BCS

Barclays

Fundamental data last updated:April 13, 2026

company profile

SECTOR

Financial Services

industry

Banks - Diversified

Exchange

NYSE

County of HQ

United Kingdom

Next Earnings Date

04/28/26

Business Summary

Barclays operates as a diversified bank, generating revenue primarily through interest income on loans and securities, alongside fee income from investment banking, trading, and advisory services. Its moat is rooted in scale, regulatory licensing, global banking relationships, and entrenched client networks across retail and institutional segments. The ability to gather deposits and recycle them into higher-yielding assets underpins its earnings engine, while capital markets operations add cyclical upside. Sustainable cash generation depends on disciplined risk management, cost control, and maintaining spreads in competitive lending markets.

VALUATION

P/E

10.5

Market Cap ($M USD)

$81,158

Forward P/E

7.1

PEG

0.3

PRICE TO SALES

2.2

PRICE TO BOOK

0.8

EV / EBITDA

-

5-Year Average P/E

DIVIDEND

Yield

1.90%

Annual Payout

$0.46

Payout Ratio

19.80%

Consecutive Years of Dividend Growth

4

5-Year Dividend Growth Rate

53.90%

Financial Health & Profitability

Earnings Per Share

$2.31

Next Year EPS Growth Estimate

$3.35

Next Year Revenue Growth Estimate

4.40%

Return on Equity (ROE)

4.00%

Operating Margin

-

Debt-to-Equity

2.8

Piotroski F-Score

4

Altman Z-Score

-

Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)

1.70%%

Current Ratio

-

Quick Ratio

Gainseekers Quantitative Analysis

Summary

At 10.5x earnings and just 7.1x forward earnings, Barclays screens statistically cheap, and the 0.3 forward PEG ratio implies the market is severely discounting its forward growth expectations. A Price/Book of 0.8 signals the stock trades below book value, typically reserved for distressed or structurally impaired banks, yet the company still maintains profitability with a 4.00% operating margin and 4.40% ROE. The absence of an Altman Z-Score and Debt/Equity ratio limits balance sheet clarity, but the valuation profile alone suggests the market is pricing in material risk. This is a classic low-multiple financial where pessimism is embedded in the multiple rather than in explosive growth assumptions.

AI Exposure / Tech Reliance

As a diversified bank, Barclays sits directly in the path of AI-driven automation across risk modeling, compliance, trading, and customer onboarding. Financial Services firms that successfully deploy AI typically expand operating margins beyond legacy branch-heavy peers, which is critical given the current 4.00% operating margin. Technology adaptation in this industry is less optional and more existential, meaning competitive positioning will depend heavily on execution rather than narrative.

The Bull Case

The bull thesis is rooted in valuation compression and operational stability rather than high growth. A Forward P/E of 7.1 combined with a 0.3 PEG Forward ratio suggests investors are paying very little for next year’s estimated EPS of $2.31, which is attractive for a bank with positive operating margins and 4.40% ROE. The Piotroski F-Score of 4 is middling but not distressed, indicating operational viability rather than deterioration. Add a 2.8 TTM yield and a 1.90% dividend per share with a payout ratio of $0.46, and you have a value setup where investors are compensated while waiting for normalization in profitability metrics.

The Bear Case

The bear case is substantial. Return on Equity at 4.40% and ROIC at just 1.70% are weak for a bank, indicating inefficient capital deployment. The 53.90% short interest is extraordinarily high and signals that a large segment of the market is positioning for downside, while institutional ownership at $31.00 suggests limited strong-handed sponsorship. A Price/Sales ratio of 2.2 paired with thin 4.00% operating margins leaves little buffer if credit conditions tighten, and the lack of disclosed Debt/Equity and Altman Z-Score data raises unanswered balance sheet concerns.

Market Sentiment & Smart Money

Short Interest %

0.10%

Analyst Consensus

1.62

Average Analyst Price Target

$31.00

Institutional Ownership %

8.00%

1-Year Beta

1.33

Insider Buying % (6 Mo)

0.00%%

Distance to 52-Week High

85.70%%

Distance to 52-Week Low

176.80%%