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October 14, 2011
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Watch PNC Financial Services‘ (NYSE: PNC  ) earnings report to see whether it can beat analyst expectations for the fifth consecutive quarter. The company will unveil its latest earnings on Wednesday. PNC Financial Services Group offers corporate and institutional banking, retail banking, asset management, residential mortgage banking, and global investment services.

What analysts say:
 

• Buy, sell, or hold?: Analysts strongly back PNC Financial Services, with 21 of 24 rating it a buy and the remainder rating it a hold. Analysts like PNC Financial Services better than competitor BBT overall. Analysts still rate the stock a moderate buy, but they are a bit more wary about it compared to three months ago.
• Revenue forecasts: On average, analysts predict $3.57 billion in revenue this quarter. That would represent a decline of 0.8% from the year-ago quarter.
• Wall Street earnings expectations: The average analyst estimate is earnings of $1.49 per share. Estimates range from $1.26 to $1.64.

What our community says:
The majority of CAPS All-Stars see PNC as a good bet, with 74.3% giving it an outperform rating. The majority of the Fools are in agreement with the All-Stars as 75.4% give it an outperform rating. Fools are keen on PNC Financial Services and haven’t been shy with their opinions lately, logging 191 posts in the past 30 days. Despite the majority sentiment in favor of PNC Financial Services, the stock has a middling CAPS rating of three out of five stars.

Management:
PNC Financial Services’ profit has risen year over year by an average of 24.5% over the past five quarters. Revenue has fallen for the past three quarters.

Now let’s look at how efficient management is at running the business. Traditionally, margins represent the efficiency with which companies capture portions of sales dollars. The following table shows net margins over the past four quarters.

For all our PNC Financial Services-specific analysis, including earnings and beyond, add PNC Financial Services to My Watchlist.

The Motley Fool owns shares of PNC Financial Services Group. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

By Fiona Shaikh

LONDON |
Thu Oct 13, 2011 9:45pm BST

LONDON (Reuters) – The head of Britain’s leading business lobby group attacked “heavy-handed” European Union plans to introduce a financial transaction tax, as well as other EU regulations on financial services firms, warning they could hurt Britain’s economy.

Confederation of British Industry Director General John Cridland criticised the EU’s Solvency II regulations, which set capital requirements for insurance companies, as well as its proposals for rules on capital requirements, corporate governance, and audit market reforms.

“The likely effect of many of its current proposals will be to damage the UK’s prospects for growth,” Cridland said in a speech at the CBI’s annual London dinner.

“Nowhere is this more acutely the case than for professional and financial services, which are being bombarded with unwarranted, heavy-handed regulation.”

London is Europe’s leading financial centre, and the financial services sector accounts for some 10 percent of the economy, so onerous rules could hit Britain, which is already teetering on the brink of recession, harder than its continental neighbours.

EU Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said this month he will push for G20 nations to agree a global financial transaction tax at the leaders’ summit in November.

France and Germany favour levying a tax on banks’ trading activities, but Britain is reluctant, pointing out that it has already imposed a levy on banks’ balance sheets. It says it will only support a transactions tax if it is implemented globally.

Cridland dismissed the tax as a “Brussels revenue-raising exercise” which could result in London losing its status as a major financial hub to New York, Singapore or Hong Kong. He said Barroso needed to “get a grip” before lasting damage is done.

“There’s nothing its financiers would like to see more than London totalled by the Tobin Tax,” he said.

But the government did not escape criticism either, with Cridland attacking its “ill-thought through” tax on North Sea oil and gas, and the 50 percent top rate of tax.

Cridland also slammed the EU’s Solvency II rules, which would impose capital requirements on defined-benefit pension schemes, and which he said could cost companies more than half a trillion pounds and hammer growth and job creation.

“Our friends in Europe need to consider the cumulative impact of all the ill-judged decisions they’re taking and get with the growth agenda,” he said.

WOODBURY, Minn., Oct 12, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) –
Woodbury Financial Services has been named Broker-Dealer of the Year for
the third time since 2006 by Investment Advisor magazine. The
company, which is a subsidiary of The Hartford, received the award from
among the nation’s largest firms (over 1,000 registered representatives)
and previously took top honors in its category in 2006 and 2009.

“This honor reflects Woodbury’s unique culture, as well as the
dedication our home office employees have to satisfying the needs of our
reps,” said Pat McEvoy, chairman and CEO of Woodbury. “It is
particularly satisfying to receive the award for the third time because
it is proof that our reps believe they are receiving exceptional
service, year after year.”

In voting overseen by the magazine’s editorial staff, nearly 4,000
credentialed voters are asked to rate their own broker-dealers in 15
categories and those that receive the highest average rating from their
reps are named Broker-Dealer of the Year in one of four divisions, based
on their size. McEvoy and the CEOs of the winning companies in the
smaller categories will serve on a special advisory board at the
magazine for the remainder of the year.

“Despite economic uncertainty and market volatility, these
broker-dealers received the blessing of their reps for their valued
partnership in difficult times,” said John Sullivan, editor-in-chief of
Investment Advisor.

About Woodbury Financial

Woodbury Financial Services, Inc. is a broker/dealer with more than
1,500 independent representatives nationwide and 200 home office
employees. Woodbury’s Internet address is www.woodburyfinancial.com.

SOURCE: Woodbury Financial Services, Inc.

Read additional information

For Woodbury Financial Services, Inc. Robert DeMallie, 860-843-5215 robert.demallie@hartfordlife.com

Copyright Business Wire 2011