Short Interest in Nathan's Famous, Inc. (NASDAQ:NATH) Expands By 50.9%

Nathan's Famous, Inc. (NASDAQ:NATH - Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large growth in short interest during the month of February. As of February 15th, there was short interest totalling 24,600 shares, a growth of 50.9% from the January 31st total of 16,300 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 13,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.9 days. Approximately 0.9% of the shares of the company are short sold.

Nathan's Famous Trading Down 1.0 %

Shares of Nathan's Famous stock traded down $1.00 on Monday, hitting $100.91. 8,941 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 8,928. The company has a market cap of $412.62 million, a P/E ratio of 17.40 and a beta of 0.25. Nathan's Famous has a 12-month low of $64.02 and a 12-month high of $104.96. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $85.22 and its 200 day simple moving average is $83.40.

Nathan's Famous (NASDAQ:NATH - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 6th. The restaurant operator reported $1.10 EPS for the quarter. Nathan's Famous had a negative return on equity of 96.05% and a net margin of 16.19%.

Nathan's Famous Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 28th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 18th were paid a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 18th. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.98%. Nathan's Famous's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 34.48%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, StockNews.com cut shares of Nathan's Famous from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 25th.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Nathan's Famous

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. SG Americas Securities LLC bought a new position in shares of Nathan's Famous in the 4th quarter worth about $109,000. AdvisorShares Investments LLC bought a new position in Nathan's Famous during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $149,000. Wells Fargo & Company MN increased its position in Nathan's Famous by 45.1% during the fourth quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 2,056 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $162,000 after acquiring an additional 639 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE increased its holdings in Nathan's Famous by 30.8% during the fourth quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 2,820 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $222,000 after buying an additional 664 shares during the last quarter. Finally, O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Nathan's Famous by 27.7% in the fourth quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 3,697 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $291,000 after buying an additional 803 shares during the period. 66.54% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Nathan's Famous

Nathan's Famous, Inc engages in the operation of franchised fast-food units. It is involved in the licensing, wholesaling, and retailing of products marketed under the Nathan's Famous brand. The firm operates through the following business segments: Branded Product Program, Product Licensing, Restaurant Operations, and Corporate.

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