Barclays (LON:BARC) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results

Barclays (LON:BARC) announced its earnings results on Thursday. The financial services provider reported GBX 8.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, Digital Look Earnings reports. Barclays had a net margin of 19.54% and a return on equity of 6.97%.

Barclays Trading Up 1.3%

Barclays stock traded up GBX 6.02 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting GBX 483.52. The company had a trading volume of 2,147,000,000 shares, compared to its average volume of 107,337,117. Barclays has a 12 month low of GBX 223.75 and a 12 month high of GBX 506.40. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is GBX 473.40 and its two-hundred day moving average price is GBX 416.25. The company has a market capitalization of £66.71 billion, a PE ratio of 11.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.36.

Key Barclays News

Here are the key news stories impacting Barclays this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results and upgraded guidance — Barclays reported quarterly EPS (GBX 8.60) with healthy margins and has lifted income guidance and set new mid‑term targets, which supports earnings momentum and investor confidence. MarketBeat: Barclays profile & results
• Positive Sentiment: £15bn shareholder return program — Management pledged to return around £15bn to shareholders after the profit beat, which typically supports the share price via buybacks/dividends and signals capital strength. FT: Barclays vows to return £15bn
• Positive Sentiment: New £1bn share buyback to cut share capital — The board launched a focused £1bn buyback program (starting 11 Feb), which adds immediate buyback support and reduces share count. TipRanks: £1bn buyback
• Positive Sentiment: Strategic drivers for higher RoTE — Analysis highlighting structural hedge arbitrage and other actions that could push Barclays toward a ~14% RoTE supports the longer‑term earnings story. Seeking Alpha: Structural hedge arbitrage
• Neutral Sentiment: Regulatory filings / annual report filed — Barclays filed its 2025 Form 20‑F and offered printed financial statements to shareholders (routine compliance and transparency). TipRanks: Form 20‑F filing
• Negative Sentiment: Senior executive share disposals disclosed — Barclays disclosed equity transactions by two senior executives; insider sales can sap sentiment even when company fundamentals are positive. TipRanks: Share disposals by executives
• Negative Sentiment: Reputational/legal headwinds — A trustee document has been reported to contradict testimony from former CEO Jes Staley, reviving reputational/legal questions that can pressure the stock. FT: Epstein trustee document vs Staley testimony
• Negative Sentiment: Rising costs related to energy transition — Management warned of growing costs tied to differing global approaches to the energy transition, which could weigh on future margins and capital deployment. Financial Post: Energy transition cost warning

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on BARC shares. Citigroup boosted their price objective on Barclays from GBX 440 to GBX 475 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on Barclays from GBX 455 to GBX 470 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Barclays from GBX 500 to GBX 570 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Barclays from GBX 435 to GBX 500 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on shares of Barclays from GBX 480 to GBX 570 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of GBX 499.17.

About Barclays

Barclays PLC provides various financial services in the United Kingdom, Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The company operates through Barclays UK and Barclays International division segments. It offers financial services, such as retail banking, credit cards, wholesale banking, investment banking, wealth management, and investment management services. In addition, the company engages in securities dealing activities. The company was formerly known as Barclays Bank Limited and changed its name to Barclays PLC in January 1985.