WaFd (NASDAQ:WAFD) Raised to “Hold” at Wall Street Zen

WaFd (NASDAQ:WAFD) was upgraded by equities researchers at Wall Street Zen from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Sunday.

WAFD has been the topic of a number of other reports. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price objective on shares of WaFd from $31.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of WaFd in a report on Monday, December 29th. Piper Sandler reduced their price target on shares of WaFd from $33.50 to $30.50 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada set a $34.00 price objective on shares of WaFd in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat, WaFd currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $32.90.

WaFd Stock Performance

Shares of WaFd stock opened at $33.71 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.66 and a beta of 0.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a current ratio of 0.95. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $32.71 and a two-hundred day moving average of $31.20. WaFd has a 52 week low of $23.75 and a 52 week high of $34.29.

WaFd (NASDAQ:WAFD) last released its earnings results on Friday, January 16th. The bank reported $0.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.76 by ($0.01). WaFd had a return on equity of 8.67% and a net margin of 17.45%.The company had revenue of $188.32 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $193.36 million. As a group, equities research analysts predict that WaFd will post 2.56 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity at WaFd

In related news, CEO Brent J. Beardall bought 3,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 3rd. The shares were purchased at an average price of $16.85 per share, for a total transaction of $50,550.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 6,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $101,100. This represents a 100.00% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Cathy E. Cooper sold 5,300 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.77, for a total transaction of $178,981.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 94,755 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,199,876.35. The trade was a 5.30% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 1.49% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On WaFd

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its holdings in shares of WaFd by 42.8% during the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,174 shares of the bank’s stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 352 shares during the last quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC boosted its position in WaFd by 57.6% during the 2nd quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC now owns 1,327 shares of the bank’s stock worth $39,000 after buying an additional 485 shares during the period. Hantz Financial Services Inc. grew its holdings in WaFd by 604.5% during the 3rd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,423 shares of the bank’s stock worth $43,000 after acquiring an additional 1,221 shares during the last quarter. Danske Bank A S bought a new stake in WaFd during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $51,000. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. grew its holdings in WaFd by 36.0% during the 3rd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,837 shares of the bank’s stock worth $56,000 after acquiring an additional 486 shares during the last quarter. 83.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about WaFd

Here are the key news stories impacting WaFd this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks raised its FY2026 EPS view to $3.03 and bumped several 2026 quarterly estimates (Q2, Q3, Q4 2026), which supports near‑term earnings momentum and investor sentiment. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: WaFd announced a quarterly dividend of $0.27 (annualized $1.08, ~3.2% yield) with an upcoming ex‑dividend date — a steady yield can attract income investors and help support the share price. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional ownership is high (around 83.7%); recent filings show a mix of new and increased stakes from firms such as Arrowstreet, Ameriprise, Millennium and William Blair — this signals continued institutional interest but also concentration risk. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks published a line‑by‑line update across multiple quarters and years (some estimates up, some down); the consensus full‑year figure cited in coverage remains different from Zacks’ internal views, so the report is informational but mixed for valuation. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks trimmed FY2027 EPS to $3.21 (from $3.27) and lowered certain 2027 quarter estimates, which signals some moderation in longer‑term growth expectations and may temper upside. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: EVP Cathy E. Cooper sold 5,300 shares at an average ~$33.77 on Feb. 6 (SEC Form 4 filed). While the EVP still holds a large stake, insider sales often raise short‑term caution among investors. Read More. Read More.

About WaFd

Washington Federal, Inc, doing business as WaFd Bank, is a publicly traded bank holding company headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Through its subsidiary, WaFd Bank, the company provides a range of banking and financial services to individuals, small-to-medium enterprises, and commercial clients. Established in 1917 as Ballard Savings & Loan in Seattle, the institution expanded over decades to serve customers across the Western United States under the Washington Federal name and has operated as a public company since the early 1980s.

WaFd Bank’s core offerings encompass deposit accounts such as checking, savings, money market, and certificates of deposit, alongside consumer and commercial lending products.