Webster Financial Corporation (NYSE:WBS) Sees Significant Increase in Short Interest

Webster Financial Corporation (NYSE:WBS) was the recipient of a significant growth in short interest in the month of February. As of February 13th, there was short interest totaling 4,938,275 shares, a growth of 69.2% from the January 29th total of 2,919,210 shares. Approximately 3.1% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 7,743,336 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.6 days. Based on an average daily volume of 7,743,336 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.6 days. Approximately 3.1% of the shares of the stock are sold short.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

WBS has been the topic of a number of research reports. Royal Bank Of Canada downgraded Webster Financial from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $75.00 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Raymond James Financial cut shares of Webster Financial from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Wells Fargo & Company restated an “equal weight” rating and set a $70.00 price objective on shares of Webster Financial in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on shares of Webster Financial from $77.00 to $75.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, UBS Group lowered shares of Webster Financial from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and cut their target price for the company from $77.00 to $75.00 in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Webster Financial presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $74.36.

Webster Financial Trading Down 1.7%

WBS stock traded down $1.28 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $72.00. 9,817,575 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 5,970,898. Webster Financial has a 52-week low of $39.43 and a 52-week high of $74.00. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $67.51 and its 200-day moving average is $62.29. The company has a market cap of $11.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.18 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a current ratio of 0.86, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40.

Webster Financial (NYSE:WBS) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 23rd. The financial services provider reported $1.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.52 by $0.07. Webster Financial had a net margin of 22.67% and a return on equity of 11.10%. The business had revenue of $760.48 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $731.95 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.43 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Webster Financial will post 5.88 earnings per share for the current year.

Webster Financial Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 19th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 9th were given a $0.40 dividend. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 9th. Webster Financial’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 27.07%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. BOKF NA acquired a new stake in Webster Financial during the 3rd quarter worth about $26,000. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Webster Financial during the fourth quarter worth approximately $28,000. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new position in Webster Financial during the third quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd acquired a new position in Webster Financial in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, Atlas Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in Webster Financial in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $31,000. 85.58% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Webster Financial Company Profile

Webster Financial Corporation is a bank holding company headquartered in Waterbury, Connecticut. Through its principal subsidiary, Webster Bank, N.A., the company offers a broad range of banking products and financial services to individuals, small businesses, and middle-market commercial clients. Key offerings include deposit accounts, residential and commercial real estate lending, equipment finance, treasury management, and payment processing solutions.

In addition to traditional banking services, Webster Financial provides wealth management and insurance products designed to help clients plan for retirement, preserve assets, and manage risk.