Bank of Montreal (TSE:BMO) Stock Now Rated "Hold" by Sell-Side Analysts

Key Points

• Analysts broadly rate BMO “Hold.” Seven analysts recommend buying, five recommend holding and one recommends selling, with an average 12-month price target of C$256.57 versus the stock’s cited price of C$239.31.
• BMO reported solid quarterly results and maintains an attractive dividend. The bank posted quarterly EPS of C$3.96 on C$9.96 billion in revenue and declared a quarterly dividend of $1.71 per share, representing an annualized yield of about 2.9%.
• Growth opportunities and transition risks remain in focus. BMO is expanding its focus on Canada’s defence sector and appointed Tim Cox to lead its U.S. operations, while recent insider selling and the U.S. leadership transition may concern investors.

Shares of Bank of Montreal (TSE:BMO - Get Free Report) NYSE: BMO have received an average recommendation of "Hold" from the thirteen ratings firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1-year price target among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is C$256.57.

BMO has been the subject of a number of research reports. TD lifted their price target on Bank of Montreal from C$239.00 to C$263.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 12th. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce cut their price objective on Bank of Montreal from C$272.00 to C$261.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, September 3rd. Raymond James Financial upped their price objective on Bank of Montreal from C$233.50 to C$268.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 12th. Desjardins set a C$260.00 target price on Bank of Montreal and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, September 2nd. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods set a C$295.00 target price on Bank of Montreal and gave the stock a "moderate buy" rating in a research report on Friday, August 21st.

Bank of Montreal News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Bank of Montreal this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Defence-sector expansion could create new business opportunities. BMO says it is “leaning into” Canada’s defence industry as Ottawa considers increased spending. The bank has appointed an enterprise chair to lead a reported C$70 billion defence push, potentially supporting lending, investment banking and capital-markets revenue. BMO leaning into defence BMO appoints enterprise chair for defence push
• Positive Sentiment: Tim Cox will become head of BMO’s U.S. operations on Nov. 1. The appointment gives the bank a new leader for its strategically important U.S. segment following Darrel Hackett’s departure. Investors may view the move as supporting continued execution and growth in the U.S. market. BMO appoints new head of U.S. business
• Neutral Sentiment: BMO’s new bond offerings are drawing valuation attention. A report examines whether the bank is undervalued following new offerings carrying roughly 6% interest. The securities may appeal to income-focused investors, but higher funding costs could pressure profitability depending on market conditions. BMO valuation following new bond offerings
• Neutral Sentiment: The bank warned customers not to provide banking information to AI agents. The comments highlight emerging cybersecurity and fraud risks but do not indicate a direct change to BMO’s earnings outlook. BMO CEO warns about AI agents
• Negative Sentiment: The U.S. leadership change introduces a near-term execution risk. Although Cox’s appointment may provide continuity, investors will monitor the transition and its effect on BMO’s U.S. growth strategy. BMO appoints new U.S. head

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Bank of Montreal news, insider Deland Kamanga sold 9,064 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of C$237.65, for a total transaction of C$2,154,059.60. Also, insider Mona Elizabeth Malone sold 7,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$242.51, for a total transaction of C$1,697,570.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 1,758 shares in the company, valued at C$426,332.58. This trade represents a 79.93% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Insiders sold a total of 47,999 shares of company stock valued at $11,410,325 over the last 90 days. 0.03% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Bank of Montreal Price Performance

Shares of BMO stock opened at C$239.31 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of C$166.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.50, a P/E/G ratio of 0.71 and a beta of 1.15. Bank of Montreal has a 1-year low of C$168.92 and a 1-year high of C$259.20. The firm has a fifty day moving average of C$240.34 and a two-hundred day moving average of C$233.72.

Bank of Montreal (TSE:BMO - Get Free Report) NYSE: BMO last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, August 25th. The bank reported C$3.96 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Bank of Montreal had a net margin of 11.75% and a return on equity of 10.58%. The business had revenue of C$9.96 billion for the quarter. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Bank of Montreal will post 9.65 EPS for the current year.

Bank of Montreal Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, November 26th. Investors of record on Thursday, November 26th will be paid a dividend of $1.71 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 30th. This represents a $6.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.9%. Bank of Montreal's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 54.44%.

Bank of Montreal Company Profile

BMO Financial Group is the eighth largest bank in North America by assets, with total assets of $1.5 trillion as of July 31, 2026. Serving clients for more than 200 years, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management, global markets, and investment banking products and services across Canada, the United States, and select markets globally. BMO is innovating for business value, by deploying and integrating human, digital and artificial intelligence to personalize client experiences, augment teams, and automate its business responsibly.

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