Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:CFG) is included among the 15 Best High Dividend Stocks to Invest in Under $100.
On March 2, Morgan Stanley raised its price recommendation on Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:CFG) to $80 from $73. The firm kept an Overweight rating on the shares. Morgan Stanley said it is lifting price targets by a median 8% across the midcap banks group. Analysts acknowledged that the sector has already delivered strong performance, noting that recent gains mean “the bar is higher from here.” Even so, Morgan Stanley said it still sees a supportive backdrop for the group, pointing to expected tailwinds from loan growth, net interest margin, and capital return.
During the bank’s fourth-quarter 2025 earnings call, CEO Bruce Van Saun said Citizens finished the year on a strong footing. He pointed to several positive developments during the quarter. Net interest margin expanded by 7 basis points. The company reported positive operating leverage. Wealth and capital markets generated solid fee income. Credit trends also remained favorable through the period.
Van Saun also discussed the bank’s Private Bank division. He said the business closed the year with $14.5 billion in deposits, $10 billion in client assets, and $7.2 billion in loans. The division contributed roughly 7% to pretax income in 2025, which exceeded the bank’s original 5% target. According to Van Saun, the unit delivered a 25% return on equity for the year. He also noted that Citizens continued to reduce non-core assets and generated a $100 million run-rate benefit through its top 10 program.
The CEO also highlighted the bank’s new “Reimagine the Bank” initiative. He described it as a broad digital and operational transformation effort. The program started with about 50 initiatives designed to improve the customer experience while also creating new revenue opportunities and driving planned expense efficiencies.
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:CFG) provides retail and commercial banking products and services. Its clients include individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations, and institutions. The company operates through two segments: Consumer Banking and Commercial Banking.
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