Washington Trust Bancorp (NASDAQ:WASH) Price Target Raised to $34.00 at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods

Washington Trust Bancorp (NASDAQ:WASH) had its price objective hoisted by equities research analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods from $30.00 to $34.00 in a report released on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “market perform” rating on the financial services provider’s stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods’ price target would indicate a potential downside of 0.38% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other brokerages also recently weighed in on WASH. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Washington Trust Bancorp in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Piper Sandler set a $32.00 price target on shares of Washington Trust Bancorp in a report on Thursday. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Washington Trust Bancorp currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $31.33.

Washington Trust Bancorp Trading Up 0.3%

WASH stock traded up $0.11 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $34.13. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 34,712 shares, compared to its average volume of 113,060. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $29.94 and its 200-day simple moving average is $28.89. The stock has a market cap of $649.66 million, a PE ratio of 12.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.67 and a beta of 0.86. Washington Trust Bancorp has a 52 week low of $24.95 and a 52 week high of $34.95. The company has a quick ratio of 1.01, a current ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53.

Washington Trust Bancorp (NASDAQ:WASH) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The financial services provider reported $0.83 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.75 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $59.25 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $56.38 million. Washington Trust Bancorp had a return on equity of 9.83% and a net margin of 13.26%. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Washington Trust Bancorp will post 2.76 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Washington Trust Bancorp

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Washington Trust Bancorp in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. AlphaQuest LLC bought a new stake in Washington Trust Bancorp during the second quarter valued at about $33,000. Federated Hermes Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Washington Trust Bancorp by 24.6% in the second quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 2,130 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $60,000 after acquiring an additional 420 shares during the period. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC grew its position in shares of Washington Trust Bancorp by 200.8% during the second quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 2,364 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $67,000 after purchasing an additional 1,578 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Russell Investments Group Ltd. raised its stake in Washington Trust Bancorp by 367.2% during the 3rd quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 2,378 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $69,000 after purchasing an additional 1,869 shares during the period. 65.81% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

More Washington Trust Bancorp News

Here are the key news stories impacting Washington Trust Bancorp this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat and stronger profitability — Washington Trust reported Q4 EPS of $0.83 versus the $0.75 consensus and revenue of $59.3M vs. $56.4M, with Q4 net income of $16.0M and improved margins/ROE, signaling a return to profit and stronger operating results. Washington Trust Reports Strong Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Management set forward targets — company outlined a target of roughly 5% loan growth and said it will pursue margin expansion via a ramp in commercial hiring, which supports revenue growth and higher future net interest margin if executed. Washington Trust outlines 5% loan growth target and margin expansion through new commercial hires
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgraded to Strong Buy across categories — WASH was added to multiple Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) lists (general, growth, value and income), which can attract retail and model-driven flows. New Strong Buy Stocks for January 30th
• Positive Sentiment: Full-year profitability turnaround cited — local coverage highlights a larger swing to profit for the company after balance-sheet restructuring and strategic shifts, reinforcing the narrative of operational recovery. Washington Trust swings to $52.2M profit after balance sheet restructuring, strategic pivot
• Neutral Sentiment: Broad media coverage and share reaction — national outlets (MarketWatch, MSN) have widely reported the earnings beat and strategic updates; increased attention can amplify volume but doesn’t guarantee sustained gains. Washington Trust Bancorp Gains on Swing to 4Q Profit
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call and transcript available — management commentary in the earnings call (transcript available) will be important for details on loan pipeline, NIM assumptions and timing of margin improvement. Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc. (WASH) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript

About Washington Trust Bancorp

Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc is the bank holding company for The Washington Trust Company, a community bank headquartered in Westerly, Rhode Island. Through its subsidiary, the company operates a network of branch offices across Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut, serving individuals, small businesses and municipalities with a full suite of financial services.

The company’s core business activities encompass retail and commercial banking, including checking and savings accounts, consumer and commercial loans, mortgage financing, and cash management solutions.