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

Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:BWFG) CEO Christopher Gruseke sold 5,056 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $49.79, for a total transaction of $251,738.24. Following the completion of the sale, 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 document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

Bankwell Financial Group Stock Performance

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

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

Bankwell Financial Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 20th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 10th will be given a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.7%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 10th. Bankwell Financial Group’s payout ratio is presently 18.02%.

Key Headlines Impacting Bankwell Financial Group

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

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

Institutional Trading of Bankwell Financial Group

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of BWFG. Acadian Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of Bankwell Financial Group by 5.5% during the 2nd quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 93,233 shares of the bank’s stock worth $3,357,000 after purchasing an additional 4,890 shares during the last quarter. Fourthstone LLC increased its position in Bankwell Financial Group by 60.2% during the second quarter. Fourthstone LLC now owns 266,865 shares of the bank’s stock worth $9,615,000 after buying an additional 100,302 shares in the last quarter. Police & Firemen s Retirement System of New Jersey acquired a new position in shares of Bankwell Financial Group in the second quarter worth $50,000. GM Advisory Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Bankwell Financial Group by 0.6% in the second quarter. GM Advisory Group LLC now owns 105,066 shares of the bank’s stock worth $3,786,000 after acquiring an additional 589 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Bankwell Financial Group in the third quarter valued at $302,000. 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.