Pathward Recognized Among TIME America’s Best Companies 2026

Key Terms

environmental social governance (esg) financial

A framework used to evaluate a company's performance on environmental, social, and governance factors: environmental covers resource use and pollution, social covers labor practices and community impact, and governance covers board structure, transparency, and ethics. Think of it as a non-financial report card that helps investors assess risks and long-term resilience tied to regulation, reputation, and operational practices. ESG metrics are used alongside financial data to form a fuller picture of a company's sustainability and risk profile.

esg index financial

A ESG index is a stock market index made up of companies chosen and weighted according to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria rather than just size or market value. Think of it like a shopping list that filters companies by sustainability and corporate behavior scores; it matters to investors because it serves as a benchmark and a building block for funds and ETFs that track ESG-focused exposure, and it signals how a portfolio aligns with certain non-financial risks and values.

return on assets financial

Return on assets (ROA) is a percentage that shows how much profit a company earns for each dollar of its assets, calculated by dividing its profit by its total assets. Investors use ROA to judge how efficiently a business turns its resources into earnings — like measuring how many miles a car gets per gallon — and to compare efficiency across companies, keeping in mind that capital‑intensive industries naturally show different typical ROA levels.

global reporting initiative financial

A global reporting initiative is a widely used set of standards and guidelines companies follow to disclose their environmental, social and governance performance—think of it as a common recipe that helps firms report on things like emissions, labor practices and supply‑chain impacts in a consistent way. Investors use these reports to compare companies, assess long‑term risks and spot opportunities that aren't visible in financial statements alone.

corporate social responsibility report financial

A corporate social responsibility report is a public document companies issue to describe how they handle social, environmental and ethical issues—like worker treatment, pollution, community support and governance—alongside their financial operations. Investors use it like a car inspection report: it reveals risks and strengths beyond the balance sheet, showing whether a company manages long-term reputational, regulatory and operational risks that can affect future profitability and value.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pathward Financial, Inc. (Nasdaq: CASH) through its subsidiary, Pathward^®, N.A., (“Bank” or “Pathward”), announced the Bank has been named to TIME’s inaugural list of America’s Best Companies 2026. TIME published the list in collaboration with Statista, a statistics portal and industry ranking provider.

Pathward has been named to TIME’s inaugural list of America’s Best Companies 2026.

TIME and Statista identified America’s Best Companies 2026 based on three primary dimensions:

• Employee satisfaction – Based on survey data from about 217,000 verified employees at U.S. companies over the past three years, covering company recommendations and employer ratings across image, atmosphere, working conditions, salary, workplace, and equality.
• Financial performance – Drawn from Statista's revenue database over the past five years. Companies needed at least $100 million in revenue in 2025. Performance was assessed on multiple metrics: short-term (2023–2025) and long-term (2021–2025) revenue growth (relative and absolute), changes in net income, asset growth, and the evolution of return on assets, all for 2023–2025.
• Sustainability transparency – Based on an Environmental Social Governance (ESG) index from Statista's ESG database and additional research, covering:
  • Environmental: 2024 carbon emissions intensity and reduction rate versus 2022
  • Social: share of women on the Board of Directors and disclosure of a human rights policy
  • Governance: presence of a Global Reporting Initiative, aligned Corporate Social Responsibility report, and a compliance/anti-corruption policy

The 1,000 highest-scoring companies, which included Pathward, earned recognition as America’s Best Companies 2026 by TIME and Statista.

“I am proud of Pathward’s commitment to our purpose, people and sustainable business practices,” said Pathward CEO Brett Pharr. “While many factors contribute to performance, our employees are what sets us apart. This recognition from TIME reflects the dedication of our team and the impact they make every day.”

As a bank with scalable infrastructure, deep payments expertise, and a consultative risk and compliance approach, Pathward helps fintechs and other payments innovators launch, grow, and scale responsibly. Pathward’s portfolio of offerings includes card issuing, merchant acquiring and digital payments sponsorship, as well as financial institution solutions, credit solutions and professional tax solutions. The Bank also offers flexible working capital, equipment financing, and structured finance solutions to businesses.

Find the complete list of America’s Best Companies 2026 on TIME.com.

About Pathward Financial, Inc.

Pathward Financial, Inc. (Nasdaq: CASH) is a U.S.-based financial holding company driven by its purpose to power financial inclusion. Through our subsidiary, Pathward^®, N.A., we strive to increase financial availability, choice and opportunity across our Partner Solutions and Commercial Finance business lines. These strategic business lines provide support to individuals and businesses. Learn more at PathwardFinancial.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260709541433/en/

Pathward media contact:
Courtney Heidelberg
605-291-7044
mediarelations@pathward.com

Investor Relations contact:
Darby Schoenfeld, CPA
SVP, Chief of Staff & Investor Relations
877-497-7497
investorrelations@pathward.com

Source: Pathward Financial, Inc.