Cantor Fitzgerald Raises Price Target on BankUnited (BKU) amid Market Volatility

Group 1: Company Overview - BankUnited, Inc. (NYSE:BKU) operates as the parent company of BankUnited, providing commercial lending and deposit services to businesses and consumers in Florida, the New York metropolitan area, and Dallas, Texas. It also offers wholesale banking products through an Atlanta office focused on Southeast clients [5]. Group 2: Financial Performance and Projections - During the Q4 2025 earnings call, the board approved an additional $200 million share buyback, bringing the total capacity to approximately $250 million when combined with the remaining $50 million from the prior authorization. The company also increased its dividend by $0.02 [3]. - Core loan growth is expected to be around 6% for 2026, while residential and other segments are projected to decline by about 8%, leading to total loan growth of roughly 2% to 3% [3]. - NIDDA deposits are anticipated to grow around 12%, and total deposits, excluding brokered deposits, should increase by about 6%. Revenue, which grew 8% in the prior year, is also expected to rise at a similar pace in 2026 [4]. Group 3: Analyst Ratings and Market Conditions - Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Dave Rochester raised the price recommendation on BankUnited, Inc. to $56 from $51, maintaining an Overweight rating. The analyst noted that bank stocks faced volatility due to tariff concerns, the collapse of a UK-based lender, AI-related job loss worries, and a higher-than-expected January PPI reading, contributing to near-term uncertainty. However, a bullish view for 2026 was maintained [2][8].