First Citizens BancShares Reports Strong Q4 Earnings Beat
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 3d ago
0mins
Source: Benzinga
- Earnings Beat: First Citizens BancShares reported Q4 earnings of $51.27 per share, surpassing the analyst consensus of $43.91, indicating robust profitability and boosting market confidence in future performance.
- Sales Growth: The company achieved quarterly sales of $2.435 billion, exceeding the analyst estimate of $2.289 billion, reflecting strong performance in Global Fund Banking that drove overall revenue growth.
- Capital Return: During Q4, the bank returned $900 million to shareholders through share repurchases and prepaid $2.5 billion of the Purchase Money Note, demonstrating strong capital and liquidity positions while enhancing shareholder trust.
- Analyst Rating Adjustments: Following the earnings announcement, several analysts adjusted their price targets for First Citizens, with Barclays lowering its target from $2,456 to $2,346, indicating a cautious outlook on the bank's future growth.
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Analyst Views on FCNCA
Wall Street analysts forecast FCNCA stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for FCNCA is 2270 USD with a low forecast of 2000 USD and a high forecast of 2500 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
8 Analyst Rating
4 Buy
4 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 1980.050
Low
2000
Averages
2270
High
2500
Current: 1980.050
Low
2000
Averages
2270
High
2500
About FCNCA
First Citizens BancShares, Inc. is the financial holding company for First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company (First Citizens Bank). The Company’s General Bank segment delivers products and services to consumers and businesses through its network of branches and various digital channels. It offers a full suite of deposit products, loans, cash management, private banking and wealth management, payment services, and treasury services. The Commercial Bank segment provides a range of lending, leasing, capital markets, asset management, and other financial and advisory services, primarily to small and middle market companies. The SVB Commercial segment offers products and services to commercial clients and investors across stages, sectors and regions in the innovation ecosystem, as well as private equity and venture capital firms. The Rail segment offers customized leasing and financing solutions on a fleet of railcars and locomotives to railroads and shippers throughout North America.
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.
Pomerantz LLP Investigates First Citizens for Securities Fraud
- Poor Financial Performance: First Citizens BancShares reported a 64.5% efficiency ratio for Q4 2025 on January 23, 2026, which not only missed analyst expectations but also worsened from the previous year, indicating challenges in cost management that could impact future profitability.
- Bleak Outlook: The company described a pessimistic outlook with expected revenue deterioration and weak net interest income projections, which may lead to declining investor confidence and negatively affect stock performance.
- Significant Stock Drop: Following the earnings report, First Citizens' stock price fell by $186.97, or 8.49%, closing at $2,016.56 per share, reflecting market concerns regarding the company's financial health.
- Legal Investigation Initiated: Pomerantz LLP is investigating whether First Citizens and its executives engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices, which could expose the company to legal risks and further impact its market performance.
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First Citizens BancShares Under Investigation for Securities Fraud
- Declining Financial Performance: First Citizens BancShares reported an efficiency ratio of 64.5% for Q4 2025 on January 23, 2026, which not only missed analyst expectations but also worsened from the previous year, indicating challenges in cost management.
- Bleak Outlook: The company provided a pessimistic outlook, forecasting further revenue deterioration and weak net interest income projections, which could undermine investor confidence and market performance.
- Significant Stock Drop: Following the financial report, First Citizens' stock price fell by $186.97, or 8.49%, closing at $2,016.56 per share on January 23, 2026, reflecting market concerns about its future performance.
- Legal Investigation Launched: Pomerantz LLP is investigating whether First Citizens and its executives engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices, potentially leading to further legal risks and financial repercussions.
Continue Reading