Short Interest in Southern California Bancorp (NASDAQ:BCAL) Increases By 6.5%

Southern California Bancorp (NASDAQ:BCAL) experienced a notable rise in short interest during January. As reported, short interest reached a total of 362,300 shares as of January 15th. This marks an increase of 6.5% from the previous total of 340,300 shares recorded on December 31st. Currently, 1.6% of the company's shares are reported as short sold. Given the average daily trading volume of 69,500 shares, the short-interest ratio is calculated to be 5.2 days, indicating the number of days it would take to cover all short positions at the current trading volume.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

In a separate analysis, DA Davidson has revised their price target for Southern California Bancorp, lowering it from $22.00 to $20.00. Nevertheless, they maintain a "buy" rating for the stock, signaling confidence in its potential for future improvement.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Southern California Bancorp

Recently, several institutional investors have actively traded shares of Southern California Bancorp. SG Americas Securities LLC made a new investment in the company in the third quarter, totaling approximately $123,000. Empowered Funds LLC also took a new position worth around $160,000 during the same period. Creekside Partners added a position valued at $190,000, while Jane Street Group LLC invested about $202,000. Aspiriant LLC joined later by acquiring shares worth $230,000 in the fourth quarter. Notably, institutional investors currently own 55.40% of Southern California Bancorp stock.

Southern California Bancorp Stock Performance

On a recent trading day, shares of Southern California Bancorp fell by 2.9%, closing at $16.12. The trading volume for the day was 26,585 shares, which is lower than the average volume of 67,409 shares. Presently, the firm is trading at a fifty-day moving average price of $16.53 and a two-hundred-day moving average price of $15.50. Over the past year, the stock has reached a fifty-two-week low of $12.30 and a high of $18.49. Southern California Bancorp has a market capitalization of approximately $518.48 million, a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 84.74, and a beta of 1.11, indicating its volatility compared to the market.

Southern California Bancorp announced its quarterly earnings on January 29th, reporting earnings per share (EPS) of $0.53. This result exceeded analysts' expectations, which had estimated an EPS of $0.45 by $0.08. The company registered a return on equity of 8.97% and maintained a net margin of 2.94%. Analysts predict that Southern California Bancorp will achieve an EPS of 1.81 for the current fiscal year.

Southern California Bancorp Company Insight

Southern California Bancorp functions as the holding company for Bank of Southern California, N.A. The bank provides an extensive array of financial services to individuals, professionals, and small to medium-sized enterprises. Their offerings include checking and savings accounts, personal and business savings accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit.

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Investment Considerations for Southern California Bancorp

If you're considering investing in Southern California Bancorp, it is important to be informed. Research suggests looking at stocks that have garnered attention from leading analysts. Current insights indicate that while Southern California Bancorp is rated as a "buy" by analysts, there are other stocks identified by top analysts that may present better investment opportunities.

For a comprehensive look at the recommended stocks, further research is advised.

stocks, investment, shortinterest