First Foundation (NASDAQ:FFWM) Stock Rating Lowered by StockNews.com

First Foundation (NASDAQ:FFWM - Get Free Report) was downgraded by stock analysts at StockNews.com from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research note issued on Tuesday.

Separately, Piper Sandler reduced their price target on shares of First Foundation from $7.00 to $6.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Monday, February 3rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $6.75.

First Foundation Stock Performance

Shares of FFWM traded up $0.16 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $5.37. 586,734 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 634,042. The firm has a market cap of $442.41 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -4.01 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.80. First Foundation has a 52 week low of $4.42 and a 52 week high of $8.52. The stock's 50-day simple moving average is $4.94 and its 200-day simple moving average is $5.95.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On First Foundation

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of FFWM. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its stake in shares of First Foundation by 90.0% in the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 5,039 shares of the bank's stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 2,387 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC lifted its stake in shares of First Foundation by 5.2% during the fourth quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 55,382 shares of the bank's stock worth $344,000 after purchasing an additional 2,722 shares in the last quarter. Bridgeway Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in First Foundation by 5.2% in the fourth quarter. Bridgeway Capital Management LLC now owns 55,382 shares of the bank's stock valued at $344,000 after acquiring an additional 2,722 shares in the last quarter. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC boosted its position in First Foundation by 1.9% during the 1st quarter. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC now owns 149,335 shares of the bank's stock valued at $775,000 after purchasing an additional 2,792 shares during the period. Finally, SG Americas Securities LLC lifted its position in First Foundation by 5.7% in the fourth quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 54,309 shares of the bank's stock worth $337,000 after purchasing an additional 2,926 shares during the period. 73.10% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About First Foundation

First Foundation Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides banking services, investment advisory, wealth management, and trust services to individuals, businesses, and other organizations in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Banking and Wealth Management. It offers a range of deposit products, including personal and business checking accounts, savings accounts, interest-bearing demand deposit accounts, money market accounts, and time certificate of deposits; and loan products consisting of multifamily and single family residential real estate loans, commercial real estate loans, commercial term loans, and line of credits, as well as consumer loans, such as personal installment loans and line of credits, and home equity line of credits.