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Important information: The value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Investors should note that the views expressed may no longer be current and may have already been acted upon. This is a third-party news feed and may not reflect Fidelity’s views.

Barclays downgrades NatWest to 'equalweight' after strong run

(Sharecast News) - Barclays downgraded NatWest on Wednesday to 'equalweight' from 'overweight' as it paused for breath and waited for consensus to catch up on capital. Barclays kept its price target on NatWest unchanged at 700p.

"While we continue to see sector-leading shareholder returns potential (through book growth and dividends), at an undemanding 8x forward PE, we pause for breath following what has ultimately been a strong run in the shares since late-23 lows (up 280% versus Lloyds 150%) as we wait for consensus to catch up on capital," it said.

In a note on the UK domestic banking sector, Barclays lifted its price target on 'overweight' rated Lloyds to 120p from 100p.

"We forecast sector-busting EPS growth of 70% by 2028e, 2x the sector average and circa 20% ahead of consensus, and see compelling valuation at less than 7x '28e PE (versus a European banks average of more than 9x) or 1.3x forward TNAV for a sector-leading 20% return on tangible equity," it said.

"We expect this improving outlook to come into sharper focus at this summer's strategy update, alongside a potential move to half-yearly buybacks."

At 1255 GMT, NatWest shares were down 3.1% at 640p, while Lloyds was 0.8% lower at 99.50p.

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Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

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