PNC, BB&T, Regions Financial Hit Highs
BOSTON (TheStreet) -- U.S. stocks were mixed Thursday as Germany backed a bailout plan for Greece and Dubai's government pledged assistance to financial firms. These financial stocks hit 52-week highs.
3. Regions Financial
(RF) - Get Report
dropped 2% to $7.69, recording an earlier high of $8.05.
Quarter
: Its fourth-quarter loss narrowed to $543 million, or 51 cents a share, from $6.2 billion, or $9.01, a year earlier. Revenue decreased 15%. The operating margin fell into negative territory. Regions holds $8 billion of cash and $22 billion of debt.
Stock
: Regions has gained 64% in the past year, outperforming U.S. indices. The stock trades at a price-to-sales ratio of 1.1 and a price-to-cash-flow ratio of 4.7, discounts of 39% and 66% to industry averages. It's also cheap based on book value.
Consensus
: Of analysts covering Regions, two advise purchasing its shares, 17 recommend holding and two suggest selling them.
Sanford Bernstein
expects the stock to advance 14% to $9.
Morgan Stanley
(MS) - Get Report
rates Regions "underweight."
2. BB&T
(BBT) - Get Report
climbed 0.6% to $32.30, achieving a high of $32.93.
Quarter
: Fourth-quarter profit dropped 39% to $185 million, or 27 cents, as revenue increased 10% to $2.8 billion. The operating margin narrowed from 24% to 23%. BB&T holds $2.9 billion of cash and $29 billion of debt, equal to a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.8.
Stock
: BB&T has advanced 72% during the past year, more than benchmarks. The stock sells for a price-to-projected-earnings ratio of 13, a 26% discount to its peer-group average. It's expensive based on trailing earnings and sales.
Consensus
: Of researchers following BB&T, 10 rate its stock "buy", 21 rate it "hold" and four have "sell" recommendations.
Sanford Bernstein
expects the stock to climb 22% to $40.
Citigroup
(C) - Get Report
and
Sterne, Agee & Leach
also rate BB&T "buy", but are less optimistic about its growth potential.
1. PNC Financial Services
(PNC) - Get Report
rose 0.1% to $59.93, hitting a high of $61.80.
Quarter
: PNC swung to a fourth-quarter profit of $1.1 billion, or $2.07, from a loss of $248 million, or 77 cents, a year earlier. Revenue jumped 68% to $3.8 billion. PNC holds $11 billion of cash and $30 billion of debt, translating to a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.3.
Stock
: PNC has soared 85% in the past year, beating U.S. indices. The stock trades at a price-to-projected-earnings ratio of 12 and a price-to-cash-flow ratio of 4.8, reflecting 30% and 65% discounts to industry averages. It's also cheap based on book value.
Consensus
: Of analysts evaluating PNC, 17, or 59%, advocate purchasing its shares, 11 recommend holding and one says to sell them. Morgan Stanley predicts the stock will gain 16% to $71.
JPMorgan Chase
(JPM) - Get Report
and
Bank of America
(BAC) - Get Report
are also bullish on the stock.
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