SoFi CEO enters prepaid forward contract on 1.5 million shares
Investing.com - CFRA has raised its price target on Lincoln National (NYSE:LNC) to $42.00 from $37.00 while maintaining a Hold rating on the stock. The stock, currently trading at $39.69, is approaching its 52-week high of $39.85, having delivered an impressive year-to-date return of 27.45%.
The increase follows Lincoln National’s second-quarter operating earnings per share of $2.36 compared to $1.87 in the prior-year period, exceeding both CFRA’s estimate of $1.58 and the consensus view of $1.88. The company trades at an attractive P/E ratio of 6.54x and offers a dividend yield of 4.64%, supported by a 55-year history of consecutive dividend payments.
Lincoln National reported a 4.3% rise in operating revenues during the quarter, with margins benefiting from a significant turnaround in Life Insurance (NSE:LIFI) profitability, which posted $32 million in operating profits compared to a $35 million loss previously.
The company also saw a 33% increase in Group Protection profits, though these gains were partially offset by an 8% decline in Retirement Plan profits.
CFRA values Lincoln National shares at 5.4 times its 2026 operating EPS estimate of $7.80, compared to the three-year average forward multiple of 4.1x and a peer average of 8.2x, while also raising its 2025 EPS estimate by $0.58 to $7.61. According to InvestingPro’s Fair Value analysis, the stock appears to be fairly valued at current levels.
In other recent news, Lincoln National Corporation reported its second-quarter 2025 earnings, showcasing an impressive earnings per share (EPS) of $2.36, which exceeded analyst expectations of $1.89 by 24.87%. However, the company reported revenue of $4.04 billion, which fell short of the anticipated $4.66 billion, missing projections by 13.3%. Despite this revenue miss, the strong earnings performance contributed to investor optimism. Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) responded to these developments by raising its price target for Lincoln National to $37.00, up from $35.00, while maintaining an Equal Weight rating. The firm cited the company’s strong quarterly performance as a reason for the revised price target. These recent developments highlight a mix of financial outcomes for Lincoln National, with significant earnings achievements contrasting with revenue challenges.
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