Baird Upgrades Ratings for Multiple Banks
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 day ago
0mins
Should l Buy CFG?
Source: seekingalpha
- Rating Upgrades: Baird Equity Research upgraded Citizens Financial (CFG), Truist Financial (TFC), and Zions Bancorporation (ZION) from Neutral to Outperform, indicating that recent stock price weakness has created more attractive risk/reward trade-offs for investors.
- Investment Timing: CFG's stock has declined approximately 15% over the past month, with a current P/E ratio of about 9x 2027 EPS, making it an opportune time to buy, as the company boasts strong fundamentals among regional banks.
- PPNR Growth Trends: Baird highlighted that TFC represents good value as management improves its PPNR growth trends, receiving Buy ratings from Wall Street analysts and Quant, reflecting market confidence in its future performance.
- ZION Investment Opportunity: Although Baird recently downgraded ZION around $65, the analyst believes the recent pullback presents an opportunity to invest in one of the more inexpensive regional banks, with the stock supported by Buy and Hold ratings from various analysts.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy CFG?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on CFG
Wall Street analysts forecast CFG stock price to rise
15 Analyst Rating
13 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 58.310
Low
59.00
Averages
66.29
High
77.00
Current: 58.310
Low
59.00
Averages
66.29
High
77.00
About CFG
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. offers a range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions. The Company operates through two segments: Consumer Banking and Commercial Banking. Consumer Banking segment serves consumer customers and small businesses, with products and services that include deposits, mortgage and home equity lending, credit cards, small business loans, wealth management and investment services largely across its 14-state traditional banking footprint. Consumer Banking segment operates approximately 1,000 branches, including 143 in-store locations, and approximately 3,100 ATMs. Commercial Banking segment primarily serves companies and institutions with financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as syndicated loans, and others.
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.
- Dow Jones Decline: The Dow Jones fell over 400 points due to rising oil prices, with West Texas Intermediate crude surpassing $119 per barrel, raising concerns about stagflation; analysts predict an accelerated market decline if oil prices return to their overnight highs.
- GE Vernova Upgrade: GE Vernova received a double upgrade from Rothschild, moving from sell to buy, as analysts noted a sharp increase in demand indicators for AI and gas turbines since October, forecasting substantial upside for guidance and consensus for both 2026 and 2027.
- Starbucks Rating Adjustment: Wolfe Research resumed coverage of Starbucks with a hold-equivalent rating, down from buy, stating that while Starbucks is in the early stages of a multi-year turnaround, competition may limit its comparable sales and pricing power.
- Rapid Fire Stock Review: Stocks mentioned in Monday's rapid fire included Netflix, Citizens Financial Group, Truist Financial Corporation, and Zions, with Jim Cramer's charitable trust holding positions in CSCO, GEV, and SBUX.
See More
- Rating Upgrades: Baird Equity Research upgraded Citizens Financial (CFG), Truist Financial (TFC), and Zions Bancorporation (ZION) from Neutral to Outperform, indicating that recent stock price weakness has created more attractive risk/reward trade-offs for investors.
- Investment Timing: CFG's stock has declined approximately 15% over the past month, with a current P/E ratio of about 9x 2027 EPS, making it an opportune time to buy, as the company boasts strong fundamentals among regional banks.
- PPNR Growth Trends: Baird highlighted that TFC represents good value as management improves its PPNR growth trends, receiving Buy ratings from Wall Street analysts and Quant, reflecting market confidence in its future performance.
- ZION Investment Opportunity: Although Baird recently downgraded ZION around $65, the analyst believes the recent pullback presents an opportunity to invest in one of the more inexpensive regional banks, with the stock supported by Buy and Hold ratings from various analysts.
See More
- Analyst Rating Changes: Top Wall Street analysts have adjusted their ratings on several companies, indicating a shift in market sentiment that could influence investor decisions and market trends.
- Overview of Updates: While specific upgrades, downgrades, and initiations are not detailed in this article, the overall trend suggests fluctuations in analyst confidence, potentially prompting investors to reassess their stock holdings.
- Investor Consideration: For those considering buying VAL stock, analysts' opinions will serve as a crucial reference point, likely impacting their investment decisions and the stock's market performance.
- Market Dynamics Impact: Changes in analyst ratings typically provoke market reactions, necessitating investors to closely monitor these shifts to adjust their investment strategies accordingly.
See More
- Analyst Rating Changes: Top Wall Street analysts have adjusted their ratings on several companies, reflecting varying market perspectives that could influence investor decisions and market trends.
- Upgrades and Downgrades: While specific upgrade and downgrade details are not provided, such changes typically have a direct impact on the stock prices of the affected companies, necessitating investor vigilance regarding these developments.
- Market Reaction Expectations: The adjustments in analysts' ratings may lead to increased buying or selling activity for TFC stock, thereby affecting its trading volume and price fluctuations in the short term.
- Investor Focus: Investors considering purchasing TFC stock should take into account the latest analyst ratings and market sentiment to make more informed investment decisions.
See More
- Apple Rating Maintained: Citigroup reiterates Apple as a buy despite trimming its second-half earnings estimates, projecting a 140bps and 48bps gross margin headwind in 2026 and 2027, indicating Apple's relative strength in navigating memory component price hikes.
- Oracle Price Target Cut: Deutsche Bank lowers Oracle's price target from $375 to $300 while maintaining a buy rating, reflecting concerns over extended timelines to resolve issues that could impact equity performance in the coming quarters.
- Nvidia Core Holding: Citigroup reaffirms Nvidia as a core holding, emphasizing its pivotal role in agentic and physical AI, showcasing confidence in the company's growth potential in these critical sectors.
- Netflix Downgrade: Wells Fargo downgrades Netflix from overweight to equal weight, citing the need for continued investment to drive growth and concerns over its competitive positioning in the market, indicating a cautious outlook on its future performance.
See More
- Rate Increases: According to Morgan Stanley, six out of 35 banks raised their top CD rates in February, with the average highest rate increasing by 4 basis points to 3.68%, providing savers with an opportunity to lock in attractive yields.
- Fed Policy Impact: The current federal funds target rate is between 3.5% and 3.75%, and analysts indicate that uncertainty regarding future Fed rate cuts is prompting banks to raise rates to attract more deposits and enhance profitability.
- Improved Loan Growth: As borrowing activity picks up, banks are seeing an increase in net interest income, which signifies a widening gap between what they earn from loans and what they pay on deposits, thereby boosting overall profitability.
- Intensifying Market Competition: Analysts foresee that as new banks enter the market and compete for deposits, CD rates may remain stable or even rise due to increased competition, ultimately providing consumers with more options.
See More











