Big Banks Set to Kick Off Earnings Season with Mixed Results Expected
The fourth quarter earnings season has arrived and it will kick off with earnings reports from Citigroup (C), JPMorgan Chase (JPM), and Wells Fargo (WFC) on January 15. The companies are expected to see earnings move in different directions compared to what we saw in the third quarter and compared to Q4 of last year.
Citigroup’s EPS estimate is $1.33 and that is 5% lower than the third quarter EPS figure and 38.14% lower than Q4 of 2019. JPMorgan’s EPS estimate is $2.57 which is in line with Q4 of 2019, but 12% lower than Q3. Wells Fargo has the best outlook with an EPS estimate of $0.59. That’s only a penny below the fourth quarter of last year and much better than $0.42 the company lost in the third quarter.
Bank stocks have been among the top performing industries since the end of October and the SPDR S&P Bank ETF (KBE) has gained 37.4% since then. The S&P is up a far more modest 17% during this same time period. Looking at the Tickeron Screener, JPMorgan gets a “strong buy” rating while the other two get “buy” ratings.
On the fundamental analysis, JPMorgan has two positive signals and two negative signals. The company gets positive marks for its Outlook Rating and its Profit vs. Risk Rating and it gets negative marks for its Valuation Rating and SMR Rating.
Citigroup gets a positive score in the Valuation Rating, but it gets four negative marks including the Outlook Rating and the SMR Rating. Wells Fargo gets a positive reading for its P/E Growth Rating, but it also gets four negative marks. The Profit vs. Risk Rating is a 100 and that’s the worst score a company can get. Like the other two, Wells Fargo also gets a poor score for its SMR Rating.
Turning our attention to the technical analysis, all three stocks have received bullish signals from the Momentum indicator over the last few weeks—not surprising given how bank stocks have been rallying. Citigroup got a bullish signal from its MACD indicator on January 8 and Wells Fargo got one on January 7. Those two also got bearish signals from the Bollinger Bands indicator on January 7.
The completer comparison from Tickeron between these three banks is below and it shows how the stocks compare to one another and how they compare to other stocks based on the ratings.
Contributor
Harry Richardson — Algorithmic Trader & Strategy Developer Harry is an algorithmic trader specializing in impulse and breakout trading strategies across cryptocurrency and equity markets. With more than 10 years of experience in developing automated trading systems, he focuses on building structured algorithms designed to capture momentum while maintaining strict risk control. His approach combines quantitative analysis, real-market execution, and continuous performance monitoring. Vitalii prioritizes risk management, drawdown control, and strategy stability over short-term optimization, ensuring algorithms are adaptable to changing market conditions. He has developed and tested hundreds of automated strategies, working extensively with live trading environments, forward testing, and portfolio-level algorithm management. His work centers on transforming trading ideas into fully operational, scalable automated systems.
KBE's RSI Oscillator leaves overbought zone
The 10-day RSI Indicator for KBE moved out of overbought territory on July 17, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is shifting from an upward trend to a downward trend. Traders may want to look at selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 42 instances where the indicator moved out of the overbought zone. In of the 42 cases the stock moved lower in the days that followed. This puts the odds of a move down at .
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bearish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved below the 0 level on August 18, 2026. You may want to consider selling the stock, shorting the stock, or exploring put options on KBE as a result. In of 78 cases where the Momentum Indicator fell below 0, the stock fell further within the subsequent month. The odds of a continued downward trend are .
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence Histogram (MACD) for KBE turned negative on August 17, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to turn lower in the coming weeks. Traders may want to sell the stock or buy put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 45 similar instances when the indicator turned negative. In of the 45 cases the stock turned lower in the days that followed. This puts the odds of success at .
KBE moved below its 50-day moving average on August 20, 2026 date and that indicates a change from an upward trend to a downward trend.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where KBE declined for three days, the price rose further in of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are .
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the oversold zone for 1 day, which means it's wise to expect a price bounce in the near future.
Following a 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where KBE advanced for three days, in of 299 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are .
KBE may jump back above the lower band and head toward the middle band. Traders may consider buying the stock or exploring call options.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In of 261 cases where KBE Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are .
Notable companies
Industry description
Market Cap
High and low price notable news
Volume
Fundamental Analysis Ratings
The average fundamental analysis ratings, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, are as follows
Advertisement
General Information
Category Financial
Advertisement