Today I'm reviewing a small-cap regional US bank, named Southside Bancshares Inc. Its trading ticker symbol is SBSI. 

Southside Bancshares Inc is a financial institution offering financial services to individuals, businesses, municipal entities, and non-profit organizations in the communities it serves. It was was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Tyler, Texas.

The company operates through 60 branches and 40 motor bank facilities located in Tyler, Longview, Lindale, Gresham, Jacksonville, Bullard, Chandler, Hawkins, Palestine, Gun Barrel City, Whitehouse, Fort Worth, Arlington, Cleburne, Euless, Flower Mound, Frisco, Granbury, Grapevine, Irving, Watauga, Weatherford, Austin, Diboll, Lufkin, Nacogdoches, Cleveland, Splendora, Jasper, Pineland, Hemphill, and San Augustine; and a network of approximately 84 automated teller machines, as well as trust services, and/or loan production or other financial services offices. 

I use three key data points to gauge the value of any dividend equity or fund like Southside Bancshares Inc.: 

(1) Price

(2) Dividends

(3) Returns

Besides those three, four more keys will finally unlock an equity or fund in which to invest.

But those first three primary keys, which best tell whether a company has made, is making, and will make money. 

SBSI Price

Southside's price per share was $34.64 at yesterday's market close. A year ago its price was $37.04 for a price slide of $2.40 per share.  

Assuming Southside's price will trade in the range of $32 to $38 next year, Southside's current $34.64 price could manage a $2.00 gain and grow to $36.64 by early-October, 2019. 

SBSI Dividends

Southside's most recent quarterly dividend was $0.30 declared August 9th and paid September 6th. 

At this most recent $0.30 quarterly rate, Southside's annual dividend equals $1.20 yielding 3.41% at yesterday's closing $34.64 price.

Gains For SBSI?

Adding the $1.20 estimated annual dividend to my estimated $2.00 annual price upside for Southside makes a $3.02 potential gross annual per share gain, which will be reduced by the costs to trade the shares.  

A little over $1,000.00 invested today at the $34.64 recent price buys 29 Southside Bancshares Inc.shares. 

A $10 broker fee paid half at purchase and half at sale costs $0.34 per share

Subtracting that $0.34 brokerage cost from the estimated $3.20 gross annual gain leaves a net gain of $2.86 X 29 shares 

= $82.94

or an 8.2% net gain on a $1,004.56 investment.

Therefore, Southside Bancshares Inc.now shows a possible 8.4% net gain including an 3.41% dividend yield. 

Five brokers cover this stock: All five say SBSI is a stock to 'hold'

Thus, the consensus recommendation number is available is 3.0. Or 'Hold'

The median price target set by the five brokers is $0.24 under my estimated $34.64 one year target.

So, you could look at these few speculative numbers this way: Southside Bancshares Inc., has made money, is making money, and could net a 8.4% net annual gain including a 3.41% dividend yield. It could be more, it could be less. 

The above speculation is based on past year performance. Actual results remain to be seen.Those results will determine if Southside Bancshares Inc. (SBSI) is worth your time and money.