose 16.2% year over year, wealth management pre-tax earnings increased 46.5%, and banking pre-tax earnings increased 13.2%. Insurance pre-tax earnings declined 10.8%.

Insurance revenue has been pressured by meaningfully lower contingencies, soft premium markets and organic challenges, according to Karaivanov. He said approximately $1 million of the year-to-date insurance shortfall versus expectations related to contingencies. While management expects better insurance performance in the second half, Karaivanov said the business is not expected to return to its normal growth rate this year.

The company recorded a gain of more than $3 million on an insurance-related investment during the quarter. Karaivanov said the investment returned more than five times its original value. He also described the insurance acquisition pipeline as the strongest it has been and said potential transactions could support revenue expansion in 2027.

Expenses, Credit and Outlook Total non-interest expense was $137.7 million, up 3.5% from the first quarter and 6.7% from a year earlier. Sequential expenses included a $2.1 million increase in salaries and benefits associated with an additional payroll day and incentive-plan accruals, $0.7 million of ClearPoint-related costs, and a one-time $0.6 million early-termination charge related to a debit-card processing-platform conversion.

For the full year, the company expects core non-interest expense of $550 million to $555 million, an increase of 7% to 8% from 2025. The estimate includes approximately $8 million to $9 million of Santander branch-related expenses and $4 million to $5 million associated with ClearPoint, including non-operating intangible-asset amortization.

The provision for credit losses was $4.6 million, compared with $5.6 million in the first quarter and $4.1 million a year earlier. The allowance for credit losses increased $1.5 million during the quarter to $91.7 million, or 81 basis points of total loans, primarily reflecting reserve building in business lending. The allowance equaled eight times trailing 12-month net charge-offs.

Community Financial System expects full-year credit-loss provisions of $20 million to $25 million and an effective tax rate of 23% to 24%.

About Community Financial System (NYSE:CBU)Community Financial System NYSE: CBU is the bank holding company for Community Bank, National Association, a full-service commercial bank headquartered in DeWitt, New York. Through its principal subsidiary, the company offers a range of banking and financial services designed to meet the needs of both consumer and business clients. Its organizational structure centers on community-based banking operations supported by centralized technology, risk management and administrative functions.

The company's product offerings include deposit accounts, residential and commercial mortgage loans, commercial and consumer lending, treasury and cash management services, and electronic banking.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

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Community Financial System (CBU - Free Report) reported $224.05 million in revenue for the quarter ended June 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 12%. EPS of $1.16 for the same period compares to $0.97 a year ago.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $222.08 million, representing a surprise of +0.89%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -2.52%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.19.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Community Financial performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

Efficiency ratio (GAAP): 61.7% compared to the 60.7% average estimate based on three analysts.Net Interest Margin: 3.5% compared to the 3.5% average estimate based on three analysts.Average Balances - Total interest-earning assets: $16.11 billion versus $16.17 billion estimated by three analysts on average.Net charge-offs/average loans: 0.1% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 0.1%.Mortgage banking: $1.19 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $1.38 million.Total Non-Interest Income: $84.01 million versus $81.77 million estimated by three analysts on average.Employee benefit services: $34.88 million versus $35.38 million estimated by two analysts on average.Insurance services: $13.2 million compared to the $15.23 million average estimate based on two analysts.Wealth management services: $10.4 million compared to the $9.33 million average estimate based on two analysts.Deposit service and other banking fees: $20.1 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $20.98 million.Fully tax-equivalent net interest income: $140.04 million compared to the $140.11 million average estimate based on two analysts.Net Interest Income: $139.14 million versus $140.27 million estimated by two analysts on average.View all Key Company Metrics for Community Financial here>>>

Shares of Community Financial have returned -0.3% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.

Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 27th, 2026

Fifth Third Bancorp boosted its holdings in shares of Community Financial System, Inc. (NYSE:CBU – Free Report) by 7,231.2% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 16,422 shares of the bank’s stock after purchasing an additional 16,198 shares during the period. Fifth Third Bancorp’s holdings in Community Financial System were worth $963,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. IFP Advisors Inc lifted its position in shares of Community Financial System by 507.0% during the 4th quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 522 shares of the bank’s stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 436 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in Community Financial System by 177.0% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 781 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $44,000 after acquiring an additional 499 shares during the period. Lipe & Dalton acquired a new position in Community Financial System during the fourth quarter worth $52,000. Strs Ohio acquired a new position in Community Financial System during the first quarter worth $102,000. Finally, Kestra Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in shares of Community Financial System during the fourth quarter valued at $155,000. 73.79% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In CBU has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Raymond James Financial restated a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $75.00 target price on shares of Community Financial System in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Piper Sandler lifted their price target on shares of Community Financial System from $62.00 to $66.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Community Financial System from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 2nd. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of Community Financial System from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has issued a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $69.75.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Community Financial System

Community Financial System Trading Down 0.2% Shares of CBU opened at $67.09 on Monday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $65.38 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $62.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a current ratio of 0.77. Community Financial System, Inc. has a 52-week low of $51.12 and a 52-week high of $71.11. The company has a market cap of $3.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.29 and a beta of 0.77.

Community Financial System (NYSE:CBU – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The bank reported $1.15 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.10 by $0.05. Community Financial System had a return on equity of 11.24% and a net margin of 21.26%.The company had revenue of $213.69 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $216.36 million. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.98 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 8.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Community Financial System, Inc. will post 4.7 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Community Financial System Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 13th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be given a dividend of $0.49 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 15th. This is a positive change from Community Financial System’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.47. This represents a $1.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.9%. Community Financial System’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 45.63%.

Insider Buying and Selling In related news, Director Mark J. Bolus sold 12,191 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.00, for a total value of $816,797.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 94,060 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,302,020. This trade represents a 11.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Eric Stickels sold 2,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, June 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $63.98, for a total value of $127,960.00. Following the sale, the director owned 31,592 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,021,256.16. The trade was a 5.95% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 1.15% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Community Financial System Profile (Free Report)

Community Financial System (NYSE: CBU) is the bank holding company for Community Bank, National Association, a full-service commercial bank headquartered in DeWitt, New York. Through its principal subsidiary, the company offers a range of banking and financial services designed to meet the needs of both consumer and business clients. Its organizational structure centers on community-based banking operations supported by centralized technology, risk management and administrative functions.

The company’s product offerings include deposit accounts, residential and commercial mortgage loans, commercial and consumer lending, treasury and cash management services, and electronic banking.

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SYRACUSE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Community Financial System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) (the “Company”) announced that it has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.49 per share on its common stock, which represents a $0.02, or 4.26%, increase and an annualized yield of 2.89% based on the closing share price of $67.82 on July 21, 2026. The dividend will be payable on October 13, 2026 to Shareholders of record as of September 15, 2026.

President and Chief Executive Officer, Dimitar Karaivanov, commented, “Given the Company’s strong performance in 2026, the Board of Directors is pleased to provide its Shareholders with a larger increase to the dividend this year, and has raised the quarterly dividend from $0.47 per share of common stock to a quarterly dividend of $0.49 per share of common stock. This increase emphasizes our commitment to sustained shareholder returns. Our annual dividend increases over the last 34 years are supported by our strong balance sheet and cash flow generation that provide us with flexibility to return cash to our Shareholders while investing in our long-term future.”

About Community Financial System, Inc.

Community Financial System, Inc. is a diversified financial services company that is focused on four main business lines – banking services, employee benefit services, insurance services and wealth management services. Its banking subsidiary, Community Bank, N.A., is among the country’s 100 largest banking institutions with over $17 billion in assets and operates approximately 200 customer facilities across Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont, Western Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. The Company’s Benefit Plans Administrative Services, Inc. subsidiary is a leading provider of employee benefits administration, trust services, collective investment fund administration, and actuarial consulting services to customers on a national scale. The Company’s OneGroup NY, Inc. subsidiary is a top 68 U.S. insurance agency. The Company also offers comprehensive financial planning, trust administration and wealth management services through its Nottingham Financial Group operating unit. The Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Company’s stock trades under the symbol CBU. For more information about the Company and each of its four main business lines visit https://ir.cfsi.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on the current beliefs and expectations of CBU’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause the actual results of CBU’s operations to differ materially from its expectations: the macroeconomic and other challenges and uncertainties related to or resulting from current and future economic and market conditions, including the effects on CRE and housing or vehicle prices, unemployment rates, high inflation, U.S. fiscal debt, budget and tax matters, geopolitical matters, tariffs and global economic growth; fiscal and monetary policies of the Federal Reserve Board; the potential adverse effects of unusual and infrequently occurring events; litigation and actions of regulatory authorities; management’s estimates and projections of interest rates and interest rate policies; the effect of changes in the level of checking, savings, or money market account deposit balances and other factors that affect net interest margin; future provisions for credit losses on loans and debt securities; changes in nonperforming assets; ability to contain costs in inflationary conditions; the effect on financial market valuations on CBU’s fee income businesses, including its employee benefit services, wealth management services, and insurance services businesses; the successful integration of operations of its acquisitions and performance of new branches; competition; changes in legislation or regulatory requirements, including capital requirements; and the timing for receiving regulatory approvals and completing merger and acquisition transactions. For more information about factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from CBU’s expectations, refer to its annual, periodic and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the discussion under the “Risk Factors” section of such reports filed with the SEC and available on CBU’s website at https://ir.cfsi.com and on the SEC’s website at https://sec.gov. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and CBU undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

More News From Community Financial System, Inc.

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Community Bank System (CBU 1.23%), a Northeast financial firm, saw insider selling as it enjoys a strong one-year share price performance.

Mark J. Bolus, a director at the bank, reported the sale of 12,190 shares of Common Stock in an open-market transaction valued at approximately $817,000 on June 25, 2026, as disclosed in the SEC Form 4 filing.

Transaction summaryMetricValueShares sold (direct)12,190Transaction value$816,730Post-transaction shares (direct)94,060Post-transaction value (direct ownership)$6.37 million

Today's Change

(

-1.23

%) $

-0.84

Current Price

$

67.61

Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 reported price ($67.00); post-transaction value based on June 25, 2026 market close ($67.73).

Key questionsHow does the sale compare to Mark J. Bolus's historical trading activity?
Over the past three years, this is the only open-market sale reported by Mark J. Bolus; prior transactions were primarily administrative moves; this disposition is materially larger than prior admin-related trades, which averaged about 1,100 shares each.What proportion of the director’s stake remains after this transaction?
Following the sale, Mark J. Bolus retains approximately 94,060 direct shares and 31,882 indirect shares, accounting for about 65% of his pre-sale total holdings, indicating a continued substantial equity interest.Was any indirect or derivative ownership affected?
No indirect or derivative holdings were affected; all shares sold were directly owned, with indirect positions held in family trusts, and no options were outstanding.What does this transaction suggest regarding liquidity or future capacity for similar sales?
The size of this transaction reflects both a reduction in available share capacity relative to prior years and a shift toward open-market liquidity events, with the remaining direct holdings offering limited but ongoing potential for future sales.Company overviewMetricValueRevenue (TTM)$814.8 millionNet income (TTM)$218.9 millionDividend yield2.73%1-year price change17.9%* 1-year performance calculated using July 2, 2026 as the reference date.

Company snapshotOffers a comprehensive suite of deposit products, consumer and commercial lending, insurance, wealth management, and employee benefit services.Generates revenue primarily through net interest income from lending and deposits, as well as fee-based income from insurance, asset management, and benefit administration.Serves individual consumers, businesses, and government entities across Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Western Massachusetts.Community Bank System operates as a diversified regional financial services provider with a strong presence in the Northeastern United States. The company leverages its broad product offering and multi-division structure to serve a diverse clientele and provides an annual dividend yield of 2.73%. Its multi-segment approach and established regional footprint enable it to serve a diverse clientele, including individual consumers, businesses, and government entities.

What this transaction means for investorsThere are multiple reasons an insider may sell shares in a company that have nothing to do with their outlook for the company’s stock price. These can include having to pay a large personal expense or reasonable portfolio rebalancing.

In the case of Community Financial System and Mark Bolus, investors should weigh a few pieces of information.

Bolus has been an independent director of CBU since 2009, so he knows the business inside and out. The fact that he sold more than $800,000 in stock is notable, especially since CBU hit an 18-month high right around the time he sold.

Yet studies show that insider selling is predictive of a price decline within 30 days in less than half of cases. Bolus also hasn’t been much of a seller the past two years. His job as the owner of a bus line and freight transporter suggests he may have expenses that would necessitate raising some funds.

In short, Bolus’ selling is a piece of information investors should note, but it appears unlikely to be a signal of bearishness to come in CBU. Wall Street analysts expect the bank’s revenue and net income to grow in 2026, so the business outlook appears positive.

Alliance Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Community Financial System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) by 95.1% in the undefined quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 20,825 shares of the bank's stock after purchasing an additional 10,150 shares during the period. Alliance Wealth

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SYRACUSE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Community Financial System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) (the “Company”) announced that it has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.47 per share on its common stock. The dividend will be payable on July 10, 2026 to shareholders of record as of June 15, 2026. The $0.47 cash dividend represents an annualized yield of 3.0% based on the closing share price of $62.70 on April 21, 2026.

About Community Financial System, Inc.

Community Financial System, Inc. is a diversified financial services company that is focused on four main business lines – banking services, employee benefit services, insurance services and wealth management services. Its banking subsidiary, Community Bank, N.A., is among the country’s 100 largest banking institutions with over $17 billion in assets and operates approximately 200 customer facilities across Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont, Western Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. The Company’s Benefit Plans Administrative Services, Inc. subsidiary is a leading provider of employee benefits administration, trust services, collective investment fund administration, and actuarial consulting services to customers on a national scale. The Company’s OneGroup NY, Inc. subsidiary is a top 68 U.S. insurance agency. The Company also offers comprehensive financial planning, trust administration and wealth management services through its Nottingham Financial Group operating unit. The Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Company’s stock trades under the symbol CBU. For more information about the Company and each of its four main business lines visit https://communityfinancialsystem.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on the current beliefs and expectations of CBU’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause the actual results of CBU’s operations to differ materially from its expectations: the macroeconomic and other challenges and uncertainties related to or resulting from current and future economic and market conditions, including the effects on CRE and housing or vehicle prices, unemployment rates, high inflation, U.S. fiscal debt, budget and tax matters, geopolitical matters, tariffs and global economic growth; fiscal and monetary policies of the Federal Reserve Board; the potential adverse effects of unusual and infrequently occurring events; litigation and actions of regulatory authorities; management’s estimates and projections of interest rates and interest rate policies; the effect of changes in the level of checking, savings, or money market account deposit balances and other factors that affect net interest margin; future provisions for credit losses on loans and debt securities; changes in nonperforming assets; ability to contain costs in inflationary conditions; the effect on financial market valuations on CBU’s fee income businesses, including its employee benefit services, wealth management services, and insurance services businesses; the successful integration of operations of its acquisitions and performance of new branches; competition; changes in legislation or regulatory requirements, including capital requirements; and the timing for receiving regulatory approvals and completing merger and acquisition transactions. For more information about factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from CBU’s expectations, refer to its annual, periodic and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the discussion under the “Risk Factors” section of such reports filed with the SEC and available on CBU’s website at https://communityfinancialsystem.com and on the SEC’s website at https://sec.gov. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and CBU undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

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For the quarter ended March 2026, Community Financial System (CBU - Free Report) reported revenue of $214.14 million, up 8.6% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.09, compared to $0.93 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $217.27 million, representing a surprise of -1.44%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -0.73%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.10.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Community Financial performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

Efficiency ratio (GAAP): 62.4% versus the four-analyst average estimate of 62.4%.Net Interest Margin: 3.4% versus 3.5% estimated by four analysts on average.Average Balances - Total interest-earning assets: $15.94 billion versus $15.93 billion estimated by four analysts on average.Net charge-offs/average loans: 0.1% versus the three-analyst average estimate of 0.1%.Total Non-Interest Income: $78.57 million compared to the $81.62 million average estimate based on four analysts.Mortgage banking: $1.1 million compared to the $0.62 million average estimate based on three analysts.Fully tax-equivalent net interest income: $135.56 million versus $135.63 million estimated by three analysts on average.Deposit service and other banking fees: $20.71 million versus $21.31 million estimated by three analysts on average.Wealth management services: $10.33 million compared to the $9.89 million average estimate based on two analysts.Insurance services: $12.59 million versus $15.05 million estimated by two analysts on average.Employee benefit services: $34.57 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $35.16 million.Net Interest Income: $134.71 million compared to the $135.01 million average estimate based on two analysts.View all Key Company Metrics for Community Financial here>>>

Shares of Community Financial have returned +7.7% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +12.2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.

SYRACUSE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Community Financial System, Inc. Completes Acquisition of ClearPoint Federal Bank & Trust.