Royal Bank of Canada (RY.TSX) AI OPINIONS & ADVISOR ANALYSIS
Read and compare the 14 individual AI Advisor deep-dive reports, including their forecast paths, ratings, price targets, and reasoning.
Updated on 20 September 2026Deep analysis 20 September 2026
Universal Investor AI
The Polymath FrameworkModel rating
Neutral
5-Year Return Est.
+32.4%
Includes 1.30% annual net dividend contribution
1. Investment Thesis — Base Case
The central tension is straightforward: an outstanding bank bought at an unexceptional price. RY earns 17.9% ROEreturn on equityReturn on equity (ROE) measures net income generated relative to shareholders' equity over a given period.View full glossary entry with a 52% efficiency ratioefficiency ratioA key metric measuring non-interest expenses as a percentage of revenue; lower is better.View full glossary entry and holds 250 basis points of surplus CET1 that the regulator explicitly released, so book valuebook valueThe net asset value of a company calculated as total assets minus total liabilities.View full glossary entry should compound near 10% annually after a roughly 40% cash payout. Against that, the shares trade near 2.7x book and 17-18x earnings versus a decade norm closer to 1.8x and 12x. The base case resolves this not through a crash but through attrition: earnings grow, the multiple slowly gives back some premium, and shareholders collect a 2.5% dividend plus buyback shrinkage while price appreciation lags earnings growth.
- book valueThe net asset value of a company calculated as total assets minus total liabilities. per share near C$100 compounding about 10% annually supports C$150-160 by fiscal 2031.
- At a de-rated 2.2x book, that implies roughly C$340-355, consistent with the 24% path.
- Cross-check: EPS near C$23 at 15x earnings lands in the same C$345 zone.
Historical prices and published forecast
- Observed price
- Published advisor forecast
View chart values
| Series | Date | Value (CAD) |
|---|---|---|
| Observed price | 2021-09-17 | 128 |
| Observed price | 2021-09-21 | 126 |
| Observed price | 2021-10-13 | 129 |
| Observed price | 2021-10-22 | 132 |
| Observed price | 2021-11-13 | 133 |
| Observed price | 2021-11-30 | 129 |
| Observed price | 2021-12-04 | 129 |
| Observed price | 2021-12-26 | 134 |
| Observed price | 2021-12-30 | 135 |
| Observed price | 2022-01-17 | 148 |
| Observed price | 2022-01-25 | 142 |
| Observed price | 2022-02-07 | 148 |
| Observed price | 2022-02-20 | 143 |
| Observed price | 2022-03-05 | 137 |
| Observed price | 2022-03-19 | 142 |
| Observed price | 2022-04-09 | 137 |
| Observed price | 2022-04-18 | 139 |
| Observed price | 2022-05-05 | 130 |
| Observed price | 2022-05-18 | 126 |
| Observed price | 2022-05-31 | 132 |
| Observed price | 2022-06-05 | 132 |
| Observed price | 2022-06-18 | 125 |
| Observed price | 2022-07-09 | 127 |
| Observed price | 2022-07-14 | 119 |
| Observed price | 2022-07-27 | 123 |
| Observed price | 2022-08-18 | 130 |
| Observed price | 2022-08-31 | 122 |
| Observed price | 2022-09-08 | 127 |
| Observed price | 2022-10-04 | 128 |
| Observed price | 2022-10-09 | 121 |
| Observed price | 2022-10-13 | 121 |
| Observed price | 2022-11-04 | 127 |
| Observed price | 2022-11-08 | 128 |
| Observed price | 2022-11-21 | 135 |
| Observed price | 2022-12-04 | 134 |
| Observed price | 2022-12-26 | 128 |
| Observed price | 2022-12-30 | 128 |
| Observed price | 2023-01-21 | 135 |
| Observed price | 2023-01-25 | 135 |
| Observed price | 2023-02-12 | 139 |
| Observed price | 2023-03-01 | 138 |
| Observed price | 2023-03-14 | 131 |
| Observed price | 2023-03-23 | 128 |
| Observed price | 2023-04-09 | 131 |
| Observed price | 2023-04-18 | 134 |
| Observed price | 2023-05-05 | 129 |
| Observed price | 2023-05-10 | 130 |
| Observed price | 2023-05-31 | 122 |
| Observed price | 2023-06-05 | 123 |
| Observed price | 2023-06-18 | 125 |
| Observed price | 2023-07-09 | 125 |
| Observed price | 2023-07-22 | 131 |
| Observed price | 2023-07-27 | 130 |
| Observed price | 2023-08-18 | 122 |
| Observed price | 2023-08-22 | 120 |
| Observed price | 2023-08-31 | 123 |
| Observed price | 2023-09-17 | 123 |
| Observed price | 2023-10-04 | 114 |
| Observed price | 2023-10-26 | 110 |
| Observed price | 2023-11-04 | 116 |
| Observed price | 2023-11-08 | 116 |
| Observed price | 2023-11-30 | 120 |
| Observed price | 2023-12-04 | 123 |
| Observed price | 2023-12-26 | 134 |
| Observed price | 2024-01-08 | 135 |
| Observed price | 2024-01-17 | 132 |
| Observed price | 2024-01-25 | 133 |
| Observed price | 2024-02-12 | 129 |
| Observed price | 2024-02-25 | 132 |
| Observed price | 2024-03-13 | 135 |
| Observed price | 2024-03-17 | 134 |
| Observed price | 2024-04-08 | 138 |
| Observed price | 2024-04-17 | 134 |
| Observed price | 2024-05-04 | 138 |
| Observed price | 2024-05-09 | 141 |
| Observed price | 2024-05-30 | 148 |
| Observed price | 2024-06-04 | 147 |
| Observed price | 2024-06-21 | 142 |
| Observed price | 2024-06-30 | 146 |
| Observed price | 2024-07-17 | 153 |
| Observed price | 2024-07-30 | 154 |
| Observed price | 2024-08-08 | 149 |
| Observed price | 2024-08-21 | 154 |
| Observed price | 2024-09-11 | 167 |
| Observed price | 2024-10-03 | 166 |
| Observed price | 2024-10-08 | 167 |
| Observed price | 2024-10-21 | 174 |
| Observed price | 2024-11-03 | 170 |
| Observed price | 2024-11-07 | 172 |
| Observed price | 2024-11-29 | 176 |
| Observed price | 2024-12-07 | 178 |
| Observed price | 2024-12-20 | 174 |
| Observed price | 2025-01-11 | 171 |
| Observed price | 2025-01-20 | 174 |
| Observed price | 2025-01-29 | 177 |
| Observed price | 2025-02-11 | 169 |
| Observed price | 2025-02-19 | 171 |
| Observed price | 2025-03-13 | 160 |
| Observed price | 2025-03-22 | 165 |
| Observed price | 2025-04-08 | 155 |
| Observed price | 2025-04-12 | 158 |
| Observed price | 2025-05-04 | 167 |
| Observed price | 2025-05-08 | 167 |
| Observed price | 2025-05-26 | 176 |
| Observed price | 2025-06-08 | 175 |
| Observed price | 2025-06-25 | 177 |
| Observed price | 2025-06-30 | 179 |
| Observed price | 2025-07-21 | 182 |
| Observed price | 2025-07-30 | 178 |
| Observed price | 2025-08-16 | 189 |
| Observed price | 2025-08-21 | 189 |
| Observed price | 2025-09-03 | 201 |
| Observed price | 2025-09-16 | 201 |
| Observed price | 2025-09-24 | 205 |
| Observed price | 2025-10-12 | 202 |
| Observed price | 2025-11-03 | 207 |
| Observed price | 2025-11-07 | 206 |
| Observed price | 2025-11-29 | 216 |
| Observed price | 2025-12-03 | 220 |
| Observed price | 2025-12-25 | 234 |
| Observed price | 2026-01-02 | 237 |
| Observed price | 2026-01-20 | 233 |
| Observed price | 2026-01-28 | 228 |
| Observed price | 2026-02-10 | 235 |
| Observed price | 2026-02-24 | 237 |
| Observed price | 2026-03-13 | 222 |
| Observed price | 2026-03-22 | 222 |
| Observed price | 2026-04-08 | 235 |
| Observed price | 2026-04-12 | 240 |
| Observed price | 2026-04-30 | 244 |
| Observed price | 2026-05-13 | 247 |
| Observed price | 2026-05-26 | 262 |
| Observed price | 2026-06-03 | 271 |
| Observed price | 2026-06-25 | 290 |
| Observed price | 2026-07-04 | 293 |
| Observed price | 2026-07-17 | 301 |
| Observed price | 2026-08-03 | 293 |
| Observed price | 2026-08-16 | 300 |
| Observed price | 2026-08-21 | 282 |
| Observed price | 2026-09-03 | 292 |
| Observed price | 2026-09-21 | 290 |
| Observed price | 2026-09-23 | 281 |
| Observed price | 2026-09-25 | 286 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2026-09-18 | 284 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2026-12-18 | 279 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2027-03-18 | 284 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2027-06-18 | 273 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2027-09-18 | 278 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2027-12-18 | 287 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2028-03-18 | 287 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2028-06-18 | 293 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2028-09-18 | 298 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2028-12-18 | 304 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2029-03-18 | 304 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2029-06-18 | 310 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2029-09-18 | 314 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2029-12-18 | 320 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2030-03-18 | 323 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2030-06-18 | 329 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2030-09-18 | 333 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2030-12-18 | 339 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2031-03-18 | 343 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2031-06-18 | 350 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2031-09-18 | 353 |
2. Scenarios & Signals
Bull case
The bull case activates when trade normalization and a Bank of Canada easing cycle arrive together during 2027. Loan demand revives just as the mortgage renewal wave clears without provision damage, releasing reserves rather than building them; operating leverageoperating leverageThe sensitivity of operating profit to changes in revenue caused by the mix of fixed and variable costs.View full glossary entry converts that into double-digit earnings upgrades while the surplus CET1 funds an accelerated buyback into a rising estimate base. The multiple holds near 18x on visibly recurring rather than trading-led growth, and the shares compound toward C$420-440 with dividends on top.
Bear case
The bear case activates if the renewal wall and a tariff-driven employment downturn hit simultaneously in 2027-2028. Provisions triple from today's one basis point on performing loans, buybacks are suspended to defend capital, and Capital Markets revenue normalizes from record levels at exactly the wrong moment. The market then discovers it paid 2.7x book for peak-cycle return on equityReturn on equity (ROE) measures net income generated relative to shareholders' equity over a given period.; the rating collapses toward 1.6x while earnings fall, a double compression. Shares would revisit the C$200-220 zone before the dividend provides a floor.
Current crowd narrative
The consensus treats RY as a bond proxybond proxyAn equity or other asset valued partly for stable income and therefore often sensitive to changes in bond yields.View full glossary entry that also compounds: 17.9% return on equityReturn on equity (ROE) measures net income generated relative to shareholders' equity over a given period., 13.5% CET1 and a regulator handing capital back are read as permanent conditions, not a cyclical peak. Sell-side targets cluster at C$300-310 against a C$284 price, implying the crowd believes the only question is how fast buybacks work [15]. The anchoring bias is the July 16 all-time high of C$306.38 [2].
Alpha-gap assessment
The crowd overestimates what these shares are worth, though modestly rather than dangerously. The overlooked evidence sits in segment mix: Personal Banking net income actually declined 1% in fiscal Q3 2026 while Wealth and Capital Markets, the two most cyclical lines, delivered 32% and 16% growth. Investors are paying a record 2.7x book, versus a decade norm near 1.8x, for earnings whose marginal dollar came from volatility-boosted trading and market-linked fees. The franchise is excellent; the entry multiple prices out most of the return.
Convergence catalyst
Fiscal Q4 results in early December 2026, with the annual dividend decision and the December DSB review alongside. A provision build accompanied by trading revenue normalizing off record levels would expose the mix problem. The first observable sign is a rising performing-loan provision with flat operating leverageThe sensitivity of operating profit to changes in revenue caused by the mix of fixed and variable costs. guidance.
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