National Bankshares (NASDAQ:NKSH) Stock Price Passes Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average - Time to Sell?

Key Points

• National Bankshares rose above its 200-day moving average, trading as high as $43.24 versus the $37.82 average, with its latest price at $42.83.
• Analyst sentiment is strongly positive: Zacks Research upgraded the stock to “strong buy,” and MarketBeat reports a consensus “Strong Buy” rating from two analysts.
• The bank slightly missed quarterly EPS expectations, reporting $0.79 versus $0.80 expected, while revenue reached $15.68 million. Institutional investors own approximately 29.73% of the company.

National Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:NKSH - Get Free Report)'s share price passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $37.82 and traded as high as $43.24. National Bankshares shares last traded at $42.83, with a volume of 25,387 shares changing hands.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Zacks Research raised shares of National Bankshares from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of National Bankshares from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a report on Thursday, August 13th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and one has issued a Buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Strong Buy".

National Bankshares Trading Up 0.4%

The business's 50-day simple moving average is $40.78 and its 200-day simple moving average is $37.82. The company has a market capitalization of $272.83 million, a PE ratio of 13.47 and a beta of 0.60.

National Bankshares (NASDAQ:NKSH - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 23rd. The bank reported $0.79 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.80 by ($0.01). National Bankshares had a net margin of 23.22% and a return on equity of 10.66%. The business had revenue of $15.68 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $15.65 million. Sell-side analysts forecast that National Bankshares, Inc. will post 3.52 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On National Bankshares

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in shares of National Bankshares in the 2nd quarter valued at about $19,238,000. Brandes Investment Partners LP grew its holdings in National Bankshares by 5.5% during the fourth quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP now owns 244,505 shares of the bank's stock worth $8,198,000 after acquiring an additional 12,698 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its holdings in National Bankshares by 6.6% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 134,276 shares of the bank's stock worth $4,889,000 after acquiring an additional 8,320 shares during the period. Renaissance Technologies LLC raised its position in National Bankshares by 17.5% during the first quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 28,980 shares of the bank's stock valued at $1,055,000 after acquiring an additional 4,310 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new position in National Bankshares during the second quarter valued at approximately $586,000. 29.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About National Bankshares

National Bankshares, Inc is a bank holding company headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia. Its principal subsidiary, The National Bank of Blacksburg, provides community banking services to individuals, families, farmers and businesses.

The bank offers deposit accounts, residential and commercial real estate loans, consumer lending, business financing and other traditional banking products. Its services also include online and mobile banking, cash management, investment and wealth management services, and related financial solutions.

Founded in 1891, The National Bank of Blacksburg has a long history of serving communities in southwestern Virginia.

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