NWBI Stock: Insider Activity, Filings & Research
Northwest Bancshares, Inc. (NWBI) — Drillr’s hub for NWBI insider activity, SEC filings, earnings signals and AI research. Over the trailing 3 months, NWBI insiders filed 5 open-market buys and 1 sale (SEC Form 4).
NWBI insider trading activity (SEC Form 4)
| Date | Insider | Type | Shares | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 28, 2026 | Hunter Timothy Mdirector | Buy | 10,000 | $13.97 |
| May 22, 2026 | Colestro James Mofficer: Chief Retail Lending Officer | Tax | 159 | $13.89 |
| May 22, 2026 | Creal Thomas K IVofficer: Chief Credit Officer | Tax | 243 | $13.89 |
| May 19, 2026 | Creal Thomas K IVofficer: Chief Credit Officer | Tax | 138 | $13.40 |
| May 19, 2026 | Colestro James Mofficer: Chief Retail Lending Officer | Tax | 41 | $13.40 |
| May 8, 2026 | Creal Thomas K IVofficer: Chief Credit Officer | Tax | 7,397 | $14.09 |
| May 8, 2026 | Creal Thomas K IVofficer: Chief Credit Officer | Option | 10,733 | $9.71 |
| May 4, 2026 | Betchkal Gregory J.officer: Chief Risk Officer | Buy | 5,000 | $13.93 |
| May 4, 2026 | Schosser Douglas Mofficer: Chief Financial Officer | Buy | 1,500 | $13.92 |
| May 4, 2026 | Barnum Carey A.officer: Chief Auditor | Sell | 1,351 | $13.97 |
| May 4, 2026 | Bowers Urich Tofficer: Chief Cons. Banking /Strat Off | Buy | 7,000 | $13.97 |
| Mar 24, 2026 | Creal Thomas K IVofficer: Chief Credit Officer | Tax | 547 | $12.21 |
| Mar 24, 2026 | Kane Kyle P.officer: Chief People Officer | Tax | 537 | $12.21 |
| Mar 24, 2026 | DesMarteau Jacques Marcofficer: Chief Comm. Banking Officer | Tax | 1,202 | $12.21 |
| Mar 24, 2026 | Colestro James Mofficer: Chief Retail Lending Officer | Tax | 601 | $12.21 |
Source: NWBI SEC Form 4 filings, latest May 28, 2026. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
Northwest Bancshares, Inc. company profile
Overview
Northwest Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:NWBI) is a regional bank holding company founded in 1896 and headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. The company operates through its subsidiary Northwest Bank, a state-chartered savings bank that has evolved from its origins as a traditional thrift institution into a comprehensive commercial and retail banking franchise. With 170 community banking locations across Pennsylvania, Western New York, Eastern Ohio, and Indiana, Northwest Bancshares has been undergoing a strategic transformation to shift from primarily residential mortgage lending toward commercial and industrial lending. The company recently announced the acquisition of Penns Woods Bancorp, which is expected to close by late July 2025 and will position Northwest among the top 100 banks in the United States by asset size.
Business
Northwest Bancshares operates in the regional banking industry, providing traditional banking services to both individual consumers and businesses across its four-state footprint. The company's core business revolves around deposit-taking and lending activities, which form the foundation of commercial banking operations. The company's primary revenue-generating activities include accepting various types of deposits from customers - including checking accounts, savings accounts, money market deposits, certificates of deposit, and individual retirement accounts - and then lending these funds to borrowers at higher interest rates. This fundamental banking model, known as net interest income generation, relies on the spread between what the bank pays depositors and what it charges borrowers. Northwest Bank offers several distinct lending products. Commercial and industrial (C&I) loans represent the fastest-growing segment, increasing 23.5% year-over-year as of Q4 2024, and include business loans to companies for working capital, equipment purchases, and expansion. The bank has established specialized lending verticals including sponsor finance, equipment finance, sports finance, franchise finance, and Small Business Administration (SBA) lending. Commercial real estate loans provide financing for office buildings, retail centers, and multi-family residential properties. Residential mortgage loans, historically the bank's largest segment, provide financing for one-to-four-family homes, though this portfolio has been declining as the bank shifts strategic focus. Consumer loans include automobile loans, personal loans, credit cards, and loans secured by deposit accounts. Beyond traditional banking, Northwest also provides investment management and trust services, offering wealth management solutions to higher-net-worth clients. The company generates additional revenue through various banking fees, including service charges on deposits, loan origination fees, and trust and investment management fees.
Revenue model
Northwest Bancshares generates revenue primarily through the traditional banking model of net interest income - the difference between interest earned on loans and investments and interest paid on deposits and borrowings. This spread, measured as net interest margin, was 3.42% as of Q4 2024. The bank's paying customers are depositors who provide funding at relatively low costs (1.68% cost of deposits) and borrowers who pay higher rates (5.6% average loan yield). The company also generates non-interest income through various fee-based services. These include service charges on deposit accounts, loan origination and servicing fees, trust and investment management fees, and gains from securities transactions. Management expects non-interest income to range between $124-129 million annually. Several factors significantly impact Northwest's profitability margins. Interest rate environment is the most critical factor - rising rates generally benefit the bank's margin as loan yields increase faster than deposit costs, while falling rates can compress margins. The bank's deposit cost competitiveness is crucial, as Northwest has maintained what management describes as "near best-in-class cost of funds" at 1.68%. Loan portfolio composition affects margins, with commercial loans typically yielding higher rates than residential mortgages, explaining the strategic shift toward C&I lending. Credit quality directly impacts profitability through loan loss provisions and charge-offs. Northwest has maintained relatively strong credit metrics with classified loans at 2.44% of total loans. Operational efficiency, measured by the efficiency ratio of 59.5%, affects profitability as the bank must control expenses while growing revenue. Competitive pressure in both deposit gathering and loan origination can compress margins, particularly in the bank's mature Pennsylvania markets. Finally, regulatory capital requirements limit the bank's ability to leverage its balance sheet and may require maintaining higher capital ratios that reduce return on equity.
Competitive moat
Northwest Bancshares operates in the highly competitive regional banking sector with a relatively modest economic moat. The company's primary competitive advantages stem from its established local market presence across 170 branches in Pennsylvania, Western New York, Eastern Ohio, and Indiana. This physical footprint provides access to local deposit markets and enables relationship-based commercial lending, particularly valuable in smaller communities where personal relationships matter more than in major metropolitan areas. The bank's deposit franchise represents its strongest moat component, as customer relationships in banking tend to be "sticky" due to switching costs and convenience factors. Northwest's cost of deposits at 1.68% demonstrates some pricing power, though this advantage is not insurmountable. The company's local market knowledge in commercial lending provides some competitive advantage, particularly in understanding local business conditions and credit risks. However, Northwest's moat faces significant challenges. The regional banking industry is highly fragmented with numerous competitors, including larger national banks with superior technology and resources, credit unions with tax advantages, and fintech companies disrupting traditional banking services. Technology disruption poses a particular threat as digital banking reduces the importance of physical branch networks. Interest rate sensitivity makes the business model vulnerable to economic cycles and Federal Reserve policy changes. The bank's scale limitations compared to larger regional and national banks constrain its ability to invest in technology, offer competitive pricing, and diversify geographically. Northwest's recent strategic shift toward commercial lending, while potentially margin-enhancing, also increases concentration risk and requires expertise that may not be fully developed. The planned acquisition of Penns Woods Bancorp should provide some scale benefits, but Northwest will still remain a relatively small player in the broader banking landscape. Overall, Northwest possesses a narrow moat primarily based on local market relationships and deposit stickiness, but this moat is not particularly durable given industry competitive dynamics and technological disruption.
Risks & safety
Northwest Bancshares presents a moderate margin of safety profile typical of regional banks, with adequate capitalization but inherent interest rate and credit risks. • Liquidity and Solvency: Strong cash position with $353 million in cash and short-term investments. Debt-to-equity ratio of 27%, which is reasonable for a bank. No immediate solvency concerns given regulatory capital requirements. • Profitability Trends: Net income of $43.5 million in Q1 2025 (48% increase year-over-year) demonstrates improving profitability. Return on equity of 2.7% is modest but improving from previous quarters. • Valuation Metrics: Price-to-earnings ratio of 8.9x appears reasonable for a regional bank. Price-to-book ratio of 0.95x suggests trading slightly below book value. EV/EBITDA of 7.1x is moderate. • Credit Quality: Classified loans at 2.44% of total loans indicate manageable credit risk. Expected normalized charge-offs of 25-35 basis points suggest reasonable credit discipline. • Interest Rate Risk: Asset-sensitive balance sheet benefits from rising rates but vulnerable to rate cuts. Net interest margin of 3.42% provides some cushion but remains sensitive to rate environment. • Regulatory Capital: As a regulated bank, maintains required capital ratios though specific Tier 1 capital ratio not disclosed in recent calls.
Recent development
Northwest Bancshares has undergone significant strategic transformation over the past few years, pivoting from a traditional savings bank focused on residential mortgages toward a commercial banking franchise. The most notable development is the dramatic shift in loan portfolio composition, with commercial and industrial loans growing 23.5% year-over-year while residential mortgages declined 6.6% year-over-year as of Q4 2024. The company has established several new commercial lending verticals including sponsor finance, equipment finance, sports finance, franchise finance, and SBA lending to diversify its commercial loan origination capabilities. This strategic pivot has been supported by significant personnel changes, with new leadership brought in including a Chief Commercial Banking Officer, Chief Risk Officer, and Chief Consumer Banking and Strategy Officer. Securities portfolio restructuring was completed in Q2 2024, where Northwest sold $314 million of low-yielding securities at 1.79% and reinvested $258 million at 6% yields, achieving a 420 basis point yield pickup that contributed to net interest margin expansion. The most significant recent development is the announced acquisition of Penns Woods Bancorp, expected to close by late July 2025. This transaction will make Northwest one of the top 100 banks in the United States by asset size and represents the company's commitment to growth through strategic acquisitions. Management has also focused on geographic expansion opportunities, particularly exploring de novo branch expansion in Columbus and Indianapolis markets, which represent higher-growth metropolitan areas compared to the company's traditional Pennsylvania base. The company continues to evaluate additional merger and acquisition opportunities in the $1-3 billion asset size range, focusing on highly accretive transactions in contiguous markets. Operational efficiency improvements have been achieved with the efficiency ratio improving to 59.5%, while the company has maintained disciplined expense management with targeted low single-digit expense growth.
NWBI company profile · for informational purposes only — not investment advice.
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