The Resurgence of Small-Caps May Propel These 7%-14% Dividend Stocks
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 05 2025
0mins
Should l Buy UWMC?
Source: NASDAQ.COM
Small-Cap Stocks on the Rise: Small-cap stocks are gaining attention as interest rates decline, with four notable stocks yielding between 7.1% and 13.3%, signaling potential bullish trends as we approach 2026.
Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending (NCDL): NCDL offers a high dividend yield of 13.0% and is involved in financing small businesses, benefiting from lower borrowing costs despite a complex relationship with Fed rate changes.
UWM Holdings (UWMC): As America's largest home mortgage lender, UWMC has a 7.1% dividend yield and is positioned to benefit from lower mortgage rates, although its shares are not considered cheap.
Redwood Trust (RWT) and Franklin BSP Realty Trust (FBRT): RWT, with a 12.7% yield, focuses on jumbo mortgages and is expected to improve earnings, while FBRT, yielding 13.3%, deals in commercial mortgage-backed securities but faces challenges in maintaining its dividend.
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Analyst Views on UWMC
Wall Street analysts forecast UWMC stock price to rise
7 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
5 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 3.920
Low
5.00
Averages
6.54
High
10.00
Current: 3.920
Low
5.00
Averages
6.54
High
10.00
About UWMC
UWM Holdings Corporation, through its subsidiaries, is engaged in the origination, sale and servicing of residential mortgage loans throughout the United States. The Company originates primarily conforming and government loans across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It operates in a single segment and is engaged in the origination, sale and servicing of residential mortgage loans, exclusively in the wholesale channel. It is focused on originating conventional, agency-eligible loans that can be sold to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or transferred to Ginnie Mae pools for sale in the secondary market. Its conventional agency-conforming loans meet the general underwriting guidelines established by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Easiest Application System Ever is its primary LOS that allows clients to interact with the Company and to select products, lock rates and run the Automated Underwriting System. Blink+ is its client facing point of sale system white-labeled for its clients.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
BETR Shares Surge on Strong Mortgage Sales and Partnerships
- Mortgage Sales Growth: The Mortgage Bankers Association reported a 1.8% increase in overall applications for the week ending April 10, marking the first rise in five weeks, indicating a rebound in market demand that is expected to further drive BETR's business growth.
- Executive Share Purchases: BETR's CEO Vishal Garg and Chairman Harit Talwar purchased shares at market rates in early April, boosting investor confidence and pushing the stock to its highest level since December 2025, reflecting strong executive belief in the company's future.
- Partnership with Coinbase: BETR's collaboration with cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase to offer token-backed mortgages allows Americans to use Bitcoin or stablecoins for cash down payments, a move expected to attract younger customers and expand market share.
- Optimistic Market Sentiment: Sentiment on Stocktwits around BETR stock is deemed 'extremely bullish' with very high message volumes, reflecting strong confidence from retail investors in the company's future performance, with the stock up 40% year-to-date.
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- Sale Overview: UWM Holdings CEO Mat Ishbia indirectly sold 2,001,148 shares of Class A Common Stock via SFS Corp on April 14 and 15, 2026, totaling $7.5 million, reflecting his liquidity management strategy in the market.
- Transaction Structure: The shares sold were converted from UWM Paired Interests, and despite the reduction in Class A shares, Ishbia retains control over 1,265,482,620 convertible UWM Paired Interests, preserving significant economic and voting power.
- Market Dynamics Impact: The sale was executed at approximately $3.75 per share, indicating a disciplined execution of plans rather than a reaction to market timing, especially as UWM shares declined by 10.07% over the past year.
- Future Outlook: Even without the Two Harbors acquisition, UWM expects first-quarter 2026 revenue between $800 million and $900 million, demonstrating resilience against market fluctuations while maintaining its quarterly dividend payout.
See More
UWM Holdings CEO Sells 2 Million Shares
- Share Sale Overview: Mat Ishbia, CEO of UWM Holdings, indirectly sold 2,001,148 shares of Class A Common Stock via SFS Corp on April 14 and 15, 2026, for approximately $7.49 million at a weighted average price of $3.75 per share, representing 12.72% of his total disclosed holdings at the time of the transaction.
- Derivative Securities Holdings: Despite the sale of over 2 million shares, Ishbia retained over 13 million shares indirectly and reported 1.27 billion derivative securities, indicating alignment with shareholder interests and enhancing market confidence.
- Loan Origination Recovery: UWM Holdings reported a loan origination volume of $49.6 billion in Q4 2025, the highest since 2021, indicating a recovery in the mortgage business, with expected first-quarter 2026 revenue between $800 million and $900 million.
- Unsuccessful Acquisition Plans: Although UWM's acquisition of Two Harbors did not succeed, the company plans to maintain its quarterly dividend and expects total revenue for fiscal 2026 to range between $3.5 billion and $4.5 billion, reflecting a 25% increase from last year's $3.2 billion revenue.
See More
UWM CEO Mat Ishbia Sells Over 2 Million Shares
- Share Sale Details: UWM CEO Mat Ishbia sold 2,001,148 shares through SFS Corp between April 7 and 8, 2026, at an average price of approximately $3.74 per share, totaling about $7.48 million, while still retaining over 7.7 million shares, indicating confidence in the company's future.
- Transaction Context: The sale was executed under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan established in September 2025, aimed at avoiding insider trading accusations, demonstrating Ishbia's compliance-focused trading strategy amidst market fluctuations.
- Market Reaction: Despite UWM's stock declining to a 52-week low of $3.38 in March, the company reported a record loan origination volume of $49.6 billion in Q4 2025, the highest quarterly volume since 2021, reflecting strong business performance.
- Acquisition Impact: The decision to acquire Two Harbors Investment Corp raised investor concerns, although UWM stated the acquisition was intended to secure its servicing business rather than operations, leading to mixed market perceptions that affected stock performance.
See More
UWM CEO Mat Ishbia Sells Over 2 Million Shares
- Transaction Overview: UWM Holdings CEO Mat Ishbia sold 2,001,148 shares of common stock for approximately $7.48 million on April 7 and 8, 2026, indicating his active participation in the market.
- Ownership Change Analysis: Post-transaction, Ishbia holds 408,131 shares directly and 7,326,413 shares indirectly, reflecting a reduction of over 20% in total holdings while still maintaining significant control over the company.
- Trading Plan Context: The sale was executed under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan established in September 2025, aimed at mitigating legal risks associated with insider trading, indicating that Ishbia's actions were planned rather than impulsive.
- Market Reaction and Business Performance: Despite a decline in UWM's stock following the acquisition of Two Harbors Investment Corp, the company reported a record loan origination volume of $49.6 billion in Q4 2025, the highest since 2021, demonstrating robust business performance amid an uncertain macroeconomic landscape.
See More
Mortgage Market Continues to Struggle Amid Economic Uncertainty
- Mortgage Application Decline: The Mortgage Bankers Association reported a 0.8% decrease in total mortgage application volume last week compared to the previous week, indicating ongoing economic uncertainty's impact on the market.
- Slight Drop in Fixed-Rate Loan Rates: The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased from 6.57% to 6.51%, yet this minor reduction has not sufficiently stimulated buyer demand in the current market.
- Year-over-Year Purchase Loan Applications Down: While mortgage applications for home purchases rose 1% week-over-week, they were 7% lower than the same week last year, marking the first year-over-year decline since January 2025, reflecting market weakness.
- Significant Drop in Refinance Applications: Refinance applications fell by 3% last week and were down 4% year-over-year, indicating pressure on borrowers due to rising rates, with application levels reaching the lowest since December 2025.
See More
BETR Shares Surge on Strong Mortgage Sales and Partnerships
- Mortgage Sales Growth: The Mortgage Bankers Association reported a 1.8% increase in overall applications for the week ending April 10, marking the first rise in five weeks, indicating a rebound in market demand that is expected to further drive BETR's business growth.
- Executive Share Purchases: BETR's CEO Vishal Garg and Chairman Harit Talwar purchased shares at market rates in early April, boosting investor confidence and pushing the stock to its highest level since December 2025, reflecting strong executive belief in the company's future.
- Partnership with Coinbase: BETR's collaboration with cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase to offer token-backed mortgages allows Americans to use Bitcoin or stablecoins for cash down payments, a move expected to attract younger customers and expand market share.
- Optimistic Market Sentiment: Sentiment on Stocktwits around BETR stock is deemed 'extremely bullish' with very high message volumes, reflecting strong confidence from retail investors in the company's future performance, with the stock up 40% year-to-date.
See More
UWM CEO Sells Over 2 Million Shares of Stock
- Sale Overview: UWM Holdings CEO Mat Ishbia indirectly sold 2,001,148 shares of Class A Common Stock via SFS Corp on April 14 and 15, 2026, totaling $7.5 million, reflecting his liquidity management strategy in the market.
- Transaction Structure: The shares sold were converted from UWM Paired Interests, and despite the reduction in Class A shares, Ishbia retains control over 1,265,482,620 convertible UWM Paired Interests, preserving significant economic and voting power.
- Market Dynamics Impact: The sale was executed at approximately $3.75 per share, indicating a disciplined execution of plans rather than a reaction to market timing, especially as UWM shares declined by 10.07% over the past year.
- Future Outlook: Even without the Two Harbors acquisition, UWM expects first-quarter 2026 revenue between $800 million and $900 million, demonstrating resilience against market fluctuations while maintaining its quarterly dividend payout.
See More
UWM Holdings CEO Sells 2 Million Shares
- Share Sale Overview: Mat Ishbia, CEO of UWM Holdings, indirectly sold 2,001,148 shares of Class A Common Stock via SFS Corp on April 14 and 15, 2026, for approximately $7.49 million at a weighted average price of $3.75 per share, representing 12.72% of his total disclosed holdings at the time of the transaction.
- Derivative Securities Holdings: Despite the sale of over 2 million shares, Ishbia retained over 13 million shares indirectly and reported 1.27 billion derivative securities, indicating alignment with shareholder interests and enhancing market confidence.
- Loan Origination Recovery: UWM Holdings reported a loan origination volume of $49.6 billion in Q4 2025, the highest since 2021, indicating a recovery in the mortgage business, with expected first-quarter 2026 revenue between $800 million and $900 million.
- Unsuccessful Acquisition Plans: Although UWM's acquisition of Two Harbors did not succeed, the company plans to maintain its quarterly dividend and expects total revenue for fiscal 2026 to range between $3.5 billion and $4.5 billion, reflecting a 25% increase from last year's $3.2 billion revenue.
See More
UWM CEO Mat Ishbia Sells Over 2 Million Shares
- Share Sale Details: UWM CEO Mat Ishbia sold 2,001,148 shares through SFS Corp between April 7 and 8, 2026, at an average price of approximately $3.74 per share, totaling about $7.48 million, while still retaining over 7.7 million shares, indicating confidence in the company's future.
- Transaction Context: The sale was executed under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan established in September 2025, aimed at avoiding insider trading accusations, demonstrating Ishbia's compliance-focused trading strategy amidst market fluctuations.
- Market Reaction: Despite UWM's stock declining to a 52-week low of $3.38 in March, the company reported a record loan origination volume of $49.6 billion in Q4 2025, the highest quarterly volume since 2021, reflecting strong business performance.
- Acquisition Impact: The decision to acquire Two Harbors Investment Corp raised investor concerns, although UWM stated the acquisition was intended to secure its servicing business rather than operations, leading to mixed market perceptions that affected stock performance.
See More
UWM CEO Mat Ishbia Sells Over 2 Million Shares
- Transaction Overview: UWM Holdings CEO Mat Ishbia sold 2,001,148 shares of common stock for approximately $7.48 million on April 7 and 8, 2026, indicating his active participation in the market.
- Ownership Change Analysis: Post-transaction, Ishbia holds 408,131 shares directly and 7,326,413 shares indirectly, reflecting a reduction of over 20% in total holdings while still maintaining significant control over the company.
- Trading Plan Context: The sale was executed under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan established in September 2025, aimed at mitigating legal risks associated with insider trading, indicating that Ishbia's actions were planned rather than impulsive.
- Market Reaction and Business Performance: Despite a decline in UWM's stock following the acquisition of Two Harbors Investment Corp, the company reported a record loan origination volume of $49.6 billion in Q4 2025, the highest since 2021, demonstrating robust business performance amid an uncertain macroeconomic landscape.
See More
Mortgage Market Continues to Struggle Amid Economic Uncertainty
- Mortgage Application Decline: The Mortgage Bankers Association reported a 0.8% decrease in total mortgage application volume last week compared to the previous week, indicating ongoing economic uncertainty's impact on the market.
- Slight Drop in Fixed-Rate Loan Rates: The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased from 6.57% to 6.51%, yet this minor reduction has not sufficiently stimulated buyer demand in the current market.
- Year-over-Year Purchase Loan Applications Down: While mortgage applications for home purchases rose 1% week-over-week, they were 7% lower than the same week last year, marking the first year-over-year decline since January 2025, reflecting market weakness.
- Significant Drop in Refinance Applications: Refinance applications fell by 3% last week and were down 4% year-over-year, indicating pressure on borrowers due to rising rates, with application levels reaching the lowest since December 2025.
See More
