** Shares of regional lender Washington Trust Bancorp WASH.O rise 3.9% to $30.59
** Seaport Research upgrades WASH to "buy" from "neutral" due to its stock's recent price decline
** Establishes $36 PT on WASH, which is a 22.3% upside to the stock's last close
** WASH has an exceptional track record of conservative underwriting and remains a solid core holding, especially through a credit cycle - brokerage
** Seaport believes WASH trading at a premium to its peers is justified, given the strength of the franchise and pristine asset quality
** One of three brokerages rate the stock "buy" and two "hold"; median PT is $36, according to data compiled by LSEG
** WASH stock down 2% YTD
(Reporting by Arasu Kannagi Basil in Bengaluru)
((ArasuKannagi.Basil@thomsonreuters.com;))