KeyCorp (NYSE:KEY) Upgraded to “Hold” at Robert W. Baird

Posted by Amy Steele on Feb 25th, 2026

Robert W. Baird upgraded shares of KeyCorp (NYSE:KEY – Free Report) from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research report report published on Tuesday morning,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other brokerages have also recently issued reports on KEY. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price target on shares of KeyCorp from $20.00 to $22.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on shares of KeyCorp from $19.00 to $22.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Citigroup reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of KeyCorp in a report on Wednesday, December 31st. TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of KeyCorp in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Piper Sandler upped their price objective on KeyCorp from $20.00 to $22.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, KeyCorp currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $22.92.

Read Our Latest Analysis on KEY

KeyCorp Stock Performance

KeyCorp stock opened at $21.00 on Tuesday. KeyCorp has a twelve month low of $12.73 and a twelve month high of $23.34. The company has a quick ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. The company has a market capitalization of $22.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.81, a PEG ratio of 0.63 and a beta of 1.10. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $21.49 and its 200 day moving average is $19.50.

KeyCorp (NYSE:KEY – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 20th. The financial services provider reported $0.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.39 by $0.02. KeyCorp had a return on equity of 10.28% and a net margin of 15.97%.The business had revenue of $5.45 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.95 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.30 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 131.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that KeyCorp will post 1.5 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

KeyCorp Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 13th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 3rd will be issued a $0.205 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 3rd. This represents a $0.82 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.9%. KeyCorp’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 53.95%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other KeyCorp news, insider Angela G. Mago sold 62,850 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.55, for a total transaction of $1,354,417.50. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 261,415 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,633,493.25. The trade was a 19.38% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Andrew J. Paine III sold 65,961 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $23.23, for a total value of $1,532,274.03. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 166,583 shares in the company, valued at $3,869,723.09. The trade was a 28.36% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last quarter, insiders sold 161,506 shares of company stock valued at $3,597,481. Company insiders own 0.52% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. United Community Bank bought a new position in shares of KeyCorp in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Maseco LLP purchased a new stake in KeyCorp during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. DV Equities LLC purchased a new stake in KeyCorp during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. GoalVest Advisory LLC bought a new position in KeyCorp in the fourth quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Smithfield Trust Co purchased a new position in shares of KeyCorp during the 4th quarter worth $31,000. 79.69% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting KeyCorp

Here are the key news stories impacting KeyCorp this week:

Positive Sentiment: Baird upgraded KEY to a more constructive stance (neutral rating after recent selloff), which supports valuation talk and likely reduced downside pressure. Baird upgrades KeyCorp (KEY)
Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan lifted its price target on KEY to $24.50 (from $22) while keeping a Neutral rating — a modest bullish signal that raises upside expectations for the stock. Mixed Views on KeyCorp (KEY) Amid Constructive Outlook on the Large-Cap Banking
Positive Sentiment: KeyBank won nine Coalition Greenwich 2026 awards for small-business and middle-market banking — a credibility boost for client franchise strength that supports revenue stability. KeyBank Recognized as Best Bank in Small Business and Middle Market Banking
Positive Sentiment: Reports that First Citizens is considering a deal that would include KeyCorp have surfaced — M&A chatter can lift shares on takeover premium expectations. KeyCorp emerges as potential target for First Citizens acquisition
Neutral Sentiment: Coverage remains mixed: some broker consensus is still a Hold and analysts show a range of price targets — that keeps sentiment balanced rather than uniformly bullish. KeyCorp (NYSE:KEY) Given Average Recommendation of “Hold” by Brokerages
Negative Sentiment: Quarterly results (Q4 2025) and related data showed mixed metrics: revenue strength in some lines but a sharp drop in net income and EPS weakness that triggered a negative market reaction. That earnings print remains a near-term drag. KeyCorp (KEY) Stock Falls on Q4 2025 Earnings
Negative Sentiment: Large institutional reductions (several big funds trimmed or sold sizeable positions in Q4), plus recent insider sales called out in reporting—both add selling pressure and increase volatility risk. KeyCorp (KEY) Stock Falls on Q4 2025 Earnings

KeyCorp Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

KeyCorp is a bank holding company headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, that operates through its primary banking subsidiary, KeyBank. It provides a broad range of banking and financial services to individual consumers, small businesses, middle-market companies and large corporations. KeyBank’s offerings span traditional deposit and lending products as well as more specialized financial solutions designed for commercial and institutional clients.

The company’s product and service mix includes retail banking products such as checking and savings accounts, consumer and residential mortgage lending, and auto financing.