Bankwell Financial Group, Inc.
Close on Oct 19, 2026
- Market cap
- $518.44M
- P/E (TTM)
- 12.1
- Dividend yield
- 1.23%
About Bankwell Financial
State Commercial Banks, SIC 6022
Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. operates as a bank holding company providing commercial and consumer banking services through Bankwell Bank. The institution provides deposit accounts, including checking, savings, money market, and certificates of deposit, alongside online banking options. Its primary lending activities include commercial real estate loans, commercial business loans such as term financing and lines of credit, and construction lending. It also maintains residential real estate and consumer loan portfolios. The company primarily serves commercial clients, middle-market businesses, small to medium-sized enterprises, non-profit organizations, and local professionals.
Headquartered in New Canaan, Connecticut, the company concentrates its operations within an approximate 100-mile radius surrounding its branch network. It operates nine full-service branches across Connecticut in New Canaan, Stamford, Fairfield, Westport, Darien, Norwalk, and Hamden, as well as a full-service branch in Brooklyn, New York. In addition, the organization maintains limited-service domestic representative offices in New Canaan, Connecticut, and Garden City, New York, while employing 167 full-time equivalent staff members.
Summary of the business section of Bankwell Financial's latest annual report, written by StockData.
Company profile
Company
- Legal name
- Bankwell Financial Group, Inc.
- Founded
- 2002
- Headquarters
- New Canaan, CT
- Address
- 208 Elm Street 06840
- Phone
- (203) 972-3838
- Website
- mybankwell.com
- Employees
- 144, Dec 31, 2024
- Industry
- State Commercial Banks
- Incorporated in
- Connecticut
- Fiscal year ends
- December 31
- Auditor
- RSM US LLP, Hartford, Connecticut
Stock & identifiers
- Ticker
- BWFG
- Exchange
- Nasdaq
- IPO date
- May 16, 2014
- Shares outstanding
- 8M, Jul 30, 2026
- Public float
- $230.41M, Jun 30, 2025
- Filer category
- Accelerated filer<br>Smaller reporting company
- SEC CIK
- 1505732
- CUSIP
- 06654A103
- ISIN
- US06654A1034
- LEI
- 5493004NUBQXPY84NX67
- EIN
- 20-8251355
Executives and directors
Officers and directors who filed ownership reports (Forms 3, 4, 5) in the last two years
| Name | Position | Shares owned |
|---|---|---|
| Ryan Jason Hildebrand | Chief Innovation Officer | 0 |
| Christine Chivily | EVP & Chief Credit Officer | 11,865 |
| Christopher R. Gruseke | CEO | 189,703 |
| Matt McNeill | President & CBO | 48,813 |
| Steven H. Brunner | EVP & Chief Risk Officer | 5,265 |
| Courtney E. Sacchetti | EVP & Chief Financial Officer | 3,201 |
| Lawrence B. Seidman | Director | 848,913 |
| Carl M. Porto | Director | 27,234 |
| Eric J. Dale | Director | 43,560 |
| Jeffrey R. Dunne | Director | 7,836 |
| Blake S. Drexler | Director | 38,577 |
| Todd Lampert | Director | 20,974 |
| Kevin D. Leitao | Director | 5,000 |
| Darryl Demos | Director | 1,455 |
| Anahaita N. Kotval | Director | 1,455 |
CEO pay and shareholder return
Pay versus performance table from the proxy statement
| Fiscal year | CEO total pay | CEO pay actually paid | Other executives (avg) | Value of $100 invested | Peer group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Mr. Gruseke | $1.34M | $2.13M | $793.31K | $167 | – |
| FY2024 Mr. Gruseke | $1.00M | $1.16M | $693.25K | $103 | – |
| FY2023 Mr. Gruseke | $1.46M | $1.50M | $1.08M | $166 | – |
| FY2022 Mr. Gruseke | $1.58M | $1.55M | $1.16M | $158 | – |
| FY2021 Mr. Gruseke | $1.26M | $1.68M | $721.93K | $171 | – |
“Actually paid” adjusts reported pay for changes in the value of equity awards. Shareholder return assumes $100 invested at the start of the measurement period, as disclosed by the company.
Employees
Headcount reported in annual reports
“At December 31, 2024, we employ ed a total of 144 full-time equivalent employees.”
Corporate history
Events identified from SEC filings
| Date | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 16, 2018 | Late filing | Notification of late filing |
| Apr 13, 2017 | Auditor change | Change in certifying accountant (8-K Item 4.01) |
| Jun 17, 2016 | Merger | Registration of securities for a merger or exchange offer (S-4) |
| Jun 26, 2014 | Merger | Registration of securities for a merger or exchange offer (S-4) |
| May 16, 2014 | IPO | Initial public offering priced (424B4 prospectus) |
| May 9, 2014 | Listing | Registration of securities on an exchange (Form 8-A) |
| Nov 26, 2012 | Name change | Name changed from BNC Financial Group, Inc. to Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. |