West Bancorporation (NASDAQ:WTBA) Stock Price Passes Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average - What's Next?

Key Points

• West Bancorporation's stock price recently exceeded its 200-day moving average of $19.58, trading as high as $20.35 before settling at $20.29.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.25 per share, resulting in an annualized yield of 4.9%.
• Analysts predominantly maintain a consensus "Hold" rating for West Bancorporation, with a current price target averaging $20.50.

West Bancorporation, Inc. (NASDAQ:WTBA - Get Free Report)'s share price crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $19.58 and traded as high as $20.35. West Bancorporation shares last traded at $20.29, with a volume of 24,609 shares trading hands.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have weighed in on WTBA. Piper Sandler dropped their price target on West Bancorporation from $21.50 to $20.50 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 28th. Zacks Research upgraded West Bancorporation from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 14th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $20.50.

West Bancorporation Stock Down 3.3%

The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $19.42 and a 200 day simple moving average of $19.56. The firm has a market cap of $346.25 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.02 and a beta of 0.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a current ratio of 0.96 and a quick ratio of 0.96.

West Bancorporation (NASDAQ:WTBA - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The financial services provider reported $0.47 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.45 by $0.02. West Bancorporation had a return on equity of 12.26% and a net margin of 14.40%.The business had revenue of $23.83 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $24.20 million. As a group, equities analysts forecast that West Bancorporation, Inc. will post 1.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.

West Bancorporation Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 20th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 6th were issued a dividend of $0.25 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 6th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.9%. West Bancorporation's dividend payout ratio is presently 58.82%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On West Bancorporation

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in WTBA. BNP Paribas Financial Markets raised its holdings in shares of West Bancorporation by 68.9% during the second quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 1,618 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 660 shares during the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC increased its holdings in shares of West Bancorporation by 662.9% in the second quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 3,784 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $74,000 after purchasing an additional 3,288 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of West Bancorporation in the second quarter valued at approximately $212,000. First Trust Advisors LP increased its holdings in shares of West Bancorporation by 6.7% in the second quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 11,017 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $216,000 after purchasing an additional 695 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its holdings in shares of West Bancorporation by 5.1% in the first quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 11,171 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $223,000 after purchasing an additional 538 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 44.30% of the company's stock.

About West Bancorporation

West Bancorporation, Inc operates as the financial holding company provides community banking and trust services to individuals and small- to medium-sized businesses in the United States. It offers deposit services, including checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as time certificates of deposit.