Analysts Anticipate LVHD Will Reach $43
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 17 2024
0mins
Should l Buy PFS?
Source: NASDAQ.COM
ETF Analysis: The Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF (LVHD) has an implied analyst target price of $43.43, indicating a potential upside of 10.05% from its current trading price of $39.46.
Stock Performance Insights: Notable underlying holdings such as CareTrust REIT Inc, Provident Financial Services Inc, and American Electric Power Co Inc show significant upside potential based on analysts' target prices, raising questions about the validity of these targets in light of recent market developments.
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Analyst Views on PFS
Wall Street analysts forecast PFS stock price to fall
1 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 22.980
Low
22.00
Averages
22.00
High
22.00
Current: 22.980
Low
22.00
Averages
22.00
High
22.00
About PFS
Provident Financial Services, Inc. is the holding company for Provident Bank (the Bank). The Bank is a New Jersey-chartered capital stock savings bank operating full-service branch offices throughout New Jersey, Bucks, Lehigh and Northampton counties in Pennsylvania, as well as Orange, Queens and Nassau Counties in New York. The Bank attracts deposits from the general public and businesses primarily in the areas surrounding its banking offices and uses those funds, together with funds generated from operations and borrowings, to originate commercial real estate loans, commercial business loans, residential mortgage loans, and consumer loans. The Bank invests in mortgage-backed securities and other permissible investments. The Bank also provides fiduciary and wealth management services through its wholly owned subsidiary, Beacon Trust Company, and insurance services through its wholly owned subsidiary, Provident Protection Plus, Inc. The Bank has approximately 140 branches.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Stable Dividend History: Provident Financial Services has maintained a dividend payment for over 10 years, with the most recent annual payment at $0.96 per share, demonstrating the company's reliability in dividend payouts and boosting investor confidence.
- Sustainable Dividend Yield: The current dividend yield stands at 4.3%, above the industry average, and with projected EPS growth of 24.2% over the next three years, the company is well-positioned to sustain its dividend payments without straining its financials.
- Strong Profitability: The latest earnings report shows a payout ratio of 49%, expected to decrease to 37% over the next three years, indicating that Provident Financial can better cover its dividends in the future, enhancing its appeal as an income investment.
- Dividend Growth Potential: With a 9.8% annual growth in EPS over the past five years, combined with stable dividend payments, Provident Financial Services presents a compelling opportunity for investors seeking consistent income, highlighting its long-term investment value.
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- Increased Holdings: On January 15, 2026, Ledgewood Wealth Advisors disclosed an increase of 204,172 shares in the Invesco BulletShares 2027 Corporate Bond ETF, with an estimated transaction value of $4.03 million, reflecting confidence in the ETF's market outlook.
- Stake Proportion Rise: This purchase raised Ledgewood's stake in BSCR to 5.8% of its 13F AUM, indicating a strategic positioning in fixed-income investments, particularly amid expectations of declining interest rates.
- Fund Performance: As of January 15, 2026, BSCR shares were priced at $19.75, delivering a total return of 5.7% over the past year, although trailing the S&P 500 by 12.5 percentage points, suggesting a need for attention to the ETF's relative performance in the current market.
- Investment Strategy: The ETF targets investment-grade corporate bonds maturing in 2027, providing defined maturity exposure and predictable income, appealing to institutional and individual investors seeking high yields as interest rates are anticipated to decline.
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- Stake Increase: On January 15, 2026, Ledgewood Wealth Advisors, LLC increased its stake in the Invesco BulletShares 2027 Corporate Bond ETF by 204,172 shares, with an estimated transaction value of $4.03 million based on the fourth quarter's average closing price, indicating a sustained interest in fixed-income investments.
- Quarter-End Value Growth: The fund's quarter-end position value rose by $4.04 million, reflecting both share purchases and bond ETF price movements, demonstrating strong market demand for investment-grade corporate bonds.
- Asset Allocation Adjustment: This transaction accounted for 2.3% of the fund's $173.6 million in reportable assets under management as of December 31, 2025, highlighting its strategic positioning in fixed income, particularly amid expectations of declining interest rates.
- Yield Attractiveness: High-quality investment-grade bonds yielding over 4% will become increasingly attractive if interest rates fall in 2026, potentially prompting a rotation of funds from stocks to bonds, thereby boosting demand for this ETF.
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- Record Revenue: Provident Financial Services reported net earnings of $83 million or $0.64 per share for Q4 2025, achieving total revenue of $226 million, which underscores the company's strong performance in sustained growth and profitability.
- Loan and Deposit Growth: The company generated $3.2 billion in new commercial loans in 2025, resulting in a net growth rate of 5.5%, with period-end loans and deposits increasing by $218 million and $182 million respectively, indicating robust market demand and competitive positioning.
- Noninterest Income Boost: Noninterest income reached $28.3 million in Q4, primarily driven by Provident Protection Plus and Beacon Trust, which enhances the company's revenue diversity and profitability.
- Future Outlook: Management anticipates loan and deposit growth of 4% to 6% in 2026, alongside a core system conversion that will incur approximately $5 million in nonrecurring charges, reflecting the company's confidence in future growth and strategic investments.
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- Earnings Performance: Provident Financial reported a Q4 GAAP EPS of $0.55, missing expectations by $0.01, indicating some pressure on profitability.
- Revenue Growth: The company achieved Q4 revenue of $225.72 million, a 9.6% year-over-year increase, surpassing market expectations by $1.65 million, reflecting a strong business growth momentum.
- Stock Buyback Plan: Provident Financial expanded its stock buyback plan to 2.15% of outstanding shares, aimed at enhancing shareholder value and boosting market confidence.
- Executive Change: CFO Thomas M. Lyons announced his retirement, which may impact the company's future financial strategy and operations.
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- Q4 Revenue Performance: Provident Financial Services reported a Q4 revenue of USD 225.7 million.
- Comparison to Estimates: This figure exceeds the Ibes estimate of USD 207.6 million.
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