Franklin Financial Services Co. (NASDAQ:FRAF) Short Interest Down 33.9% in February

Franklin Financial Services Co. (NASDAQ:FRAF) saw a significant decrease in short interest in the month of February. As of February 15th, there was short interest totalling 4,100 shares, a decrease of 33.9% from the January 31st total of 6,200 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 9,400 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.4 days. Approximately 0.1% of the shares of the company are short sold.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Franklin Financial Services news, Director Gregory A. Duffey bought 3,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 5th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $33.90 per share, with a total value of $101,700.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 23,782 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $806,209.80. This trade represents a 14.44 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Over the last three months, insiders have acquired 3,060 shares of company stock valued at $103,816. Company insiders own 6.93% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Franklin Financial Services

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Barclays PLC bought a new position in shares of Franklin Financial Services during the third quarter worth about $32,000. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB bought a new position in Franklin Financial Services in the 4th quarter valued at about $65,000. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. bought a new position in Franklin Financial Services in the 3rd quarter valued at about $205,000. PL Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in Franklin Financial Services in the 4th quarter valued at about $385,000. Finally, Empowered Funds LLC grew its position in Franklin Financial Services by 5.3% in the 3rd quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 31,672 shares of the company’s stock valued at $954,000 after buying an additional 1,608 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 24.80% of the company’s stock.

Franklin Financial Services Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:FRAF traded down $0.28 on Tuesday, reaching $37.52. 13,737 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 6,568. The firm has a market capitalization of $165.69 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.07 and a beta of 0.34. Franklin Financial Services has a fifty-two week low of $25.11 and a fifty-two week high of $38.41. The business’s 50-day moving average is $33.82 and its two-hundred day moving average is $32.49. The company has a quick ratio of 0.92, a current ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.60.

Franklin Financial Services (NASDAQ:FRAF) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 28th. The company reported $0.11 EPS for the quarter. Franklin Financial Services had a net margin of 9.64% and a return on equity of 7.91%.

Franklin Financial Services Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 26th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 7th were given a dividend of $0.32 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 7th. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.41%. Franklin Financial Services’s dividend payout ratio is currently 51.41%.

About Franklin Financial Services

Franklin Financial Services Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Farmers and Merchants Trust Company of Chambersburg that provides commercial, retail banking, and trust services to businesses, individuals, governmental entities, and non-profit organizations in Pennsylvania. It offers various deposit products, including checking, savings, money management, and time deposit accounts, as well as demand deposits.