Westamerica Bancorporation (NASDAQ:WABC) Reaches New 12-Month Low – Should You Sell?

Westamerica Bancorporation (NASDAQ:WABC) shares hit a new 52-week low during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $43.57 and last traded at $46.49, with a volume of 290671 shares. The stock had previously closed at $44.72.

Westamerica Bancorporation Stock Up 4.0 %

The company has a quick ratio of 0.26, a current ratio of 0.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $49.92 and its 200 day simple moving average is $51.82. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.24 billion, a PE ratio of 8.94 and a beta of 0.63.

Westamerica Bancorporation (NASDAQ:WABC) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 16th. The financial services provider reported $1.19 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.19. Westamerica Bancorporation had a net margin of 44.55% and a return on equity of 16.15%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.48 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Westamerica Bancorporation will post 4.35 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Westamerica Bancorporation Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 14th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 3rd were given a $0.44 dividend. This represents a $1.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.79%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 3rd. Westamerica Bancorporation’s payout ratio is 33.85%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Westamerica Bancorporation

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Sterling Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Westamerica Bancorporation by 815.6% during the fourth quarter. Sterling Capital Management LLC now owns 824 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $43,000 after acquiring an additional 734 shares during the last quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Westamerica Bancorporation during the fourth quarter valued at $65,000. KBC Group NV raised its stake in Westamerica Bancorporation by 71.4% during the fourth quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 1,974 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $104,000 after purchasing an additional 822 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its stake in Westamerica Bancorporation by 14.1% during the fourth quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 2,166 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $114,000 after purchasing an additional 268 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Two Sigma Securities LLC purchased a new stake in Westamerica Bancorporation during the fourth quarter valued at $201,000. Institutional investors own 81.89% of the company’s stock.

About Westamerica Bancorporation

Westamerica Bancorporation operates as a bank holding company for the Westamerica Bank that provides various banking products and services to individual and commercial customers. The company accepts various deposit products, including retail savings and checking accounts, as well as certificates of deposit.