Loading...

New Advisor Hires And AI Will Shape Future Success

Published
08 Aug 24
Updated
04 Oct 25
AnalystConsensusTarget's Fair Value
US$175.83
6.9% undervalued intrinsic discount
04 Oct
US$163.69
Loading
1Y
20.2%
7D
-0.9%

Author's Valuation

US$175.836.9% undervalued intrinsic discount

AnalystConsensusTarget Fair Value

Last Update04 Oct 25
Fair value Increased 1.48%

Raymond James Financial's analyst price target has edged higher from $173.27 to $175.83. Analysts cite disciplined advisor recruitment and higher assets under management, balanced against a slower growth outlook and elevated valuations.

Analyst Commentary

Recent Street research reveals a mix of optimism and caution regarding Raymond James Financial's valuation and growth outlook. Analysts point to disciplined execution as a key strength, but highlight concerns about the firm's current market position and the challenges it faces ahead.

Bullish Takeaways
  • Bullish analysts point to Raymond James' disciplined approach in advisor recruitment, which has improved earnings quality and supported consistency in performance.
  • Higher assets under management, driven by recent stock rally momentum, have led to raised price targets and optimism regarding future revenue streams.
  • Some anticipate continued support from macroeconomic factors such as interest rates and inflation, which could benefit rates and credit volumes and bolster the firm's franchise in these areas.
  • Recent model updates reflect confidence in Raymond James' ability to preserve and grow its core business despite normalization in volatility and trading volumes.
Bearish Takeaways
  • Bearish analysts remain cautious over the company's slower growth compared to peers, attributing it to the disciplined but conservative expansion strategy.
  • They note that elevated valuations present a more expensive entry point for investors, raising questions about risk versus reward at current prices.
  • There is skepticism about the absence of clear catalysts that could drive meaningful upside in the near term, especially if interest rates decline.
  • High expectations for upcoming quarters may set a challenging bar for execution, with even strong results potentially already priced into the stock.

What's in the News

  • Completed the repurchase of 5,311,996 shares, representing 2.61% of outstanding stock for $751.6 million, under the buyback program announced on December 3, 2024 (Key Developments).
  • Between April 1, 2025, and June 30, 2025, the company repurchased 3,286,433 shares, representing 1.62% for $451.46 million (Key Developments).
  • The company is actively seeking acquisition opportunities that align with strategic and cultural criteria to support future growth, according to CEO Paul Shoukry during the latest earnings call (Key Developments).

Valuation Changes

  • Consensus Analyst Price Target has risen slightly from $173.27 to $175.83, reflecting modest market optimism.
  • Discount Rate increased marginally from 8.39% to 8.44%, indicating a minimal shift in perceived risk or required return.
  • Revenue Growth forecast edged up from 7.95% to 7.98%, suggesting expectations for steady top-line expansion.
  • Net Profit Margin decreased very slightly from 15.69% to 15.68%, which points to stable profitability expectations with minimal change.
  • Future P/E ratio has increased from 15.10x to 15.34x. This signals a modest rise in valuation relative to expected future earnings.

Key Takeaways

  • Successful recruitment and strategic focus on high-net-worth clients are expected to drive future revenue growth and strengthen long-term revenue streams.
  • Investment in AI capabilities and strong loan growth may enhance operational efficiencies, improve net margins, and positively impact future earnings.
  • Heightened market and interest rate uncertainties, competitive M&A landscapes, and tech investment risks could negatively affect revenue growth, profitability, and net margins.

Catalysts

About Raymond James Financial
    A diversified financial services company, provides private client group, capital markets, asset management, banking, and other services to individuals, corporations, and municipalities in the United States, Canada, and Europe.
What are the underlying business or industry changes driving this perspective?
  • Raymond James' successful recruiting of financial advisors with high trailing production and assets from other firms has bolstered client assets under administration, which is expected to drive future revenue growth through increased client assets and new business inflows.
  • The establishment of a Chief AI Officer role highlights Raymond James' investment in artificial intelligence to enhance financial professional capabilities and client service, potentially improving net margins through increased operational efficiencies.
  • The bank segment's strong loan growth, particularly in securities-based lending, coupled with high credit quality, suggests potential increases in net interest income and margins, contributing positively to future earnings.
  • Consistent share repurchases, underpinned by strong capital and liquidity positions, indicate a commitment to enhancing shareholder value through EPS growth, alongside maintaining capacity for strategic acquisitions that align with cultural and financial goals.
  • The strategic focus on providing comprehensive private investment alternatives to high-net-worth clients through a robust platform is poised to attract more high-value clients, potentially increasing fee-based revenues and strengthening long-term revenue streams.

Raymond James Financial Earnings and Revenue Growth

Raymond James Financial Future Earnings and Revenue Growth

Assumptions

How have these above catalysts been quantified?
  • Analysts are assuming Raymond James Financial's revenue will grow by 8.0% annually over the next 3 years.
  • Analysts assume that profit margins will increase from 15.4% today to 15.7% in 3 years time.
  • Analysts expect earnings to reach $2.7 billion (and earnings per share of $14.29) by about September 2028, up from $2.1 billion today.
  • In order for the above numbers to justify the analysts price target, the company would need to trade at a PE ratio of 15.1x on those 2028 earnings, down from 15.5x today. This future PE is lower than the current PE for the US Capital Markets industry at 26.7x.
  • Analysts expect the number of shares outstanding to decline by 2.28% per year for the next 3 years.
  • To value all of this in today's terms, we will use a discount rate of 8.39%, as per the Simply Wall St company report.

Raymond James Financial Future Earnings Per Share Growth

Raymond James Financial Future Earnings Per Share Growth

Risks

What could happen that would invalidate this narrative?
  • Heightened market uncertainty and volatility associated with tariff negotiations could negatively impact investment banking closings, leading to reduced revenue from this segment.
  • Market and interest rate uncertainty pose challenges to the fixed income market, which could unfavorably impact brokerage revenues and related earnings.
  • Increased client caution due to macroeconomic uncertainty may impact net new asset growth and thus lower overall revenue growth.
  • Competitive M&A landscapes may pressure Raymond James to stretch on valuations, affecting profitability and capital allocation efficiency.
  • The firm's commitment to significant investment in technology, such as AI, though potentially beneficial, presents risks around overspending without clear short-term financial returns, impacting net margins.

Valuation

How have all the factors above been brought together to estimate a fair value?
  • The analysts have a consensus price target of $173.273 for Raymond James Financial based on their expectations of its future earnings growth, profit margins and other risk factors.
  • In order for you to agree with the analyst's consensus, you'd need to believe that by 2028, revenues will be $17.3 billion, earnings will come to $2.7 billion, and it would be trading on a PE ratio of 15.1x, assuming you use a discount rate of 8.4%.
  • Given the current share price of $165.59, the analyst price target of $173.27 is 4.4% higher. The relatively low difference between the current share price and the analyst consensus price target indicates that they believe on average, the company is fairly priced.
  • We always encourage you to reach your own conclusions though. So sense check these analyst numbers against your own assumptions and expectations based on your understanding of the business and what you believe is probable.

How well do narratives help inform your perspective?

Disclaimer

AnalystConsensusTarget is a tool utilizing a Large Language Model (LLM) that ingests data on consensus price targets, forecasted revenue and earnings figures, as well as the transcripts of earnings calls to produce qualitative analysis. The narratives produced by AnalystConsensusTarget are general in nature and are based solely on analyst data and publicly-available material published by the respective companies. These scenarios are not indicative of the company's future performance and are exploratory in nature. Simply Wall St has no position in the company(s) mentioned. Simply Wall St may provide the securities issuer or related entities with website advertising services for a fee, on an arm's length basis. These relationships have no impact on the way we conduct our business, the content we host, or how our content is served to users. The price targets and estimates used are consensus data, and do not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and they do not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Note that AnalystConsensusTarget's analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.

Read more narratives