[Form 4] Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Insider Trading Activity

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. reported an equity grant to Chief Innovation Officer Ryan Jason Hildebrand. On February 9, 2026, he was awarded 3,116 shares of common stock at $0 under the 2022 Stock Plan.

Of this grant, 1,558 shares are time-based restricted stock vesting in three equal annual installments starting on February 7, 2027. The remaining 1,558 shares are performance restricted stock that vest on February 7, 2029 if the performance goal is achieved. Following the reported transaction, he directly beneficially owns 3,116 shares from this grant, 3,334 other common shares, and 15,000 performance restricted shares from earlier awards, all under the same 2022 Stock Plan.

Insider Trade Summary

3 transactions reported

Mixed 3 txns

Insider Hildebrand Ryan Jason

Role Chief Innovation Officer

Type	Security	Shares	Price	Value
Grant/Award	Common Stock	3,116	$0.00	--
holding	Common Stock	--	--	--
holding	Common Stock	--	--	--

Holdings After Transaction: Common Stock — 3,116 shares (Direct)

Footnotes (1)

1. 3,116 shares of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. stock granted pursuant to the 2022 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan. 1,558 of those shares are restricted stock that will vest in three substantially equal annual installments, with the first installment to vest on February 7, 2027 and the second and third installments to vest on each annual anniversary of the vesting date thereafter. 1,558 of those shares are performance restricted stock with a three year cliff vesting on February 7, 2029 if the performance goal is achieved 10,000 shares of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. stock granted pursuant to the 2022 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan. The shares are restricted stock that will vest in three substantially equal annual installments, with the first installment vested on July 1, 2024 and the second and third installments to vest on each annual anniversary of the vesting date thereafter. As of the filing date, 3,333 shares have vested. 15,000 shares of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. stock granted pursuant to the 2022 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan. These shares are performance restricted stock with a three year cliff vesting on February 7, 2028 if the performance goals are achieved.

Form 4 Insider Transactions: What Each Field Means →

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB APPROVAL

OMB Number:			3235-0287
Estimated average burden
hours per response:			0.5

Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of equity securities of the issuer that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

Hildebrand Ryan Jason

(Last) (First) (Middle)

C/O BANKWELL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.

258 ELM STREET

(Street)

NEW CANAAN CT 06840

(City) (State) (Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. [ BWFG ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

	Director		10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)		Other (specify below)
	Chief Innovation Officer

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
02/09/2026

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	02/09/2026		A		3,116	A	$0	3,116	D(1)
Common Stock								3,334	D(2)
Common Stock								15,000	D(3)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares

Explanation of Responses:

1. 3,116 shares of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. stock granted pursuant to the 2022 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan. 1,558 of those shares are restricted stock that will vest in three substantially equal annual installments, with the first installment to vest on February 7, 2027 and the second and third installments to vest on each annual anniversary of the vesting date thereafter. 1,558 of those shares are performance restricted stock with a three year cliff vesting on February 7, 2029 if the performance goal is achieved

2. 10,000 shares of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. stock granted pursuant to the 2022 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan. The shares are restricted stock that will vest in three substantially equal annual installments, with the first installment vested on July 1, 2024 and the second and third installments to vest on each annual anniversary of the vesting date thereafter. As of the filing date, 3,333 shares have vested.

3. 15,000 shares of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. stock granted pursuant to the 2022 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan. These shares are performance restricted stock with a three year cliff vesting on February 7, 2028 if the performance goals are achieved.

Remarks:

	/s/ Angelo G. Fusaro, Attorney-in-Fact for Ryan J. Hildebrand	02/10/2026
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
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