Short Interest in National Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:NKSH) Decreases By 19.9%

National Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:NKSH) was the target of a large decline in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 61,600 shares, a decline of 19.9% from the November 30th total of 76,900 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 12,600 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 4.9 days. Currently, 1.0% of the shares of the company are short sold.

National Bankshares Price Performance

Shares of NKSH stock traded up $0.31 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $28.73. 19,270 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 13,568. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $30.55 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $29.87. The firm has a market cap of $182.75 million, a PE ratio of 19.81 and a beta of 0.59. National Bankshares has a 1-year low of $26.50 and a 1-year high of $35.00.

National Bankshares Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 2nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 25th were given a $0.78 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 25th. This represents a dividend yield of 5%. This is a boost from National Bankshares’s previous semi-annual dividend of $0.55. National Bankshares’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 107.59%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On National Bankshares

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in NKSH. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of National Bankshares by 4.5% in the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 138,246 shares of the bank’s stock worth $4,134,000 after acquiring an additional 5,975 shares during the last quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP raised its stake in National Bankshares by 14.4% in the 2nd quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP now owns 135,937 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $3,839,000 after purchasing an additional 17,149 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in National Bankshares by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 79,406 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $2,374,000 after purchasing an additional 622 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its stake in shares of National Bankshares by 2.0% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 24,156 shares of the bank’s stock worth $683,000 after purchasing an additional 471 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC grew its holdings in shares of National Bankshares by 2.4% during the second quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 21,370 shares of the bank’s stock worth $604,000 after buying an additional 500 shares in the last quarter. 29.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. StockNews.com downgraded National Bankshares from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Tuesday, December 24th. Janney Montgomery Scott upgraded shares of National Bankshares from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $38.00 price target for the company in a research note on Friday, November 22nd.

National Bankshares Company Profile

National Bankshares, Inc operates as the bank holding company for the National Bank of Blacksburg that provides retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, businesses, non-profits, and local governments. The company accepts interest-bearing and non-interest-bearing demand deposit accounts, money market deposit accounts, savings accounts, certificates of deposit, health savings accounts, and individual retirement accounts.