9 Words From JPMorgan Chase's Jamie Dimon That Every Investor Needs to Hear Right Now. Hint: It Could Change Your Investment Strategy.
Key Points
JPMorgan reported blowout second-quarter results, like other banks.
The company's growth was driven by its Investment Banking and Equity Markets groups.
Banks are in the midst of a strong bull market, but there's no way to know when it's going to peak.
- 10 stocks we like better than JPMorgan Chase ›
The big banks' second-quarter results are in, and they demonstrate incredible market momentum. There was strong growth across most of their businesses, indicating a healthy economy, but the big star was market activity. Investment banking divisions had a fantastic quarter, driven by initial public offerings (IPOs) and other offerings, but consumer banking and mergers and acquisitions had robust activity, too.
JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) is the largest bank in the U.S. by assets, and it had a blowout quarter. But it's what CEO Jamie Dimon said about the market now that every investor needs to hear.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
As good as it gets
"It's getting close to as good as it gets," Dimon answered on the second-quarter earnings call when asked by an analyst if this is as good as it gets. The analyst, Mathew O'Connor from Deutsche Bank, noted how JPMorgan Chase is firing on all cylinders across its business. Dimon followed that up by pragmatically noting that "We just don't know how long it's going to last.
"Could it get a lot better than this? It can get better," he added later, "But how much better, I don't know."
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon. Image source: JPMorgan Chase.
The second-quarter results were outstanding. Here are some highlights:
- Revenue increased 27% year over year.
- Net interest income was up 10%.
- Earnings per share were $7.70, up from $2.46 last year.
- Return on tangible common equity (ROTCE) was 29%, up from 21% last year and 23% in the first quarter.
The company's commercial and investment bank (CIB) division was the standout, benefiting from robust IPO activity, including Space Exploration Technologies, of which it was a co-underwriter. According to reports, it received a $75 million payout for its services.
Investment Banking revenue was up 45% over last year, and its Equity Markets group, which is its trading arm, was up 86%. Consumer banking, though, was also healthy, with an 8% increase in revenue and 2% increase in average loans.
The warning behind the message
The implications of Dimon's message are that the bull market doesn't seem to be ending yet, but that it's going to come to an end at some point.
If your portfolio is tailored to a strong bull economy, with a large portion in high-growth and artificial intelligence (AI) stocks, you might want to start diversifying into more protective stocks. You won't be able to predict when the market reaches a high, so you'll want to be prepared in advance. JPMorgan Chase is actually a great candidate itself.
At the same time, you don't want to miss potential gains in the market. If you're a conservative investor, consider adding some lower-risk growth stocks to your portfolio or growth-focused exchange-traded funds like the Vanguard Growth ETF (NYSEMKT: VUG), which helps reduce risk through diversification.
Should you buy stock in JPMorgan Chase right now?
Before you buy stock in JPMorgan Chase, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and JPMorgan Chase wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $400,964!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,272,955!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 930% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 210% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
See the 10 stocks »
*Stock Advisor returns as of July 17, 2026.
JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Jennifer Saibil has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase and Vanguard Growth ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Recommended Articles
