Bankwell Financial Group (NASDAQ:BWFG) CEO Christopher Gruseke Sells 5,056 Shares

Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:BWFG) CEO Christopher Gruseke sold 5,056 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.79, for a total transaction of $251,738.24. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 172,147 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,571,199.13. The trade was a 2.85% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink.

Bankwell Financial Group Stock Down 3.6%

NASDAQ BWFG traded down $1.80 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $48.07. 33,404 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 32,210. Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. has a 1 year low of $26.39 and a 1 year high of $51.54. The stock has a market cap of $378.79 million, a P/E ratio of 10.83 and a beta of 0.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a current ratio of 1.07. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $48.01 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $44.82.

Bankwell Financial Group (NASDAQ:BWFG) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The bank reported $1.15 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.20 by ($0.05). The business had revenue of $30.32 million for 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 business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 20th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 10th will be issued a $0.20 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 10th. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.7%. Bankwell Financial Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 18.02%.

Bankwell Financial Group News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Bankwell Financial Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.20 (annualized $0.80; ~1.6% yield) with record/ex‑div dates in mid‑February — supports income investors and signals management confidence. MarketBeat BWFG coverage
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts have raised targets recently (Keefe, Bruyette & Woods to $55; Hovde nudged higher) and Weiss Ratings reiterated a buy — analyst support may limit downside. MarketBeat BWFG coverage
• Positive Sentiment: Notable institutional inflows (Fourthstone, Vanguard increases and several new/expanded positions) indicate steady institutional interest and ownership (~36% institutional). MarketBeat BWFG coverage
• Neutral Sentiment: Q4 results were mixed: EPS $1.15 missed consensus $1.20, but revenue $30.32M topped estimates (~$28.06M); margins and ROE remain healthy — fundamentals are steady but the EPS miss may temper near‑term enthusiasm. MarketBeat BWFG coverage
• Neutral Sentiment: Shares recently crossed above the 50‑day moving average (technical traders flagged “time to sell?”), which can trigger short‑term profit taking. American Banking News article
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported short interest data appears effectively zero/flat, so short‑squeeze dynamics are not a current factor.
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple insider sales on Feb. 9: CFO Courtney Sacchetti sold 1,062 shares (~$49.79 avg), reducing her stake ~24.9%. Filings: CFO Form 4
• Negative Sentiment: EVP Christine Chivily sold 1,985 shares (~$49.80 avg), cutting her position ~10.9%; insiders reducing holdings can be viewed as profit‑taking. Filings: EVP Form 4
• Negative Sentiment: Director/insider Matt McNeill sold 3,794 shares (~$49.83 avg), a ~7.8% reduction in his holding — the cluster of insider sales is the most direct negative catalyst today. Filings/profile: InsiderTrades Matt McNeill | McNeill Form 4

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Bankwell Financial Group

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Fourthstone LLC increased its position in Bankwell Financial Group by 60.2% in the 2nd quarter. Fourthstone LLC now owns 266,865 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $9,615,000 after acquiring an additional 100,302 shares during the period. Hillsdale Investment Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Bankwell Financial Group in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $4,280,000. Focus Partners Wealth acquired a new position in shares of Bankwell Financial Group in the third quarter valued at approximately $759,000. Two Sigma Investments LP purchased a new stake in shares of Bankwell Financial Group during the third quarter worth approximately $695,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Bankwell Financial Group by 3.9% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 366,963 shares of the bank’s stock worth $16,238,000 after purchasing an additional 13,823 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 35.80% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have issued reports on BWFG. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Bankwell Financial Group in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their target price on Bankwell Financial Group from $53.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Finally, Hovde Group raised their price target on Bankwell Financial Group from $48.00 to $49.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $52.00.

Bankwell Financial Group Company Profile

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.