Stifel Financial (NYSE:SF) Issues Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.06 EPS

Key Points

• Stifel reported Q1 EPS of $1.45, beating consensus by $0.06, while revenue came in at $1.44B (versus $1.51B est.) but was up 17.7% year‑over‑year; ROE was 15.53% with a net margin of 12.37%.
• The company raised its quarterly dividend to $0.51 (annualized $2.04, ~2.6% yield, ~34.7% payout ratio) and issued Q2 net interest income guidance of $280–$290M and up‑to‑$4B full‑year bank asset growth, while flagging macro risks that contributed to a mixed market reaction.
• Analysts remain generally positive—consensus rating is a Moderate Buy with a $91.15 average target—and the stock trades at a ~19.7 P/E with a market cap near $12B.

Stifel Financial (NYSE:SF - Get Free Report) issued its earnings results on Wednesday. The financial services provider reported $1.45 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.39 by $0.06, FiscalAI reports. Stifel Financial had a return on equity of 15.53% and a net margin of 12.37%.The business had revenue of $1.44 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.51 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.49 EPS. The firm's revenue was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year.

Stifel Financial Stock Performance

Shares of SF opened at $77.39 on Thursday. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $75.44 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $79.70. The company has a current ratio of 0.84, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. Stifel Financial has a 12 month low of $54.49 and a 12 month high of $89.83. The company has a market cap of $11.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.74 and a beta of 1.10.

Stifel Financial Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 2nd were issued a dividend of $0.51 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 2nd. This is a positive change from Stifel Financial's previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. This represents a $2.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. Stifel Financial's dividend payout ratio is currently 34.69%.

Stifel Financial News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Stifel Financial this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly profits and reported net revenues were strong — Stifel reported record/near‑record top‑line and meaningful year‑over‑year profit improvement (net revenues ~$1.48B; net income ~$242M; GAAP EPS reported). Stifel Reports First Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Investment banking led performance and was called out as a key driver on the call — underwriting/M&A activity helped revenue growth. Stifel Financial: IB Leads The Way Despite March Dealmaking Snag
• Positive Sentiment: Several outlets note the quarter beat some analyst models (EPS vs certain consensus) and management delivered supporting slide materials. Stifel Financial (SF) Q1 Earnings and Revenues Top Estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Management issued a Q2 net interest income (NII) range of $280M–$290M and maintained a full‑year bank asset growth guide of up to $4B — guidance is explicit but not overly aggressive. Stifel outlines $280M-$290M Q2 net interest income range as it maintains up-to-$4B full-year bank asset growth guide
• Negative Sentiment: Some street estimates weren’t fully satisfied — one summary shows revenue and EPS slightly missed certain consensus figures (revenue reported vs some estimates ~ $1.44B vs $1.51B est; EPS off by $0.01 in one consensus comparison), which can pressure sentiment. Stifel Financial Stock Down 5.9%
• Negative Sentiment: Management flagged macroeconomic risks on the call and noted a March dealmaking slowdown — investors often mark down financials on cautious commentary even after a solid quarter. Stifel Financial Posts Record Revenue, Flags Macro Risks
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction noted a "slip" despite the company’s double‑beat framing — suggests profit‑taking and focus on near‑term pipeline/volatility rather than the quarter’s positives. Stifel Stock Slips Despite Q1 Double Beat

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages recently commented on SF. Weiss Ratings raised Stifel Financial from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Stifel Nicolaus set a $92.00 price objective on shares of Stifel Financial in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Wolfe Research reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and issued a $99.33 target price on shares of Stifel Financial in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Stifel Financial from $88.67 to $90.67 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, UBS Group reduced their price target on shares of Stifel Financial from $100.00 to $89.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $91.15.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider David Rubulotta sold 600 shares of Stifel Financial stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $82.87, for a total value of $49,724.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 1,488 shares in the company, valued at $123,315.52. The trade was a 28.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Insiders own 3.28% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of Stifel Financial

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in SF. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. increased its stake in shares of Stifel Financial by 15.0% in the fourth quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 811 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $102,000 after purchasing an additional 106 shares in the last quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC lifted its stake in shares of Stifel Financial by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 23,449 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $2,936,000 after buying an additional 114 shares in the last quarter. Principal Securities Inc. boosted its holdings in Stifel Financial by 6.9% in the 4th quarter. Principal Securities Inc. now owns 1,926 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $241,000 after buying an additional 124 shares during the period. Clark Capital Management Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Stifel Financial by 3.8% in the 3rd quarter. Clark Capital Management Group Inc. now owns 3,642 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $413,000 after buying an additional 134 shares during the period. Finally, NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its stake in Stifel Financial by 5.8% in the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 2,673 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $252,000 after buying an additional 147 shares in the last quarter. 82.01% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Stifel Financial Company Profile

Stifel Financial Corp. is a diversified financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1890, the firm has grown into a full‐service brokerage and investment banking organization serving individual investors, corporations and institutions. Through its principal subsidiary, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, the company delivers a broad array of financial products and services backed by research‐driven insights.

The firm's main business activities are organized into two core segments: Private Client Group and Institutional Group.