Pathward Financial (NASDAQ:CASH) Rating Increased to Outperform at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods

Pathward Financial (NASDAQ:CASH) was upgraded by research analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday,Finviz reports. The firm presently has a $100.00 price target on the savings and loans company’s stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods’ price objective would suggest a potential upside of 18.49% from the stock’s current price.

Separately, Weiss Ratings lowered Pathward Financial from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Pathward Financial has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $97.00.

Pathward Financial Trading Up 5.6%

Shares of CASH traded up $4.49 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $84.39. 140,502 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 219,388. Pathward Financial has a 52 week low of $64.45 and a 52 week high of $86.92. 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 stock has a market capitalization of $1.87 billion, a PE ratio of 10.74 and a beta of 0.74. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $73.05 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $74.62.

Pathward Financial (NASDAQ:CASH) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. 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 business had revenue of $173.10 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $185.80 million. Pathward Financial had a net margin of 22.45% and a return on equity of 22.97%. Pathward Financial’s revenue for the quarter was down .2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.29 earnings per share. Pathward Financial has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.550-9.050 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Pathward Financial will post 7.26 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Douglas J. Hajek sold 3,000 shares of Pathward Financial stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 31st. The stock was 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 trade represents a 15.28% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 1.43% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CASH. Sheets Smith Wealth Management grew its position in Pathward Financial by 49.6% in the fourth quarter. Sheets Smith Wealth Management now owns 5,267 shares of the savings and loans company’s stock worth $374,000 after acquiring an additional 1,747 shares in the last quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in Pathward Financial by 4.1% during the fourth quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 9,940 shares of the savings and loans company’s stock worth $706,000 after purchasing an additional 395 shares during the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Pathward Financial by 19.9% in the 4th quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 159,673 shares of the savings and loans company’s stock worth $11,476,000 after purchasing an additional 26,446 shares in the last quarter. Wedge Capital Management L L P NC boosted its holdings in shares of Pathward Financial by 2.1% in the 4th quarter. Wedge Capital Management L L P NC now owns 14,472 shares of the savings and loans company’s stock worth $1,028,000 after purchasing an additional 296 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Diversified Trust Co. increased its position in shares of Pathward Financial by 4.5% during the 4th quarter. Diversified Trust Co. now owns 10,239 shares of the savings and loans company’s stock valued at $727,000 after purchasing an additional 441 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 92.66% of the company’s stock.

Pathward Financial News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: EPS beat and strong profitability — Pathward reported $1.57 EPS for the fiscal Q1, topping consensus (~$1.38) and rising from last year; net income was $35.2M with a reported net margin of ~22.5% and ROE near 23%, supporting investor confidence in earnings quality. Pathward Financial, Inc. Announces Results for 2026 Fiscal First Quarter
• Positive Sentiment: Raised FY‑2026 EPS guidance — management lifted its full‑year EPS range to $8.55–$9.05, above the prior consensus (~$8.45), which signals confidence in underlying profitability and drove upward re‑rating by some investors. Pathward Financial raises 2026 EPS guidance to $8.55-$9.05 while expanding partner pipeline
• Positive Sentiment: Business momentum / partner expansion — management highlighted growth in the core business and an expanding partner pipeline on the call, which supports forward revenue and fee opportunities beyond the quarter. Pathward Financial Inc (CASH) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Growth in Core Business …
• Neutral Sentiment: Full transcript and materials available — the earnings call transcript and slide deck were published for investors who want detail on drivers (fee income, partner wins, cost trends). These provide context but contain both supporting and cautionary items. Pathward Financial, Inc. (CASH) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue miss and slight YoY decline — Q1 revenue came in at $173.1M versus analysts’ ~$185.8M estimate and was down ~0.2% year‑over‑year, a weakness that tempers the upside from the EPS beat and guidance. Pathward Financial beats Q1 earnings estimates, revenue falls short
• Negative Sentiment: Headline coverage flags revenue shortfall — multiple outlets flagged the revenue miss, which could limit near‑term multiple expansion until revenue growth inflects positively. Pathward Financial (NASDAQ:CASH) misses Q4 CY2025 revenue estimates

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.