Robert James Baker, Jr. Sells Shares in Westamerica Bancorporation

On January 29th, Robert James Baker, Jr., the Senior Vice President of Westamerica Bancorporation (NASDAQ:WABC), sold 248 shares of the company's stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $51.76, bringing the total value of the transaction to $12,836.48. After the sale, Baker now holds 1,270 shares of Westamerica Bancorporation, valued at approximately $65,735.20. This transaction indicates a 16.34% reduction in his ownership stake in the firm. Details of the sale have been disclosed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which is available for public access.

Current Stock Performance of Westamerica Bancorporation

As of Friday, the stock opened at $51.76. The company maintains a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a quick ratio of 0.26, and a current ratio of 0.27. With a market capitalization of $1.38 billion, Westamerica Bancorporation has a price-to-earnings (PE) ratio of 9.95, and its stock has a beta of 0.58. The company's fifty-day moving average is $53.48, while its two-hundred-day moving average is $52.29. The stock has experienced a low of $43.82 and a high of $59.97 over the past year.

The financial service provider recently reported its quarterly earnings on January 16th. Baker's company posted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.19 for the quarter, meeting analyst expectations. The company also noted a net margin of 44.55% and a return on equity of 16.15%. Comparatively, during the same quarter of the previous year, the EPS was $1.48. Analysts predict that Westamerica Bancorporation will achieve an EPS of 4.35 for the current fiscal year.

Dividend Announcement from Westamerica Bancorporation

Westamerica Bancorporation has announced a quarterly dividend, set to be paid on February 14th. Investors of record by February 3rd will receive a dividend of $0.44 per share. This indicates an annualized dividend of $1.76, yielding 3.40%. The ex-dividend date is also on February 3rd. The company's payout ratio currently stands at 33.85%.

Institutional Ownership Trends

Recent movements in institutional holdings have been noted for Westamerica Bancorporation. Victory Capital Management Inc. increased its stake by 58.5% during the third quarter, now owning 34,428 shares worth $1,701,000 after acquiring an additional 12,702 shares. Additionally, Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd purchased a stake valued at $848,000 in the same quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans also boosted its holdings by 23.2%, owning 61,990 shares valued at $3,064,000. Furthermore, Geode Capital Management LLC grew its stake by 4.1% during the third quarter. As of now, institutional investors and hedge funds hold 81.89% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Update

In a separate analysis, analysts at StockNews.com have upgraded Westamerica Bancorporation's shares from a "sell" to a "hold" rating as of October 17th.

About Westamerica Bancorporation

Westamerica Bancorporation is a bank holding company that operates Westamerica Bank, offering a range of banking products and services to both individual and commercial clients. They provide various deposit accounts, including retail savings and checking accounts, as well as certificates of deposit.

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