Natixis Advisors LLC Reduces Stake in WaFd, Inc (NASDAQ:WAFD)

On March 28, 2025, it was reported that Natixis Advisors LLC has decreased its investment in WaFd, Inc (NASDAQ:WAFD) by 5.7% during the fourth quarter. The financial firm now holds a total of 17,157 shares of the bank's stock after selling 1,030 shares in that timeframe. The value of Natixis Advisors LLC's holdings in WaFd at the close of the last reporting period was approximately $553,000.

Other institutional investors have also been active in adjusting their positions in WaFd. For instance, State Street Corp boosted its stake by 5.2% during the third quarter, obtaining a total of 3,969,790 shares worth $138,347,000 after acquiring an additional 195,845 shares. Similarly, Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings by 10.0%, bringing their total to 1,759,135 shares valued at $61,318,000 after purchasing an extra 159,750 shares. Furthermore, Systematic Financial Management LP increased its stake by a remarkable 21.5%, now owning 1,432,523 shares worth approximately $49,923,000 following a purchase of 253,044 shares. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. also increased its holdings by 7.4%, owning 1,225,248 shares valued at $42,700,000 after acquiring 84,155 additional shares. In the fourth quarter, Bank of New York Mellon Corp added to its share count by 4.1%, increasing its total to 736,564 shares valued at $23,747,000 after purchasing 28,849 additional shares. Overall, institutional investors hold a significant 83.71% of WaFd’s outstanding shares.

WaFd's Stock Performance

The stock for WaFd opened at $28.70 on Friday, with a fifty-day moving average price of $29.32 and a two-hundred-day average at $32.85. The share price has seen a range, with a 12-month low of $25.79 and a high of $38.62. WaFd's current ratio stands at 1.04, with a quick ratio also at 1.04, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05. The company's overall market capitalization is $2.34 billion, featuring a price-to-earnings (PE) ratio of 13.23 and a beta of 0.83.

Dividend Increase

Recently, WaFd announced an increase in its quarterly dividend, which was paid on March 7, 2025. Stockholders who held shares as of February 21 received a dividend of $0.27 per share, resulting in an annualized dividend of $1.08 and a yield of 3.76%. The ex-dividend date fell on February 21. This new dividend marks an increase from the prior payment of $0.26. Currently, WaFd's dividend payout ratio is at 49.77%.

Analysts' Ratings Updates

Several research firms have recently provided insights regarding WaFd. For example, DA Davidson downgraded WaFd from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating, reducing their price target from $35.00 to $32.00 in a report dated February 6. Additionally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered their price target from $42.00 to $34.00, assigning a “market perform” rating in their note from January 21. Conversely, Stephens reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating with a price target of $38.00 for WaFd in a report issued on January 17. On March 6, StockNews.com upgraded WaFd from a “sell” to a “hold” rating. Lastly, Piper Sandler lowered their price target from $37.00 to $31.00, maintaining a “neutral” stance on the stock as of January 21. In total, five equity research analysts rated the stock with a hold rating. According to MarketBeat.com, WaFd’s consensus rating stands at “Hold” with an average target price of $33.75.

About WaFd, Inc

WaFd, Inc acts as the bank holding company for Washington Federal Bank, which provides various banking services including lending, deposits, and insurance services across the United States. The company’s offerings include both personal and business checking accounts, as well as term certificates of deposit and savings accounts.

investment, stock, bank