Peoples Financial Services (NASDAQ:PFIS) Stock Price Passes Below Two Hundred Day Moving Average - Time to Sell?

Peoples Financial Services Corp. (NASDAQ:PFIS - Get Free Report) crossed below its two hundred day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $48.99 and traded as low as $47.48. Peoples Financial Services shares last traded at $47.92, with a volume of 17,072 shares changing hands.

Peoples Financial Services Stock Performance

The stock has a 50-day moving average of $45.38 and a 200 day moving average of $48.90. The stock has a market cap of $473.76 million, a PE ratio of 41.95 and a beta of 0.70. The company has a quick ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32.

Peoples Financial Services (NASDAQ:PFIS - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 1st. The financial services provider reported $1.51 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.35 by $0.16. The business had revenue of $62.43 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $44.35 million. Peoples Financial Services had a return on equity of 8.97% and a net margin of 3.70%. Equities analysts predict that Peoples Financial Services Corp. will post 5.92 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Peoples Financial Services Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 30th will be given a dividend of $0.6175 per share. This represents a $2.47 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.21%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 30th. Peoples Financial Services's dividend payout ratio is presently 115.96%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in Peoples Financial Services by 1.4% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 495,001 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $22,013,000 after purchasing an additional 6,935 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in shares of Peoples Financial Services by 4.5% during the fourth quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 232,031 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $11,876,000 after buying an additional 9,889 shares in the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp raised its holdings in Peoples Financial Services by 2.0% in the fourth quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 82,780 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $4,237,000 after acquiring an additional 1,618 shares in the last quarter. Bridgeway Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Peoples Financial Services by 4.4% in the first quarter. Bridgeway Capital Management LLC now owns 63,551 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $2,826,000 after acquiring an additional 2,679 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Peoples Financial Services in the first quarter worth approximately $2,641,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 31.67% of the company's stock.

About Peoples Financial Services

Peoples Financial Services Corp. operates as the bank holding company for Peoples Security Bank and Trust Company that provides various commercial and retail banking services. The company accepts money market, negotiable order of withdrawal, savings, individual retirement, demand deposit, and certificates of deposit accounts.