Institutional Buyer Adds Large Stake in Washington Trust Bancorp

Westerly, Rhode Island, August 31, 2025

News Summary

An institutional investor established a significant new position in Washington Trust Bancorp, purchasing 95,410 shares valued at roughly $2.94 million and representing about 0.49% of the company. The move comes alongside other large managers increasing exposure—Vanguard, Invesco, Dimensional, Millennium and The Manufacturers Life all added shares—bringing institutional ownership to about 65.81%. Analysts remain mixed with a consensus Hold and a $29 average target. The bank beat recent EPS and revenue estimates and pays a high-yield quarterly dividend, making upcoming results and further institutional flows key drivers for the stock.

Nuveen Adds a Large Stake in Washington Trust Bancorp; Multiple Funds Adjust Positions

Key takeaway: Nuveen LLC established a new position in Washington Trust Bancorp (NASDAQ:WASH) in the first quarter by buying 95,410 shares, a stake valued at about $2.944 million. The move made Nuveen roughly 0.49% owner of the company at quarter end.

Who moved and how much

Alongside Nuveen’s purchase, several large institutional investors changed their holdings in Washington Trust Bancorp during recent reporting periods:

• Vanguard Group increased its stake by 8.3% in the first quarter and now holds 1,119,395 shares worth about $34.545 million.
• Dimensional Fund Advisors lifted its position by 6.7% in the fourth quarter to 932,056 shares, valued at roughly $29.22 million.
• The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company grew its position dramatically in the fourth quarter, adding 397,255 shares — a change of over 6,117% — and ending with 403,749 shares valued at about $12.658 million.
• Invesco Ltd. increased its stake by 39.3% in the first quarter and now owns 295,462 shares worth about $9.118 million.
• Millennium Management raised its position by 3,240% in the fourth quarter and now holds 226,355 shares valued at about $7.096 million.

Overall institutional ownership and analyst coverage

Institutional investors and hedge funds hold roughly 65.81% of Washington Trust Bancorp’s stock. New or updated analyst coverage appeared in recent weeks, with one firm initiating coverage and others changing ratings:

• One firm began coverage and gave a neutral rating with a $28.00 target.
• Another firm downgraded the stock from neutral to underweight, keeping a $28.00 target.
• Across analysts, there is one Strong Buy, two Hold, and one Sell, producing an average market view of Hold and an average target price near $29.00.

Recent results and market snapshot

In its last reported quarter (reported July 21), the company posted earnings per share of $0.68, beating the consensus of $0.63. Revenue for the quarter was $54.26 million, slightly above expectations. Return on equity stood at 9.05%, while the company showed a negative net margin of -6.10%. Analysts expect about 2.76 earnings per share for the fiscal year on average.

Market data shows shares opened at $30.30 on the referenced Friday. The 52-week range is between $24.95 and $40.59. The firm’s market capitalization is roughly $580.55 million. Key metrics include a P/E ratio of -20.07, PEG of 0.87, beta of 0.91, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.94.

Dividend, balance sheet and business lines

The company declared a quarterly dividend that was paid on July 11. Shareholders of record on July 1 received $0.56 per share, equal to a $2.24 annualized payout and a yield around 7.4% based on those figures. The dividend payout ratio is currently shown as -148.34%, reflecting the firm’s recent profit and accounting mix.

Washington Trust Bancorp operates as the holding company for a community bank and provides banking and wealth services through two main segments: Commercial Banking and Wealth Management Services. Offerings include deposit accounts, commercial and retail lending, construction and development loans, residential mortgage lending, and consumer loan products including home equity lines and personal loans.

Data, reporting and disclaimers

The information in this report was compiled from a securities disclosure and a market data summary. Market values were noted as being updated frequently, and some data can be delayed. The data is presented for informational purposes and should not be taken as trading advice. Contact details for the data provider were listed in the original report for readers who want further detail.

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Key Features at a Glance

Feature	Detail
Nuveen Purchase	95,410 shares (~$2.944M, ~0.49% ownership)
Major Institutional Moves	Vanguard 1,119,395 shares; Dimensional 932,056; Invesco 295,462; Millennium 226,355; Manulife 403,749
Latest EPS / Revenue	$0.68 EPS; $54.26M revenue (quarter)
Dividend	$0.56 quarterly / $2.24 annually; ~7.4% yield
Market Snapshot	Open $30.30; 52-week low/high $24.95 / $40.59; Market cap ~$580.55M
Valuation & Ratios	P/E -20.07; PEG 0.87; Debt/Equity 1.94; ROE 9.05%
Ownership	Institutions & hedge funds ~65.81%
Business Lines	Commercial Banking; Wealth Management Services

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Additional Resources

• Yahoo Finance: WASH
• Wikipedia: Washington Trust Bancorp
• Nasdaq: WASH
• Google Search: Washington Trust Bancorp
• SEC EDGAR Search: Washington Trust Bancorp
• Google Scholar: Washington Trust Bancorp
• Washington Trust Bancorp Investor Relations
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Washington Trust Bancorp
• MarketBeat: WASH
• Google News: Washington Trust Bancorp