Analyst highlights attractive pricing and strengths of JPMorgan Chase
Oppenheimer analyst Chris Kotowski has reiterated an outperform rating on JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) and increased his price target on the stock to $233 from $215 following the bank’s impressive third-quarter profit update. With a 35% jump in earnings, JPMorgan’s performance has surpassed Wall Street estimates.
Positive momentum in the banking sector leads to stock rise
JPMorgan’s stock rose 0.7% in pre-market trades on Monday, reflecting the ongoing positive momentum in the banking sector. Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) also saw a 0.6% rise in premarket trading, while Bank of America Corp. (BAC) and Citigroup (C) rose by 0.7% and 0.4% respectively. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) and Morgan Stanley (MS) experienced gains of 0.6% and 0.7%.
Strength across consumer, commercial, institutional banking, and asset management
“We view JPM as the country’s premier banking franchise with strengths across the board in consumer, commercial and institutional banking as well as asset management,” Kotowski stated. Despite concerns of a flight of deposits or a significant increase in deposit costs, these issues have not materialized at JPMorgan.
Regulatory capital reserve levels continue to increase
JPMorgan achieved an increase in its regulatory minimum capital levels during the quarter, allowing the bank to build up its capital reserves internally. Additionally, the bank’s ability to meet these requirements despite stock buybacks is commendable.
JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo: A Tale of Stability and Mixed Conditions
JPMorgan Chase is known for its outstanding credit quality, a trait that remains robust despite some normalizing factors. According to Kotowski, the bank is managing the current banking environment as best as it can.
On the other hand, Wells Fargo continues to face mixed business conditions. However, the bank has delivered stronger-than-expected net interest income and trading results. Alongside a well-managed expense base, this has driven a bottom-line beat for the bank. While there has been slight stress from office commercial real estate, it has been within the expected range.
Although Wells Fargo’s stock price levels are not as attractive as JPMorgan or Bank of America Corp, it still holds potential. Investors eagerly await the third-quarter profit reports from Bank of America and Goldman Sachs, which are due on Tuesday, followed by Morgan Stanley on Wednesday.
Also read: Banks beat expectations but some economic cracks form as caution abounds