Waterstone Financial Inc logo

Waterstone Financial Inc(WSBF)

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EXPLORE ADVISORIES AND THEIR HISTORY
QUALITY SIGNAL
3-STAR RATING
PASS
LAST CLOSE
$19.77
10/28/2026
(24-hour delay)

Advisory History & Simulated Performance *

*as per simulation (see disclosures)
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  • BUY Advisory
  • SELL Advisory (Profit)
  • SELL Advisory (Loss)
  • Profit
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Upturn Stock price based on last close iconStock price based on last close
Simulated performance—not actual client returns. Excludes advisory subscription fees, trading commissions, and taxes, which would reduce returns. Results depend on calculation assumptions and do not guarantee future outcomes. See Disclosures for full methodology, assumptions, and limitations.

Advisory Performance History (Simulated)Advisory Performance History info

Simulated performance—not actual client returns. Excludes advisory subscription fees, trading commissions, and taxes, which would reduce returns. Results depend on calculation assumptions and do not guarantee future outcomes. See Disclosures for full methodology, assumptions, and limitations.

Upturn Advisory & Investor View for WSBF

10/28/2026: WSBF (3-star) is currently NOT-A-BUY. Pass it for now.

Waterstone Financial is a regional bank holding company centered in Wisconsin that blends community banking with a significant national mortgage origination business. The company benefits from a stable local deposit base and experienced management, though its earnings are frequently impacted by cyclical swings in mortgage demand. Its primary growth strategy relies on balancing core banking stability with mortgage operational efficiency. Risks include interest rate volatility, intense competition from fintech lenders, and geographic concentration. The stock may best suit dividend-focused or value-oriented investors who are comfortable with the inherent cyclicality of the mortgage business and should monitor interest rate trends closely for future developments.

How to Read the Upturn Advisory

The Upturn Star Rating and the current BUY, SELL, or PASS advisory are generated by Upturn’s AI advisory engine based on proprietary signal analysis, price behavior, advisory history, and historical signal performance.

Company fundamentals, valuation, risks, and news provide supporting context about the business.

Investor Fit

Investor styleFitWhy
Growth investorWeak fitThe company is a mature financial institution with limited high-growth prospects.
Momentum investorWeak fitThe stock lacks the high-volatility, high-growth characteristics typical of momentum targets.
Value investorStrong fitThe company often trades at reasonable valuation multiples relative to book value.
Dividend investorStrong fitThe company has a history of paying consistent dividends to shareholders.
Low-risk investorMixed fitWhile established, the mortgage banking segment introduces cyclical volatility to the earnings profile.

Risk Profile

Risk factorLevelWhy it matters
Price volatilityMediumThe stock price is sensitive to interest rate fluctuations and housing market cycles.
Valuation riskLowCurrent valuations typically reflect steady state earnings and book value expectations.
Competition risk (Banking/Mortgage)HighStrong competition from both large national banks and agile fintech lenders pressures margins.
Business qualityMediumThe dual-segment model is solid but exposed to cyclical headwinds.
Dividend incomeMediumDividend reliability depends on the bank's ability to maintain earnings during downturns.
Execution riskMediumManagement must navigate the challenges of transitioning digital mortgage operations and maintaining net interest margins.

Price Behavior

Strong Uptrend
PRICE PATH

Strong Uptrend

The stock has maintained a strong upward price trend across the last three quarters.

Smooth
PRICE STABILITY

Smooth

The stock has moved along a generally orderly path with only modest fluctuations.

Analysis of Past Performance

Type Stock
Historic Profit 54.78%
Avg. Invested days 71
Today’s Advisory PASS
Upturn Advisory Rating upturn star rating icon
Upturn Advisory Performance Upturn Advisory Performance icon 3.0
Stock Returns Performance Upturn Returns Performance icon 3.0
Upturn Profits based on simulation icon Profits based on simulation
Upturn last close icon Last Close 10/28/2026

Upturn Scorecard

Upturn Star Rating

★★★★★
WSBF receives a 3-star rating, supported by solid company fundamentals. The rating is constrained by soft analyst coverage, weak price momentum, and limited analyst upside.

Company Fundamentals

★★★★★
WSBF has solid overall fundamentals (4 stars), with moderate financial health, moderate growth momentum, and strong ownership. In FY2025 versus FY2024, strong earnings growth (+41.3%) and solid cash generation (FCF margin 8.9%) are partially offset by moderate revenue growth (+1.1%).

Financial Health Rating

★★★★★
WSBF's financial health is supported by solid cash strength, including free-cash-flow generation (8.9% of revenue). Liquidity is soft (2 stars), which helps explain the 3-star overall score.

Growth Momentum Score

★★★★★
Earnings growth is WSBF's strongest growth driver at +41.3% FY2025 versus FY2024 (strong, 5 stars). By comparison, while revenue growth (+1.1%, moderate) and free-cash-flow growth (-62.0%, negative) hold the profile back, so recent growth is not broad-based across the business.

Ownership

★★★★★
Institutional ownership is 55.6% and approximately 87.2% of outstanding shares are publicly tradable, supporting liquidity and institutional participation. Insider ownership of 18.72% supports management-shareholder alignment.

Top 5 Institutional Investors

BlackRock Inc 9.13%
Dimensional Fund Advisors, Inc. 7.89%
Renaissance Technologies Corp 5.85%
Vanguard Capital Management, LLC 3.57%
State Street Corp 2.22%

Unit Economics (Per $1K Revenue)

★★★★★
WSBF generates approximately $712 of gross profit, $166 of operating income, and $89 of free cash flow for every $1,000 of revenue. Based on FY2025 results. Solid margins and soft cash conversion support a 3-star rating, while capital efficiency is weak.

Economic Dimensions

★★★★★
Effective Tax Rate: 21.06%

Quantitative Style Profile

★★★★★
WSBF has a liquid, relatively low-volatility profile. Weak momentum is the primary drawback.

Style Classification

Quality Focused

Value-OrientedLow VolatilitySmall / Mid Cap RiskHighly Liquid / Institution-Friendly

Key Highlights

Company Size Small-Cap Stock
Market Capitalization 355.41M USD
Price to earnings Ratio 11.43
1Y Target Price 12.5
Price to earnings Ratio 11.43
1Y Target Price 12.5
Volume (30-day avg) 71.2K shares
Beta 0.74
52 Weeks Range 14.52 - 21.47
Updated Date 10/28/2026
52 Weeks Range 14.52 - 21.47
Updated Date 10/28/2026
Dividends yield (FY) 3.23%
Basic EPS (TTM) 1.73

How Company Makes Money

Business areaWhat it includesRetail investor read
Community BankingInterest income from commercial and consumer loans, and fee income from deposit accounts.The bank makes money by lending out the deposits it collects at higher interest rates than it pays to savers.
Mortgage BankingOrigination and sale of residential mortgage loans.This segment earns fees from originating loans and gains from selling those loans to the secondary market.

Earnings Date

Report Date 2026-10-29
When -
Estimate -
Actual 0.45

Profitability

Profit Margin 20%
Operating Margin (TTM) 26.65%

Management Effectiveness

Return on Assets (TTM) 1.34%
Return on Equity (TTM) 8.69%

Valuation

Trailing PE 11.43
Forward PE 20.7
Enterprise Value 728.36M
Price to Sales(TTM) 2.36
Enterprise Value 728.36M
Price to Sales(TTM) 2.36
Enterprise Value to Revenue 5.18
Enterprise Value to EBITDA -
Shares Outstanding 17.98M
Shares Floating 15.68M
Shares Outstanding 17.98M
Shares Floating 15.68M
Percent Insiders 18.72
Percent Institutions 55.63

Financial Metrics

🧭 Investment Snapshot

Total Revenue (Scale)

Information icon Total money earned from selling products or services before any costs. It is needed to understand the scale of the business and its ability to generate income.

Net Income (Profit)

Information icon Final profit after all expenses, interest, and taxes are deducted. It is needed to determine the overall profitability available to shareholders.

Free Cash Flow (Cash Strength)

Information icon Cash remaining after operating activities and capital expenditures, showing cash available for growth. It is needed to evaluate the company’s ability to invest, pay dividends, or reduce debt.

📈 Growth & Strength

Operating Income (Core Profit)

Information icon Profit from core operations after deducting all operating expenses. It is needed to measure how efficiently the company runs its primary business activities.

EBITDA (Cash Earnings)

Information icon Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, indicating operating cash potential. It is needed to compare operating performance across companies without accounting or financing differences.

Gross Profit (Unit Profitability)

Information icon Revenue minus cost of revenue, showing profit after direct production costs. It is needed to evaluate core business profitability before overhead expenses.

🛡️ Financial Safety

Cash (Liquidity Buffer)

Information icon Total cash and cash equivalents on hand. It is needed to evaluate immediate liquidity and financial flexibility.

Total Debt (Leverage Risk)

Information icon Total debt including both short-term and long-term components. It is needed to assess the company’s leverage and financial risk.

Net Working Capital (Short-Term Health)

Information icon Current assets minus current liabilities, indicating short-term liquidity strength. It is needed to assess whether the company can meet its short-term obligations.

🧱 Balance Sheet Strength

Stockholder Equity (Net Worth)

Information icon Total equity value held by shareholders. It is needed to understand the net worth of the company from the owners’ perspective.

Total Assets (Asset Base)

Information icon The full value of everything the company owns, including cash, inventory, equipment, and investments. It is needed to understand the resource base used to generate revenue.

Income Before Tax (Pre-Tax Earnings)

Information icon Income before provision for income taxes. It is needed to analyze profitability independent of tax structures.

⚙️ Cost & Drag Factors

Cost of Revenue (Production Cost)

Information icon Direct costs required to produce and deliver the products or services sold. It is needed to assess efficiency in production and service delivery.

Total Operating Expenses (Operating Cost)

Information icon Indirect costs of running the business such as salaries, marketing, and administration. It is needed to understand how much it costs to sustain ongoing business operations.

Income Tax Expense (Tax Drag)

Information icon Amount of taxes paid or payable to the government. It is needed to evaluate the impact of taxation on overall profitability.

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