Earnings Expectations: Analysts forecast an EPS of $1.72 and revenue of $20.67 billion for the upcoming quarterly earnings.Investment Strategy: Citigroup emphasizes dynamic portfolios to navigate the unpredictable macroeconomic landscape of 2025.Financial Health Concerns: Challenges in cash flow generation and liquidity are highlighted, alongside a high debt-to-equity ratio.Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) is a leading global bank offering a comprehensive range of financial services, including consumer banking, inve ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio and HOUSTON and TUPELO, Miss., Jan. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (Nasdaq: HBAN) ("Huntington") and Cadence Bank (NYSE: CADE); ("Cadence") jointly announced that Cadence's shareholders have approved the proposed merger of Cadence into The Huntington National Bank and that Huntington's shareholders have approved the issuance of shares of Huntington's common stock in connection with the proposed merger at their respective special shareholder meetings held today. "T ...

TORONTO, Jan. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - BMO Financial Group (TSX: BMO) (NYSE: BMO) will host an all-bank Investor Day in Toronto on Thursday, March26, 2026. The event will feature presentations from Darryl White, Chief Executive Officer, and members of BMO's senior executive leadership team. The live webcast and presentation slides will be posted on the day of the event at https://www.bmo.com/en-ca/main/about-bmo/banking/investor-relations/home/  Registration details, agenda and speaker information will be pr ...

WesBanco Inc. (NASDAQ:WSBC) is one of the best financial pure plays under $100 according to Hedge Funds. On December 17, Piper Sandler analyst Manuel Navas initiated coverage of WesBanco Inc. (NASDAQ:WSBC). The analyst assigned a Buy rating with more than 25% upside potential. As per Navas’s estimates, the stock has a target price of $42. Bank Navas gave his overweight rating in line with favorable market expectations for banks, amid a strong earnings backdrop. He has a positive outlook through 2027, dr ...

Financial stocks have shown surprising resilience during recent market volatility, and one of the most widely followed names in the sector is Bank of America (BAC). Bank of America is one of the largest diversified financial institutions in the world, offering banking, lending, wealth management, and capital markets services to millions of customers. The company's scale, stable deposit base, and consistent… ...

Barclays PLC (NYSE:BCS) is one of the best affordable stocks with good earnings growth for 2026. Barclays PLC (NYSE:BCS) announced on December 17 a collaboration with ExpectAI, which is a pioneering tech company that leverages AI to help small and medium-sized businesses expand their profits through the use of sustainability insights. The company reported that it would begin testing ExpectAI’s Una platform from early 2026, employing publicly available information. The AI-driven platform would create “digit ...

In this article, we will look at the 7 Affordable Stocks With Good Earnings Growth for 2026.On December 29, Jeremy Siegel, professor emeritus of finance at the University of Pennsylvania and chief economist at WisdomTree, appeared on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” to talk about the outlook for 2026. He stated that there are a few potential bumps in January, including the Supreme Court perhaps announcing its decision on tariffs, another potential government shutdown, and a potential announcement from President Trump ab ...

Core Viewpoint - OceanFirst Financial Corp. and Flushing Financial Corp. have entered into a definitive merger agreement to combine in an all-stock transaction valued at $579 million, creating a high-performing regional bank with a significant presence in New Jersey, Long Island, and New York markets [1][3]. Transaction Details - The merger will result in Flushing Bank merging into OceanFirst Bank, with OceanFirst Bank as the surviving entity [1][10]. - Flushing stockholders will receive 0.85 shares of OceanFirst common stock for each share of Flushing common stock [10]. - The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approvals and shareholder votes [12]. Financial Metrics - The combined company is projected to have approximately $23 billion in assets, $17 billion in total loans, and $18 billion in total deposits across 71 retail branches [3]. - The merger is expected to enhance profitability metrics, with estimated EPS accretion of 16%, ROATCE of 13%, and ROAA of 1.00% by 2027 [8][9]. - A $225 million equity raise is fully committed at a fixed price, with shares priced at $19.76 [4][11]. Leadership and Governance - Christopher Maher, CEO of OceanFirst, will continue as CEO of the combined company, while John Buran, CEO of Flushing, will become the non-executive Chairman of the Board [6]. - The board will consist of 17 directors, with ten from OceanFirst, six from Flushing, and one from Warburg Pincus [6]. Strategic Rationale - The acquisition is seen as a natural extension of OceanFirst's growth strategy, enhancing its presence in deposit-rich markets of New York [3][6]. - The combination aims to leverage Flushing's distribution network and OceanFirst's relationship-driven business model to better serve customers and create shareholder value [6][7].

Manulife Financial Corporation (NYSE:MFC) is included among the 15 Global Dividend Stocks to Diversify Your Portfolio. Manulife (MFC) Outlook Steady as Morgan Stanley Lifts Price Target Photo by Dan Dennis on Unsplash On December 15, Morgan Stanley raised its price target on Manulife Financial Corporation (NYSE:MFC) to $51 from $50 and maintained an Equal Weight rating on the shares. The analyst pointed to lower interest rates and a steady, or improving, equity market as supportive macro conditions. Loo ...

Core Viewpoint - Truist, formed from the merger of BB&T and SunTrust in 2019, has struggled to achieve promised efficiencies and returns, with stock performance reflecting investor dissatisfaction [2][9]. Company Overview - Truist was established through the merger of two regional banks, BB&T and SunTrust, which had assets between $200 billion and $230 billion at the time of the merger announcement [7]. - The merger aimed to create a new brand and deliver best-in-class efficiency and returns [1]. Performance Metrics - Truist's initial promises included an efficiency ratio of 51% and a return on tangible common equity (ROTCE) of 22%. However, the bank's recent performance showed an adjusted efficiency ratio of 55.7% and an ROTCE of 13.6% [8]. - Over the past five years, Truist's stock has only increased by approximately 7%, indicating underperformance compared to market expectations [2]. Challenges of Mergers - Mergers in the banking sector often face challenges such as destroying tangible book value (TBV) and the complexities of integrating different corporate cultures and legacy systems [4][6]. - Regulatory and execution risks are significant, and revenue synergies may not always materialize as anticipated [6]. Comparison with Competitors - Bank of America is highlighted as a more favorable investment option, boasting a ROTCE of over 15.4% and a strong retail deposit base [11]. - Despite being more expensive on a price-to-tangible book basis, Bank of America is seen as a safer bet due to its diversified services and potential for growth [12]. Future Outlook - Bank of America is expected to recover its TBV as low-yielding bonds mature and is positioned to benefit from deregulation, which may enhance lending capacity and shareholder distributions [14].