Analyst Ratings January 30, 2026

RBC Lifts BB&T Capital Target to $31 After Stabilizing First Full Combined Quarter

Analyst keeps Sector Perform rating as management holds guidance and conversion plans aim to cut costs

By Ajmal Hussain BBT
RBC Lifts BB&T Capital Target to $31 After Stabilizing First Full Combined Quarter
BBT

RBC Capital increased its price target for BB&T Capital (NYSE:BBT) to $31.00 from $28.00 while retaining a Sector Perform rating. The move follows BB&T’s fourth-quarter results, which RBC described as the company’s first full combined quarter and indicative of steady core trends. RBC cited an upcoming systems conversion planned for February that is expected to lower operating expenses and boost earnings per share. Management reiterated prior guidance, and RBC signaled comfort with the company’s provision range and growth outlook. RBC’s estimates were also adjusted to account for an accounting change related to previously acquired loans. Separately, Bullish reported record adjusted revenue and adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter of 2025, with adjusted revenue of $76.5 million versus $44.6 million a year earlier, surpassing analyst expectations.

Key Points

  • RBC raised BB&T Capital’s price target to $31.00 from $28.00 and kept a Sector Perform rating.
  • BB&T’s fourth-quarter results were its first full combined quarter and showed stable core trends, per RBC.
  • A systems conversion planned for February is expected to lower operating expenses and boost earnings per share; management reiterated guidance.

RBC Capital has raised its price objective for BB&T Capital (NYSE:BBT) to $31.00 from $28.00 and maintained a Sector Perform rating, citing the bank’s recent quarterly performance and near-term operational initiatives. The revision was made after BB&T released its fourth-quarter earnings, which RBC analyst Karl Shepard characterized as the first full quarter since a prior combination and as showing encouraging stability in the company’s core businesses.

RBC pointed to a planned systems conversion scheduled for February as a meaningful near-term catalyst. The conversion is expected to support lower operating expenses and improved earnings per share, according to the note. Management reiterated the guidance it previously provided, and RBC said it is comfortable with the company’s stated range for provisions and the growth assumptions management has outlined.

The analyst also adjusted modeling to reflect BB&T’s adoption of an accounting change related to loans the company had previously acquired. That modification in accounting treatment was explicitly incorporated into RBC’s revised estimates for the bank.

In a separate piece of corporate news included in the note, Bullish reported record quarterly results for the third quarter of 2025. The company recorded adjusted revenue of $76.5 million, up from $44.6 million in the comparable quarter a year earlier, and also posted record adjusted EBITDA for that period. Those outcomes exceeded analyst expectations and were highlighted as evidence of Bullish’s continued growth within the digital asset platform sector.

RBC’s action on BB&T centers on measurable near-term items: the stabilization seen in the combined-company reporting, the forthcoming systems conversion intended to reduce costs and lift EPS, and an accounting-related change that affects earnings modeling. Management’s reaffirmation of guidance and RBC’s stated comfort with provisioning and growth assumptions helped underpin the maintained Sector Perform stance, even as the price target was raised.


Key points

  • RBC raised BB&T Capital’s price target to $31.00 from $28.00 while keeping a Sector Perform rating.
  • The fourth-quarter report was described as BB&T’s first full combined quarter, showing stable core trends.
  • A systems conversion planned for February is expected to reduce operating expenses and support improved earnings per share; management reiterated prior guidance.

Risks and uncertainties

  • The anticipated benefits of the February systems conversion are presented as expected outcomes rather than certainties, leaving near-term cost and EPS impacts subject to execution.
  • RBC’s revised estimates incorporate an accounting change for previously acquired loans, indicating that adjustments in accounting treatment are influencing analysts’ models.
  • Bullish’s results are concentrated in the digital asset platform sector; while the company reported record adjusted revenue and EBITDA that exceeded expectations, its performance is described within that specific sector context.

Risks

  • The expected reduction in operating expenses and EPS improvement from the February systems conversion is presented as projected, so execution risk remains.
  • RBC’s updated estimates reflect an accounting change for previously acquired loans, meaning accounting treatment is affecting financial modeling.
  • Bullish’s record adjusted revenue and adjusted EBITDA are specific to the digital asset platform sector, indicating concentration risk tied to that market.

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