Q3 EPS Estimate for Synchrony Financial Lowered by Analyst

Key Points

• Zacks Research lowered Synchrony Financial’s Q3 2026 EPS estimate to $2.40 from $2.55, while projecting full-year 2026 EPS of $9.35. The company’s own FY 2026 guidance is $9.25–$9.50 per share.
• Synchrony recently reported quarterly EPS of $2.59, beating the $2.14 analyst consensus, on revenue of $3.72 billion. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating with an average price target of $86.89.
• The company increased its quarterly dividend to $0.34 per share from $0.30, representing a 1.8% yield; institutional investors own 96.48% of outstanding shares.

Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF - Free Report) - Research analysts at Zacks Research cut their Q3 2026 earnings per share estimates for Synchrony Financial in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday, July 30th. Zacks Research analyst Team now expects that the financial services provider will earn $2.40 per share for the quarter, down from their prior forecast of $2.55. The consensus estimate for Synchrony Financial's current full-year earnings is $9.35 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Synchrony Financial's FY2026 earnings at $9.35 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $2.32 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $2.26 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $2.93 EPS, Q1 2028 earnings at $2.63 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $11.57 EPS.

A number of other brokerages have also recently issued reports on SYF. HSBC lifted their price objective on shares of Synchrony Financial from $93.00 to $97.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, July 13th. Robert W. Baird upped their target price on shares of Synchrony Financial from $86.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 22nd. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of Synchrony Financial from $77.00 to $84.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. BTIG Research downgraded Synchrony Financial from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price objective on Synchrony Financial from $85.00 to $80.00 and set a "sector perform" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $86.89.

Synchrony Financial Stock Performance

SYF opened at $77.32 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.22, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.08. The company's fifty day moving average price is $73.71 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $72.64. Synchrony Financial has a 1-year low of $63.08 and a 1-year high of $88.77. The company has a market cap of $25.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.92, a PEG ratio of 0.70 and a beta of 1.32.

Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, July 21st. The financial services provider reported $2.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.14 by $0.45. Synchrony Financial had a return on equity of 23.09% and a net margin of 15.44%.The company had revenue of $3.72 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $3.72 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.50 EPS. Synchrony Financial has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.250-9.500 EPS.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Synchrony Financial

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Advisors Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Synchrony Financial during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Fideuram Asset Management Ireland dac bought a new position in shares of Synchrony Financial in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. FWL Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Synchrony Financial in the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Reflection Asset Management purchased a new stake in shares of Synchrony Financial during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Finally, Palisade Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Synchrony Financial during the third quarter valued at approximately $29,000. 96.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Synchrony Financial

In related news, insider Jonathan S. Mothner sold 51,258 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.23, for a total transaction of $3,651,107.34. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 132,664 shares of the company's stock, valued at $9,449,656.72. This trade represents a 27.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 0.36% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Synchrony Financial declared that its board has authorized a stock buyback program on Tuesday, April 21st that allows the company to repurchase $0.00 in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the financial services provider to buy shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are typically an indication that the company's management believes its shares are undervalued.

Synchrony Financial Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 17th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 5th will be issued a $0.34 dividend. This is an increase from Synchrony Financial's previous quarterly dividend of $0.30. This represents a $1.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, August 5th. Synchrony Financial's dividend payout ratio is currently 12.30%.

Synchrony Financial Company Profile

Synchrony Financial NYSE: SYF is a consumer financial services company that specializes in providing point-of-sale financing and private-label, co-branded and branded credit card programs. The company serves as a payments and lending partner to retailers, digital merchants and service providers, offering consumer financing solutions designed to drive customer engagement and sales. Synchrony also operates a direct bank that offers deposit products, including savings accounts and certificates of deposit, which support its funding and customer-facing product suite.

Its core product set includes private-label and co-branded credit cards, general-purpose credit cards, installment loan programs and promotional financing options that are integrated into merchants' checkout experiences.

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