Waterstone Financial, Inc. Sees Significant Drop in Short Interest

Waterstone Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:WSBF) experienced a noteworthy decline in short interest throughout October. By October 15th, short interest reached a total of 100,600 shares, marking a substantial decrease of 33.2% from the 150,600 shares reported at the end of September. This indicates that approximately 0.6% of the company's total stock is currently sold short. With an average daily trading volume of 33,000 shares, the current short-interest ratio stands at around 3.0 days, meaning it would take this long to cover all short positions based on average trading activity.

Aside from short interest updates, there has also been notable insider activity at Waterstone Financial. On September 3rd, Director Ellen Syburg Bartel sold 2,129 shares of the company's stock for an average price of $15.01, resulting in a total transaction value of $31,956.29. Following this sale, Bartel retained ownership of 15,000 shares, valued approximately at $225,150. Importantly, this sale indicates a 0.00% change in her overall ownership in the company.

Moreover, Director Michael L. Hansen sold 5,569 shares on August 28th, at an average price of $15.00, amounting to a total of $83,535.00. Hansen now holds 79,872 shares with an approximate value of $1,198,080, again reflecting a 0.00% change in his ownership. Over the past three months, company insiders have sold a total of 30,459 shares worth $456,448. Currently, institutional investors hold about 62.71% of the company’s stock.

Recent Hedge Fund Activities

In the realm of investment management, various hedge funds have bought and sold shares in Waterstone Financial. For instance, Vanguard Group Inc. enhanced its shareholdings by 0.3% in the first quarter, bringing its total ownership to 1,018,828 shares, valued at $12,399,000. Foundry Partners LLC also upped its stake by 6.2% in the second quarter, acquiring an additional 10,000 shares and maintaining a total of 171,860 shares worth $2,198,000.

Additionally, American Century Companies Inc. increased its position by 1.4% during the same quarter with 158,780 shares, valued at $2,031,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its stake by 4.5% in the same timeframe, with a total ownership of 90,978 shares worth $1,164,000. Other players, like Empowered Funds LLC, also raised their investment by 8.1%, acquiring an additional 4,900 shares.

Current Stock Performance

On the stock performance front, shares of Waterstone Financial dipped by $0.40 on the latest trading day, closing at $14.60. The trading volume for the day was 28,299 shares, which is lower than its average volume of 45,379 shares. The company's overall market capitalization stands at $284.12 million, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.00. Furthermore, Waterstone Financial exhibits a beta of 0.63, indicating its relative volatility. The company maintains a quick ratio of 1.39, a current ratio of 1.57, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97. The stock has had fluctuations, hitting a twelve-month low of $9.85 and a high of $16.36. Its 50-day moving average is $14.78, while the 200-day average is $13.48.

Waterstone Financial last released its quarterly earnings on July 25th, reporting an earnings per share (EPS) of $0.31 for that quarter. The company achieved a return on equity of 4.19% and a net margin of 6.79%, with total revenue reaching $37.18 million.

Dividend Information

In addition, Waterstone Financial has announced its upcoming quarterly dividend, scheduled to be paid on November 1st. Shareholders on record as of October 8th will receive a dividend of $0.15. The ex-dividend date was also on October 8th. This translates to an annualized dividend of $0.60, yielding a dividend rate of 4.11%. The company's current dividend payout ratio is approximately 82.19%.

About Waterstone Financial

Waterstone Financial, Inc. functions as a bank holding company for WaterStone Bank SSB, providing a broad range of financial services to customers predominantly in southeastern Wisconsin. The firm's operations are divided into two main segments: Community Banking and Mortgage Banking. The Community Banking sector delivers consumer and business banking services, including checking accounts, online banking, credit and debit cards, and various loan products. It also offers investment solutions such as savings accounts and annuities.

Financial, Stocks, Investors