Proficio Capital Partners LLC Makes New Investment in Peoples Financial Services Corp. (NASDAQ:PFIS)

Proficio Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Peoples Financial Services Corp. (NASDAQ:PFIS) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 18,322 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $938,000. Proficio Capital Partners LLC owned about 0.18% of Peoples Financial Services as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. SG Americas Securities LLC raised its stake in shares of Peoples Financial Services by 21.6% during the 4th quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 3,873 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $198,000 after purchasing an additional 688 shares in the last quarter. RBF Capital LLC bought a new stake in Peoples Financial Services in the 3rd quarter valued at $342,000. Barclays PLC raised its stake in Peoples Financial Services by 304.8% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 12,270 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $576,000 after acquiring an additional 9,239 shares during the period. Stifel Financial Corp raised its stake in Peoples Financial Services by 60.2% in the 3rd quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 12,308 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $577,000 after acquiring an additional 4,627 shares during the period. Finally, Rhumbline Advisers raised its stake in Peoples Financial Services by 4.1% in the 4th quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 13,182 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $675,000 after acquiring an additional 518 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 31.67% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Peoples Financial Services

In other Peoples Financial Services news, Director Richard S. Lochen, Jr. bought 1,000 shares of Peoples Financial Services stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 5th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $47.12 per share, for a total transaction of $47,120.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 17,129 shares in the company, valued at $807,118.48. This represents a 6.20 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 4.10% of the company’s stock.

Peoples Financial Services Trading Up 0.2 %

Shares of PFIS stock opened at $46.87 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 0.93. Peoples Financial Services Corp. has a fifty-two week low of $36.26 and a fifty-two week high of $59.70. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $50.21 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $49.76. The company has a market cap of $468.47 million, a P/E ratio of 41.48 and a beta of 0.56.

Peoples Financial Services (NASDAQ:PFIS) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The financial services provider reported $0.99 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.16 by ($0.17). Peoples Financial Services had a net margin of 3.70% and a return on equity of 8.97%. Research analysts forecast that Peoples Financial Services Corp. will post 5.92 earnings per share for the current year.

Peoples Financial Services Cuts Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a $0.6175 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $2.47 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.27%. Peoples Financial Services’s payout ratio is presently 218.58%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have weighed in on the company. Stephens upgraded Peoples Financial Services from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, December 9th. Hovde Group increased their target price on Peoples Financial Services from $48.00 to $53.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a report on Monday, November 11th.

Peoples Financial Services Profile

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.