Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) Short Interest Down 12.7% in January

Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) was the target of a large drop in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 25,171,239 shares, a drop of 12.7% from the December 31st total of 28,831,165 shares. Approximately 1.4% of the company’s stock are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 16,010,549 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 1.6 days. Based on an average trading volume of 16,010,549 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 1.6 days. Approximately 1.4% of the company’s stock are short sold.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

C has been the subject of several analyst reports. Wolfe Research reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $141.00 price objective on shares of Citigroup in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Citigroup in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Wells Fargo & Company set a $150.00 price target on shares of Citigroup in a report on Monday, January 5th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and set a $121.00 price objective on shares of Citigroup in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their target price on Citigroup from $134.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $125.56.

Key Citigroup News

Here are the key news stories impacting Citigroup this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Citigroup beat EPS expectations for its most recent quarter (reported $1.81 vs. $1.65 consensus) and showed modest year-over-year earnings improvement, which supports the stock’s valuation and investor confidence.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary highlighting Citigroup as an attractive dividend name is drawing investor interest; Zacks argues the bank’s yield and payout make it appealing for income-focused shareholders. Why Citigroup (C) is a Great Dividend Stock Right Now
• Neutral Sentiment: Political and fiscal headlines (ongoing funding talks / temporary government shutdown risk) are creating broader market volatility that can affect banks’ trading and fee revenue in the near term; leadership comments signaling a quick resolution could dampen the negative impact if confirmed. Speaker Johnson: ‘Confident’ government shutdown will end by Tuesday
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry crypto/regulatory stories (prosecutors questioning stablecoin law protections; banks and brokers adjusting crypto exposure) increase the chance of regulatory changes that could affect any bank businesses tied to digital assets, though Citi’s direct exposure appears limited compared with pure crypto players. Circle Says It Prioritizes ‘Financial Integrity’ As Prosecutors Reportedly Allege Stablecoin Law Allows Crypto Companies To Gain From Fraud Nomura temporarily reduces crypto exposure as Q3 profits drop
• Negative Sentiment: While EPS beat, Citigroup missed revenue expectations ($19.87B actual vs. $20.99B consensus), which highlights continuing top-line pressure and could cap upside if revenue trends don’t improve—investors will watch upcoming guidance and trading/IB fees.

Citigroup Trading Up 0.5%

Shares of C opened at $116.25 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $208.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.74 and a beta of 1.18. Citigroup has a 1-year low of $55.51 and a 1-year high of $124.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.63, a current ratio of 1.00 and a quick ratio of 0.99. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $114.00 and a 200-day simple moving average of $103.34.

Citigroup (NYSE:C) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 14th. The company reported $1.81 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.65 by $0.16. Citigroup had a net margin of 8.50% and a return on equity of 8.28%. The business had revenue of $19.87 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $20.99 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.34 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that Citigroup will post 7.53 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Citigroup Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 27th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 2nd will be given a $0.60 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 2nd. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. Citigroup’s dividend payout ratio is presently 34.43%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Citigroup

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Wolff Wiese Magana LLC lifted its position in shares of Citigroup by 87.6% during the 3rd quarter. Wolff Wiese Magana LLC now owns 257 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 120 shares during the period. Richards Merrill & Peterson Inc. acquired a new position in Citigroup during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Dunhill Financial LLC boosted its position in shares of Citigroup by 92.2% in the 3rd quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 319 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 153 shares during the last quarter. Guerra Advisors Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Citigroup during the third quarter worth $33,000. Finally, Howard Hughes Medical Institute bought a new stake in Citigroup in the second quarter valued at about $34,000. 71.72% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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.