On Thursday, DA Davidson analysts upgraded U.S. Bancorp (BVMF:USBC34) stock from Neutral to Buy, adjusting the price target upward from $58.00 to $60.00. The revision by the analysts reflects a positive outlook for the bank, citing the early stages of a performance inflection and the potential to regain positive operating leverage. According to InvestingPro data, U.S. Bancorp, a prominent player in the banking industry, currently trades at $47.83 with a P/E ratio of 14.6x.
The analysts noted that U.S. Bancorp had faced several years of significant stock underperformance and had lost its premium valuation. However, they now anticipate that the bank is positioned to achieve positive operating leverage above 0.5%. This comes after a period where the bank missed this target seven times in the past eight years. Despite past challenges, InvestingPro analysis shows the bank has maintained dividend payments for 54 consecutive years, with a current dividend yield of 4.18%.
The upgrade is supported by expectations of a revenue growth rebound and controlled expense management. DA Davidson suggests that U.S. Bancorp has transitioned its capital expenditures from defensive measures to more offensive strategies, which should lead to moderating expense growth compared to previous years. The bank's revenue reached $24.9 billion in the last twelve months, with analysts forecasting 6% growth for the upcoming fiscal year.
In their commentary, the analysts also highlighted that U.S. Bancorp has completed a period of reduced risk-weighted assets (RWA) and has consequently strengthened its capital ratios. They mentioned ongoing efforts to further improve the bank's financial position.
The new price target of $60.00, up from $58.00, represents DA Davidson's confidence in U.S. Bancorp's strategic adjustments and its potential for improved financial performance.
In other recent news, U.S. Bancorp has seen significant developments. Raymond (NS:RYMD) James upgraded the financial institution's stock from Market Perform to Outperform, while Deutsche Bank (ETR:DBKGn) revised its rating from Buy to Hold, maintaining a price target of $51.
Citi analyst also upgraded U.S. Bancorp stock from Neutral to Buy, raising the price target to $65. The company has surpassed earnings forecasts for two consecutive quarters, demonstrating its ability to rapidly bolster its capital reserves.
U.S. Bancorp also announced quarterly dividends for shareholders. Dividend declarations extended to preferred stocks, with Series A Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock holders and Series B Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock holders receiving $1,517.364 and $352.508 per share respectively.
In a recent leadership reshuffle, CFO John Stern (AS:PBHP) now reports directly to CEO Andy Cecere. This change is part of a broader strategy to align the company's leadership team with its growth objectives. Despite the anticipation of a more relaxed regulatory environment and potential tax reforms, U.S. Bancorp has expressed a clear stance against mergers and acquisitions, focusing instead on organic growth.
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