Leeward Investments LLC MA Cuts Stake in Wintrust Financial Co. (NASDAQ:WTFC)

Leeward Investments LLC MA lowered its stake in Wintrust Financial Co. (NASDAQ:WTFC) by 6.9% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 256,664 shares of the bank’s stock after selling 19,108 shares during the period. Wintrust Financial accounts for about 1.6% of Leeward Investments LLC MA’s holdings, making the stock its 6th biggest holding. Leeward Investments LLC MA’s holdings in Wintrust Financial were worth $32,009,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. International Assets Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Wintrust Financial in the third quarter worth $35,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Wintrust Financial by 63.5% in the fourth quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 376 shares of the bank’s stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 146 shares in the last quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group bought a new stake in shares of Wintrust Financial in the third quarter worth $61,000. Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its position in shares of Wintrust Financial by 32.1% in the fourth quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 539 shares of the bank’s stock worth $67,000 after purchasing an additional 131 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Covestor Ltd lifted its position in shares of Wintrust Financial by 77.9% in the third quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 653 shares of the bank’s stock worth $71,000 after purchasing an additional 286 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 93.48% of the company’s stock.

Wintrust Financial Price Performance

NASDAQ:WTFC opened at $123.80 on Friday. Wintrust Financial Co. has a one year low of $91.38 and a one year high of $142.04. The company has a market cap of $8.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.01 and a beta of 1.19. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $129.01 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $120.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 1.01 and a quick ratio of 1.00.

Wintrust Financial (NASDAQ:WTFC) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 21st. The bank reported $2.63 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.52 by $0.11. Wintrust Financial had a net margin of 17.52% and a return on equity of 12.60%. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.87 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Wintrust Financial Co. will post 10.36 earnings per share for the current year.

Wintrust Financial Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 20th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 6th were issued a $0.50 dividend. This is an increase from Wintrust Financial’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.45. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.62%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 6th. Wintrust Financial’s payout ratio is currently 19.40%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Wintrust Financial

In other Wintrust Financial news, insider Richard B. Murphy sold 3,186 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $131.30, for a total value of $418,321.80. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 48,814 shares in the company, valued at $6,409,278.20. The trade was a 6.13 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Jeffrey D. Hahnfeld sold 416 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $130.95, for a total transaction of $54,475.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 2,276 shares in the company, valued at $298,042.20. This trade represents a 15.45 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 10,178 shares of company stock worth $1,336,315 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 1.47% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

WTFC has been the topic of a number of research reports. StockNews.com lowered shares of Wintrust Financial from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday, February 15th. Raymond James reissued a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $150.00 price objective (up previously from $135.00) on shares of Wintrust Financial in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. Truist Financial raised shares of Wintrust Financial to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Wintrust Financial from $151.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. Finally, Piper Sandler upped their price target on shares of Wintrust Financial from $151.00 to $156.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $133.69.

Wintrust Financial Profile

Wintrust Financial Corporation operates as a financial holding company. It operates in three segments: Community Banking, Specialty Finance, and Wealth Management. The Community Banking segment offers non-interest bearing deposits, non-brokered interest-bearing transaction accounts, and savings and domestic time deposits; home equity, consumer, and real estate loans; safe deposit facilities; and automatic teller machine (ATM), online and mobile banking, and other services.