WAFD

Earnings Performance: WaFd reported a Q2 Non-GAAP EPS of $0.65, beating expectations by $0.02, with revenue of $179.79 million, down 7.5% year-over-year but still surpassing estimates by $0.42 million.

Financial Metrics: The bank's net interest margin improved to 2.55%, while customer deposits remained stable at $21.4 billion; however, cash decreased significantly by 48.3% and a provision for credit losses was recorded at $2.8 million.

Analyst Ratings Overview: Recent evaluations of WaFd by five analysts show a mix of sentiments, with no bullish or bearish ratings and an average 12-month price target of $32.8, reflecting a decrease from the previous target of $36.20.

Financial Performance Insights: WaFd Inc has a lower market capitalization compared to industry averages, with challenges in profitability indicated by below-average net margin, return on equity, and return on assets, alongside a high debt-to-equity ratio.

WaFd, Inc. Earnings Report: WaFd, Inc. shares rose 6.4% in pre-market trading after reporting a second-quarter GAAP EPS of 65 cents, exceeding estimates of 58 cents, with sales of $179.79 million surpassing expectations of $157.81 million.

Pre-Market Stock Movements: Several stocks experienced significant changes in pre-market trading, with notable gainers including Sharps Technology (up 73.6%) and Classover Holdings (up 61.2%), while Culp, Inc. saw a sharp decline of 56.2%.

Financial Performance: WaFd, Inc. reported adjusted earnings of 65 cents per share for Q2 fiscal 2025, exceeding estimates and significantly increasing from the previous year, driven by higher net interest income and reduced non-interest expenses, despite a decline in loan balances.

Future Outlook: The company anticipates continued financial support from higher interest rates and its acquisition of Luther Burbank Corporation, although it faces challenges from an uncertain macroeconomic environment.

WaFd Financial Performance: For Q1 2025, WaFd reported a revenue of $179.79 million, a 4.5% increase year-over-year, but fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.38%. The EPS was $0.65, slightly lower than the previous year's $0.73, yet exceeded expectations by 8.33%.

Market Insights: The article highlights the growing demand for semiconductor manufacturing, projected to rise significantly from $452 billion in 2021 to $803 billion by 2028, positioning companies like WaFd favorably amidst increasing interest in AI and IoT technologies.

Earnings Performance: WaFd (WAFD) reported quarterly earnings of $0.65 per share, exceeding expectations but down from $0.73 a year ago; revenues of $179.79 million fell short of estimates, marking a mixed performance over the past four quarters.

Market Outlook: The stock has underperformed with a 24.1% decline this year, and its future performance will depend on management's commentary and changes in earnings estimates, currently holding a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Dividend Predictability: Dividend amounts are unpredictable and fluctuate based on a company's profitability, with WaFd Inc's historical performance being a key indicator for future dividends.

Investment Insight: The article suggests that understanding WaFd's dividend history can help investors assess the likelihood of maintaining a 4% annual yield.

Stock Performance: WaFd Inc's 4.875% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock (WAFDP) is up 1.1%, while the common shares (WAFD) have increased by 1.7% in Friday trading.

Dividend History: A chart detailing the historical dividend payments for WAFDP is provided, showcasing its performance over the past year.

Dividend Announcement: WaFd, Inc. has increased its quarterly cash dividend to 27 cents per share, which will be paid on March 7, 2025, marking the company's 168th consecutive quarterly dividend.

Company Overview: WaFd, Inc., the parent company of Washington Federal Bank, operates 210 branches across several states and reported significant financial figures as of December 31, 2024, including $27.7 billion in assets and $21.4 billion in deposits.

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WAFD Stock Performance: WaFd Inc (WAFD) shares have entered oversold territory with an RSI of 29.8, indicating potential buying opportunities as heavy selling may be exhausting. The stock is currently trading at $29.88, within a 52-week range of $25.785 to $38.62.

Market Comparison: In contrast, the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) has an RSI of 57.9, suggesting stronger market conditions compared to WAFD's recent performance.

ETF Analyst Target Price Insights: The SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF (SPTM) has an implied analyst target price of $81.96, indicating a potential upside of 12.38% from its current trading price of $72.93.

Notable Holdings with Upside Potential: Key underlying holdings such as NeoGenomics Inc, WaFd Inc, and Dream Finders Homes Inc show significant upside potential based on analyst targets, with expected increases of 48.37%, 30.58%, and 29.16% respectively from their recent prices.

Real-time Intelligence for Traders: Benzinga Pro offers the fastest news alerts and exclusive stories to help traders make informed decisions in the stock market.

Community of Serious Traders: Over 10,000 traders are part of the Benzinga Pro community, benefiting from accurate market intelligence and timely updates.

Price Target Adjustment: Keefe Bruyette analyst Kelly Motta has reduced WaFd's price target from $42 to $34 while maintaining a Market Perform rating, citing the company's strategic exit from single-family residential origination as a focus shift towards commercial/small business.

Market Outlook: The firm anticipates that WaFd's shares will remain range-bound until there is more clarity regarding the bank's net interest margin trajectory.

Earnings Performance: WaFd (WAFD) reported quarterly earnings of $0.62 per share, missing estimates and down from $0.85 a year ago, with revenues also falling short of expectations at $171.13 million.

Market Outlook: The stock has underperformed compared to the S&P 500 this year, and its future performance will depend on upcoming earnings estimate revisions, currently holding a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Stock Movements: Several stocks experienced significant changes, with Nukkleus rising 51.7% after meeting Nasdaq requirements, while J.B. Hunt Transport Services fell 8.7% post-earnings.

Earnings Reports: Bank OZK reported a Q4 EPS of $1.56, exceeding the consensus estimate of $1.44, contributing to a slight increase in its stock price.

Financial Performance: Washington Federal reported a decrease in net interest income (NII) for Q1, down to $155M from $173M in Q4, with margin compression impacting results. Despite this, credit quality remains strong with low delinquencies.

Business Model Shift: The bank is exiting the single-family mortgage lending market after over 100 years, incurring a restructuring expense of $5.4M, and expects annual savings of approximately $17M by mid-2025, alongside an 8% workforce reduction.

Earnings Announcement: Washington Federal (WAFD) plans to release its earnings results for the quarter ending December 31, 2024, on January 16, 2025, which is crucial for stakeholders' investment decisions.

Market Performance: The company currently has a market cap of $2.6 billion, with a year-to-date price performance of 0.0% and a consensus rating of "Sell."

WAFD Stock Performance: WAFD's stock has a 52-week low of $25.785 and a high of $38.62, with the last trade recorded at $31.95.

Market Insights: The article mentions other dividend stocks that have recently fallen below their 200-day moving average, indicating potential market trends.

Dividend Predictability: Dividend amounts are unpredictable and fluctuate based on a company's profitability, with WaFd Inc's history chart serving as a tool to assess the likelihood of maintaining a 3% annual yield.

Author's Perspective: The opinions shared in the article reflect the author's views and may not align with those of Nasdaq, Inc.