Esquire Financial (NASDAQ:ESQ) Sets New 1-Year High - What's Next?

Esquire Financial Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESQ - Get Free Report)'s share price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $104.50 and last traded at $103.77, with a volume of 102006 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $103.04.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts recently issued reports on ESQ shares. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price target on shares of Esquire Financial from $94.00 to $102.00 and gave the stock a "market perform" rating in a research note on Friday, July 11th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Esquire Financial from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research report on Friday, July 18th.

Esquire Financial Stock Down 0.5%

The firm's 50 day moving average is $93.37 and its two-hundred day moving average is $84.94. The stock has a market cap of $873.20 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.55 and a beta of 0.52.

Esquire Financial (NASDAQ:ESQ - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The company reported $1.38 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $1.38. Esquire Financial had a net margin of 31.37% and a return on equity of 19.20%. On average, analysts anticipate that Esquire Financial Holdings, Inc. will post 5.52 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Esquire Financial

In other Esquire Financial news, EVP Ari P. Kornhaber sold 20,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.51, for a total value of $1,670,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 104,644 shares in the company, valued at $8,738,820.44. This trade represents a 16.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Kevin C. Waterhouse sold 3,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, April 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $83.87, for a total transaction of $251,610.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 86,599 shares of the company's stock, valued at $7,263,058.13. This represents a 3.35% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 18.00% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of Esquire Financial

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Copeland Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Esquire Financial by 40,107.1% during the 2nd quarter. Copeland Capital Management LLC now owns 244,861 shares of the company's stock valued at $23,179,000 after acquiring an additional 244,252 shares during the last quarter. USA Financial Formulas grew its holdings in Esquire Financial by 99.7% during the second quarter. USA Financial Formulas now owns 1,338 shares of the company's stock valued at $127,000 after purchasing an additional 668 shares during the last quarter. Longboard Asset Management LP bought a new position in shares of Esquire Financial in the second quarter valued at approximately $233,000. Next Level Private LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Esquire Financial in the second quarter worth $237,000. Finally, Rhumbline Advisers boosted its holdings in shares of Esquire Financial by 3.7% during the 1st quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 11,608 shares of the company's stock worth $875,000 after buying an additional 409 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 54.66% of the company's stock.

About Esquire Financial

Esquire Financial Holdings, Inc operates as the bank holding company for Esquire Bank, National Association that provides commercial banking products and services to legal industry and small businesses, and commercial and retail customers in the United States. The company offers checking, savings, money market, and time deposits, as well as certificates of deposit.

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