Analysts Set WaFd, Inc. (NASDAQ:WAFD) PT at $32.90

Shares of WaFd, Inc. (NASDAQ:WAFD) have received an average recommendation of “Hold” from the five brokerages that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating. The average 1 year price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $32.90.

WAFD has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen raised shares of WaFd from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $34.00 target price on WaFd in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of WaFd in a report on Monday, December 29th. Piper Sandler cut their price objective on WaFd from $33.50 to $30.50 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price objective on WaFd from $31.00 to $34.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Cathy E. Cooper sold 5,300 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $33.77, for a total value of $178,981.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 94,755 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,199,876.35. This trade represents a 5.30% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Brent J. Beardall purchased 3,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 3rd. The shares were acquired at an average cost 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 in the company, valued at approximately $101,100. This represents a 100.00% increase in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. 1.49% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its stake in shares of WaFd by 42.8% during the 2nd 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 in the last quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC increased its holdings in WaFd by 57.6% during the second 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 last quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its position in WaFd by 604.5% during the third 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 in the last quarter. Danske Bank A S bought a new stake in WaFd during the third quarter worth $51,000. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. lifted its stake in WaFd by 36.0% in the third quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,837 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $56,000 after acquiring an additional 486 shares during the last quarter. 83.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

WaFd Trading Up 0.4%

Shares of WAFD stock opened at $33.71 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $2.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.66 and a beta of 0.86. WaFd has a 12-month low of $23.75 and a 12-month high of $34.29. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $32.71 and a 200 day moving average price of $31.20. The company has a quick ratio of 0.96, a current ratio of 0.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89.

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

WaFd Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a $0.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.2%. WaFd’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 37.37%.

WaFd News Summary

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.