Franklin Financial Services (NASDAQ:FRAF) Upgraded by Wall Street Zen to Buy Rating

Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Franklin Financial Services (NASDAQ:FRAF) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report report published on Saturday.

Other research analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. Hovde Group assumed coverage on Franklin Financial Services in a research note on Wednesday. They set an “outperform” rating and a $59.00 price objective on the stock. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Franklin Financial Services in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $59.00.

Franklin Financial Services Stock Down 0.6%

Shares of NASDAQ FRAF opened at $49.06 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $219.79 million, a P/E ratio of 10.35 and a beta of -0.08. Franklin Financial Services has a one year low of $32.39 and a one year high of $59.95. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $50.52 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $49.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.91.

Franklin Financial Services (NASDAQ:FRAF) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 27th. The company reported $1.35 earnings per share for the quarter. Franklin Financial Services had a net margin of 15.90% and a return on equity of 13.40%. The firm had revenue of $23.31 million during the quarter.

Franklin Financial Services Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 25th. Investors of record on Friday, February 6th were issued a dividend of $0.33 per share. This represents a $1.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 6th. Franklin Financial Services’s payout ratio is currently 27.85%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Franklin Financial Services news, Director Kimberly Rzomp sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.07, for a total value of $81,105.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 5,842 shares in the company, valued at approximately $315,876.94. This trade represents a 20.43% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 6.93% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Franklin Financial Services

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in FRAF. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Franklin Financial Services in the third quarter valued at $1,000,000. Farmers & Merchants Trust Co of Chambersburg PA raised its holdings in Franklin Financial Services by 2,373.8% in the 3rd quarter. Farmers & Merchants Trust Co of Chambersburg PA now owns 26,742 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,230,000 after purchasing an additional 25,661 shares in the last quarter. Police & Firemen s Retirement System of New Jersey bought a new position in Franklin Financial Services in the 2nd quarter worth $36,000. Ritholtz Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of Franklin Financial Services in the 3rd quarter worth about $273,000. Finally, Stonebridge Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Franklin Financial Services in the 3rd quarter worth about $227,000. 24.80% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Franklin Financial Services Company Profile

Franklin Financial Services, Inc (NASDAQ: FRAF) is a U.S.‐listed specialty finance company that makes and acquires secured loans, with a focus on asset-based lending and mortgage warehouse financing. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, FFS Investment Company, a Maryland corporation regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, Franklin Financial provides revolving lines of credit, term loans and other credit facilities secured primarily by residential and commercial mortgage loans, receivables and inventory.