Morgan Stanley Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Cullen/Frost Bankers (NYSE:CFR) Stock

Cullen/Frost Bankers (NYSE:CFR) had its target price increased by investment analysts at Morgan Stanley from $133.00 to $141.00 in a note issued to investors on Monday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an “underweight” rating on the bank’s stock. Morgan Stanley’s price target indicates a potential downside of 8.73% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other analysts have also recently weighed in on the company. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers from $150.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 7th. TD Cowen raised Cullen/Frost Bankers to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday, April 13th. Stephens upgraded Cullen/Frost Bankers from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and set a $164.00 price target for the company in a report on Tuesday, May 5th. Finally, Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers from $125.00 to $131.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $149.45.

Cullen/Frost Bankers Stock Performance

Cullen/Frost Bankers stock traded down $0.81 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $154.50. 154,068 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 565,790. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $141.73 and its 200 day moving average is $138.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05, a quick ratio of 0.65 and a current ratio of 0.65. The stock has a market cap of $9.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.04, a P/E/G ratio of 3.91 and a beta of 0.55. Cullen/Frost Bankers has a 52-week low of $119.00 and a 52-week high of $156.21.

Cullen/Frost Bankers (NYSE:CFR) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The bank reported $2.65 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.49 by $0.16. The firm had revenue of $574.84 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $587.28 million. Cullen/Frost Bankers had a return on equity of 15.58% and a net margin of 22.86%.During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.30 earnings per share. Analysts predict that Cullen/Frost Bankers will post 10.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Cullen/Frost Bankers

In related news, EVP Carol Jean Severyn sold 837 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $148.29, for a total transaction of $124,118.73. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 12,712 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,885,062.48. This trade represents a 6.18% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 1.14% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Cullen/Frost Bankers

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new position in Cullen/Frost Bankers in the 3rd quarter valued at about $28,000. Covestor Ltd increased its stake in shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers by 67.6% during the 4th quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 248 shares of the bank’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. lifted its position in shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers by 252.1% during the 4th quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 257 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 184 shares during the last quarter. Community Bank N.A. purchased a new position in shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers in the third quarter worth about $35,000. Finally, Matrix Trust Co raised its holdings in Cullen/Frost Bankers by 40.4% during the 4th quarter. Matrix Trust Co now owns 320 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $41,000 after acquiring an additional 92 shares during the period. 86.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Cullen/Frost Bankers

Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc is the holding company for Frost Bank, a Texas-chartered financial institution whose origins date back to 1868 in San Antonio. As one of the oldest banking organizations in the state, it offers a broad range of services to individuals, small and large businesses, and institutional clients. Core banking activities include commercial lending, deposit services, cash management and trade finance, while consumer products cover residential mortgages, personal lines of credit and home equity loans.

Beyond traditional banking, the company provides comprehensive treasury and equipment leasing solutions tailored to support working capital and capital expenditure requirements.