Do Wall Street Analysts Like Prudential Financial Stock?

With a market cap of $37.7 billion, Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU) is a leading global financial services company founded in 1875. Operating across the U.S. and over 40 countries, the New Jersey-based company provides life insurance, annuities, retirement and wealth solutions, and asset management through its investment arm, PGIM, which manages about $1.5 trillion in assets. 

Shares of the insurance provider have trailed the broader market over the past year and in 2025. PRU stock has declined 6.3% over the past 52 weeks and 9.6% on a YTD basis. In comparison, the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has returned 13.3% over the past year and 8.3% in 2025.

Narrowing the focus, PRU has also lagged behind the iShares U.S. Insurance ETF’s (IAK) 8.6% rally over the past 52 weeks and its 5.3% surge this year.

On Jul. 30, Prudential Financial posted strong Q2 results, and its shares dipped 1.6%. Its adjusted operating income after tax rose to $3.58 per share from $3.28 a year earlier, driven by solid contributions from its asset management arm PGIM and international businesses. Assets under management climbed to $1.58 trillion from $1.48 trillion, underscoring growth momentum. The company also returned $735 million to shareholders through dividend payments and share repurchases.

For the current year ending in December, analysts expect PRU’s EPS to increase 8.1% year over year to $13.64. Moreover, the company has surpassed analysts’ consensus estimates in three of the past four quarters, while missing on one occasion.

Among the 18 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a “Hold.” That’s based on two “Strong Buy” ratings, 14 “Holds,” and two “Strong Sells.”

On August 18, Morgan Stanley (MS) analyst Nigel Dally reaffirmed an "Equal-Weight" rating on Prudential Financial and raised the price target from $113 to $117, a 3.5% increase signaling a more positive near-term outlook.

PRU’s mean price target of $116.13 indicates a premium of 8.4% from the current market prices. Its Street-high target of $136 suggests a robust 26.9% upside potential from current price levels.