Bank First (NASDAQ:BFC) Sees Strong Trading Volume – Still a Buy?

Bank First Co. (NASDAQ:BFC) shares saw strong trading volume on Thursday . 22,955 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 35% from the previous session’s volume of 17,059 shares.The stock last traded at $99.87 and had previously closed at $99.60.

Bank First Price Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 1.00, a current ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02. The company has a market capitalization of $998.40 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.37 and a beta of 0.32. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $100.94 and its 200-day moving average price is $98.23.

Bank First (NASDAQ:BFC) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 21st. The company reported $1.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.55 by $0.19. Bank First had a return on equity of 10.53% and a net margin of 29.00%. Equities research analysts anticipate that Bank First Co. will post 6.9 earnings per share for the current year.

Bank First Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 9th. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 26th will be given a $0.45 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 26th. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.80%. Bank First’s payout ratio is 27.69%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Michael S. Stayer-Suprick acquired 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 19th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $102.07 per share, for a total transaction of $102,070.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 3,035 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $309,782.45. This trade represents a 49.14 % increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 4.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Bank First

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Lazard Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Bank First in the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Sterling Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Bank First by 771.4% during the 4th quarter. Sterling Capital Management LLC now owns 305 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 270 shares during the period. Quest Partners LLC lifted its stake in Bank First by 212.6% in the third quarter. Quest Partners LLC now owns 2,057 shares of the company’s stock valued at $187,000 after buying an additional 1,399 shares in the last quarter. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS acquired a new position in shares of Bank First in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $189,000. Finally, Hanlon Investment Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Bank First during the fourth quarter worth $218,000. Institutional investors own 29.95% of the company’s stock.

Bank First Company Profile

Bank First Corporation operates as a holding company for Bank First, N.A. that provides consumer and commercial financial services to businesses, professionals, consumers, associations, individuals, and governmental authorities in Wisconsin. It offers checking, savings, money market, cash management, retirement, and health savings accounts; other time deposits; certificates of deposit; and residential mortgage products.