Hilltop Holdings (HTH) stock surged 6.38% in pre-market trading on Friday, January 31st. The stock's pre-market rally comes as the company received an analyst rating update and a subsidiary announced a new mining exploration program.

KBW analyst Wood Lay maintained a "Hold" rating on Hilltop Holdings, with a price target of $35.00. While the analyst rating itself did not drive significant upside, it likely contributed to increased investor interest in the stock.

Additionally, Venus Metals, a subsidiary of Hilltop Holdings, announced the kickstart of a reverse-circulation drilling program at the Hilltop Prospect within its Henderson gold project in Western Australia. This exploration update sparked investor optimism about the potential for new gold discoveries, further fueling the stock's pre-market rally.