Pathward Financial (NASDAQ:CASH) Hits New 1-Year High Following Strong Earnings

Pathward Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:CASH) reached a new 52-week high on Friday after the company announced better than expected quarterly earnings. The stock traded as high as $86.92 and last traded at $84.2160, with a volume of 50444 shares. The stock had previously closed at $79.90.

The savings and loans company reported $1.57 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.38 by $0.19. The firm had revenue of $173.10 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $185.80 million. Pathward Financial had a return on equity of 22.92% and a net margin of 22.95%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was down .2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.29 EPS. Pathward Financial has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.550-9.050 EPS.

Pathward Financial Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 2nd. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 10th were given a $0.05 dividend. This represents a $0.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.2%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 10th. Pathward Financial’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 2.53%.

Key Headlines Impacting Pathward Financial

Here are the key news stories impacting Pathward Financial this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 EPS beat and net income growth — Pathward reported $1.57 GAAP EPS (vs. $1.38 consensus) and net income of $35.2M, improving year-over-year EPS and showing strong margins/ROE, which supports valuation re-rating. Pathward Financial (CASH) Surpasses Q1 Earnings Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: FY2026 guidance raised — management updated FY2026 EPS guidance to $8.55–$9.05 (above prior consensus ~$8.45), which signals confidence in margins and earnings power for the year. Pathward Financial raises 2026 EPS guidance to $8.55-$9.05 while expanding partner pipeline
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade and higher price target — Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded CASH to “Outperform” with a $100 target (~16.7% above the prior price), providing third‑party validation that may drive additional buying. Finviz
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor materials available — the company posted its press release, slide deck and full earnings call/transcript for review, giving investors more detail on drivers (partner pipeline, margin dynamics). Pathward Financial, Inc. Announces Results for 2026 Fiscal First Quarter Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue missed estimates and was roughly flat year-over-year — Q1 revenue was $173.1M vs. ~$185.8M expected and was down 0.2% YoY, which introduces execution risk on top-line growth despite the EPS beat. Pathward Financial beats Q1 earnings estimates, revenue falls short

Analysts Set New Price Targets

CASH has been the topic of several recent research reports. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded Pathward Financial from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $100.00 price target on the stock in a report on Friday. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Pathward Financial from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of Pathward Financial from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $97.00.

Insider Transactions at Pathward Financial

In other Pathward Financial news, Director Douglas J. Hajek sold 3,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $68.11, for a total value of $204,330.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 16,631 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,132,737.41. This represents a 15.28% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 1.43% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pathward Financial

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bessemer Group Inc. raised its stake in Pathward Financial by 647.8% during the 2nd quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 344 shares of the savings and loans company’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 298 shares during the period. Hughes Financial Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of Pathward Financial in the second quarter worth about $30,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Pathward Financial by 43,200.0% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 433 shares of the savings and loans company’s stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 432 shares in the last quarter. State of Wyoming acquired a new stake in shares of Pathward Financial during the second quarter worth about $46,000. Finally, Nisa Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Pathward Financial by 8.4% during the 2nd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,204 shares of the savings and loans company’s stock valued at $174,000 after purchasing an additional 170 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.66% of the company’s stock.

Pathward Financial Price Performance

The company has a 50-day moving average of $73.39 and a 200-day moving average of $74.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a current ratio of 0.79. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.48 and a beta of 0.74.

About Pathward Financial

Pathward Financial (NASDAQ:CASH) is a U.S.-based financial services company that operates through its wholly owned subsidiary, Pathward Bank. The company provides a range of banking and payment solutions designed for consumers, small businesses, community banks and fintech partners. Core offerings include deposit accounts, consumer and commercial lending, debit and prepaid card programs, digital banking platforms and treasury management services.

Through its banking charter, Pathward Financial delivers customizable payment solutions, including prepaid cards, payroll cards and benefit disbursement programs.