Citizens Financial Group Downgrades C3 AI Amid Disappointing Earnings
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 26 2026
0mins
Should l Buy CFG?
Citizens Financial Group Inc. shares fell 4.08% as the stock hit a 20-day low, reflecting broader market weakness with the Nasdaq-100 down 2.62% and the S&P 500 down 2.39%.
The decline was influenced by Citizens Financial Group's downgrade of C3 AI from market outperform to market perform, following C3 AI's disappointing third-quarter earnings report that revealed a significant revenue miss and a bleak future outlook. The downgrade reflects increasing near-term business challenges and intensifying competition faced by C3 AI, which reported a revenue of only $53 million against expectations of $76 million, raising concerns about its financial health.
This downgrade by Citizens Financial Group highlights the ongoing challenges in the tech sector, particularly for companies like C3 AI that are struggling to meet market expectations. Investors may need to reassess their positions in tech stocks as earnings reports continue to reveal weaknesses.
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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: 58.890
Low
59.00
Averages
66.29
High
77.00
Current: 58.890
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.
Citizens Financial Group to Report Q1 2026 Earnings on April 16
- Earnings Release Schedule: Citizens Financial Group (CFG) will report its Q1 2026 earnings on April 16, 2026, providing a news release and supplemental materials to ensure timely access to key information for investors.
- Conference Call Details: Management will host a conference call at 9:00 AM ET on the release day, allowing investors to dial in at 800-369-1703 to ask questions, ensuring direct interaction with the management team.
- Webcast Information: The conference call will be available via live webcast, enhancing transparency and convenience for investors to access the information on the company's website.
- Replay Information: A replay of the conference call will be available starting at 12:00 PM ET on April 16, 2026, through May 15, 2026, ensuring that investors who cannot participate live can still access important information.
See More
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- 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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Wall Street Analysts Adjust Ratings
- 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
Wall Street Analysts Adjust Ratings
- 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
Major Wall Street Rating Updates on Monday
- 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.
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See More
Citizens Financial Group to Report Q1 2026 Earnings on April 16
- Earnings Release Schedule: Citizens Financial Group (CFG) will report its Q1 2026 earnings on April 16, 2026, providing a news release and supplemental materials to ensure timely access to key information for investors.
- Conference Call Details: Management will host a conference call at 9:00 AM ET on the release day, allowing investors to dial in at 800-369-1703 to ask questions, ensuring direct interaction with the management team.
- Webcast Information: The conference call will be available via live webcast, enhancing transparency and convenience for investors to access the information on the company's website.
- Replay Information: A replay of the conference call will be available starting at 12:00 PM ET on April 16, 2026, through May 15, 2026, ensuring that investors who cannot participate live can still access important information.
See More
Dow Drops Over 400 Points; GE Vernova Receives Double Upgrade
- 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
Baird Upgrades Ratings for Multiple Banks
- 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
Wall Street Analysts Adjust Ratings
- 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
Wall Street Analysts Adjust Ratings
- 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
Major Wall Street Rating Updates on Monday
- 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
