Finward Bancorp filings document the public-company disclosures of a bank holding company whose principal activity is holding the stock of Peoples Bank. Recent Form 8-K reports cover unaudited quarterly financial results, common stock dividend declarations, Regulation FD presentation materials, and board or director matters involving the Bancorp and its bank subsidiary.
Proxy materials describe annual meeting voting matters, director elections, board structure and governance practices. The filing record also reflects disclosure topics common to regulated banking issuers, including capital position, financial performance, liquidity, dividend considerations, regulatory and accounting factors, and compliance matters tied to Peoples Bank’s operations.
Finward Bancorp reported Q1 2026 net income of $2.2M, up from $0.5M a year earlier, driven by higher net interest income of $15.1M and lower interest expense. Diluted earnings per share were $0.52, with ROA at 0.44% and ROE at 5.00%.
Total assets were $2.0B, loans receivable were $1.46B, and deposits totaled $1.72B. However, rising unrealized losses on the securities portfolio pushed accumulated other comprehensive loss to $45.7M, resulting in a Q1 comprehensive loss of $1.8M. The bank remains under an August 2024 memorandum of understanding with regulators that, among other items, requires prior approval for cash dividends and may limit or delay expansion and acquisitions.
Finward Bancorp reported first-quarter 2026 net income available to common stockholders of $2.2 million, or $0.52 per diluted share, up from $2.0 million, or $0.46, in the prior quarter. Return on equity was 5.00% and return on assets 0.44%.
Net interest margin improved to 3.23%, or 3.35% on a tax-equivalent basis, helped by lower funding costs. Deposits were $1.72 billion, down 0.5% from year-end, with core deposits of $1.2 billion representing 71.6% of total deposits. Loans were stable at $1.45 billion.
Asset quality remained moderate, with non-performing loans of $12.4 million, equal to 0.85% of total loans, and an allowance for credit losses of $17.3 million, or 1.19% of loans. The Bank’s tier 1 leverage ratio was 9.24%. Management highlighted ongoing efficiency efforts, including the planned closure of two branches and a focus on improving core earnings while maintaining strong liquidity of $555 million.
Finward Bancorp filed a Form 13F reporting institutional holdings. The report lists 182 holdings with a total market value of $125,095,496. The filing is signed by Benjamin Schmitt, EVP & Chief Financial Officer on 04-10-2026.
Finward Bancorp is asking shareholders to vote at its virtual annual meeting on May 21, 2026. Holders of 4,330,486 common shares as of March 20, 2026 can vote online.
Shareholders will elect three Class II directors through 2029, ratify Forvis Mazars, LLP as 2026 auditors, and cast an advisory vote on executive pay. The proxy details board refresh actions, including director Danette Garza’s planned retirement and Jennifer Evans becoming chair, governance policies on risk oversight, hedging and clawbacks, and 2025 compensation, with CEO Benjamin Bochnowski earning $480,686 and a 2025 Omnibus equity plan covering up to 270,727 shares.
Garza Danette reported acquisition or exercise transactions in this Form 4 filing.
Finward Bancorp director Danette Garza received a grant of 434 FNWD common shares on July 11, 2025 at a reported value of $27.63 per share. Following this award, she directly holds 6,453 shares and also has an additional 600 shares held indirectly through an IRA.
Scheub Todd M. reported open-market purchase transactions in this Form 4 filing.
Finward Bancorp Executive Vice President Todd M. Scheub increased his stake through the company’s dividend reinvestment plan. On the transaction date, a profit-sharing account associated with him acquired 38.2979 shares of common stock at $36.50 per share. After this reinvestment, that indirect profit-sharing account held 11,687.7222 shares, and he also reported 7,078 common shares held directly. This type of dividend reinvestment is a routine, automatic way to accumulate additional stock rather than an active open-market trade.
Bochnowski Benjamin J reported open-market purchase transactions in this Form 4 filing.
Finward Bancorp President and CEO Benjamin J. Bochnowski increased his indirect stake in the company through its Dividend Reinvestment Plan. On the transaction date, a profit sharing account associated with him acquired 6.102 shares of common stock at $36.50 per share. After this reinvestment, indirect holdings in this account totaled 1,862.1488 shares, while his direct ownership stood at 30,686 shares of common stock.
Lowry Robert T reported open-market purchase transactions in this Form 4 filing.
Finward Bancorp Executive Vice President Robert T. Lowry increased his stake in the company. On the reported date, he acquired 49.786 shares of common stock at $36.50 per share through a Dividend Reinvestment Plan in an indirect profit-sharing account.
Following this transaction, the profit-sharing account held 15,193.5493 shares. Additional holdings reported as of the same date included 11,215.7252 shares held directly, 2,478.0000 shares held indirectly in an IRA, and 755.0000 shares held indirectly through a spouse.
Finward Bancorp, parent of Peoples Bank in northwest Indiana and the Chicago suburbs, reports a traditional community‑bank model focused on real estate, commercial and consumer lending funded mainly by core deposits.
Total loans receivable were $1.45 billion at December 31, 2025, down modestly from 2024, with real estate loans comprising the bulk of the portfolio. Nonaccrual loans were $11.2 million, or 0.77% of total loans, while the allowance for credit losses was $17.5 million, equal to 1.21% of loans and about 156.8% of nonperforming loans.
The available‑for‑sale securities portfolio totaled $316.2 million, largely municipal and mortgage‑related securities, plus $6.5 million in FHLB stock. Average deposits were about $1.75 billion in 2025, and approximately $503 million of deposits were estimated to be uninsured as of year‑end.
Net interest margin improved to 3.00% on average interest‑earning assets of $1.89 billion. Return on average assets was 0.39% and return on average equity 5.10%, reflecting moderate profitability. Regulatory capital ratios significantly exceeded “well capitalized” thresholds, with a total risk‑based capital ratio of 13.09% and a Tier 1 leverage ratio of 8.93%.