50,893 Shares in Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:WASH) Purchased by O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC

O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:WASH - Free Report) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 50,893 shares of the financial services provider's stock, valued at approximately $1,595,000. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC owned approximately 0.26% of Washington Trust Bancorp as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in WASH. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company acquired a new stake in shares of Washington Trust Bancorp during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $209,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets lifted its stake in Washington Trust Bancorp by 56.1% in the third quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 13,715 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $442,000 after buying an additional 4,927 shares during the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC lifted its stake in Washington Trust Bancorp by 95.6% in the third quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 36,640 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $1,180,000 after buying an additional 17,906 shares during the last quarter. Zacks Investment Management bought a new stake in Washington Trust Bancorp in the third quarter valued at $1,258,000. Finally, Barclays PLC lifted its stake in Washington Trust Bancorp by 44.9% in the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 53,315 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $1,717,000 after buying an additional 16,511 shares during the last quarter. 65.81% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on WASH shares. Seaport Res Ptn upgraded Washington Trust Bancorp from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Friday, March 14th. StockNews.com raised Washington Trust Bancorp from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, January 31st.

Washington Trust Bancorp Stock Performance

Shares of WASH traded down $1.20 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $26.22. 20,349 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 139,811. The firm has a market capitalization of $505.42 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -17.05 and a beta of 0.76. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.63, a current ratio of 1.10 and a quick ratio of 1.10. Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc. has a twelve month low of $24.11 and a twelve month high of $40.59. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $30.90 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $32.80.

Washington Trust Bancorp (NASDAQ:WASH - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The financial services provider reported $0.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.57 by $0.02. Washington Trust Bancorp had a positive return on equity of 8.99% and a negative net margin of 6.90%. Analysts predict that Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc. will post 2.76 earnings per share for the current year.

Washington Trust Bancorp Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 11th. Investors of record on Tuesday, April 1st will be issued a dividend of $0.56 per share. This represents a $2.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 8.54%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, April 1st. Washington Trust Bancorp's payout ratio is currently -144.52%.

Washington Trust Bancorp Profile

Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc operates as the bank holding company for The Washington Trust Company, of Westerly that provides various banking and financial services to individuals and businesses. The company operates in two segments, Commercial Banking and Wealth Management Services. The Commercial Banking segment offers deposit accounts, including interest-bearing and noninterest-bearing demand deposits, NOW and savings accounts, money market and retirement deposit accounts, and time deposits; various commercial and retail lending products, such as commercial real estate loans, including commercial mortgages, and construction and development loans; commercial and industrial loans comprising working capital, equipment financing, and financing for other business-related purposes; residential real estate loans that consist of mortgage and homeowner construction loans; and consumer loans comprising home equity loans and lines of credit, personal installment loans, and loans to individuals secured by general aviation aircraft.