We recently compiled a list of the 7 Most Undervalued Financial Stocks To Buy According To Analysts. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Banco Bradesco S.A. (NYSE:BBD) stands against the other undervalued financial stocks.
The financial industry outperformed the S&P 500, with the Dow Jones U.S. Financial Services Index returning more than 37% in 2024 compared to the S&P 500 index’s return rate of 25%. This growth undermines the mid-sized bank collapses in early 2024, which proved to be isolated events in the broader market.
Meanwhile, as we have pointed out in our article, 10 Best Financial Services Stocks To Buy According to Analysts, the financial services market has expanded notably in the last several years and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.2% between 2025 and 2029.
Financial Services Market Outlook
According to Fidelity’s report, the prospects for the financial industry in 2025 seem promising, backed by positive economic expansion in the U.S. The Fed’s rate reduction in the second half of 2024 will improve confidence and lower credit risk. This will ultimately boost lending and deposits while reducing net interest margins.
In 2025, financial services are going to be much more advanced, driven by AI. According to IBM’s 2024 report, Generative AI is revolutionizing financial services by enhancing customer satisfaction, bringing new features in risk management, and personalized financial solutions. Deloitte’s 2025 investment management outlook projects AI and the changing digital landscape to massively impact the investment management industry in 2025.
Whereas, Deloitte’s 2025 banking and capital markets outlook highlights that banks can reinforce their basis for sustainable growth as the banking industry adjusts to a low-growth, lower-rate scenario. Goldman Sachs projects a modest U.S. GDP growth of 2.5% in 2025, while the PCE inflation is expected to be around 2.1%.
The potential risks in the financial industry always exist. In case the economy weakens, some lenders can be exposed to commercial real estate risks and possible non-performing loans. Nevertheless, the new Trump era has started with a lot of optimism and more prospects for mergers and acquisitions ahead.
Our Methodology
We shifted through the Finviz screener to identify stocks in the financial sector that had a forward P/E of less than 15 and a projected upside potential of over 30% based on analyst price targets, as of January 21. The 7 most undervalued financial stocks to buy are ranked in ascending order of analyst upside. These stocks are also popular among elite hedge funds.
Why do we care about what hedge funds do? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
A customer withdrawing money from an ATM, illustrating the company’s widespread availability of accounts.
Banco Bradesco S.A. (NYSE:BBD)
Analyst Upside: 129.59%
Forward P/E: 5.65
Banco Bradesco S.A. (NYSE:BBD) is a Brazilian banking company that offers a range of financial services, including loans, insurance, and asset management. One of the oldest and largest banks in Brazil, Banco Bradesco is investing significantly in digital banking networks and expanding its insurance and wealth management segments.
The company has announced plans to launch Bradesco Principal, a subsidiary that will make credit cards targeting high-net-worth individuals. The company expects to onboard between 45,000 to 50,000 new clients in this new segment in early 2025.
Banco Bradesco S.A. (NYSE:BBD) continues its growth trajectory driven by increasing client base, improved profitability, and strategic policies. During the third quarter of 2024, the company’s net income soared 11% year-over-year to $868.01 million. The bank’s loan portfolio recorded 3.5% quarter-on-quarter growth, with a notable increase of 17% in SME lending. The company continues to onboard new clients and added 1.8 million new users in Q3 2024. Banco Bradesco S.A. has a nationwide presence in Brazil and holds a strong position in key locations globally, making it one of the promising financial stocks to invest in.
Overall BBD ranks 1st on our list of the most undervalued financial stocks to buy according to analysts. While we acknowledge the potential of BBD as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than BBD but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and Complete List of 59 AI Companies Under $2 Billion in Market Cap.
Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
