KeyCorp (KEY), headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, operates as the holding company for KeyBank National Association. Valued at $21.6 billion by market cap, the company provides retail and commercial banking, commercial leasing, investment management, consumer finance, and investment banking products and services. The leading regional bank is expected to announce its fiscal first-quarter earnings for 2026 before the market opens on Thursday, Apr. 16.

Ahead of the event, analysts expect KEY to report a profit of $0.41 per share on a diluted basis, up 24.2% from $0.33 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has consistently surpassed Wall Street’s EPS estimates in its last four quarterly reports.

For the full year, analysts expect KEY to report EPS of $1.79, up 19.3% from $1.50 in fiscal 2025. Its EPS is expected to rise 17.9% year over year to $2.11 in fiscal 2027. 

KEY stock has outperformed the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 14.1% gains over the past 52 weeks, with shares up 20.7% during this period. Similarly, it outperformed the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF’s (XLF) 2.2% losses over the same time frame.

KEY's outperformance is due to robust commercial banking and fee-based business growth.

On Jan. 20, KEY shares closed down marginally after reporting its Q4 results. Its adjusted EPS of $0.41 beat analyst estimates by 6.3%. The company’s revenue was $2.01 billion, surpassing analyst estimates of $1.97 billion.

Analysts’ consensus opinion on KEY stock is reasonably bullish, with a “Moderate Buy” rating overall. Out of 23 analysts covering the stock, 11 advise a “Strong Buy” rating, two suggest a “Moderate Buy,” and 10 give a “Hold.” KEY’s average analyst price target is $23.74, indicating a potential upside of 18.7% from the current levels.