Westamerica reports USD 1.22 per share: meaning for Westamerica Bancorporation stock

Published on 10/18/2026 at 12:36 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Third-quarter net income reached USD 28.2 million on October 15, 2026. Westamerica Bancorporation stock saw a 3.81 percent net interest margin.

Earnings and balance sheet signals

Westamerica reported USD 28.2 million in net income for the third quarter on October 15, 2026.
The third-quarter net interest margin reached 3.81 percent versus 3.77 percent in the second quarter.
Keefe, Bruyette and Woods raised its price target to USD 65.00 on October 16, 2026.

WABC, US9570901036, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Westamerica Bancorporation (ISIN US9570901036) reported USD 1.22 in diluted earnings per share for the third quarter of 2026. According to Morningstar on October 15, 2026, net income reached USD 28.2 million, compared with USD 27.4 million in the second quarter.

What does the margin mean?

The bank's core spread improved sequentially. Westamerica reported an annualized net interest margin of 3.81 percent for the third quarter, up from 3.77 percent in the second quarter, while net interest income on a fully taxable-equivalent basis reached USD 53.5 million versus USD 52.7 million. The figures came from the third-quarter release carried by Morningstar.

Earnings versus the prior year

The per-share result improved even as total profit edged lower. Third-quarter diluted earnings per share rose 8.9 percent year over year to USD 1.22, while net income declined 0.4 percent to USD 28.2 million. Average loans fell 11.1 percent year over year to USD 661.3 million, a counterweight to the wider margin.

What analysts changed

Keefe, Bruyette and Woods raised its price target from USD 64.00 to USD 65.00 and kept a Market Perform rating on October 16, 2026, according to Markets Insider. The move puts the analyst target above the October 16 Nasdaq close of USD 61.28, while the rating remains neutral.

Balance sheet remains the counterweight

Westamerica's third-quarter balance sheet shows a conservative credit picture alongside weaker loan demand. Total assets stood at USD 5.79 billion on September 30, 2026, total deposits reached USD 4.82 billion, and nonperforming loans totaled USD 476,000. For investors, the key tension is clear: margin expansion and higher earnings per share are developing alongside a smaller loan book.

Investor view

The October results give Westamerica a stronger margin profile but do not remove the lending-volume question. A USD 0.48 per-share dividend and 51,000 retired shares added shareholder returns during the quarter, while the USD 65.00 target sets the main external valuation reference.