Lazard Asset Management LLC Boosts Stock Position in Citigroup Inc. $C

Lazard Asset Management LLC grew its position in shares of Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) by 19.7% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 132,445 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 21,782 shares during the quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Citigroup were worth $15,021,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Whipplewood Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Citigroup during the first quarter worth approximately $25,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of Citigroup during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Richards Merrill & Peterson Inc. bought a new position in shares of Citigroup during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. TD Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Citigroup in the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Finally, Scarborough Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Citigroup in the 1st quarter worth $29,000. Institutional investors own 71.72% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Citigroup

In other news, Director John Cunningham Dugan sold 2,117 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $125.30, for a total transaction of $265,260.10. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 12,194 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,527,908.20. The trade was a 14.79% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.11% of the company’s stock.

Citigroup Price Performance

Shares of Citigroup stock opened at $127.26 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $217.05 billion, a PE ratio of 13.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.60 and a beta of 1.11. Citigroup Inc. has a 12-month low of $87.94 and a 12-month high of $147.96. The company has a quick ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $135.53 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $124.03.

Citigroup (NYSE:C) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 14th. The company reported $3.15 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.74 by $0.41. The firm had revenue of $24.75 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $23.74 billion. Citigroup had a net margin of 10.23% and a return on equity of 10.15%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 14.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.96 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts expect that Citigroup Inc. will post 11.22 EPS for the current year.

Citigroup declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock repurchase plan on Thursday, May 7th that authorizes the company to buyback $30.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to reacquire up to 13.7% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are typically a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Citigroup Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 28th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 3rd will be issued a $0.67 dividend. This is an increase from Citigroup’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.60. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 3rd. This represents a $2.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.1%. Citigroup’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 25.92%.

Key Headlines Impacting Citigroup

Here are the key news stories impacting Citigroup this week:

• Positive Sentiment: New trade-finance platform: Citi launched Citi Consolidate™, an Infor Nexus-powered solution that digitizes invoice approvals, purchase orders and payables for corporate buyers and suppliers in the United States and Canada. The platform could deepen client relationships, improve working-capital services and generate additional fee revenue while strengthening Citi’s technology and risk-control capabilities. Citi Is Now Live With a Trade Digitization Solution Integrating Supply Chain Solutions
• Positive Sentiment: Higher shareholder returns: Citigroup raised its quarterly dividend 11.7% to $0.67 per share after reporting its strongest quarterly revenue in roughly a decade. The increase reinforces the bank’s capital-return story and may improve its appeal to income-focused investors. This High-Yield Bank Stock Just Raised Its Dividend by 11.7%
• Positive Sentiment: Improved earnings outlook: Erste Group Bank raised its Citigroup EPS estimates to $11.18 for fiscal 2026 and $12.80 for fiscal 2027. Citi also recently exceeded quarterly EPS and revenue expectations, with revenue up 14.5% year over year, supporting the case for continued earnings momentum.
• Neutral Sentiment: Fed holds rates, but dissent is hawkish: The Federal Reserve kept rates at 3.50%–3.75%, while three officials favored a hike. Stable rates avoid an immediate disruption to borrowing markets, but the dissent highlights persistent inflation risk and could limit expectations for future rate cuts. Fed Holds Rates, but 3 Hawkish Rebels Demand Hike as Inflation Fight Erupts
• Negative Sentiment: Reputational overhang: A former Citigroup managing director was sentenced to 30 years in prison for sex crimes. The case concerns a former employee rather than current operations, but renewed coverage may create negative reputational sentiment for the company. Ex-Citigroup Managing Director Gets 30 Years for Sex Crimes

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

C has been the subject of several analyst reports. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of Citigroup from $154.00 to $164.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, June 29th. Barclays lifted their price objective on Citigroup from $146.00 to $154.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. Oppenheimer lowered Citigroup from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and set a $150.00 price target on shares of Citigroup in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. Finally, Evercore set a $143.00 price target on Citigroup in a research note on Monday, July 6th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $145.67.

About Citigroup

Citigroup Inc is a global financial services company headquartered in New York City with roots tracing back to the City Bank of New York, founded in 1812. The modern Citigroup was created through the 1998 merger of Citicorp and Travelers Group and has since operated as a diversified bank holding company that provides a broad range of banking and financial products and services to consumers, corporations, governments and institutions worldwide.

Citi’s principal businesses include retail and commercial banking, credit card and consumer lending products, wealth management and private banking, and a full suite of institutional services.