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Monday, Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) shares maintained their Outperform rating according to analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, with a steady price target of $232.00. The financial services firm’s credit metrics for February indicated ongoing year-over-year improvements in net charge-off (NCO) and delinquency (DQ) rates.
In their analysis, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods highlighted that quarter-to-date, the DQ rate has shown a more favorable trend than anticipated for the first quarter of 2024 on a year-over-year basis. However, the NCO rate has not performed as well as expected. When compared to historical data from 2014 to 2016, the sequential movement in the NCO rate has deteriorated, whereas the DQ rate has seen a slight improvement.
Additionally, Discover Financial reported a modest year-over-year decline in end-of-period (EOP) loan growth. This figure also came in slightly below Keefe, Bruyette & Woods’ estimates for the first quarter of 2025. Despite this, the firm’s overall credit performance appears to be strengthening, which could be a positive indicator of its financial health.
The assessment by Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reflects an analysis of Discover Financial’s recent performance in the context of historical trends and projected expectations. The Outperform rating suggests that the analysts believe the company’s stock will perform better than the broader market in the future.
Investors and market watchers often look to such ratings and price targets as indicators of a company’s potential performance, although individual investment decisions depend on a multitude of factors beyond analyst ratings alone. Discover Financial’s stock performance will continue to be watched closely as subsequent financial data becomes available.
In other recent news, Discover Financial Services reported a strong financial performance for Q4 2024, significantly surpassing market expectations. The company announced earnings per share of $5.11, well above the forecasted $3.2, and revenue of $4.76 billion, exceeding the anticipated $4.41 billion. Barclays (LON:BARC) responded to these results by raising its price target for Discover Financial from $186.00 to $209.00 and maintaining an Overweight rating, citing the company’s better-than-expected earnings and positive management projections. Discover Financial also disclosed its monthly credit card charge-off and delinquency statistics, providing insight into its consumer credit performance, although no forward-looking statements were included in this data release.
Additionally, Discover Financial Services and Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:COF) have agreed to extend the deadline for their proposed merger to May 19, 2025. This extension allows more time to resolve ongoing litigation and secure necessary regulatory approvals. The merger, initially announced in February 2024, involves a two-step process and has faced legal challenges, but both companies assert that the claims against them are without merit. Special stockholder meetings are scheduled for February 2025 to vote on merger-related proposals. Discover Financial’s strategic initiatives, including the sale of its student loan portfolio, contributed to a $70 million gain, and the company has revised its 2024 loan growth expectations to low to mid-single digits.
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