New York-based The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS) is a financial institution that provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and high-net worth individuals. With a market cap of $235.8 billion, the company specializes in investment banking, trading and principal investments, asset management and securities services.

Shares of this leading global investment banking, securities, and asset and wealth management firm have outperformed the broader market over the past year. GS has gained 35.3% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has rallied nearly 14%. In 2025, GS stock is up 39.2%, surpassing the SPX’s 16.2% rise on a YTD basis. 

Zooming in further, GS’ outperformance is also apparent compared to the iShares U.S. Broker-Dealers & Securities Exchanges ETF (IAI). The exchange-traded fund has gained about 20.7% over the past year. Moreover, GS’ returns on a YTD basis outshine the ETF’s 22.2% gains over the same time frame.

Goldman Sachs is crushing it due to its Excel Sports Management deal and strong investment banking performance. They're seeing a resurgence in M&A, record inflows in asset and wealth management, and growth in prime brokerage and structured lending. Their One Goldman Sachs 3.0 initiative, fueled by AI, is driving efficiency and scalability. With a constructive regulatory environment and anticipated interest rate cuts, they're expecting ongoing strength in investment banking and private market solutions.

On Oct. 14, GS shares closed down more than 2% after reporting its Q3 results. Its EPS of $12.25 exceeded Wall Street expectations of $11.11. The company’s revenue, net of interest expense, was $15.2 billion, surpassing Wall Street forecasts of $14.1 billion.

For the current fiscal year, ending in December, analysts expect GS’ EPS to grow 19.8% to $48.57 on a diluted basis. The company’s earnings surprise history is impressive. It beat the consensus estimate in each of the last four quarters.

Among the 26 analysts covering GS stock, the consensus is a “Moderate Buy.” That’s based on eight “Strong Buy” ratings, one “Moderate Buy,” and 17 “Holds.”

This configuration is less bullish than a month ago, with nine analysts suggesting a “Strong Buy.” 

On Nov. 2, Betsy Graseck from Morgan Stanley (MS) maintained a “Hold” rating on GS with a price target of $828, implying a potential upside of 3.9% from current levels.

The mean price target of $800.57 represents a marginal premium to GS’ current price levels. The Street-high price target of $960 suggests an upside potential of 20.4%.

More news from Barchart

• Is This Beaten-Down Cathie Wood Stock Still a Buy?
• AMD Short Strangle Could Net $1400 in a Few Weeks
• Stock Index Futures Slip on AI Caution
• This Dividend Stock Yields More Than 8% and Analysts Say You Can ‘Count on It’ Here