Short Interest in Woori Bank (NYSE:WF) Rises By 22.4%

Woori Bank (NYSE:WF) was the recipient of a large growth in short interest during the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 88,354 shares, a growth of 22.4% from the December 31st total of 72,156 shares. Approximately 0.0% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 59,446 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.5 days. Based on an average trading volume of 59,446 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.5 days. Approximately 0.0% of the shares of the stock are sold short.

Institutional Trading of Woori Bank

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. HM Payson & Co. purchased a new stake in shares of Woori Bank during the third quarter valued at $29,000. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in Woori Bank by 551.7% during the 2nd quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 984 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $48,000 after buying an additional 833 shares in the last quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. boosted its position in Woori Bank by 51.9% in the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 1,042 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $51,000 after buying an additional 356 shares during the period. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC boosted its position in Woori Bank by 3,282.4% in the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 1,150 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $57,000 after buying an additional 1,116 shares during the period. Finally, Allworth Financial LP grew its stake in Woori Bank by 25.5% in the 2nd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 1,171 shares of the bank’s stock worth $58,000 after acquiring an additional 238 shares in the last quarter. 3.41% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms recently issued reports on WF. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Woori Bank from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Woori Bank from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 19th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Woori Bank in a research report on Monday, December 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy”.

Woori Bank Trading Up 3.1%

NYSE:WF traded up $1.96 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $64.85. 48,747 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 55,997. The company has a quick ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78. Woori Bank has a 52 week low of $29.44 and a 52 week high of $65.28. The stock has a market capitalization of $15.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.25, a PEG ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 1.14. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $58.63 and its two-hundred day moving average is $56.04.

Woori Bank (NYSE:WF) last announced its earnings results on Friday, November 14th. The bank reported $3.57 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.28 by $1.29. The business had revenue of $1.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.99 billion. Woori Bank had a return on equity of 9.16% and a net margin of 13.29%. On average, equities research analysts predict that Woori Bank will post 8.24 earnings per share for the current year.

About Woori Bank

Woori Bank Co, Ltd. (NYSE: WF) is a South Korean commercial bank and the principal banking unit of Woori Financial Group. Established in 2001 through the merger of Hanvit Bank and Peace Bank, the institution traces its roots to earlier banking entities that date back to the late 19th and mid-20th centuries. Headquartered in Seoul, Woori Bank operates under a universal banking model, serving both individual customers and corporate clients with a comprehensive suite of financial products and services.

The bank’s core operations encompass retail banking, corporate and investment banking, treasury services, and wealth management.