Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (NASDAQ:FMAO) Stock Passes Above 50-Day Moving Average – What’s Next?

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Inc. (NASDAQ:FMAO) passed above its fifty day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a fifty day moving average of $24.96 and traded as high as $26.45. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp shares last traded at $25.8350, with a volume of 8,762 shares.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have issued reports on FMAO shares. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Zacks Research upgraded Farmers & Merchants Bancorp from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday, November 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Buy”.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $351.86 million, a PE ratio of 11.03 and a beta of 0.84. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $25.02 and a two-hundred day moving average of $25.28. The company has a quick ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (NASDAQ:FMAO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, October 27th. The financial services provider reported $0.64 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.59 by $0.05. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp had a net margin of 17.03% and a return on equity of 9.16%. The business had revenue of $31.26 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $26.35 million. Research analysts anticipate that Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Inc. will post 1.82 EPS for the current year.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, January 20th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 29th will be paid a dividend of $0.23 per share. This represents a $0.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 29th. This is an increase from Farmers & Merchants Bancorp’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp’s dividend payout ratio is currently 39.22%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Farmers & Merchants Bancorp

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of FMAO. Ancora Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $921,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets increased its stake in shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp by 36.0% during the second quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 1,924 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $49,000 after purchasing an additional 509 shares in the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp by 126.2% during the 3rd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 2,185 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $55,000 after purchasing an additional 1,219 shares during the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its position in shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp by 948.7% during the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 4,436 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $112,000 after purchasing an additional 4,013 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Trust Co. of Toledo NA OH purchased a new position in Farmers & Merchants Bancorp in the 2nd quarter valued at about $201,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 23.96% of the company’s stock.

About Farmers & Merchants Bancorp

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (NASDAQ:FMAO) is the bank holding company for Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California, a community-focused institution headquartered in Los Banos, California. The bank traces its roots to 1916 and has grown to serve individuals, businesses and agricultural enterprises throughout the western San Joaquin Valley. Operating with a commitment to local decision-making, the company emphasizes personalized service and close ties to the communities in which it operates.

Through its banking subsidiary, Farmers & Merchants offers a comprehensive suite of financial products and services, including checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, online and mobile banking platforms, and merchant services.