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Providence, Rhode Island-based Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (CFG) is a bank holding company that provides retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations, and institutions in the United States. The company is valued at $31 billion and operates through two segments, Consumer Banking and Commercial Banking.
CFG stock has rallied the broader market over the past year, surging 55.6% compared to the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 22.6% surge. Moreover, in 2026, the stock has grown by nearly 26%, outperforming the SPX’s 8.5% rise.
Zooming in further, the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) has risen 12.2% over the past year, lagging behind the stock. In 2026, XLF has grown 5.9% and has also underperformed the stock.
On July 16, CFG stock rose 4.6% following the release of its better-than-expected Q2 2026 earnings. The company’s revenue for the period rose 12% from the prior year’s quarter to $2.3 billion and surpassed the Street’s estimates. Moreover, its adjusted EPS came in at $1.30, also topping Wall Street’s forecasts.
Additionally, the company has an impressive dividend profile. It has been paying dividends consecutively for 11 years and offers an annual payout of $1.84, with a yield of 2.50%, coming in on top of SPY and XLF’s yearly yield.
For the current year, which ends in December, analysts expect CFG’s EPS to rise 37.3% to $5.30 on a diluted basis. The company surpassed the consensus estimate in each of the last four quarters.
Among 20 Wall Street analysts covering CFG stock, the consensus is a “Strong Buy.” That’s based on 14 “Strong Buy” ratings, two “Moderate Buys,” and four “Holds.”
The configuration has grown more bearish over the past months, with the stock now having 14 “Strong Sell” ratings, down from 16 two months prior.
On July 18, Barclays analyst Jason Goldberg maintained a “Buy” rating on Citizens Financial and set a price target of $81.
CFG’s mean price target of $79.65 offers an 8.2% upside compared to the current market price. Its Street-high target of $90 implies a robust 22.3% upside from current levels.
On the date of publication, Aritra Gangopadhyay did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
