Schwab Gains 31.9% YTD: Should You Buy the Stock Right Now?

Core Insights - The Charles Schwab Corporation (SCHW) shares have increased by 31.9% year-to-date, outperforming the S&P 500 Index's 8.5% growth and the industry's 20.4% rise, but lagging behind peers Robinhood Markets (HOOD) and Interactive Brokers (IBKR) [1][8] Performance Overview - Schwab has benefited from increased market volatility, leading to a year-over-year rise in trading revenues in the first half of 2025 due to higher client trading volume [3] - The company's performance has been supported by strong asset gathering, sustained client engagement, equity market appreciation, and effective expense management [4] Growth Factors - Improving Net Interest Margin (NIM): NIM increased to 2.59% in the first half of 2025 from 2.03% in the prior year, aided by a reduction in high-cost bank supplemental funding, which fell 70% to $27.7 billion from a peak of $97.1 billion in May 2023 [5][6][10] - Client assets have surged, with total managed investing solutions revenues growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.2% from 2019 to 2024, and total client assets growing at a CAGR of 20.1% during the same period [11][12] - Strategic acquisitions, including TD Ameritrade, have strengthened Schwab's market position and diversified revenue streams [13] Revenue and Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Schwab's 2025 revenues is $23.41 billion, indicating a year-over-year increase of 19.4% [14] - Earnings estimates for 2025 and 2026 have been revised upward by 4.6% and 4.7%, respectively, with projected earnings of $4.59 per share for 2025, reflecting a growth rate of 41.2% [16] Valuation and Returns - Schwab's current trailing 12-month price/book (P/B) ratio is 4.40, above the industry average of 2.08, but lower than Robinhood's 12.51 and Interactive Brokers' 6.04 [19][22] - The company has a return on equity (ROE) of 19.3%, exceeding the industry average of 11.89%, indicating effective utilization of shareholder funds [23] Shareholder Returns - Schwab has consistently increased capital distributions, including an 8% hike in the quarterly dividend to 27 cents per share in January 2025 and a $20 billion share repurchase plan announced in July 2025 [26]