MBBC

Marathon Bancorp($MBBC) Draws Small-Cap Growth Investor Interest as CEO Significantly Expands November Purchases

11/28/2025 18:22

Regional bank Marathon Bancorp Inc ($MBBC) is attracting investor attention as its CEO significantly increased his share purchases in November, sparking interest among small-cap investors. Marathon Bancorp is a small regional bank that went public on Nasdaq in April after converting from a mutual savings institution to a stock company. With a market capitalization of approximately $32.9 million and about 2.9 million shares outstanding, the stock has maintained stability around $10 after opening at $12. The most notable development is CEO Nicholas Zillges' consistent buying pattern. Following purchases of 500 shares each in May ($5,034) and June ($4,995), he bought a total of 2,400 shares worth $26,798 in November alone. His November 13 purchase of 1,325 shares in a single transaction was significantly larger than previous trades, suggesting increased confidence in the company's future value. Significantly, all transactions involved stock option exercises. The CEO's options vest at 20% annually starting from June 2023 and May 2024, and are not fully vested yet. This means he's investing cash to exercise options, indicating active investment intention rather than mere compensation. The stock's performance has been stable, trading in the $9-10.5 range since listing, with recent months showing strength above $10. An upward momentum emerged from mid-August, reaching $10.20-10.37 in September, coinciding with the CEO's November purchases. Current market conditions favor small-cap stocks. While November saw AI-related large-caps leading US markets, investor interest in 'growth stocks with high insider ownership' has also increased, benefiting companies like Marathon Bancorp where management continuously increases their stakes. As a regional bank, Marathon Bancorp is positioned to benefit from interest rate environment changes. Small regional banks typically maintain closer ties to local economies than large banks, potentially showing greater growth momentum during economic recovery. Being in its early post-IPO phase, it remains largely under institutional radar, presenting early-entry opportunities for individual investors. Risk factors include limited trading volume typical of small-cap stocks and potential volatility from local economic conditions. Additionally, as a first-year public company, it lacks sufficient earnings track record. Investors should monitor further CEO purchases and quarterly earnings releases, particularly net interest margin (NIM) improvements and loan portfolio growth rates. Continued CEO buying in December would signal strong confidence in Q4 results. Marathon Bancorp presents a combination of strong management conviction, stable price performance, and favorable market conditions, making it worth consideration for small-cap growth investors.