WaFd

WAFD · NASDAQ

$28.62+$0.20 (+0.70%)TodayMarket closed · Oct 20, 4:10 PM ET

Prev close $28.42

WAFD analyst rating

HoldConsensus of 3 analysts over the last 12 months. 0% rate it a buy.

Strong buy0
Buy0
Hold3
Underperform0
Sell0

12-month price target · 6 analysts

Average $36.47 (+27.4% upside)

Low: $32.32
Now: $28.62
High: $42.00

Upgrades and downgrades

The latest rating actions, newest first

WAFD analyst upgrades, downgrades and rating actions
Firm	Date	Action	Rating	Price target	Hit rate
Piper Sandler	Oct 19, 2026	Maintains	Neutral	$32.00 → $31.00	68%
Keefe, Bruyette & Woods	Oct 19, 2026	Maintains	Market Perform	$40.00 → $34.00	63%
Piper Sandler	Oct 1, 2026	Maintains	Neutral	$36.00 → $32.00	68%
DA Davidson	Sep 9, 2026	Maintains	Neutral	$40.00 → $37.00	50%
DA Davidson	Jul 20, 2026	Maintains	Neutral	$38.00 → $40.00	50%
Keefe, Bruyette & Woods	Apr 20, 2026	Maintains	Market Perform	$35.00 → $38.00	63%
Piper Sandler	Apr 20, 2026	Maintains	Neutral	$30.50 → $36.00	68%
Keefe, Bruyette & Woods	Apr 9, 2026	Maintains	Market Perform	$34.00 → $35.00	63%
Piper Sandler	Jan 20, 2026	Maintains	Neutral	$33.50 → $30.50	68%
Keefe, Bruyette & Woods	Jan 20, 2026	Maintains	Market Perform	$31.00 → $34.00	63%

The case for and against

Updated Oct 21, 2026

Bull case

WaFd is attractive fundamentally because its credit quality has improved outside of one large C&I resolution, with criticized assets down 27 bps to 4.66% and NPAs down 23 bps to 0.47%, suggesting the core book remains sound even as elevated NCOs of 0.78% normalize. The bank’s strategic shift toward commercial lending is also favorable, as commercial loans are expected to rise from 64% to 74% of loans and non-time deposits from 61% to 73%, which should improve mix, funding flexibility, and long-term earnings power. Although integration and full cost saves may not arrive until mid 2028, the combination of high-single-digit core loan growth, a targeted 15%+ ROATCE, 1.10% ROAA, and 45% efficiency ratio in 2027 supports a constructive outlook.

Bear case

WaFd is facing a constrained capital-allocation profile because its buyback is effectively paused while the EverBank merger is pending, leaving only a token 7K shares repurchased, or 0.01% of shares outstanding, at $37.60. That reduced flexibility matters because the company’s core lending franchise remains exposed to cyclical pressure in the Pacific Northwest, where home price depreciation and labor-market weakness could quickly impair loan growth and fee generation. More importantly, any severe deterioration in credit quality would likely pressure earnings, raise provisions, and weaken investor confidence, making the negative outlook fundamentally driven by merger uncertainty, limited capital return, and asset-quality risk.

Information on this page is provided for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Market data is delayed at least 15 minutes and is provided without warranty. Analyst ratings, price targets and company data come from third-party sources. Past performance does not guarantee future results.