Pathward (CASH) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 23 2026
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Should l Buy CASH?
Source: NASDAQ.COM
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Analyst Views on CASH
Wall Street analysts forecast CASH stock price to fall over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for CASH is 88.00 USD with a low forecast of 88.00 USD and a high forecast of 88.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
1 Analyst Rating
0 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Hold
Current: 91.570
Low
88.00
Averages
88.00
High
88.00
Current: 91.570
Low
88.00
Averages
88.00
High
88.00
About CASH
Pathward Financial, Inc. is a financial holding company. The Company operates through its subsidiary Pathward, National Association (the Bank). The Bank operates through three segments: Consumer, Commercial, and Corporate Services/Other. The Consumer segment includes the banking-as-a-service (BaaS) business line, which collaborates with partners to navigate payment and lending needs. The Bank's capabilities range from prepaid cards and deposit accounts to payment processing and consumer lending. The Bank offers a variety of installment and revolving consumer lending products through its credit solutions. The Commercial segment offers a variety of products through its working capital, equipment finance, structured finance, and insurance premium finance lending solutions. The Corporate Services/Other segment includes certain shared services as well as treasury related functions, such as the investment portfolio, warehouse finance, wholesale deposit, and borrowings.
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.
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- Complete Liquidation: On January 20, 2026, Shepherd Wealth Management disclosed the liquidation of its entire position in Pathward Financial, selling 15,726 shares for an estimated $10.06 million, indicating a significant decrease in the fund's net position and a pessimistic outlook on the company's future prospects.
- Asset Allocation Shift: Following this transaction, Pathward Financial now represents 0% of the fund's reported AUM, down from 6.7% in the previous quarter, highlighting a major shift in investment strategy that could influence future investment decisions.
- Underperformance: As of January 20, 2026, Pathward Financial's shares were priced at $74.18, reflecting a 5.16% decline over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 Index by 17.67 percentage points, raising concerns about its profitability and market position.
- Strategic Overhaul: Shepherd Wealth Management executed a dramatic portfolio restructuring in Q4 2025, pivoting towards the Invesco Water Resources ETF as its largest holding, suggesting a belief in better opportunities in water infrastructure and nuclear energy, which may reshape its investment strategy and market dynamics.
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- Strong Revenue Growth: Pathward Financial reported a net income of $35.2 million for Q1 2026, representing a 17% increase year-over-year, with earnings per share of $1.57, up 28%, indicating robust growth in the company's core business and enhanced profitability.
- Evolved Operating Model: CEO Brett Pharr announced the rollout of a new operating model designed to optimize relationships with partners, thereby enhancing client success and revenue enablement, further driving innovation and growth for the company.
- Outstanding Tax Season Performance: The company saw over 11% more enrolled tax offices compared to the same period last year at the start of tax season, along with renewed agreements with tax software partners, indicating sustained competitiveness and ongoing improvements in technological efficiency.
- Optimistic Outlook: Pathward raised its fiscal year 2026 EPS guidance to a range of $8.55 to $9.05, reflecting confidence in revenue growth from new partners and fee income, with management emphasizing a focus on optimizing the balance sheet and driving partner-driven revenue growth.
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- Earnings Beat: Pathward Financial reported a Q1 GAAP EPS of $1.57, exceeding expectations by $0.19, indicating strong profitability that may bolster investor confidence in the company's financial health.
- Revenue Miss: However, the company's revenue of $173.1 million fell short of estimates by $12.7 million, raising concerns about future growth prospects and operational performance.
- Market Reaction: The revenue miss could lead investors to adopt a cautious stance towards Pathward Financial's future performance, potentially impacting its stock price in the competitive financial services sector.
- Historical Performance Context: While the EPS improvement is notable compared to historical data, the revenue decline may affect the company's overall competitiveness in the market, necessitating close monitoring of subsequent performance enhancement strategies.
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- Earnings Announcement Schedule: Pathward Financial is set to announce its Q1 earnings on January 22 after market close, with a consensus EPS estimate of $1.38, reflecting a 7.0% year-over-year increase, which could boost investor confidence and potentially drive stock price appreciation.
- Revenue Expectations: The anticipated Q1 revenue stands at $185.8 million, marking a 7.1% year-over-year growth, indicating the company's robust performance in the market and potentially enhancing its competitive position in the financial services sector.
- Performance Beat Record: Over the past year, Pathward Financial has beaten EPS and revenue estimates 75% of the time, showcasing the company's financial management and market forecasting capabilities, which may attract more investor interest.
- Estimate Revision Status: In the last three months, there have been no upward revisions to EPS or revenue estimates, with one downward revision for each, reflecting a cautious market sentiment regarding the company's future performance, prompting investors to closely monitor the upcoming earnings report.
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