WAL

We rate WESTERN ALLIANCE BANCORPORATION (WAL) as a Reduce with a composite score of 43.8/100 at a current price of $88.00. The quantitative profile shows weakness across multiple dimensions, suggesting limited upside potential and elevated risk of underperformance relative to peers over the next 12 months.

The rating is primarily driven by strength in momentum (52th percentile) and value (42th percentile), which together account for the majority of the composite score. Offsetting weakness in stability (29th percentile) and quality (30th percentile) tempers our overall conviction. We assign a No Moat rating (35/100), High uncertainty, and Standard capital allocation.

Key items to watch: sustainability of the current growth rate. Any material change in these dynamics could warrant a reassessment of our rating. The moat trend is stable, which suggests the competitive landscape is stable for now.

WESTERN ALLIANCE BANCORPORATION holds a top-quartile position (#0 of 50) within the Finance, Insurance, And Real Estate sector, based on our composite quantitative scoring across quality, value, momentum, and stability factors. The composite score of 43.8/100 places it at rank #2992 in our full 7,333-stock universe. At $9.6B in market capitalization, WESTERN ALLIANCE BANCORPORATION is a mid-cap player in the Finance, Insurance, And Real Estate space, which limits certain scale advantages but may allow for more agile strategic execution.

Revenue is growing at 45%, though momentum at the 52th percentile suggests the market has not yet fully recognized this trajectory. This potential disconnect between fundamental improvement and market recognition could represent an opportunity for patient investors if the growth trend persists.

The margin cascade tells an important story: gross margins of 0% (-76.5pp vs sector) narrow to operating margins of 1313% (+1295.5pp vs sector) and net margins of 1063.8%, yielding a gross-to-net conversion rate of N/A%. The significant margin erosion from gross to net suggests elevated operating expenses, high interest costs, or other structural drags that warrant monitoring.

At a current price of $88.00, WESTERN ALLIANCE BANCORPORATION is trading near fair value based on current fundamentals. Our value factor score of 42/100 reflects a composite assessment across multiple valuation metrics including price-to-earnings, price-to-book, EV/EBITDA, and price-to-sales ratios relative to both sector peers and the broader market. Valuation metrics are mixed, with no strong signal of mispricing in either direction.

The stock currently trades at a P/E of 11.4x (roughly in line with the sector median of 11.9x), EV/EBITDA of 10.9x (at a premium), P/B of 1.3x, P/S of 118.6x. The below-sector P/E suggests possible undervaluation or the market pricing in near-term headwinds.

We assign a High uncertainty rating to WESTERN ALLIANCE BANCORPORATION. Key risk factors include elevated market sensitivity (beta of 1.49), below-average price stability (29th percentile), weak quality scores (30th percentile). The wide range of potential outcomes widens our fair value estimate and increases the possibility of permanent capital impairment. Investors considering this name should size positions accordingly and demand a meaningful margin of safety before initiating.

Specific risk factors that inform our assessment include: elevated market sensitivity (beta of 1.49); below-average price stability (29th percentile); weak quality scores (30th percentile). Each of these factors independently widens the distribution of potential outcomes, and in combination they create a risk profile that demands careful position sizing. The stability factor at the 29th percentile and quality factor at the 30th percentile provide a quantitative summary of the overall risk landscape.

We identify limited risk mitigants at this time, which contributes to our high uncertainty assessment. Investors should monitor for improvement in balance sheet metrics, margin stability, and business predictability that could warrant a downgrade in our risk assessment over time.

We rate WESTERN ALLIANCE BANCORPORATION's capital allocation as Standard. Management has shown adequate — though not exceptional — stewardship of shareholder capital. Returns on equity stand at 11.7%, and the balance sheet is managed within acceptable parameters (D/E: 38%). Exemplary allocators typically sustain ROE above 20% and D/E below 50%; WESTERN ALLIANCE BANCORPORATION falls short on at least one dimension.

There is room for improvement in optimizing the capital structure or enhancing shareholder returns. The 1.75% dividend yield provides some income return, but the overall capital allocation framework would benefit from either higher reinvestment returns, improved balance sheet efficiency, or increased shareholder distributions. We will monitor for signs of strategic improvement that could warrant an upgrade.

In summary, WESTERN ALLIANCE BANCORPORATION receives a Reduce rating with a composite score of 43.8/100 (rank #2992 of 7,333). Our quantitative framework assigns a No Moat (35/100, trend: stable), High uncertainty, and Standard capital allocation. The average factor score across quality, value, momentum, stability, and investment is 38/100.

Our analysis does not support a constructive view on WESTERN ALLIANCE BANCORPORATION at this time. The combination of limited competitive advantages, high uncertainty, and standard capital allocation suggests unfavorable risk-reward at current levels. We recommend investors avoid new positions and existing holders consider reducing exposure.