Baird Upgrades Ratings for Multiple Banks
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 09 2026
0mins
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.
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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: 64.360
Low
59.00
Averages
66.29
High
77.00
Current: 64.360
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.
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- Asset Scale: As of March 31, 2026, Citizens Financial Group's total assets reached $227.9 billion, solidifying its position as one of the largest financial institutions in the U.S., demonstrating strong market competitiveness.
- Service Range: Citizens Financial Group offers a broad range of retail, private banking, wealth management, and commercial banking products and services, catering to diverse needs of individuals, small businesses, and large corporations, thereby enhancing customer loyalty.
- Digital Experience: In consumer banking, Citizens provides an integrated digital experience, including mobile and online banking services, approximately 3,000 ATMs, and 1,000 branches, significantly improving customer convenience and satisfaction.
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- Conference Participation: Citizens Financial Group's Chairman and CEO Bruce Van Saun will participate in the 42nd Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference on May 29, 2026, showcasing the company's leadership in the financial sector.
- Asset Scale: As of March 31, 2026, Citizens Financial Group's total assets reached $227.9 billion, solidifying its position as one of the largest financial institutions in the U.S., demonstrating strong market competitiveness.
- Service Range: Citizens Financial Group offers a broad range of retail, private banking, wealth management, and commercial banking products and services, catering to diverse needs of individuals, small businesses, and large corporations, thereby enhancing customer loyalty.
- Digital Experience: In consumer banking, Citizens provides an integrated digital experience, including mobile and online banking services, approximately 3,000 ATMs, and 1,000 branches, significantly improving customer convenience and satisfaction.
See More
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- Share Acquisition: Strategic Value Bank Partners initiated a position in OceanFirst Financial Corp. by acquiring 627,333 shares valued at $11.6 million in Q1 2026, reflecting confidence in the company, particularly in light of the upcoming merger.
- Merger Outlook: The merger with Flushing Financial is expected to close by June 1, 2026, resulting in combined assets of approximately $23 billion and projected EPS accretion of about 16% by 2027, significantly enhancing the company's competitive position in the market.
- Financial Performance: OceanFirst reported a net income of $20.5 million in Q1 2026, exceeding analyst expectations, with net interest income rising 11% year-over-year to $96.4 million, indicating robust performance leading into the merger and laying a solid foundation for future growth.
- Investment Strategy: The acquisition by Strategic Value Bank suggests a long-term optimistic view on the combined value of OceanFirst post-merger, despite the presence of other more attractive investment options in the market, highlighting a sustained focus on the regional banking sector.
See More
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Stock Sale Announcement: Officer McCree of Citizens Financial (CFG.US) plans to sell 46,980 shares of the company's common stock.
Market Value: The total market value of the shares to be sold is approximately $3.08 million.
See More
Citizens Financial Group Reports Strong Q1 Growth
- Earnings Growth: Citizens Financial Group reported an EPS of $1.13 for Q1 2026, reflecting a robust 47% year-over-year growth, which significantly boosts investor confidence and highlights the company's strong profitability.
- Net Interest Margin Expansion: The net interest margin (NIM) increased by 24 basis points, indicating strong net interest income and solid loan growth, further solidifying the company's financial health and competitive position.
- Shareholder Returns: The company returned $500 million to shareholders this quarter, including $198 million in dividends and $300 million in share repurchases, demonstrating a commitment to enhancing shareholder value and building market trust.
- Strategic Initiative Progress: The 'Reimagine the Bank' program is progressing well, with expected annualized run rate benefits of $100 million by the end of 2026, showcasing the company's proactive efforts to improve operational efficiency and market competitiveness.
See More
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- Strong Financial Performance: Citizens Financial Group reported an EPS of $1.13 for Q1 2026, reflecting a 47% year-over-year growth, alongside a 1.6% linked quarter increase in net interest income (NII), demonstrating the company's resilience in a seasonally soft quarter and bolstering market confidence.
- Growth in Private Banking: The Private Bank and Wealth business continued to grow in customer base and profitability, now accounting for roughly 10% of pre-tax income with an ROE exceeding 25%, indicating significant success in the company's strategic focus on high-margin business areas.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: The company expects net interest income to rise by 3% to 4% in Q2, with non-interest income projected to increase by 3% to 5%, reflecting management's confidence in future revenue growth and ongoing investments in the
See More
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- Market Volatility Strategy: Bank of America highlights that in the face of market volatility and stagflation risks, investors should focus on sustainable high-yield stocks to protect their portfolios, especially as the S&P 500 reaches an all-time high.
- Sustainable Dividend Yields: With the S&P 500's dividend yield at only 1.1%, Bank of America advises investors to seek stocks with above-market but not overstretched dividend yields to achieve better returns, particularly in the current interest rate environment.
- PepsiCo's Strong Performance: PepsiCo reported first-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.61 per share, exceeding market expectations, and its North American food business saw volume growth for the first time in two years, demonstrating the company's adaptability following price adjustments.
- Citizens Financial's Positive Outlook: Citizens Financial reported first-quarter earnings of $1.13 per share, surpassing expectations, and forecasts net interest income growth of 3% to 4%, indicating resilience and growth potential for the regional bank in the current economic climate.
See More
