14 Best Mid Cap Dividend Aristocrat Stocks to Buy Now

11. Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (NYSE:CFR)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 27

Consecutive Years of Dividend Growth: 39

On January 5, Keefe Bruyette analyst Catherine Mealor upgraded Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (NYSE:CFR) to Outperform from Market Perform, while keeping her price target unchanged at $150. The firm said the stock lagged in 2025, and it now sees several reasons earnings estimates could move higher through 2027. Mealor expects Cullen/Frost’s organic loan growth to pick up meaningfully and forecasts it will lead its peer group, reaching about 8% in 2026. Keefe also believes the bank will step up its capital deployment and argues the market is not fully appreciating the earnings lift that could come from its branch expansion strategy.

In contrast, Barclays took a more cautious stance earlier in December. The firm lowered its price target on Cullen/Frost to $140 from $145 and maintained an Equal Weight rating. Barclays said the change was part of its broader 2026 outlook update for mid-cap banks, where it expects bigger differences to emerge across the group in terms of loan growth and book value expansion.

Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (NYSE:CFR) is a Texas-focused bank holding company that provides a wide range of financial products and services across multiple markets in the state.