Hawthorn Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:HWBK) Sees Significant Drop in Short Interest

Hawthorn Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:HWBK) was the target of a large decrease in short interest in February. As of February 13th, there was short interest totaling 59,731 shares, a decrease of 31.0% from the January 29th total of 86,609 shares. Currently, 1.1% of the company’s stock are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 6,857 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 8.7 days. Based on an average daily volume of 6,857 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 8.7 days. Currently, 1.1% of the company’s stock are sold short.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

HWBK has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen lowered Hawthorn Bancshares from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Hawthorn Bancshares in a report on Monday, December 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold”.

Hawthorn Bancshares Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ HWBK traded up $0.90 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $33.89. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 5,884 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,598. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a current ratio of 1.06. Hawthorn Bancshares has a 1-year low of $25.21 and a 1-year high of $36.49. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $33.62 and its 200-day moving average price is $32.47. The firm has a market cap of $233.84 million, a P/E ratio of 9.88 and a beta of 0.50.

Hawthorn Bancshares (NASDAQ:HWBK) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The financial services provider reported $0.90 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Hawthorn Bancshares had a net margin of 21.26% and a return on equity of 15.03%. The firm had revenue of $17.59 million for the quarter.

Hawthorn Bancshares Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Investors of record on Sunday, March 15th will be issued a $0.21 dividend. This is a positive change from Hawthorn Bancshares’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.20. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 13th. This represents a $0.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.5%. Hawthorn Bancshares’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 23.32%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Hawthorn Bancshares

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. BNP Paribas Financial Markets bought a new stake in Hawthorn Bancshares in the second quarter valued at $25,000. Police & Firemen s Retirement System of New Jersey bought a new stake in Hawthorn Bancshares in the 2nd quarter valued at about $37,000. Kestra Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in Hawthorn Bancshares in the 4th quarter valued at about $50,000. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its stake in Hawthorn Bancshares by 3,777.6% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 2,598 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $76,000 after purchasing an additional 2,531 shares during the period. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its position in Hawthorn Bancshares by 1,725.8% in the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 2,757 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $80,000 after purchasing an additional 2,606 shares during the last quarter. 30.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Hawthorn Bancshares

Hawthorn Bancshares, Inc is the bank holding company for Hawthorn Bank, a community-focused financial institution headquartered in Aurora, Missouri. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, the company provides a comprehensive range of banking and financial services to individuals, small businesses, agricultural enterprises and commercial clients across southwest Missouri and select markets in nearby states. Hawthorn Bank operates a network of full-service branches and digital banking platforms designed to meet the evolving needs of its customers.

The company’s core offerings include deposit products such as checking, savings and money market accounts, as well as consumer lending solutions comprising residential mortgages, home equity lines of credit, auto loans and personal loans.