Global financial services firm UBS downgraded Bank of America (BAC) stock to Neutral (the equivalent of Hold) from Buy this week because it thinks the bank stock has limited upside over the next 12 months. Still, analysts raised their price target on BAC to $40 from $39.
Bank of America has shown "strong deposit growth, a reawakened investment banking and markets business and the prospect for accelerated buybacks," UBS said in its report, but this is "now fairly reflected in market multiples" with the stock in the high-$30s.
"While we continue to view BAC as a high quality stock and a beneficiary from higher interest rates, the stock currently trades at 12 times our 2025 earnings per share estimate, which is in-line with our target multiple and above the company's 11 times 10-year average,” UBS said.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
"As the market has shifted its stance towards expectations for a more gradual easing of interest rates (now expecting three cuts vs six in January), we think BAC's favorable asset sensitivity relative to peers has been reflected in the stock's performance and is now fully priced in," the analysts added.
The new price target of $40 by UBS implies an upside of about 8% from BAC's current stock price.
Bank of America is one of the world’s largest banks and the second-largest in the U.S. with total assets of more than $3 trillion and deposits of nearly $2 trillion.
CFRA is positive on bank earnings
CFRA Research analyst Kenneth Leon released a report ahead of first-quarter earnings for global U.S. banks, saying that they are "likely to see a sequential improvement in March versus December results, but year-over-year comparisons are likely to be flat to lower."
Leon notes that higher interest rates have benefitted net interest income of global U.S. banks and a "healthy U.S. economy" has been positive for loan volume growth.
The analyst concluded that JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Goldman Sachs (GS) and Morgan Stanley (MS) have the best chances to deliver better-than-expected results in the first quarter of 2024, but he's also positive on Citigroup (C) and Bank of America.
Q1 earnings season unofficially kicks off next Friday, April 12, with several big banks including JPMorgan reporting. Bank of America, meanwhile, hits the earnings calendar ahead of the April 16 open.
Analysts, on average, expect Bank of America to disclose first-quarter earnings of 71 cents per share, down 24.5% year-over-year. Revenue is forecast to fall 11% to $23.5 billion.
Related Content
-
Claiming the Standard Deduction? Here Are Five Tax Breaks for Retirement in 2025Tax Tips If you’re retired and filing taxes, these five tax credits and deductions could provide thousands in relief (if you qualify).
-
QUIZ: Test Your Retirement IQQuiz Are you smarter than…everyone else? Test your retirement smarts with this quiz.
-
Where There's a Will, There's a Way Your Assets Will Be Distributed as You WishYour will is the backbone of a strong, adaptable estate plan that ensures what you leave behind goes to your selected beneficiaries. Without a will, state laws determine who gets your assets.
-
I'm a Financial Adviser: This Is What You're Really Losing if You Cut Back on Your 401(k) ContributionsMissing out on the benefits of the employer match and compounding growth could force you to work longer and lower your standard of living in retirement. Here are some alternative options.
-
S&P 500 Hits New Highs as Rally Resumes: Stock Market TodayTech stocks were the biggest gainers on Wall Street today, with Nvidia and Dell making notable moves.
-
Should You Buy Gold as It Tops $4,000? Here's What the Experts SayRate cuts, a weak dollar and macro uncertainty have helped create a "perfect storm" for gold this year. Should investors add exposure or is it too late to buy?
-
Preferred Bank Stocks: The Investment Retirees (and Others) May Be Missing Out OnMost large banks issue preferred stocks that pay out fixed dividends, often with higher yields than bonds. Should you make room for them in your portfolio?
-
Don't Let Your Equity Compensation Trip You Up: A Financial Expert's GuideStock options, RSUs and other executive perks can come with some serious strings attached. To avoid a nasty tax surprise, you need a plan.
-
Rally Fades on Mixed AI Revolution News: Stock Market TodayAll three main U.S. equity indexes opened higher but closed lower as a seven-session winning streak for the S&P 500 came to an end.
-
The Spendthrift Trap: Here's One Way to Protect Your Legacy From an Irresponsible HeirA spendthrift clause in an estate plan can protect an inheritance from a financially irresponsible child's debts and poor decisions.
