Erste Group
Erste Group Bank AG is a Vienna-based universal bank and one of the largest financial groups in Central and Eastern Europe. Its Group Research unit specializes in equities from the region and also publishes ratings on major U.S. and European stocks.
Activity24M
RatingsPrice targetsKey figures
- Stocks covered
- 612M
- Actions
- 812M
- Ratings / Price targets
- 8 / 0
- Upgrades / Downgrades
- 4 / 4
- Buy-rated
- 50%of 6 rated
- On record
- Jan 2015 – Aug 2026
Overview
Group Research in Vienna and local units in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia and Romania cover macroeconomics, fixed income, credit and equities. As of 2026, more than 20 equity analysts cover listed companies across Central and Eastern Europe, from Austria to Turkey, while a global equities team analyzes developed markets and major international companies.
Erste Group traces its origins to the Erste österreichische Spar-Casse, founded in Vienna in 1819. It listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange in 1997 and expanded into Central and Eastern Europe; the current holding company, Erste Group Bank AG, dates from 2008. In January 2026 it completed a roughly €7.0 billion deal for a 49% controlling stake in Santander Bank Polska, since renamed Erste Bank Polska, and a stake in its asset manager. Its main shareholder is the ERSTE Foundation.
Milestones
- 1819
Erste österreichische Spar-Casse founded in Vienna
- 1997
Listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange
- 2008
Erste Group Bank AG established
- 2026
Acquired 49% controlling stake in Santander Bank Polska
Firm facts
- Legal name
- Erste Group Bank AG
- Type
- Full-service
- Founded
- 1819
- Headquarters
- Vienna, Austria
- Listing
- Vienna Stock Exchange: EBS
- CEO, Erste Group
- Peter Bosek
- Head of Group Research
- Friedrich Mostböck
- Rating scale
- BuyAccumulateHoldReduceSell12 months
- Website
- erstegroup.com
Research philosophy
Based on international know-how and local access to the markets, our focus is on providing clear assessments and unambiguous messages, which should give all of our clients orientation at all times.
Erste Group Research says it aims to provide as independent a view of capital markets as possible. Its integrated research unit combines macroeconomic, fixed income, equity and quantitative analysis, supports local analysts with cross-border sector research and helps shape the investment strategy underlying the group's asset allocation.
Rating methodology
Buy, Accumulate, Hold, Reduce and Sell ratings reflect the difference between a stock's market price and its 12-month target price. Buy requires more than 20% upside; Sell indicates more than 10% downside. Target prices are based on discounted cash flow or peer-multiple valuations, adjusted for expected changes in investor sentiment.
Coverage12M
Sectors
Most covered24M
| Stock | Rating | Target |
|---|---|---|
 Meta Platforms, Inc.META | Hold | — |
 AbbVie Inc.ABBV | Buy | — |
 Broadcom Inc.AVGO | Hold | — |
 Barclays PLCBCS | Hold | — |
 Caterpillar Inc.CAT | Buy | — |
 Salesforce, Inc.CRM | Buy | — |
 HSBC Holdings plcHSBC | Buy | — |
 Intuitive Surgical, Inc.ISRG | Buy | — |
 Linde plcLIN | Hold | — |
 Novartis AGNVS | Hold | — |
Recent actions
| Date | Stock | Rating action | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 5 | AbbVie Inc.ABBV | Upgrade | Hold →Buy |
| Jul 7 | Broadcom Inc.AVGO | Downgrade | Buy →Hold |
| Apr 2 | Meta Platforms, Inc.META | Downgrade | Buy →Hold |
| Mar 5 | Meta Platforms, Inc.META | Upgrade | Hold →Buy |
| Mar 5 | Barclays PLCBCS | Downgrade | Buy →Hold |
| Nov 20, 2025 | HSBC Holdings plcHSBC | Upgrade | Hold →Buy |
| Nov 10, 2025 | Meta Platforms, Inc.META | Downgrade | Buy →Hold |
| Oct 3, 2025 | Caterpillar Inc.CAT | Upgrade | Hold →Buy |
| Sep 22, 2025 | RYRoyal Bank of CanadaRY | Upgrade | Hold →Buy |
| Nov 19, 2024 | Salesforce, Inc.CRM | Upgrade | Hold →Buy |
| Nov 19, 2024 | Novartis AGNVS | Downgrade | Buy →Hold |
| Nov 19, 2024 | Intuitive Surgical, Inc.ISRG | Upgrade | Hold →Buy |