FNWD Overview

Validea's Small-Cap Growth Investor Model: The model, based on Motley Fool's strategy, identifies small-cap growth stocks with strong fundamentals and price performance, highlighting several stocks with improved ratings, such as Finward Bancorp and FRMO Corp.

Company Ratings and Descriptions: Various companies, including NewtekOne Inc. and RADCOM Ltd., have seen their ratings increase significantly, indicating potential investment interest based on their financial health and market performance.

Industry Focus: The stocks analyzed span multiple industries, including banking, investment services, and technology, showcasing a diverse range of investment opportunities for small-cap and mid-cap stocks.

Investment Strategy Insights: The article emphasizes the importance of scoring above 80% for investment interest, with detailed analyses provided for each company to assess their alignment with the investment strategy's criteria.

Earnings Growth: Finward Bancorp reported a significant increase in earnings for the third quarter, totaling $3.49 million, or $0.81 per share, compared to $0.606 million, or $0.14 per share, from the previous year.

Revenue Increase: The company's revenue rose by 20.2% to $14.44 million, up from $12.01 million in the same quarter last year.

Dividend Declaration: Finward Bancorp announced a dividend of $0.12 per share on its common stock, payable on September 12, 2025, to shareholders of record by August 29, 2025.

Forward-Looking Statements: The report includes forward-looking statements about Finward's financial performance and risks, emphasizing that actual results may differ due to various uncertainties and regulatory conditions.

Financial Performance: Finward Bancorp reported a net income of $456,000 for Q1 2025, significantly down from $2.1 million in Q4 2024 and $9.3 million in Q1 2024, with a return on equity of 1.17% and a return on assets of 0.09%. The bank's net interest margin increased to 2.95%, attributed to lower deposit costs following Federal Reserve rate cuts.

Asset Quality and Capital Adequacy: Non-performing loans decreased to $12.5 million, improving the ratio of non-performing loans to total loans to 0.84%. The bank maintained strong capital ratios, with a tier 1 capital to adjusted average assets ratio of 8.48%, exceeding regulatory requirements.

Financial Performance: Finward Bancorp reported a significant decline in net income for Q1 2025, totaling $456,000, down from $2.1 million in the previous quarter and $9.3 million in the same quarter last year, attributed to seasonal impacts and economic uncertainty, despite an improvement in non-performing loans.

Operational Highlights: The bank's net interest margin increased to 2.95% due to reduced deposit costs, while total deposits slightly decreased; the bank remains focused on maintaining strong liquidity and improving operational efficiency amidst ongoing economic challenges.