Popular (NASDAQ:BPOP) Raised to Buy at Bank of America

Popular (NASDAQ:BPOP) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Bank of America from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued on Tuesday, Marketbeat reports. The brokerage presently has a $156.00 price objective on the bank’s stock. Bank of America‘s price target points to a potential upside of 10.31% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other research analysts have also recently weighed in on BPOP. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Popular in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Citigroup raised their price objective on Popular from $144.00 to $161.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. UBS Group reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Popular in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Piper Sandler started coverage on shares of Popular in a report on Thursday, January 15th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $152.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price target on Popular from $146.00 to $155.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $155.73.

Popular Stock Performance

Popular stock opened at $141.42 on Tuesday. Popular has a 1 year low of $78.23 and a 1 year high of $145.34. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $125.21 and a 200 day moving average price of $121.22. The company has a market cap of $9.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.48, a PEG ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 0.63.

Popular (NASDAQ:BPOP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The bank reported $3.38 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.02 by $0.36. Popular had a net margin of 18.75% and a return on equity of 13.87%. The company had revenue of $815.98 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $811.55 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.51 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Popular will post 10.06 EPS for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Popular

In related news, Director Alejandro M. Ballester sold 2,360 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $132.50, for a total value of $312,700.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 57,449 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,611,992.50. The trade was a 3.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Richard L. Carrion sold 25,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $113.50, for a total value of $2,837,500.00. Following the sale, the director owned 193,020 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $21,907,770. This trade represents a 11.47% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 28,360 shares of company stock valued at $3,265,040. 2.09% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Popular

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Ethic Inc. bought a new position in Popular during the 3rd quarter worth $653,000. Brendel Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Popular during the third quarter valued at $2,660,000. Burney Co. grew its position in shares of Popular by 134.3% during the third quarter. Burney Co. now owns 48,557 shares of the bank’s stock worth $6,167,000 after acquiring an additional 27,837 shares during the last quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management increased its holdings in shares of Popular by 40.8% in the 3rd quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management now owns 41,270 shares of the bank’s stock worth $5,242,000 after acquiring an additional 11,957 shares during the period. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Popular by 47.3% in the 2nd quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 188,960 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $20,818,000 after purchasing an additional 60,701 shares during the last quarter. 87.27% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Popular News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Popular this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results showed strength — Popular reported $3.38 EPS vs. $3.02 expected and revenue roughly in line with estimates; the beat and healthy margins support higher earnings expectations and valuation for BPOP. InsiderTrades: Insider Buying and Selling — Popular
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgraded Popular to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), signaling growing optimism on near-term earnings momentum — this type of rank change often attracts buy-side interest and retail flows. What Makes Popular (BPOP) a New Strong Buy Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple Zacks pieces also added BPOP to their Strong Buy/value/income lists for Feb. 4, highlighting the stock to different investor segments (value and income seekers). That coordinated coverage can boost demand. New Strong Buy Stocks for February 4th
• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America upgraded Popular from Neutral to Buy and set a $156 price target ( ~10% upside from recent levels), a notable institutional endorsement that could support the stock. Finviz: analyst coverage summary
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks published thematic pieces on Popular as a dividend/income candidate and a value pick — useful context for income-focused investors but not immediate drivers by themselves. Why Popular (BPOP) is a Great Dividend Stock Right Now
• Neutral Sentiment: A recent personal-finance/Fool headline in the feed appears to cover a different “once-popular growth” stock (not BPOP) and is not directly relevant to Popular investors. Is This Once-Popular Growth Stock Finally Worth a Second Look in 2026?
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: Director Alejandro Ballester sold 2,360 shares (~$312.7k) late January; several outlets flagged the trade. While the sale is small relative to his remaining stake, markets often react negatively to notable insider disposals. Alejandro Ballester Sells 2,360 Shares of Popular (NASDAQ:BPOP) Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage of the insider unload was amplified by sites like TipRanks, which may increase short-term selling pressure from sentiment-sensitive traders. Top Popular Insider Quietly Unloads a Chunk of Shares

About Popular

Popular, Inc, headquartered in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is a financial holding company and a leading provider of banking services in the United States mainland and Puerto Rico. Through its primary subsidiaries—Banco Popular de Puerto Rico and Popular Bank—the company delivers comprehensive commercial and consumer banking solutions. It offers deposit products, lending facilities, cash management services and payment-processing solutions designed for individuals, small businesses and large corporations.

The company’s product suite encompasses checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, residential and commercial mortgage loans, business lines of credit and credit cards.