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Cincinnati, Ohio-based Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) operates as the bank holding company for Fifth Third Bank, National Association that offers a wide range of financial products and services. Valued at $22.5 billion by market cap, the company’s principal businesses include retail banking, commercial banking, investment advisory, and data processing. The leading regional bank is expected to announce its fiscal first-quarter earnings for 2025 before the market opens on Thursday, Apr. 17.
Ahead of the event, analysts expect FITB to report a profit of $0.70 per share on a diluted basis, down 7.9% from $0.76 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company beat the consensus estimates in each of the last four quarters.
For the full year, analysts expect FITB to report EPS of $3.59, up 6.5% from $3.37 in fiscal 2024. Its EPS is expected to rise 13.1% year over year to $4.06 in fiscal 2026.
FITB stock has underperformed the S&P 500’s ($SPX) 1.4% losses over the past 52 weeks, with shares down 4.3% during this period. Similarly, it underperformed the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLF) 7.3% gains over the same time frame.
FITB’s underperformance can be attributed to a decline in fee income and weak asset quality.
On Jan. 21, FITB reported its Q4 results, and its shares closed down more than 2% in the following trading session. Its EPS came in at $0.85, up 18.1% from the year-ago quarter. The company’s revenue stood at $2.2 billion, up marginally year over year.
Analysts’ consensus opinion on FITB stock is reasonably bullish, with a “Moderate Buy” rating overall. Out of 22 analysts covering the stock, 10 advise a “Strong Buy” rating, one suggests a “Moderate Buy,” and 11 give a “Hold.” FITB’s average analyst price target is $47.52, indicating an ambitious potential upside of 40.8% from the current levels.
