Validea Martin Zweig Strategy Daily Upgrade Report - 8/12/2025
Stock Ratings Update: Validea's Growth Investor model, based on Martin Zweig's strategy, has upgraded ratings for three small-cap value stocks: Foreign Trade Bank of Latin America Inc (BLX) and Capitol Federal Financial Inc (CFFN) both increased to 85%, while Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corp (AGM) rose to 92%, indicating strong interest in these stocks due to their improving fundamentals and valuations.
Company Descriptions: The Foreign Trade Bank of Latin America focuses on financing trade in Latin America, Capitol Federal Financial provides retail banking services primarily in Kansas, and Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation supports rural America's agricultural and infrastructure sectors through its various financial products.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Analyst Views on CFFN
About CFFN
About the author

- Asset Management Scale: HoldCo Asset Management manages approximately $2.8 billion in regulatory assets, showcasing its strength and influence in the financial services sector, indicating its significant position within the industry.
- Activist Shareholder Campaigns: The firm has launched five public activist campaigns targeting banks such as KeyCorp and Comerica, demonstrating its proactive role in driving corporate governance and management changes, which is expected to impact upcoming shareholder meetings.
- Soft Activism Engagements: Additionally, HoldCo has engaged in behind-the-scenes 'soft activism' dialogues with four banks, reflecting its diversified strategy to promote industry change through constructive discussions aimed at achieving substantive improvements.
- Management Changes: Co-founders of HoldCo noted that over the past six months, management teams and boards have made significant changes due to their initiatives, indicating the effectiveness of their shareholder activism and potentially reducing the need for future proxy contests, thereby enhancing investor confidence.
- Quarterly Dividend Declaration: Capitol Federal Financial has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.085 per share, consistent with previous distributions, indicating the company's ongoing ability to maintain stable cash flows.
- Dividend Yield: The forward yield of 4.97% provides investors with a relatively attractive return, enhancing the company's appeal in a low-interest-rate environment.
- Payment Schedule: The dividend is payable on February 20, with a record date of February 6 and an ex-dividend date also on February 6, ensuring shareholders receive their earnings promptly.
- Loan Growth Impact: Despite facing challenges with low residential loan growth, the company is still expected to maintain profitability, reflecting its resilience amid market fluctuations.
- Quarterly Cash Dividend: Capitol Federal Financial has declared a cash dividend of $0.085 per share, payable on February 20, 2026, reflecting the company's commitment to returning value to shareholders.
- Record Date for Shareholders: The record date for this dividend is set for February 6, 2026, ensuring that investors holding shares by this date will receive the dividend, thereby enhancing investor confidence in holding the stock.
- Financial Results Release: The company plans to release its financial results for the quarter ending December 31, 2025, on January 28, 2026, with investors keenly awaiting performance metrics to assess future dividend sustainability.
- Market Position: Capitol Federal Savings Bank operates 46 branches in Kansas and Missouri and is one of the largest residential lenders in Kansas, underscoring its strong competitive position in the local market.
- Options Market Volatility: The options market is experiencing heightened volatility due to the upcoming Federal Reserve policy decision, with some stocks showing implied volatility nearing 50% ahead of earnings reports.
- Capitol Federal Financial: CFFN is set to report earnings on January 28, with analysts expecting earnings per share of 15 cents and revenue of $57.51 million, reflecting a significant implied move of 48.48%.
- Other Bank Stocks: Stocks like First Financial Bancorp and Provident Financial Services are also seeing implied moves exceeding 39%, indicating cautious market sentiment regarding their earnings performance.
- Market Reaction: Overall, the market is reacting strongly to the impending earnings reports, particularly among regional banks, highlighting investor concerns over future earnings uncertainty and potential risks.
- Special Dividend Announcement: Capitol Federal Financial, Inc. has declared a special cash dividend of $0.04 per share, payable on January 23, 2026, reflecting the company's ongoing commitment to shareholder value.
- Stock Buyback Program: Between October 1 and December 16, 2025, the company repurchased 1,577,853 shares at an average cost of $6.72 per share, enhancing its capital allocation flexibility.
- Multi-Channel Value Return: The special dividend, combined with regular quarterly dividends and stock repurchases, demonstrates the company's balanced strategy between future investments and returning capital to shareholders, aimed at boosting investor confidence.
- Market Position Consolidation: As one of the largest residential lenders in Kansas, Capitol Federal Financial's dividend and buyback strategies will further solidify its leadership position in the local market.
- Index Component Changes: The KBW Nasdaq Insurance Index adds four companies, including Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. and Chubb Limited, while dropping four others, reflecting market dynamics.
- Regional Banking Index Update: The KBW Nasdaq Regional Banking Index adds Axos Financial, Inc. and removes Synovus Financial Corp., indicating a focus on emerging fintech companies.
- Dividend Yield Index Adjustments: The KBW Nasdaq Financial Sector Dividend Yield Index adds eight companies and drops eight, demonstrating ongoing investor interest in high-yield investments.
- REIT Index Expansion: The KBW Nasdaq Premium Yield Equity REIT Index adds twelve companies while removing nine, reflecting the vibrancy of the real estate market and investor confidence.









