NatWest Group plc (NYSE:NWG) Short Interest Up 23.7% in July

Key Points

• Short Interest Increase: NatWest Group experienced a significant increase in short interest, rising by 23.7% to 2,820,000 shares as of July 31st, affecting approximately 0.1% of the company's stock.
• Quarterly Earnings Report: The company reported earnings per share (EPS) of $0.41 for the last quarter, surpassing estimates by $0.04, with revenue reaching $5.42 billion compared to a consensus estimate of $4.06 billion.
• Dividend Cut Announcement: NatWest Group announced a semi-annual dividend of $0.255 per share, set to be paid on September 12th, despite a high current dividend yield of 390.0% and a payout ratio of 32.26%.

NatWest Group plc (NYSE:NWG - Get Free Report) saw a significant increase in short interest during the month of July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totaling 2,820,000 shares, anincreaseof23.7% from the July 15th total of 2,280,000 shares. Currently,0.1% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 4,700,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.6 days. Based on an average daily volume of 4,700,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.6 days. Currently,0.1% of the shares of the company are short sold.

NatWest Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:NWG traded down $0.12 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $15.28. 3,238,817 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,218,240. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $14.04 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $13.08. The company has a market cap of $61.84 billion, a PE ratio of 9.85, a P/E/G ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14. NatWest Group has a 12-month low of $8.55 and a 12-month high of $15.52.

NatWest Group (NYSE:NWG - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 25th. The company reported $0.41 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.37 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $5.42 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.06 billion. NatWest Group had a return on equity of 11.99% and a net margin of 16.84%. On average, analysts forecast that NatWest Group will post 1.35 EPS for the current year.

NatWest Group Cuts Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 12th. Investors of record on Friday, August 8th will be given a dividend of $0.255 per share. This represents a dividend yield of 390.0%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 8th. NatWest Group's payout ratio is currently 32.26%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of NatWest Group during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Bessemer Group Inc. raised its position in shares of NatWest Group by 374.5% during the 1st quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 2,102 shares of the company's stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 1,659 shares during the last quarter. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT acquired a new position in shares of NatWest Group during the 1st quarter worth approximately $29,000. Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. acquired a new position in shares of NatWest Group during the 1st quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Wayfinding Financial LLC purchased a new stake in NatWest Group in the 1st quarter worth approximately $39,000. 1.27% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have issued reports on NWG. Citigroup reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of NatWest Group in a report on Monday, April 28th. Zacks Research lowered NatWest Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, August 18th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy".

NatWest Group Company Profile

NatWest Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services to personal, commercial, corporate, and institutional customers in the United Kingdom and internationally. It operates through Retail Banking, Private Banking, and Commercial & Institutional segments.