Lincoln National (NYSE:LNC) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Analyst Says

Key Points

• Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised Lincoln National’s price target from $46 to $51 and maintained an “outperform” rating, implying 10.74% upside from the prior close.
• Lincoln National reported quarterly EPS of $2.24, beating the $1.96 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 12.3% year over year to $4.93 billion. The stock opened at $46.05, near its 52-week high of $46.82.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed, with a consensus “Hold” rating and average price target of $46.29; institutional investors own 72.81% of the company, while an executive recently sold 30,000 shares.

Lincoln National (NYSE:LNC - Get Free Report) had its price objective upped by equities research analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods from $46.00 to $51.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an "outperform" rating on the financial services provider's stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods' target price indicates a potential upside of 10.74% from the company's previous close.

Several other research analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Lincoln National from $44.00 to $47.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Lincoln National from $40.00 to $42.00 and gave the company an "underweight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. UBS Group lifted their target price on Lincoln National from $39.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on Lincoln National from $43.00 to $40.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 21st. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on Lincoln National from $56.00 to $57.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, July 10th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Lincoln National presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $46.29.

Lincoln National Trading Up 11.2%

NYSE LNC opened at $46.05 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $38.04 and a 200 day moving average price of $37.40. Lincoln National has a 52-week low of $32.18 and a 52-week high of $46.82. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.34, a P/E/G ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 1.17. The company has a quick ratio of 0.25, a current ratio of 0.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65.

Lincoln National (NYSE:LNC - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The financial services provider reported $2.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.96 by $0.28. The company had revenue of $4.93 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.89 billion. Lincoln National had a net margin of 9.17% and a return on equity of 18.07%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 12.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.36 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Lincoln National will post 7.73 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity at Lincoln National

In related news, EVP Craigt T. Beazer sold 30,000 shares of Lincoln National stock in a transaction on Friday, June 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $34.45, for a total value of $1,033,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 103,906 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,579,561.70. The trade was a 22.40% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 1.03% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Lincoln National

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of LNC. Fideuram Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking S.P.A. acquired a new position in shares of Lincoln National during the fourth quarter worth approximately $4,742,000. Wealthstar Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Lincoln National during the first quarter worth $1,183,000. Oxbow Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Lincoln National by 22.1% in the fourth quarter. Oxbow Advisors LLC now owns 231,208 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $10,296,000 after acquiring an additional 41,817 shares during the last quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC increased its stake in shares of Lincoln National by 10.9% in the fourth quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 1,360,587 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $60,495,000 after buying an additional 133,388 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bessemer Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Lincoln National by 25.4% during the 1st quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 203,973 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $7,241,000 after buying an additional 41,345 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 72.81% of the company's stock.

Trending Headlines about Lincoln National

Here are the key news stories impacting Lincoln National this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Lincoln Financial reported second-quarter adjusted operating income of $439 million, or $2.24 per diluted share, exceeding analyst expectations of approximately $1.96-$2.00 per share. Revenue reached $4.93 billion, also slightly above consensus estimates. Lincoln Financial Reports 2026 Second Quarter Results
• Positive Sentiment: Net income available to common stockholders was $1.3 billion, or $6.72 per diluted share, while revenue increased 12.3% from the prior-year quarter. The strong profitability and improved operating performance are likely supporting the stock’s advance. Lincoln National Q2 Earnings Snapshot
• Positive Sentiment: The company entered into a major reinsurance deal covering a legacy block, a move that may reduce capital and liability exposure while improving the profile of Lincoln’s insurance portfolio. Investors appear to view the transaction as an important strategic catalyst. Lincoln National Is Up After Earnings Beat and Reinsurance Deal
• Neutral Sentiment: Management highlighted continued progress against its strategic and financial goals during the earnings call, though investors will likely monitor execution of the reinsurance agreement and its effect on future capital, earnings and risk metrics. Lincoln National Q2 FY2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Adjusted earnings declined from $2.36 per share in the year-ago quarter, and one report characterized sales as below analyst estimates. This suggests that, despite the earnings beat, some underlying growth measures remain a concern. Lincoln Financial Group Reports Sales Below Estimates

About Lincoln National

Lincoln National Corporation, doing business as Lincoln Financial Group, is a diversified financial services holding company focused on providing retirement, insurance, and wealth management solutions in the United States and select international markets. Headquartered in Radnor, Pennsylvania, the company operates through several business segments, including Retirement Plan Services, Life Insurance, and Group Protection. Its offerings are designed to help individuals, families, and institutions plan and prepare for their financial futures.

The Retirement Plan Services segment delivers recordkeeping, administrative services, and investment management for defined contribution and defined benefit plans.

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.