Hovde Group Issues Positive Forecast for Bankwell Financial Group (NASDAQ:BWFG) Stock Price

Bankwell Financial Group (NASDAQ:BWFG) had its target price boosted by Hovde Group from $48.00 to $49.00 in a report published on Monday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. They currently have a market perform rating on the bank’s stock.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their target price on shares of Bankwell Financial Group from $48.00 to $53.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, October 27th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Bankwell Financial Group in a report on Monday, December 29th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $52.00.

Bankwell Financial Group Trading Up 1.6%

Shares of NASDAQ BWFG opened at $48.95 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49. Bankwell Financial Group has a one year low of $26.39 and a one year high of $51.54. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $47.52 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $44.29. The firm has a market capitalization of $385.73 million, a PE ratio of 11.02 and a beta of 0.70.

Bankwell Financial Group (NASDAQ:BWFG) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The bank reported $1.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.20 by ($0.05). The company had revenue of $30.32 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $28.06 million. Bankwell Financial Group had a return on equity of 12.40% and a net margin of 16.94%.

Bankwell Financial Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 20th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 10th will be issued a dividend of $0.20 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 10th. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.6%. Bankwell Financial Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 18.02%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Bankwell Financial Group

In related news, Director Eric J. Dale bought 746 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, December 5th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $47.64 per share, for a total transaction of $35,539.44. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 41,296 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,967,341.44. This represents a 1.84% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Christine Chivily sold 2,553 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.52, for a total value of $116,212.56. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 13,939 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $634,503.28. This trade represents a 15.48% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders purchased 2,208 shares of company stock valued at $105,212. 19.48% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Bankwell Financial Group

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. grew its holdings in Bankwell Financial Group by 70.7% during the second quarter. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. now owns 722 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 299 shares during the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. grew its stake in Bankwell Financial Group by 585.0% in the 3rd quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 685 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 585 shares during the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets raised its holdings in Bankwell Financial Group by 38.8% in the 2nd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 1,124 shares of the bank’s stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 314 shares during the period. CWM LLC raised its holdings in Bankwell Financial Group by 71.8% in the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,041 shares of the bank’s stock worth $46,000 after acquiring an additional 435 shares during the period. Finally, Police & Firemen s Retirement System of New Jersey acquired a new position in Bankwell Financial Group during the 2nd quarter worth $50,000. 35.80% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Bankwell Financial Group

Bankwell Financial Group, Inc is a bank holding company headquartered in Westchester, Illinois, and serves as the parent of Bankwell Bank. Through its subsidiary, the company provides a full suite of banking products and services designed for both individual consumers and small‐ to mid‐sized businesses. Bankwell Bank operates multiple branches across suburban Cook and Lake counties, focusing on personalized service and local decision‐making.

The company’s deposit offerings include checking, savings and money market accounts, as well as certificates of deposit, all supported by an online and mobile banking platform for convenient account access.