Small Business Owners Show Rising Optimism Amid Economic Concerns
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 5 days ago
0mins
Source: Newsfilter
- Revenue Expectations: The Citizens Q3 2026 survey reveals that 50% of small business owners expect revenue growth in the next three months, marking the highest optimism level recorded in three consecutive quarters, indicating a strong belief in their business prospects.
- Declining Economic Confidence: Despite the optimism regarding their own businesses, only 24% of small business owners express confidence in the U.S. economy, down from 36% in Q2 2026, highlighting ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties.
- Cost Pressures: More than half of the respondents (51%) cite inflation and cost management as their primary business challenges, surpassing economic uncertainty (43%) and customer acquisition (39%), illustrating the significant external pressures faced by small businesses.
- Stable Hiring Plans: In light of these challenges, 64% of small business owners plan to maintain their full-time headcount over the next three months, with only 18% intending to increase staff, reflecting a cautious approach focused on operational efficiency rather than aggressive expansion.
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Analyst Views on CFG
Wall Street analysts forecast CFG stock price to fall
15 Analyst Rating
13 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 71.820
Low
59.00
Averages
66.29
High
77.00
Current: 71.820
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.
Small Business Owners Show Rising Optimism Amid Economic Concerns
- Revenue Expectations: The Citizens Q3 2026 survey reveals that 50% of small business owners expect revenue growth in the next three months, marking the highest optimism level recorded in three consecutive quarters, indicating a strong belief in their business prospects.
- Declining Economic Confidence: Despite the optimism regarding their own businesses, only 24% of small business owners express confidence in the U.S. economy, down from 36% in Q2 2026, highlighting ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties.
- Cost Pressures: More than half of the respondents (51%) cite inflation and cost management as their primary business challenges, surpassing economic uncertainty (43%) and customer acquisition (39%), illustrating the significant external pressures faced by small businesses.
- Stable Hiring Plans: In light of these challenges, 64% of small business owners plan to maintain their full-time headcount over the next three months, with only 18% intending to increase staff, reflecting a cautious approach focused on operational efficiency rather than aggressive expansion.
See More
Citizens Bank Launches Nationwide Volunteer Initiative
- Volunteer Initiative Scale: Citizens Bank plans to mobilize employees for over 250 volunteer opportunities by Veterans Day, aiming to enhance community engagement and social responsibility while celebrating America's 250th anniversary through meaningful service projects.
- Sustainability Investment: According to the 2025 Sustainability & Impact Report, Citizens Bank invested over $2 billion in community development financing, supporting the construction or revitalization of more than 8,000 affordable housing units, demonstrating a long-term commitment to community development.
- Small Business Lending Growth: The bank provided over $300 million in small business loans, assisting local entrepreneurs in growing their businesses, which further drives economic growth and community prosperity.
- Talent Development Strategy: Citizens Bank's 20-year partnership with Year Up United focuses on enhancing young professionals' job skills and economic mobility, showcasing the company's proactive role in nurturing early-career talent and contributing to the future workforce landscape.
See More
Citizens Financial Group Stock Shows Strong Performance
- Leading Earnings Growth: Citizens Financial Group (CFG) is expected to achieve a 35% EPS growth in 2023, significantly outpacing the second-place KEY at 20.1%, highlighting its strong profitability in the regional banking sector and boosting investor confidence.
- Outstanding Market Performance: Since being recommended six months ago, CFG's stock has risen by 21%, compared to an 8% increase in the S&P 500, indicating CFG's leadership position and growing investment appeal among regional banks.
- Business Diversification: CFG's newly established private banking and wealth management division has attracted $16.6 billion in deposits and $10.1 billion in client AUM within just three years, showcasing its rapid expansion potential and market demand.
- Strong Technicals: CFG's stock has been on a persistent uptrend for nearly a year, currently closing at $69 and approaching the $70 technical resistance level, reflecting optimistic market expectations for its future performance, with risk anchored at the $57 support level.
See More
Federal Reserve Stress Test Results Positive for Banks
- Stress Test Results: The Federal Reserve's stress tests confirmed that all 32 banks passed, and while capital buffer ratios remain unchanged, analysts anticipate improvements for 2026, reflecting the resilience and stability of the banking sector.
- Market Reaction: Following the test results, the KBW Nasdaq Bank Index rose by 2.6% and the regional bank index increased by 1.4%, indicating heightened investor confidence in bank stocks, despite mixed performance in the broader equity markets.
- Capital Buffer Changes: Citizens Financial Group's implied capital buffer ratio decreased by 200 basis points to 2.5%, with Morgan Stanley and Citigroup also showing improvements, suggesting these banks are well-prepared for the upcoming Basel III reforms, potentially lowering future capital requirements.
- Dividends and Buyback Plans: Among banks announcing dividend increases, the median rise was 11%, although the overall yield hovers around 2%; however, buyback plans are more significant, with an expected 8% reduction in shares outstanding, enhancing capital return capabilities.
See More
Federal Reserve Stress Test Shows Resilience of Major Banks
- Bank Resilience: The Federal Reserve's annual stress test revealed that 32 major banks could absorb over $708 billion in losses during a hypothetical global recession while continuing to lend to households and businesses, highlighting the resilience of the banking system.
- Stable Capital Ratios: The industry's common equity tier 1 capital ratio fell by 1.6 percentage points during the test but remained comfortably above the required minimums, indicating that banks can maintain capital adequacy despite a surge in unemployment to 10% and significant declines in real estate prices.
- Regulatory Policy Changes: Unlike previous years, this year's test results will not affect the capital requirements for large banks, as the Fed decided to keep stress test buffers unchanged until 2027, a policy shift that could reshape future capital requirements for banks.
- Market Focus Shift: KBW analysts noted that while the test results underscore the strength of the banking system, market attention is likely to shift towards the upcoming Basel III Endgame proposal rather than the current stress test results, which may influence future capital buffer requirements.
See More
Federal Reserve Stress Test Shows Strong Resilience of Major Banks
- Stress Test Results: The Federal Reserve's annual stress test revealed that all 32 major banks can absorb over $708 billion in losses during a hypothetical recession, underscoring the resilience of the banking system.
- Unemployment and Real Estate Impact: The test scenario included a 10% unemployment rate, a 39% drop in commercial real estate prices, and a 30% decline in home prices, yet all banks maintained capital ratios above minimum requirements, demonstrating their robustness.
- Capital Ratio Changes: The industry's common equity tier 1 capital ratio fell by 1.6 percentage points during the stress test but remained well above regulatory requirements, indicating strong capital buffers for banks amid economic headwinds.
- Regulatory Policy Outlook: The Fed announced it would keep stress test buffers unchanged until 2027, reflecting a responsiveness to industry feedback that could reshape future capital requirements and influence banks' capital management strategies.
See More
Small Business Owners Show Rising Optimism Amid Economic Concerns
- Revenue Expectations: The Citizens Q3 2026 survey reveals that 50% of small business owners expect revenue growth in the next three months, marking the highest optimism level recorded in three consecutive quarters, indicating a strong belief in their business prospects.
- Declining Economic Confidence: Despite the optimism regarding their own businesses, only 24% of small business owners express confidence in the U.S. economy, down from 36% in Q2 2026, highlighting ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties.
- Cost Pressures: More than half of the respondents (51%) cite inflation and cost management as their primary business challenges, surpassing economic uncertainty (43%) and customer acquisition (39%), illustrating the significant external pressures faced by small businesses.
- Stable Hiring Plans: In light of these challenges, 64% of small business owners plan to maintain their full-time headcount over the next three months, with only 18% intending to increase staff, reflecting a cautious approach focused on operational efficiency rather than aggressive expansion.
See More
Citizens Bank Launches Nationwide Volunteer Initiative
- Volunteer Initiative Scale: Citizens Bank plans to mobilize employees for over 250 volunteer opportunities by Veterans Day, aiming to enhance community engagement and social responsibility while celebrating America's 250th anniversary through meaningful service projects.
- Sustainability Investment: According to the 2025 Sustainability & Impact Report, Citizens Bank invested over $2 billion in community development financing, supporting the construction or revitalization of more than 8,000 affordable housing units, demonstrating a long-term commitment to community development.
- Small Business Lending Growth: The bank provided over $300 million in small business loans, assisting local entrepreneurs in growing their businesses, which further drives economic growth and community prosperity.
- Talent Development Strategy: Citizens Bank's 20-year partnership with Year Up United focuses on enhancing young professionals' job skills and economic mobility, showcasing the company's proactive role in nurturing early-career talent and contributing to the future workforce landscape.
See More
Citizens Financial Group Stock Shows Strong Performance
- Leading Earnings Growth: Citizens Financial Group (CFG) is expected to achieve a 35% EPS growth in 2023, significantly outpacing the second-place KEY at 20.1%, highlighting its strong profitability in the regional banking sector and boosting investor confidence.
- Outstanding Market Performance: Since being recommended six months ago, CFG's stock has risen by 21%, compared to an 8% increase in the S&P 500, indicating CFG's leadership position and growing investment appeal among regional banks.
- Business Diversification: CFG's newly established private banking and wealth management division has attracted $16.6 billion in deposits and $10.1 billion in client AUM within just three years, showcasing its rapid expansion potential and market demand.
- Strong Technicals: CFG's stock has been on a persistent uptrend for nearly a year, currently closing at $69 and approaching the $70 technical resistance level, reflecting optimistic market expectations for its future performance, with risk anchored at the $57 support level.
See More
Federal Reserve Stress Test Results Positive for Banks
- Stress Test Results: The Federal Reserve's stress tests confirmed that all 32 banks passed, and while capital buffer ratios remain unchanged, analysts anticipate improvements for 2026, reflecting the resilience and stability of the banking sector.
- Market Reaction: Following the test results, the KBW Nasdaq Bank Index rose by 2.6% and the regional bank index increased by 1.4%, indicating heightened investor confidence in bank stocks, despite mixed performance in the broader equity markets.
- Capital Buffer Changes: Citizens Financial Group's implied capital buffer ratio decreased by 200 basis points to 2.5%, with Morgan Stanley and Citigroup also showing improvements, suggesting these banks are well-prepared for the upcoming Basel III reforms, potentially lowering future capital requirements.
- Dividends and Buyback Plans: Among banks announcing dividend increases, the median rise was 11%, although the overall yield hovers around 2%; however, buyback plans are more significant, with an expected 8% reduction in shares outstanding, enhancing capital return capabilities.
See More
Federal Reserve Stress Test Shows Resilience of Major Banks
- Bank Resilience: The Federal Reserve's annual stress test revealed that 32 major banks could absorb over $708 billion in losses during a hypothetical global recession while continuing to lend to households and businesses, highlighting the resilience of the banking system.
- Stable Capital Ratios: The industry's common equity tier 1 capital ratio fell by 1.6 percentage points during the test but remained comfortably above the required minimums, indicating that banks can maintain capital adequacy despite a surge in unemployment to 10% and significant declines in real estate prices.
- Regulatory Policy Changes: Unlike previous years, this year's test results will not affect the capital requirements for large banks, as the Fed decided to keep stress test buffers unchanged until 2027, a policy shift that could reshape future capital requirements for banks.
- Market Focus Shift: KBW analysts noted that while the test results underscore the strength of the banking system, market attention is likely to shift towards the upcoming Basel III Endgame proposal rather than the current stress test results, which may influence future capital buffer requirements.
See More
Federal Reserve Stress Test Shows Strong Resilience of Major Banks
- Stress Test Results: The Federal Reserve's annual stress test revealed that all 32 major banks can absorb over $708 billion in losses during a hypothetical recession, underscoring the resilience of the banking system.
- Unemployment and Real Estate Impact: The test scenario included a 10% unemployment rate, a 39% drop in commercial real estate prices, and a 30% decline in home prices, yet all banks maintained capital ratios above minimum requirements, demonstrating their robustness.
- Capital Ratio Changes: The industry's common equity tier 1 capital ratio fell by 1.6 percentage points during the stress test but remained well above regulatory requirements, indicating strong capital buffers for banks amid economic headwinds.
- Regulatory Policy Outlook: The Fed announced it would keep stress test buffers unchanged until 2027, reflecting a responsiveness to industry feedback that could reshape future capital requirements and influence banks' capital management strategies.
See More
