West Bancorporation (NASDAQ:WTBA) Shares Pass Above 200-Day Moving Average - Here's Why

Shares of West Bancorporation, Inc. (NASDAQ:WTBA - Get Free Report) passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $21.05 and traded as high as $22.48. West Bancorporation shares last traded at $22.34, with a volume of 21,563 shares.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

WTBA has been the subject of several research reports. Piper Sandler dropped their target price on shares of West Bancorporation from $25.00 to $23.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Monday, January 27th. StockNews.com upgraded West Bancorporation from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 6th.

West Bancorporation Price Performance

The company's 50-day moving average price is $21.83 and its 200-day moving average price is $21.09. The company has a quick ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 0.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. The firm has a market cap of $380.53 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.81 and a beta of 0.97.

West Bancorporation (NASDAQ:WTBA - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The financial services provider reported $0.42 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.40 by $0.02. West Bancorporation had a net margin of 12.12% and a return on equity of 10.56%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.27 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that West Bancorporation, Inc. will post 1.65 EPS for the current year.

West Bancorporation Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 5th were paid a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.42%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 5th. West Bancorporation's payout ratio is currently 69.93%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of WTBA. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC raised its position in West Bancorporation by 22.4% in the 4th quarter. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC now owns 282,404 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $6,114,000 after purchasing an additional 51,775 shares in the last quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of West Bancorporation during the fourth quarter worth approximately $785,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its holdings in West Bancorporation by 121.4% in the fourth quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 57,439 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $1,244,000 after acquiring an additional 31,493 shares in the last quarter. Fortress Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in West Bancorporation in the fourth quarter worth approximately $407,000. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its holdings in West Bancorporation by 17.0% during the 4th quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 125,049 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $2,707,000 after acquiring an additional 18,154 shares in the last quarter. 44.30% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About West Bancorporation

West Bancorporation, Inc operates as the financial holding company provides community banking and trust services to individuals and small- to medium-sized businesses in the United States. It offers deposit services, including checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as time certificates of deposit.