Zacks Research Downgrades Stifel Financial (NYSE:SF) to Strong Sell

Key Points

• Zacks Research downgraded Stifel Financial (NYSE:SF) from "hold" to "strong sell" on Tuesday, despite a broader Street consensus that still averages a "Moderate Buy" with a $91.15 target (six Buys, three Holds, one Sell).
• Stifel beat Q1 EPS estimates ($1.45 vs. $1.39) and reported revenue of $1.44B (up 17.7% YoY but slightly below some estimates ~ $1.51B); management guided Q2 net interest income to $280–$290M and kept up-to-$4B full‑year bank asset growth, yet the stock slipped on mixed results and cautious commentary.

Stifel Financial (NYSE:SF - Get Free Report) was downgraded by equities researchers at Zacks Research from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a report issued on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on SF. Stifel Nicolaus set a $92.00 price target on Stifel Financial in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Citizens Jmp raised their price target on Stifel Financial from $93.33 to $103.33 and gave the stock a "market outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. TD Cowen decreased their price target on Stifel Financial from $136.00 to $92.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, March 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Stifel Financial from $88.67 to $90.67 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Citigroup reissued an "outperform" rating on shares of Stifel Financial in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Stifel Financial currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $91.15.

Stifel Financial Price Performance

Shares of Stifel Financial stock opened at $77.39 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $11.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.74 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 0.84. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $75.44 and a 200-day moving average price of $79.70. Stifel Financial has a one year low of $54.49 and a one year high of $89.83.

Stifel Financial (NYSE:SF - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 22nd. The financial services provider reported $1.45 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.39 by $0.06. Stifel Financial had a return on equity of 15.53% and a net margin of 12.37%.The firm had revenue of $1.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.51 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.49 EPS. Stifel Financial's quarterly revenue was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that Stifel Financial will post 6.27 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Stifel Financial news, insider David Rubulotta sold 600 shares of Stifel Financial stock in a transaction on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $82.87, for a total transaction of $49,724.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 1,488 shares of the company's stock, valued at $123,315.52. The trade was a 28.74% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 3.28% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Stifel Financial

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Essex Financial Services Inc. raised its position in Stifel Financial by 4.2% during the 3rd quarter. Essex Financial Services Inc. now owns 2,533 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $287,000 after purchasing an additional 102 shares in the last quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. raised its position in shares of Stifel Financial by 15.0% in the 4th quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 811 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $102,000 after acquiring an additional 106 shares in the last quarter. State of Wyoming raised its position in shares of Stifel Financial by 8.6% in the 3rd quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 1,418 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $161,000 after acquiring an additional 112 shares in the last quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC raised its position in shares of Stifel Financial by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 23,449 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $2,936,000 after acquiring an additional 114 shares in the last quarter. Finally, B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of Stifel Financial by 1.8% in the 3rd quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 6,666 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $757,000 after acquiring an additional 115 shares in the last quarter. 82.01% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Stifel Financial

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

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.

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