Citigroup (NYSE:C) Downgraded to "Hold" Rating by Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen downgraded Citigroup from “Buy” to “Hold,” though the broader analyst consensus remains “Moderate Buy” with an average price target of $145.22.
• Citigroup reported quarterly EPS of $3.15 versus the $2.74 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 14.5% year over year to $24.77 billion.
• The bank authorized a $30 billion share buyback, allowing it to repurchase up to 13.7% of outstanding shares; institutional investors own approximately 71.72% of the stock.

Citigroup (NYSE:C - Get Free Report) was downgraded by investment analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Saturday.

C has been the topic of several other reports. Piper Sandler restated an "overweight" rating and set a $145.00 price target (up from $125.00) on shares of Citigroup in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. UBS Group decreased their price objective on shares of Citigroup from $150.00 to $142.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Monday. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on shares of Citigroup from $162.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. Zacks Research upgraded Citigroup from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on Citigroup from $135.50 to $149.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, July 6th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Citigroup currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $145.22.

Citigroup Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:C opened at $134.95 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $136.81 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $124.83. Citigroup has a 1-year low of $90.68 and a 1-year high of $147.96. The stock has a market cap of $230.17 billion, a PE ratio of 14.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.60 and a beta of 1.12.

Citigroup (NYSE:C - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 14th. The company reported $3.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.74 by $0.41. Citigroup had a net margin of 10.23% and a return on equity of 10.15%. The firm had revenue of $24.77 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $23.74 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.96 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 14.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts forecast that Citigroup will post 11.2 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Citigroup declared that its board has authorized a stock buyback plan on Thursday, May 7th that authorizes the company to buyback $30.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to reacquire up to 13.7% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are typically an indication that the company's board believes its shares are undervalued.

Institutional Trading of Citigroup

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Whipplewood Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Citigroup during the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in Citigroup in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Paladin Partners LLC purchased a new position in Citigroup in the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Richards Merrill & Peterson Inc. bought a new position in Citigroup during the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, TD Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Citigroup during the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 71.72% of the company's stock.

Citigroup News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Citigroup this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Brokerages collectively assign Citigroup an average “Moderate Buy” rating, reinforcing the bullish case for the common stock. The rating should be viewed cautiously because analyst recommendations can be systematically optimistic. Citigroup Receives Average Rating of Moderate Buy
• Positive Sentiment: Citi raised its third-quarter 2026 Brent crude forecast to $80 per barrel. A higher oil-price outlook could support trading activity and commodities-related client demand, although the unchanged longer-term forecasts suggest the adjustment is limited rather than a major change in strategy. Citi Raises Q3 2026 Brent Crude Oil Forecast
• Neutral Sentiment: Citigroup’s investment-banking and research operations remain active, with the bank maintaining a Buy rating on Micron while lowering its price target because memory-price momentum may peak in 2027. The development does not directly change Citi’s fundamentals but highlights potential market-cycle and client-exposure risks. Micron Stock Slips as Citi Cuts Target
• Negative Sentiment: Citigroup’s preferred shares have recently declined as investors speculate that the bank could redeem the issue. A redemption could eliminate the preferred security’s roughly 10% yield, creating uncertainty for income investors, though the issue is distinct from Citigroup’s common stock. Why Citigroup Preferred’s 10% Yield May Not Last

About Citigroup

Citigroup Inc is a global financial services company headquartered in New York City with roots tracing back to the City Bank of New York, founded in 1812. The modern Citigroup was created through the 1998 merger of Citicorp and Travelers Group and has since operated as a diversified bank holding company that provides a broad range of banking and financial products and services to consumers, corporations, governments and institutions worldwide.

Citi's principal businesses include retail and commercial banking, credit card and consumer lending products, wealth management and private banking, and a full suite of institutional services.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

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