Westamerica Bancorporation (NASDAQ:WABC) SVP Sells $37,174.65 in Stock

Westamerica Bancorporation (NASDAQ:WABC) SVP Robert James Baker, Jr. sold 705 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, July 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $52.73, for a total value of $37,174.65. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 244 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $12,866.12. This represents a 74.29 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.

Westamerica Bancorporation Stock Down 0.0 %

NASDAQ WABC opened at $51.76 on Monday. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $53.48 and its 200 day simple moving average is $52.22. Westamerica Bancorporation has a one year low of $43.82 and a one year high of $59.97. The firm has a market cap of $1.38 billion, a PE ratio of 9.95 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a current ratio of 0.27 and a quick ratio of 0.26.

Westamerica Bancorporation (NASDAQ:WABC) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 16th. The financial services provider reported $1.19 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $1.19. Westamerica Bancorporation had a return on equity of 16.15% and a net margin of 44.55%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.48 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Westamerica Bancorporation will post 4.35 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Westamerica Bancorporation Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 14th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 3rd will be paid a $0.44 dividend. This represents a $1.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.40%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 3rd. Westamerica Bancorporation’s dividend payout ratio is presently 33.85%.

Institutional Trading of Westamerica Bancorporation

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Bank of Montreal Can acquired a new position in Westamerica Bancorporation during the 2nd quarter worth $541,000. Squarepoint Ops LLC bought a new position in Westamerica Bancorporation in the second quarter valued at about $669,000. Susquehanna Fundamental Investments LLC bought a new position in Westamerica Bancorporation in the second quarter valued at about $726,000. SG Americas Securities LLC increased its position in Westamerica Bancorporation by 261.7% in the third quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 8,841 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $437,000 after purchasing an additional 6,397 shares during the period. Finally, CWM LLC raised its holdings in Westamerica Bancorporation by 43.9% during the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 5,250 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $259,000 after purchasing an additional 1,601 shares during the last quarter. 81.89% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Westamerica Bancorporation from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 17th.

Westamerica Bancorporation Company Profile

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.