Rise Advisors LLC Takes Position in Webster Financial Co. (NYSE:WBS)

Rise Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Webster Financial Co. (NYSE:WBS) during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 563 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $29,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Spire Wealth Management raised its stake in Webster Financial by 79.1% during the 4th quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 607 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 268 shares during the period. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC acquired a new position in Webster Financial during the 4th quarter worth approximately $42,000. Principal Securities Inc. acquired a new position in Webster Financial during the 4th quarter worth approximately $45,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in Webster Financial by 29.7% during the 4th quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,114 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $57,000 after buying an additional 255 shares during the period. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC acquired a new position in Webster Financial during the 4th quarter worth approximately $69,000. 85.58% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Webster Financial Stock Performance

WBS stock opened at $40.91 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $7.02 billion, a PE ratio of 8.38, a P/E/G ratio of 0.50 and a beta of 1.31. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. The business has a 50 day moving average of $44.11 and a 200-day moving average of $47.33. Webster Financial Co. has a 12-month low of $36.22 and a 12-month high of $53.39.

Webster Financial (NYSE:WBS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 23rd. The financial services provider reported $1.35 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.37 by ($0.02). Webster Financial had a net margin of 21.09% and a return on equity of 12.55%. The firm had revenue of $667.10 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $680.72 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.49 EPS. Webster Financial’s revenue for the quarter was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Webster Financial Co. will post 5.57 earnings per share for the current year.

Webster Financial Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 16th. Investors of record on Monday, May 6th were paid a $0.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 3rd. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.91%. Webster Financial’s payout ratio is 32.79%.

Insider Activity at Webster Financial

In other Webster Financial news, insider Daniel Bley sold 2,280 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.80, for a total transaction of $102,144.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 28,693 shares in the company, valued at $1,285,446.40. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.88% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

WBS has been the topic of a number of research reports. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods dropped their price target on Webster Financial from $64.00 to $58.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 24th. StockNews.com raised Webster Financial from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, April 26th. Barclays decreased their price objective on Webster Financial from $70.00 to $65.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on Webster Financial from $65.00 to $63.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 24th. Finally, Raymond James reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $60.00 price objective on shares of Webster Financial in a report on Tuesday, March 26th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $57.00.

Webster Financial Profile

Webster Financial Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Webster Bank, National Association that provides a range of financial products and services to individuals, families, and businesses in the United States. It operates through three segments: Commercial Banking, HSA Bank, and Consumer Banking.