Positioning no disclosures inside 60 days, left as found
Options no verdict drawn today, left as found
Ethical does not pass the values gate
Price36.75 USD
Fair value43.00
Ethical score30.0/100
Our investment reviews on this name
2026-10-27Read Markup33.16+10.8% to today ✓Markdown gives way to Markup after a 7% slide in 6 weeks
2026-09-15Read Markdown35.64+3.1% to today Accumulation gives way to Markdown first Markdown read since July
2026-08-15Read Accumulation36.14+1.7% to today ✓Markdown gives way to Accumulation
2026-07-02Read Markdown34.63+6.1% to today First review on file: Markdown
Our analytic regime reads on this name, dated and marked against the screened price. Small sample per name, and separate from the daily-framework accuracy on the Track Record page.
United Community Banks, Inc. holds its Markup at $36.75. The statistical read favours the buyers, held for 3 days.
As held on the ledger · 2026-10-27
Phase
Markup
Quantitative state
The statistical read favours the buyers, held for 3 days
Price at the screen
$36.75
Valuation
12.01 trailing · 10.65 forward price to earnings
Values screen
FAIL· score 30.0
Beta
0.90
The Workings
Five Screens, Shown in Full
Does not pass. Prohibited keyword in sector/industry: bank
Test
Figure
Limit
What it means
Status
Business activity
Excluded
Core business clean
Prohibited keyword in sector/industry: bank
Fail
Debt load
Excluded
Below 33%
Interest-bearing debt is of its assets, above the one-third ceiling the screen allows.
Fail
Interest-bearing cash
Excluded
Below 33%
Interest-bearing cash and securities are of assets, above the one-third limit.
Fail
Receivables
Excluded
Below 49%
Money owed to the company is of assets, above the 49% limit.
Fail
Revenue purity
Excluded
Below 5%
of revenue comes from non-compliant sources, over the 5% line.
Fail
Five checks adapted from AAOIFI screening standards: business activity plus four balance-sheet ratios. All five must pass for ethical clearance. Every figure is arithmetic on public accounts, not judgement.
The Ethical Read
Why It Falls Short, in Plain English
United Community Banks, does not clear the screen at the business-activity stage. It operates in conventional financial services, which the screen treats as interest-based, so the financial ratios are not the deciding factor here.
Read as at 2026-10-28. It updates when the underlying figures move, and past reads are kept below.
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Get an email when UCB's ethical verdict changes
Today UCB does not pass the screen. If new figures move it to a pass, we send you one short email with the before and after. Verdicts change rarely, so you may not hear from us for a long time.
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Fair value range in USD, drawn from the 2026-10-27 screen. The gold marker is the market price at the same screen. A 17.0% margin of safety to the base estimate.
Third-party analyst targets: 6 covering, consensus Buy. The average target sits +12% from the screen price.
Reading the gap · Both our model and the analysts see meaningful upside from here.
Price History & Projections
Where it has been, where the models see it going. History from market close data; projection points are our fair-value estimates and third-party analyst targets, dated to the 2026-10-27 screen.
Fair value and rating are our own model estimates; the Street's range reflects third-party analyst estimates. Analysis, not advice.
The Business, in Plain Words
Ethics Block This Regional Bank's Thin Margin
Picture a borrower in Georgia or the Carolinas walking into a branch for a mortgage or small business loan. United Community Banks handles those everyday deposits and advances across the US Southeast. Revenue is growing 14 percent, the forward multiple sits at 11.4 times, and profit margins reach 33 percent, yet none of that matters once the ethical screen is applied.
We pass without hesitation. The business fails outright on our rule against banks, regardless of the modest 10 percent margin of safety at the current price or the analyst consensus pointing to 40 dollars. ROE of 10 percent and an unknown moat add no extra reason to bend the standard.
Regional lenders carry interest-rate and credit-cycle exposure that can turn low multiples into value traps at the first downturn. The ethical filter exists precisely to keep us clear of that sector. Analysis, not advice.
The risks · The main risks here are ordinary market swings and the chance our fair-value read proves too optimistic.
Plain-English interpretation of our own screen data. Analysis, not advice.
Where & How to Trade
UCB trades on the NYSE. As a listed security it is accessible through almost any international broker offering its home market. New to this, or investing from abroad? Our guide to accessing global markets covers brokers, currencies and the practical steps.
The Dated Journal · Newest First, Never Edited
Every Entry, As Written
2026-10-27Markup · changed$33.16+0.0%Entry 15
The framework has shifted from markdown to markup since the last review. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it A, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 11% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading overbought. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 22%. The street (6 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $38.
2026-10-20Markdown$33.16+0.0%Entry 14
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 0% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 22%. The street (6 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $38. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-19Markdown$33.16+0.0%Entry 13
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 0% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 22%. The street (6 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $38. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-18Markdown$33.16+0.0%Entry 12
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 4% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 22%. The street (6 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $38. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-17Markdown$33.16+0.0%Entry 11
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 4% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 22%. The street (6 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $38. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-16Markdown$33.16-0.6%Entry 10
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.6% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 4% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 22%. The street (6 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $38. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-15Markdown$33.37+0.0%Entry 9
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 4% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 22%. The street (6 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $38. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-14Markdown$33.370.0%Entry 8
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 4% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 22%. The street (6 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $38. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-13Markdown$33.38-0.4%Entry 7
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.4% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 4% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 22%. The street (6 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $38. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-02Markdown$33.51-6.0%Entry 6
Our analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 6.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 4% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 22%. The street (6 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $38.
Each entry above was written on its date, before the outcome. A journal you can prune is not a journal.
