Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (NASDAQ:FMAO) Director Gregory Allen Purchases 300 Shares

Key Points

• Director Gregory Allen purchased 300 FMAO shares at an average price of $34.47, representing a total investment of $10,341 and bringing his direct ownership to 300 shares.
• Farmers & Merchants Bancorp reported quarterly EPS of $0.86, beating estimates of $0.67, while revenue of $34.35 million also exceeded expectations. The company maintains a quarterly dividend of $0.23 per share, equal to a 2.7% yield.
• Analyst sentiment is broadly positive, with the stock holding a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating and a $32.25 average price target; shares recently traded at $33.59, up 0.7%.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Inc. (NASDAQ:FMAO - Get Free Report) Director Gregory Allen acquired 300 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 3rd. The stock was acquired at an average price of $34.47 per share, for a total transaction of $10,341.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 300 shares of the company's stock, valued at $10,341. The trade was a ∞ increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Stock Up 0.7%

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp stock traded up $0.23 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $33.59. The company's stock had a trading volume of 68,165 shares, compared to its average volume of 65,000. The company has a market capitalization of $462.53 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.54 and a beta of 0.80. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Inc. has a 12 month low of $22.77 and a 12 month high of $35.94. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $29.77 and its 200 day simple moving average is $27.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a current ratio of 0.96.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (NASDAQ:FMAO - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, July 27th. The financial services provider reported $0.86 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.67 by $0.19. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp had a net margin of 20.27% and a return on equity of 10.72%. The firm had revenue of $34.35 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $33.05 million. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Inc. will post 2.94 earnings per share for the current year.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 20th. Investors of record on Friday, July 10th were issued a dividend of $0.23 per share. This represents a $0.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 10th. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp's dividend payout ratio is presently 31.62%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

FMAO has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Zacks Research upgraded Farmers & Merchants Bancorp from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Farmers & Merchants Bancorp from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. Hovde Group cut their price objective on Farmers & Merchants Bancorp from $30.00 to $28.50 and set a "market perform" rating for the company in a report on Friday, April 24th. Piper Sandler reissued a "neutral" rating and issued a $36.00 target price (up from $32.00) on shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has issued a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $32.25.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Farmers & Merchants Bancorp

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Versant Capital Management Inc raised its stake in Farmers & Merchants Bancorp by 72.2% in the second quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 813 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 341 shares during the period. Segall Bryant & Hamill LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp in the first quarter valued at approximately $1,319,000. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its stake in shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp by 15.6% during the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 17,246 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $443,000 after acquiring an additional 2,326 shares during the period. Rhino Investment Partners Inc bought a new position in shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp during the 1st quarter worth approximately $1,765,000. Finally, Quantinno Capital Management LP increased its holdings in shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp by 37.0% during the 1st quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP now owns 38,041 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $977,000 after acquiring an additional 10,279 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 23.96% of the company's stock.

About Farmers & Merchants Bancorp

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp NASDAQ: FMAO is the bank holding company for Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California, a community-focused institution headquartered in Los Banos, California. The bank traces its roots to 1916 and has grown to serve individuals, businesses and agricultural enterprises throughout the western San Joaquin Valley. Operating with a commitment to local decision-making, the company emphasizes personalized service and close ties to the communities in which it operates.

Through its banking subsidiary, Farmers & Merchants offers a comprehensive suite of financial products and services, including checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, online and mobile banking platforms, and merchant services.

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