Westamerica Bancorporation (NASDAQ:WABC) Hits New 52-Week Low - Should You Sell?

Westamerica Bancorporation (NASDAQ:WABC - Get Free Report)'s stock price reached a new 52-week low on Friday . The company traded as low as $44.51 and last traded at $45.42, with a volume of 128544 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $48.00.

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 firm has a 50 day moving average price of $49.92 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $51.82. The company has a market capitalization of $1.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.94 and a beta of 0.63.

Westamerica Bancorporation (NASDAQ:WABC - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 16th. The financial services provider reported $1.19 earnings per share (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 prior year, the firm posted $1.48 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Westamerica Bancorporation will post 4.35 earnings per share for the current year.

Westamerica Bancorporation Announces Dividend

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Westamerica Bancorporation

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its holdings in Westamerica Bancorporation by 4,946.6% in the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 109,310 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $5,534,000 after buying an additional 107,144 shares during the last quarter. Total Wealth Planning & Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Westamerica Bancorporation during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $684,000. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Westamerica Bancorporation during the fourth quarter worth $643,000. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC grew its position in shares of Westamerica Bancorporation by 7.7% during the 4th quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 58,758 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $3,082,000 after buying an additional 4,206 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Voloridge Investment Management LLC raised its stake in Westamerica Bancorporation by 89.3% during the fourth quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC now owns 16,401 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $860,000 after acquiring an additional 7,739 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.89% of the company's stock.

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.