Increase in Short Interest for Farmers National Banc Corp. (NASDAQ:FMNB)

Farmers National Banc Corp. (NASDAQ:FMNB) has experienced a notable rise in short interest during December. As of December 15th, the total short interest reached 253,300 shares, reflecting a 5.2% increase from the 240,700 shares shorted at the end of November. With an average daily trading volume of 89,000 shares, the current days-to-cover ratio stands at 2.8 days.

Farmers National Banc Stock Overview

The stock of Farmers National Banc opened at $14.22 on the most recent trading day. The company’s debt-to-equity ratio is at 0.20, and both its quick ratio and current ratio are also at 0.74. Over the past year, the stock has ranged from a low of $11.55 to a high of $16.32. With a market capitalization of approximately $534.50 million, the price-to-earnings ratio is noted at 11.56, and the stock has a beta of 0.86. Its fifty-day moving average price is $14.97, while the two-hundred-day average is $14.50.

Recent Quarterly Earnings

On October 23rd, Farmers National Banc released its quarterly earnings report, detailing earnings per share (EPS) of $0.23, which fell short of analyst expectations that anticipated $0.35 per share, indicating a miss of $0.12. The company reported a return on equity of 11.92% and net margins of 17.26%. The quarterly revenue stood at $70.26 million, significantly higher than analysts' forecasts of $42.90 million. Looking ahead, equity analysts expect Farmers National Banc to achieve an EPS of 1.23 for the current fiscal period.

Dividend Announcement

Recently, Farmers National Banc declared a quarterly dividend, distributed on December 31st, to shareholders on record as of December 13th. The dividend paid was $0.17, translating to an annualized payment of $0.68, which results in a yield of 4.78%. The ex-dividend date was also set as December 13th, while the current dividend payout ratio is 55.28%.

Analyst Insights

A variety of research reports have surfaced regarding FMNB. In a note published on November 21st, Piper Sandler updated their rating on Farmers National Banc to "neutral" and set a target price of $17.00. StockNews.com also upgraded the stock from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating on December 19th.

Institutional Investor Activity

Several institutional investors have recently adjusted their positions in Farmers National Banc. Notably, Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its holdings by 5.7% during the second quarter, now owning 226,896 shares worth approximately $2,834,000 after purchasing an additional 12,160 shares. American Century Companies Inc. raised its stake by 2.9%, holding 300,777 shares valued at $3,757,000. Other institutions, including HBK Sorce Advisory LLC, Inspire Investing LLC, and Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC, have also made notable adjustments. Currently, institutional investors account for about 38.72% of the stock’s ownership.

About Farmers National Banc

Farmers National Banc Corp. functions as a bank holding company for The Farmers National Bank of Canfield, which provides various banking and financial services. These include commercial and retail banking operations, trust services, retirement consulting, insurance, and financial management services. The offerings encompass checking and savings accounts, commercial and home equity loans, and various other banking services.

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