Crown Crafts, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWS) Short Interest Up 129.2% in March

Crown Crafts, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWS) saw a large increase in short interest in the month of March. As of March 15th, there was short interest totalling 33,000 shares, an increase of 129.2% from the February 28th total of 14,400 shares. Approximately 0.4% of the company’s stock are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 17,700 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 1.9 days.

Crown Crafts Stock Down 1.9 %

NASDAQ:CRWS traded down $0.07 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $3.69. 18,619 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 16,907. The company has a market cap of $38.35 million, a PE ratio of 15.38 and a beta of 0.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 3.36 and a quick ratio of 1.60. Crown Crafts has a one year low of $3.69 and a one year high of $5.39. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $4.17 and a 200 day moving average price of $4.47.

Crown Crafts (NASDAQ:CRWS) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The textile maker reported $0.09 EPS for the quarter. Crown Crafts had a return on equity of 5.99% and a net margin of 2.81%.

Crown Crafts Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 4th. Investors of record on Friday, March 14th will be paid a $0.08 dividend. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 8.67%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 14th. Crown Crafts’s payout ratio is 133.33%.

Institutional Trading of Crown Crafts

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Northern Trust Corp lifted its stake in shares of Crown Crafts by 55.6% in the fourth quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 48,518 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $218,000 after buying an additional 17,330 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Crown Crafts by 11.8% in the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 94,480 shares of the textile maker’s stock valued at $454,000 after acquiring an additional 9,988 shares in the last quarter. Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in Crown Crafts by 22.9% in the 4th quarter. Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc. now owns 106,887 shares of the textile maker’s stock valued at $479,000 after acquiring an additional 19,887 shares in the last quarter. Synovus Financial Corp boosted its stake in Crown Crafts by 14.7% during the 3rd quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 278,113 shares of the textile maker’s stock valued at $1,335,000 after purchasing an additional 35,565 shares during the last quarter. Finally, De Lisle Partners LLP increased its holdings in shares of Crown Crafts by 41.2% in the 3rd quarter. De Lisle Partners LLP now owns 396,326 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $1,901,000 after purchasing an additional 115,696 shares in the last quarter. 30.23% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Crown Crafts

Crown Crafts, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates in the consumer products industry in the United States and internationally. It provides infant, toddler, and juvenile products, including infant and toddler beddings; blankets and swaddle blankets; dolls and plush toys; nursery and toddler accessories; room décors; reusable and disposable bibs; burp cloths; hooded bath towels and washcloths; reusable and disposable placemats, and floor mats; disposable toilet seat covers and changing mats; developmental toys; feeding and care goods; and other infant, toddler, and juvenile soft goods.