Metzler Ups Commerzbank Price Target Amid Improved Assessment of Net Interest Income Potential

07:52 AM EDT, 09/07/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Metzler Capital Markets raised its price target for Commerzbank (CBK.F) to 45 euros from 41 euros amid a "slightly better" assessment of the German lender's net interest income potential than before. "Following the recent hike in the yield on 10y German Bunds, we assess the prospects for CBK's net interest income (NII) as even slightly better than previously. Further loan growth in the corporate clients segment could be another driver for NII," analysts said in a Monday note. "While we view the recent increase in the yield on 10y German Bunds positively for CBK, we believe that deposit competition in Germany has risen in recent quarters, following the arrival of new competitors." The 2026 and 2027 EPS forecasts for the bank are "virtually unchanged," while the estimate for 2028 was lifted by 2%, as the research firm took into account higher net interest income expectations for 2027 and 2028 and updated buyback assumptions for 2026. The buy recommendation on the stock was reaffirmed. In terms of the UniCredit (UCG.MI) situation, the research firm expects the Italian bank to raise its stake in Commerzbank sometime in the future. "In the long run, we expect that UCG will be interested in attractive payouts of CBK. In the shorter term, according to our understanding, UCG might prefer a less generous payout by CBK, e.g. to fund investments in CBK's business, as indicated by UCG's CEO in the Q2 call. However, this could result in further efficiency gains in the medium term, depending on UCG's plans," Metzler noted.