BancFirst (NASDAQ:BANF) Posts Quarterly Earnings Results, Misses Expectations By $0.03 EPS

BancFirst (NASDAQ:BANF) released its earnings results on Thursday. The bank reported $1.75 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.78 by ($0.03), Zacks reports. BancFirst had a return on equity of 13.97% and a net margin of 25.13%.

BancFirst Price Performance

NASDAQ:BANF traded up $1.42 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $117.36. 108,689 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 111,185. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $110.42 and its 200 day moving average price is $119.78. The company has a quick ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05. BancFirst has a 12-month low of $97.02 and a 12-month high of $138.77. The company has a market cap of $3.91 billion, a PE ratio of 16.65 and a beta of 0.66.

BancFirst Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st were issued a $0.49 dividend. This represents a $1.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 31st. BancFirst’s dividend payout ratio is presently 27.80%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms recently commented on BANF. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of BancFirst in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Wall Street Zen cut BancFirst from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday, October 25th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut their price target on BancFirst from $132.00 to $120.00 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, October 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, BancFirst presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $128.00.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On BancFirst

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in BANF. CIBC Bancorp USA Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of BancFirst in the 3rd quarter valued at $282,000. Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new stake in BancFirst in the third quarter worth $74,000. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co boosted its position in BancFirst by 1.7% during the third quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 23,835 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $3,043,000 after buying an additional 408 shares during the period. Dark Forest Capital Management LP grew its stake in shares of BancFirst by 7.9% during the third quarter. Dark Forest Capital Management LP now owns 22,675 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $2,867,000 after buying an additional 1,654 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quarry LP increased its holdings in shares of BancFirst by 531.4% in the third quarter. Quarry LP now owns 221 shares of the bank’s stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 186 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 51.72% of the company’s stock.

About BancFirst

BancFirst Corporation is a regional banking holding company based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. As the largest state‐chartered bank in Oklahoma, BancFirst offers a comprehensive suite of financial services to individuals, businesses and government entities. Its core business activities include commercial and consumer banking, mortgage lending, treasury management, equipment financing and electronic banking solutions.

The bank operates a network of more than 60 branches across Oklahoma, serving urban centers such as Oklahoma City and Tulsa, as well as rural communities throughout the state.