Insider Trading March 19, 2026

ConnectOne Director Disposes $1.0M in Stock; Holding Remains Substantial

Director Michael W Kempner sold shares in 2020 while retaining a significant stake; bank posts mixed Q4 2025 results

By Sofia Navarro CNOB
ConnectOne Director Disposes $1.0M in Stock; Holding Remains Substantial
CNOB

ConnectOne Bancorp director Michael W Kempner sold 67,800 shares of the bank’s common stock on August 11, 2020, for roughly $1.0 million, and still holds a sizeable position. The stock has since risen, and recent company results for Q4 2025 showed an EPS beat but a revenue shortfall. The bank offers a 2.82% dividend and has increased payouts for seven straight years.

Key Points

  • Director Michael W Kempner sold 67,800 ConnectOne shares on August 11, 2020, at $14.7549 per share, totaling about $1.0 million.
  • Post-sale holdings show Kempner directly owns 214,370 shares; he also donated 7,707 shares on March 17, 2026.
  • ConnectOne’s Q4 2025 results included an EPS of $0.75 (4.17% above expectations) and revenue of $110.3 million (4.25% below estimates); the stock traded stable in pre-market.

Director Michael W Kempner executed a sale of ConnectOne Bancorp (NASDAQ: CNOB) shares in 2020 but has retained a meaningful ownership stake in the company. According to a Form 4 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Kempner sold 67,800 shares of common stock on August 11, 2020, at a unit price of $14.7549, producing proceeds of approximately $1.0 million.

Following the disposition recorded in that filing, Kempner continued to own 214,370 shares of ConnectOne Bancorp directly. In a separate transaction noted on March 17, 2026, Kempner made a charitable gift of 7,707 shares.

Market movements since the 2020 sale have been notable: ConnectOne’s common stock is currently trading at $25.62, a 74% increase relative to the August 11, 2020 transaction price. The price appreciation reflects subsequent trading activity and valuation changes since the time of the sale.

Beyond insider activity, the bank’s recent quarterly disclosure showed mixed financial results. For the fourth quarter of 2025, ConnectOne reported earnings per share of $0.75, exceeding analysts’ expectations of $0.72 - a 4.17% positive surprise. Revenue for the period was $110.3 million, however, which fell short of the $115.2 million analysts anticipated, a 4.25% negative surprise. The stock described in pre-market trading following those results was reported as stable.

On the shareholder return front, the bank maintains a dividend yield of 2.82% and has increased its dividend for seven consecutive years, according to InvestingPro. Those attributes are part of the company’s recent investor disclosures and factor into assessments of its cash return profile.


Taken together, the filings and financial disclosures outline an insider sale that did not eliminate a significant director holding, a later charitable gift, and quarterly results that combined an EPS beat with a revenue miss. The documentation cited is limited to the Form 4 filing and the company’s reported quarterly results; no additional claims or interpretations are made beyond those filings and figures.

Risks

  • The company reported a revenue shortfall in Q4 2025 versus expectations, which may signal pressure on top-line performance - this affects banking and finance sector valuation metrics.
  • Insider sales, such as the 2020 transaction, can be interpreted in different ways by investors; such transactions impact investor sentiment in the banking sector.
  • Reliance on dividends as part of investor returns may be sensitive to future earnings and cash flow performance given the bank’s recent mixed results; this is relevant to income-focused investors and the broader financials sector.

More from Insider Trading

Watts Water President Sells $108,672 in Stock While Analysts Lift Targets Mar 19, 2026 Ingredion Vice President Disposes of $42,163 in Shares as Company Posts Mixed Updates Mar 19, 2026 Prosperity Bancshares Director Ned S. Holmes Sells $70,714 in Stock Mar 19, 2026 Horizon Kinetics CFO Buys $2,642 of Stock as Company Posts Q4 Loss Mar 19, 2026 Farmers National Banc Director Executes Small Share Purchase as Bank Integrates Middlefield Mar 19, 2026