Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (NASDAQ:FMAO) Share Price Crosses Above Fifty Day Moving Average – Time to Sell?

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Inc. (NASDAQ:FMAO)’s stock price passed above its 50 day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a 50 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 traded.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

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

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Stock Performance

The stock has a market cap of $355.23 million, a P/E ratio of 11.14 and a beta of 0.84. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $24.96 and a two-hundred day moving average of $25.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a current ratio of 0.97.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (NASDAQ:FMAO) last issued its quarterly earnings results 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. The company had revenue of $31.26 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $26.35 million. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp had a return on equity of 9.16% and a net margin of 17.03%. On average, research analysts predict that Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Inc. will post 1.82 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, January 20th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 29th will be given a $0.23 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 29th. This represents a $0.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.6%. This is a positive change from Farmers & Merchants Bancorp’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 39.22%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Farmers & Merchants Bancorp

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in Farmers & Merchants Bancorp by 0.7% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 682,608 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $17,072,000 after acquiring an additional 4,979 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp by 1.5% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 299,470 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $7,572,000 after purchasing an additional 4,527 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its position in shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp by 3.5% during the third quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 201,884 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $5,050,000 after purchasing an additional 6,806 shares during the period. Nuveen LLC acquired a new position in shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp in the first quarter valued at $817,000. Finally, Millennium Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp by 2.9% in the third quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 25,483 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $637,000 after purchasing an additional 722 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 23.96% of the company’s stock.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Company Profile

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.