UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 10-K ☑ Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 ☐ Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) Illinois 36-3873352 9700 W. Higgins Road, Suite 800 Rosemont, Illinois 60018 (Address of principal executive ...

ROSEMONT, Ill., Feb. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wintrust Financial Corporation (“Wintrust” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: WTFC) will present at the RBC Capital Markets Global Financial Institutions Conference to be held on March 10-11, 2026. Wintrust management will participate in a question-and-answer session that is scheduled to begin at approximately 1:20 PM Eastern Time on March 10, 2026. This event will be available via an audio webcast and may be accessed at https://kvgo.com/rbc-2026-global-financial-in ...

ROSEMONT, Ill., Feb. 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wintrust Financial Corporation (“Wintrust”) (Nasdaq: WTFC) will present at the Raymond James 47th Annual Institutional Investors Conference to be held on March 1 - 4, 2026. Wintrust management will participate in a question-and-answer session that is scheduled to begin at 9:15 AM, Eastern Time, on March 3, 2026. This event will be webcast and may be accessed at https://event.summitcast.com/view/VSr8zRPFYu9jT7Rm69ptdC/Am3hqBGhfCwZ3RnWgupSVE or at Wintrust’s w ...

Core Insights - Regional banks are maintaining steady dividend payouts despite a challenging interest rate environment, with Dime Community Bancshares paying 25 cents per share, reflecting a 2.79% yield based on a stock price of $36.23 [2] - Wintrust Financial has increased its dividend by 10% to 55 cents per share, marking four consecutive years of growth, with projected annual payouts rising from $1.60 in 2023 to $2.20 in 2026 [3][4] - Bank OZK's operating income is under pressure as interest expenses surged 56%, impacting its ability to cover costs [6] Dividend Sustainability - Wintrust Financial's dividend sustainability is strong, with a payout ratio of 22.6% of free cash flow and a cash flow coverage of 4.4 times its dividend payments [5][8] - UMB Financial has a conservative payout ratio of 17.5% and has increased its dividend for five consecutive years, with a projected annual total of $1.63 in 2025 [8] - Bank OZK has maintained a growth streak with a quarterly increase pattern, achieving an annual dividend of $1.74 in 2025, up from $1.58 in 2024, yielding 3.48% [9]

Core Viewpoint - Momentum investing focuses on following a stock's recent price trends, aiming to buy high and sell higher, with the expectation that established trends will continue [1] Company Overview: Wintrust Financial (WTFC) - WTFC currently holds a Momentum Style Score of A, indicating strong momentum characteristics [2] - The company has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), suggesting it is positioned for potential outperformance [3] Performance Metrics - WTFC shares have increased by 1.03% over the past week, while the Zacks Banks - Midwest industry has risen by 1.85% during the same period [5] - Over the past month, WTFC's price change is 2.96%, compared to the industry's 6.59% [5] - In the last quarter, WTFC shares rose by 13.75%, and over the past year, they gained 17.65%, outperforming the S&P 500, which increased by 2.29% and 16.86%, respectively [6] Trading Volume - The average 20-day trading volume for WTFC is 485,379 shares, which serves as a baseline for price-to-volume analysis [7] Earnings Outlook - In the past two months, four earnings estimates for WTFC have been revised upwards, while none have been lowered, leading to an increase in the consensus estimate from $11.85 to $12.35 [9] - For the next fiscal year, two estimates have also moved upwards with no downward revisions [9] Conclusion - Given the strong performance metrics and positive earnings outlook, WTFC is identified as a 2 (Buy) stock with a Momentum Score of A, making it a promising candidate for near-term investment [11]

Core Insights - Shaker Investments sold its entire stake of 26,185 shares in Wintrust Financial, resulting in a decrease of $3.47 million in the fund's quarter-end position value [2][3] - The sale reduced Shaker Investments' exposure to Wintrust Financial by 1.44% of its 13F assets under management [3] Company Overview - Wintrust Financial operates a diversified banking and specialty finance business across the Midwest and select Florida markets, focusing on community banking, specialty finance, and wealth management [6][8] - The company reported a total revenue of $2.73 billion and a net income of $823.84 million for the trailing twelve months (TTM) [4] Financial Performance - As of January 29, shares of Wintrust Financial were priced at $147.90, reflecting a 13.2% increase over the past year, although it underperformed the S&P 500 by about 2 percentage points [3][4] - The company's dividend yield stands at 1.35% [4] Market Position and Strategy - Wintrust Financial's business model generates income through net interest margins, fee-based services, and specialty lending, primarily serving individuals, small to mid-sized businesses, local government units, and institutional clients [8] - The company has shown steady business performance supported by loan growth and a diversified fee base, although profitability is affected by net interest margin dynamics and deposit costs [10] Investment Implications - The exit of Shaker Investments from Wintrust Financial indicates a strategic shift towards more concentrated investments in industrials and mega-cap technology, reducing exposure to rate-sensitive earnings [7][11] - The performance of Wintrust Financial suggests respectable execution but lacks clear multiple expansion compared to broader market trends [10]

Core Viewpoint - Wintrust Financial (WTFC) has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating a positive outlook based on rising earnings estimates, which significantly influence stock prices [1][3]. Earnings Estimates and Stock Price Impact - The Zacks rating system focuses on changes in earnings estimates, which are strongly correlated with near-term stock price movements, particularly due to institutional investors adjusting their valuations based on these estimates [4][6]. - For Wintrust, the increase in earnings estimates suggests an improvement in the company's underlying business, likely leading to higher stock prices as investors respond positively to this trend [5][8]. Zacks Rank System - The Zacks Rank system classifies stocks into five groups based on earnings estimates, with a proven track record of Zacks Rank 1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988 [7]. - Wintrust's upgrade to Zacks Rank 2 places it in the top 20% of Zacks-covered stocks, indicating strong potential for market-beating returns in the near term [10]. Earnings Estimate Revisions - For the fiscal year ending December 2026, Wintrust is expected to earn $12.26 per share, with a 2.9% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate over the past three months, reflecting analysts' growing confidence in the company's performance [8].

Core Viewpoint - TD Cowen has raised the price target for Wintrust Financial (WTFC) to $177 from $170 while maintaining a Buy rating on the shares, indicating confidence in the company's growth potential and market position [1] Group 1: Earnings Performance - Wintrust Financial's Q4 earnings exceeded expectations, highlighting a "differentiated organic growth profile" and market share gains [1] - The strong earnings performance reinforces the positive outlook for the company's future growth [1] Group 2: Growth Outlook - TD Cowen anticipates "strong growth momentum" for Wintrust Financial moving into 2026 [1] - The firm expects a stable net interest margin for Wintrust, which is crucial for its profitability [1]

Core Viewpoint - Wintrust Financial Corporation announced a quarterly cash dividend increase of 10% to $0.55 per share, reflecting strong financial performance and commitment to returning value to shareholders [1]. Group 1: Dividend Announcements - The Board of Directors approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.55 per share, payable on February 19, 2026, to shareholders of record as of February 5, 2026, up from $0.50 in 2025 [1]. - Additionally, a cash dividend on the 7.875% Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series F, was approved, payable on April 15, 2026, to shareholders of record as of April 1, 2026 [2]. Group 2: Company Overview - Wintrust is a financial holding company with $71.1 billion in assets, traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market [3]. - The company operates over 200 retail banking locations through 16 community bank subsidiaries across various regions, including greater Chicago and southern Wisconsin [3]. - Wintrust provides a range of services, including residential mortgage origination, wealth management, and commercial insurance premium financing [3].

Core Insights - Wintrust Financial Corporation reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results, with earnings of $3.15 per share surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of $2.92 per share and quarterly sales of $714.264 million exceeding the estimate of $700.352 million [1] Financial Performance - The company achieved a 19% improvement in net income for 2025, indicating robust growth in both loans and deposits [2] - Wintrust ended the year with record net income, record net interest income, a stable net interest margin, and strong balance sheet growth [2] Stock Performance - Following the earnings announcement, Wintrust Financial shares gained 2.3%, trading at $155.08 [2] Analyst Ratings and Price Targets - Piper Sandler analyst Nathan Race maintained an Overweight rating on Wintrust Financial and raised the price target from $161 to $184 [4] - RBC Capital analyst Jon G. Arfstrom maintained an Outperform rating and raised the price target from $160 to $175 [4]