Is Wall Street Bullish or Bearish on Principal Financial Stock?

Core Viewpoint - Principal Financial Group, Inc. (PFG) is a leading global financial services provider with a market cap of $20.1 billion, offering a variety of financial products and services [1] Performance Summary - PFG shares have underperformed the broader market over the past year, gaining 7.4% compared to the S&P 500 Index's 11.9% increase [2] - In 2026, PFG stock is up 4.3%, outperforming the S&P 500's slight decline on a year-to-date basis [2] - Compared to the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF), PFG's performance is stronger, as the ETF has experienced a 4.7% loss over the same timeframe [3] Earnings Report - On February 9, PFG reported Q4 results, with an adjusted EPS of $2.19, falling short of Wall Street expectations of $2.23 [3] - The company's full-year adjusted EPS growth is projected to be between 9% and 12% [3] Analyst Expectations - For the current fiscal year ending in December, analysts forecast PFG's EPS to grow by 13.4% to $9.38 on a diluted basis [4] - PFG has a disappointing earnings surprise history, missing consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters [4] - Among 14 analysts covering PFG, the consensus rating is a "Hold," with three "Strong Buy," nine "Holds," and two "Strong Sells" [4] Price Targets - Piper Sandler Companies analyst John Barnidge maintains a "Buy" rating on PFG with a price target of $100, indicating an 8.7% potential upside [5] - The mean price target is $93.17, representing a 1.3% premium to current price levels, while the highest price target of $106 suggests a 15.2% upside potential [5]