Higher interest rates will spur your returns

Article Excerpt

J.P. Morgan’s shares rebounded strongly in 2021 as an expected avalanche of loan defaults due to COVID-19 failed to materialize. As a result, the bank resumed dividend increases and share buybacks. Now, with higher interest rates expected this year, the bank’s shares should continue to push higher. J.P. MORGAN CHASE & CO. $148 is a buy. The bank (New York symbol JPM; Income Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 2.9 billion; Market cap: $429.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.7; Dividend yield: 2.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.jpmorganchase.com) is the largest banking firm in the U.S., with total assets of $3.38 trillion as of December 31, 2021. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Morgan’s revenue rose 19.7%, from $104.72 billion in 2017 to $125.30 billion in 2021. That’s due to stronger trading volumes and demand for corporate financing and underwriting (the capital markets division supplies roughly 40% of its revenue). Those gains helped offset the negative impact of lower interest rates, which hurt interest income on consumer loans. Overall earnings gained…