Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (NASDAQ:FMAO) Cut to “Hold” at Zacks Research

Zacks Research downgraded shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (NASDAQ:FMAO) from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report report published on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

Separately, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp in a report on Monday. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold”.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Stock Down 0.7%

Shares of NASDAQ:FMAO opened at $24.72 on Tuesday. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $25.09 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $25.31. The company has a market cap of $339.90 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.66 and a beta of 0.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a current ratio of 0.97 and a quick ratio of 0.97. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp has a one year low of $20.88 and a one year high of $29.86.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (NASDAQ:FMAO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, October 27th. The financial services provider reported $0.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.59 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $31.26 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $26.35 million. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp had a return on equity of 9.16% and a net margin of 17.03%. Analysts anticipate that Farmers & Merchants Bancorp will post 1.82 EPS for the current fiscal 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 $0.23 dividend. This represents a $0.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.7%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 29th. This is a boost from Farmers & Merchants Bancorp’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 39.66%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Farmers & Merchants Bancorp

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in FMAO. Ancora Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp in the 1st quarter worth about $909,000. Jane Street Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp during the first quarter valued at approximately $380,000. Inspire Investing LLC boosted its position in shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp by 6.2% in the 2nd quarter. Inspire Investing LLC now owns 15,229 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $385,000 after purchasing an additional 885 shares in the last quarter. Trust Co. of Toledo NA OH purchased a new stake in shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $201,000. Finally, Strategic Financial Concepts LLC bought a new stake in Farmers & Merchants Bancorp in the second quarter worth $283,000. Hedge funds and other 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.