Wintrust Financial Co. (NASDAQ:WTFC) has received positive reviews from nine ratings firms currently covering the stock, according to Bloomberg.com. This includes eight equities research analysts who have rated the stock as a “Buy” and one analyst who has given it a strong buy recommendation. With an average one-year price objective of $94.60 among brokerages that have covered the stock over the past year, there is high anticipation for Wintrust Financial.
On September 8, 2023, WTFC stock opened at $74.79. The company boasts a quick ratio of 0.98, a current ratio of 0.99, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. In terms of moving averages, its fifty-day simple moving average stands at $79.27, while its two-hundred-day simple moving average is $74.76. Notably, Wintrust Financial has experienced significant fluctuations in value over the past year, with a twelve-month low of $57.48 and a twelve-month high of $97.81.
With a market capitalization of $4.58 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.77, Wintrust Financial demonstrates stability in its financial standing despite market volatility. Furthermore, its beta of 1.22 indicates moderate responsiveness to market movements.
Numerous institutional investors and hedge funds have made recent modifications to their holdings in Wintrust Financial Co., further highlighting investor confidence in the company’s prospects as well as its potential for growth and profitability.
For example, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans increased its position by 5.6% during the fourth quarter, now owning 169,972 shares valued at around $14,366,000 after acquiring an additional 8,981 shares in the last quarter.
Similarly, Driehaus Capital Management LLC invested approximately $5,489,000 to establish a new position in Wintrust Financial during the fourth quarter, indicating a positive outlook on the company’s future.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. also raised its position by 3.9% during the same quarter, now owning 1,838,832 shares valued at approximately $155,418,000 after acquiring an additional 69,128 shares. This demonstrates confidence in Wintrust Financial’s ability to deliver results and generate returns for its shareholders.
Chartwell Investment Partners LLC increased its position by 3.5% during the first quarter and now holds 7,634 shares valued at $557,000 after acquiring an additional 255 shares. In a similar move, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS raised its position by 13.5% during the fourth quarter and currently owns 27,336 shares valued at $2,310,000 after acquiring an additional 3,255 shares.
These institutional investors and hedge funds collectively hold 92.00% of Wintrust Financial’s stock — a significant endorsement of their confidence in the company’s success.
In terms of financial performance, Wintrust Financial announced its quarterly earnings results on July 20th, reporting earnings per share (EPS) of $2.38 for the quarter. This figure aligned with analysts’ consensus estimate of $2.38 EPS.
Additionally, the firm generated revenue amounting to $810.21 million for the quarter – surpassing analysts’ estimates projecting revenue at $555.16 million.
With a return on equity of 13.96% and a net margin of 22.24%, Wintrust Financial demonstrated strong profitability during this period compared to the same quarter last year when it posted earnings per share of $1.49.
Analysts anticipate that Wintrust Financial will post earnings per share of around $9.94 for the current fiscal year.
In conclusion, with an average “Buy” rating from nine ratings firms and a strong buy recommendation from one analyst, Wintrust Financial Co. has earned the confidence of both investors and industry experts. Its financial indicators, including its quick and current ratios, debt-to-equity ratio, market capitalization, price-to-earnings ratio, and beta suggest stability and moderate responsiveness to market fluctuations. Furthermore, the endorsements from leading institutional investors and hedge funds solidify their belief in Wintrust Financial’s growth potential. Given its recent quarterly earnings results and revenue performance exceeding expectations, it appears that Wintrust Financial is destined for continued success in the near future.
Wintrust Financial Corporation
WTFC
Strong Buy
Updated on: 10/09/2023
Wintrust Financial: A Promising Player with Positive Ratings and Stable Dividends
In recent times, there has been significant analysis and commentary from equities analysts regarding Wintrust Financial. Stephens, a reputable financial services firm, reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on the company while assigning a price target of $90.00 per share in a research note dated Thursday, July 20th. Similarly, Raymond James, a prominent investment banking company, increased their price target on Wintrust Financial to $100.00 and bestowed upon it a “strong-buy” rating in another research note issued on Friday, July 21st.
In line with this positive trend, Wedbush upgraded its price objective on Wintrust Financial from $86.00 to $95.00 and assigned the company an “outperform” rating in their research report of Friday, July 21st. Furthermore, DA Davidson raised their price objective to $96.00 from $82.00 in a research report published on the same day.
News of Wintrust Financial’s increasing stock market potential also attracted coverage from StockNews.com which recently initiated coverage with a “hold” rating on Thursday, August 17th.
Additionally, it is worth mentioning that Wintrust Financial announced the distribution of its quarterly dividend which was paid out on Thursday, August 24th. Shareholders who held stocks as of Thursday, August 10th received a dividend payment amounting to $0.40 per share. This translates to an annualized dividend of $1.60 per share and reflects a dividend yield of 2.14%. It is noteworthy that the ex-dividend date for this dividend was Wednesday August 9th.
As things stand now with Wintrust Financial’s robust dividend payout ratio (DPR) of 16.63%, investors can expect continued stability and potential returns from their investment in the company.
These developments have undoubtedly piqued the interest of both current and prospective investors within the realm of finance and investments as they look to make informed decisions regarding the allocation of their capital. It is crucial for market observers to closely monitor the recommendations and reports made by esteemed analysts and industry insiders, as they hold significant weight in the decision-making process.
As we navigate through these ever-changing financial landscapes, it is becoming increasingly clear that Wintrust Financial’s stock performance and dividend payout ratio are drawing considerable attention from investors. With its positive ratings, increased price targets, and stable dividend payments, Wintrust Financial continues to establish its presence as a promising player in the financial market.
