Steven Butz Sells 1,400 Shares of Franklin Financial Services (NASDAQ:FRAF) Stock

Franklin Financial Services Corp. (NASDAQ:FRAF) EVP Steven Butz sold 1,400 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $57.73, for a total value of $80,822.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 5,610 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $323,865.30. The trade was a 19.97% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

Franklin Financial Services Stock Performance

Shares of FRAF opened at $56.67 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $254.45 million and a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.61. Franklin Financial Services Corp. has a 52-week low of $33.44 and a 52-week high of $60.00. The company has a quick ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.12. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $55.41 and a 200 day moving average price of $52.65.

Franklin Financial Services (NASDAQ:FRAF) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 23rd. The company reported $1.48 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.34 by $0.14. Franklin Financial Services had a net margin of 17.73% and a return on equity of 14.13%. The business had revenue of $23.88 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $23.30 million.

Franklin Financial Services Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, May 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a $0.34 dividend. This is a boost from Franklin Financial Services’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.33. This represents a $1.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. Franklin Financial Services’s payout ratio is currently 25.47%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

FRAF has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Franklin Financial Services in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Franklin Financial Services from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, March 14th. Finally, Hovde Group lifted their price target on Franklin Financial Services from $59.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $64.00.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Franklin Financial Services

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Russell Investments Group Ltd. boosted its holdings in shares of Franklin Financial Services by 69.2% in the fourth quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 863 shares of the company’s stock valued at $43,000 after acquiring an additional 353 shares in the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets lifted its position in Franklin Financial Services by 84.1% in the third quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 950 shares of the company’s stock valued at $44,000 after purchasing an additional 434 shares during the period. Jones Financial Companies Lllp purchased a new stake in Franklin Financial Services in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $46,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. purchased a new stake in Franklin Financial Services in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $79,000. Finally, New York State Common Retirement Fund acquired a new position in Franklin Financial Services during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $100,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 24.80% of the company’s stock.

About Franklin Financial Services

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.