Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc. to Issue Quarterly Dividend of $0.56 (NASDAQ:WASH)

Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:WASH - Get Free Report) declared a quarterly dividend on Thursday, December 18th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 2nd will be given a dividend of 0.56 per share by the financial services provider on Wednesday, January 14th. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 2nd.Washington Trust Bancorp has decreased its dividend by an average of 0.0%per year over the last three years. Washington Trust Bancorp has a payout ratio of 73.4% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Analysts expect Washington Trust Bancorp to earn $3.12 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $2.24 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 71.8%. Washington Trust Bancorp Price PerformanceWashington Trust Bancorp stock opened at $31.26 on Friday. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $28.18 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $28.46. The stock has a market capitalization of $594.88 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -19.66, a PEG ratio of 1.01 and a beta of 0.89. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a current ratio of 1.02. Washington Trust Bancorp has a 52-week low of $24.95 and a 52-week high of $34.13. Washington Trust Bancorp (NASDAQ:WASH - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, October 20th. The financial services provider reported $0.56 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.46 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $56.47 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $56.39 million. Washington Trust Bancorp had a negative net margin of 6.22% and a positive return on equity of 8.90%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.64 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that Washington Trust Bancorp will post 2.76 earnings per share for the current year. About Washington Trust Bancorp (Get Free Report)Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc operates as the bank holding company for The Washington Trust Company, of Westerly that provides various banking and financial services to individuals and businesses. The company operates in two segments, Commercial Banking and Wealth Management Services. The Commercial Banking segment offers deposit accounts, including interest-bearing and noninterest-bearing demand deposits, NOW and savings accounts, money market and retirement deposit accounts, and time deposits; various commercial and retail lending products, such as commercial real estate loans, including commercial mortgages, and construction and development loans; commercial and industrial loans comprising working capital, equipment financing, and financing for other business-related purposes; residential real estate loans that consist of mortgage and homeowner construction loans; and consumer loans comprising home equity loans and lines of credit, personal installment loans, and loans to individuals secured by general aviation aircraft.Further ReadingFive stocks we like better than Washington Trust BancorpTrading Halts ExplainedRocket Lab's Sharp Rebound: What's Behind the Recent MomentumBest Aerospace Stocks Investing Jabil Is Flying Under the Radar—But a 50% Surge May Be ComingWhat is the S&P 500 and How It is Distinct from Other IndexesQualcomm’s Monster Rally Has a Catch—Can the Stock Keep Climbing?This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.Should You Invest $1,000 in Washington Trust Bancorp Right Now?Before you consider Washington Trust Bancorp, you'll want to hear this.MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Washington Trust Bancorp wasn't on the list.While Washington Trust Bancorp currently has a Hold rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.View The Five Stocks Here