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On Tuesday, Goldman Sachs analyst Ryan Nash upgraded Zions Bancorp (NASDAQ:ZION) stock rating from Neutral to Buy, setting a price target of $71.00. The upgrade adds to growing analyst optimism, with InvestingPro data showing five analysts recently revising their earnings estimates upward.
Currently trading at $55.02 with a market cap of $8.13 billion, Zions appears undervalued according to InvestingPro's Fair Value model. Nash highlighted several factors that position Zions favorably for future performance. He pointed out that the bank is well situated for the next phase of the economic cycle due to a variety of reasons.
According to Nash, Zions Bancorp is likely to see a net interest margin (NIM) expansion as it lowers deposit rates and benefits from fixed-rate asset repricing. The bank's strong fundamentals are reflected in its impressive 31.6% price return over the past six months. Additionally, the bank is expected to gain from an increase in small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) lending and overall commercial loan growth.
Another positive factor mentioned by the Goldman Sachs analyst is Zions Bancorp's balance sheet, which is slightly asset-sensitive. This characteristic is anticipated to be advantageous given the recent movements in interest rates. Nash also forecasts that Zions will demonstrate positive operating leverage in 2025, which should contribute to operating efficiency and improved returns.
The upgrade to a Buy rating reflects a roughly 30% upside potential to the bank's share price, indicating a strong confidence in the bank's ability to perform well in the upcoming period. The analyst's assessment suggests that Zions Bancorp is strategically positioned to capitalize on the current economic environment and banking sector trends.
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