SEC FORM 4

SEC FORM 4 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

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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^*

Brunner Steven H

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

C/O BANKWELL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC

258 ELM STREET

(Street)

NEW CANAAN

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)
	EVP & Chief Risk 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)
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Common Stock	02/09/2026		A		1,558	A	$0	1,558	D⁽¹⁾
Common Stock	02/09/2026		A		518	A	$0	5,265	D⁽²⁾
Common Stock	02/09/2026		S		1,876	D	$49.85⁽³⁾	3,389	D⁽⁴⁾
Common Stock								1,630	D⁽⁵⁾
Common Stock								498	D⁽⁶⁾
Common Stock								1,244	D⁽⁷⁾

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)
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)	Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)		10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Explanation of Responses:

1. 1,558 shares of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. stock granted pursuant to the 2022 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan. 779 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. 779 of those shares are performance restricted stock with a three year cliff vesting on February 7, 2029 if the performance goal is achieved.

2. 518 shares were granted and vested on February 9, 2026. These shares were related to 2023, 2024, and 2025 additional performance shares.

3. Range of reported sale price is $49.52 - $50.26. Reporting person agrees to provide individual transaction information to SEC upon request.

4. 1,876 shares were withheld and sold through the Company sponsored cashless stock exercise program, to cover the tax liability for vesting a total of 3,717 shares.

5. 4,894 shares of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. stock granted pursuant to the 2022 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan. 2,447 of those shares are restricted stock that will vest in three substantially equal annual installments, with the first installment to vest on February 7, 2025 and the second and third installments to vest on each annual anniversary of the vesting date thereafter. 2,447 of those shares are performance restricted stock and may vest when and if the performance goal is achieved. As of the filing date, 1,632 restricted shares have vested, 816 performance shares vested, and 542 performance shares have been forfeited. 282 additional performance shares vested.

6. 498 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 two year cliff vesting on February 7, 2027 if the performance goals are achieved.

7. 1,493 shares of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. stock granted pursuant to the 2022 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan. 746 of those shares are restricted stock that will vest in three substantially equal annual installments, with the first installment to vest on February 7, 2026 and the second and third installments to vest on each annual anniversary of the vesting date thereafter. 746 of those shares are performance restricted stock with a three year cliff vesting on February 7, 2028 if the performance goals are achieved. As of the vesting date, 249 shares have vested.

Remarks:

	/s/ Steven H. Brunner	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).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.

EVP & Chief Risk Officer Brunner Steven H was granted 2,076 shares and sold $93,519 worth of shares (1,876 units at $49.85) (SEC Form 4)