About Cabling Installation & Maintenance

Our mission: Bringing practical business and technical intelligence to today's structured cabling professionals

For more than 30 years, Cabling Installation & Maintenance has provided useful, practical information to professionals responsible for the specification, design, installation and management of structured cabling systems serving enterprise, data center and other environments. These professionals are challenged to stay informed of constantly evolving standards, system-design and installation approaches, product and system capabilities, technologies, as well as applications that rely on high-performance structured cabling systems. Our editors synthesize these complex issues into multiple information products. This portfolio of information products provides concrete detail that improves the efficiency of day-to-day operations, and equips cabling professionals with the perspective that enables strategic planning for networks’ optimum long-term performance.

Throughout our annual magazine, weekly email newsletters and 24/7/365 website, Cabling Installation & Maintenance digs into the essential topics our audience focuses on.

  • Design, Installation and Testing: We explain the bottom-up design of cabling systems, from case histories of actual projects to solutions for specific problems or aspects of the design process. We also look at specific installations using a case-history approach to highlight challenging problems, solutions and unique features. Additionally, we examine evolving test-and-measurement technologies and techniques designed to address the standards-governed and practical-use performance requirements of cabling systems.
  • Technology: We evaluate product innovations and technology trends as they impact a particular product class through interviews with manufacturers, installers and users, as well as contributed articles from subject-matter experts.
  • Data Center: Cabling Installation & Maintenance takes an in-depth look at design and installation workmanship issues as well as the unique technology being deployed specifically for data centers.
  • Physical Security: Focusing on the areas in which security and IT—and the infrastructure for both—interlock and overlap, we pay specific attention to Internet Protocol’s influence over the development of security applications.
  • Standards: Tracking the activities of North American and international standards-making organizations, we provide updates on specifications that are in-progress, looking forward to how they will affect cabling-system design and installation. We also produce articles explaining the practical aspects of designing and installing cabling systems in accordance with the specifications of established standards.

Cabling Installation & Maintenance is published by Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B.

Contact Cabling Installation & Maintenance

Editorial

Patrick McLaughlin

Serena Aburahma

Advertising and Sponsorship Sales

Peter Fretty - Vice President, Market Leader

Tim Carli - Business Development Manager

Brayden Hudspeth - Sales Development Representative

Subscriptions and Memberships

Subscribe to our newsletters and manage your subscriptions

Feedback/Problems

Send a message to our general in-box

 

CASH Q1 Deep Dive: Tax Services Drive Growth Amid Strategic Balance Sheet Moves

CASH Cover Image

Financial services company Pathward Financial (NASDAQ: CASH) reported Q1 CY2025 results topping the market’s revenue expectations, with sales up 7.8% year on year to $266.6 million. Its non-GAAP profit of $3.41 per share was 22.5% above analysts’ consensus estimates.

Is now the time to buy CASH? Find out in our full research report (it’s free).

Pathward Financial (CASH) Q1 CY2025 Highlights:

  • Revenue: $266.6 million vs analyst estimates of $259.3 million (7.8% year-on-year growth, 2.8% beat)
  • Adjusted EPS: $3.41 vs analyst estimates of $2.78 (22.5% beat)
  • Market Capitalization: $1.72 billion

StockStory’s Take

Pathward Financial’s first quarter performance was shaped by robust growth in its tax services segment and continued progress on optimizing its balance sheet. Management credited a strong tax season, increased non-interest income, and expansion in independent tax office partnerships as main contributors. CEO Brett Pharr highlighted that the company’s improved underwriting models and expanded reach led to increased refund advance origination and favorable loss rates. The company also executed a portfolio sale to free up liquidity for redeployment, while maintaining stable credit quality across its lending portfolio.

Looking forward, Pathward Financial’s guidance is underpinned by expectations for continued strength in tax services, ongoing balance sheet optimization, and prudent capital deployment. Management plans further investments in technology infrastructure and risk management, while remaining cautious about potential macroeconomic headwinds. CFO Greg Sigrist stated the company will continue to monitor rate environments and redeploy liquidity into higher-return asset classes, aiming for net interest margins that exceed last year. Management also anticipates ongoing share repurchases, with a focus on maintaining operational capital and risk discipline.

Key Insights from Management’s Remarks

Management attributed revenue growth to tax services expansion and prudent asset rotation, while margin trends reflected ongoing investments and portfolio sales.

  • Tax services outperformance: The company’s tax business saw record participation with over 42,000 independent tax offices, leading to double-digit growth in non-interest income and tax services revenue. Management pointed to higher IRS refund volumes and improved underwriting models as drivers, but noted future growth may moderate.
  • Portfolio optimization: Pathward sold a portion of its working capital loan portfolio, which freed up $190 million in liquidity for redeployment into higher-return assets. This strategic sale supported margin expansion and improved return on assets.
  • Technology investments: Management increased spending on technology infrastructure, reflected in higher occupancy and equipment expenses, while partially offsetting costs through lower compensation as full-time equivalent headcount declined slightly.
  • Stable credit quality: Despite broader macroeconomic uncertainty, the company reported no signs of credit deterioration in its loan portfolio. The allowance for credit losses remained consistent with historical ranges, and net charge-offs were stable.
  • Competitive landscape shifts: Leadership noted that disruptions among smaller competitors are bringing new partnership opportunities to Pathward’s pipeline, enabling selective growth in its partner solutions and credit businesses without large-scale acquisitions.

Drivers of Future Performance

Pathward’s outlook is driven by expectations for steady tax service demand, disciplined balance sheet management, and continued technology investment.

  • Sustained tax services contribution: Management expects tax services to remain a cornerstone of revenue, though growth rates may normalize following this year’s strong performance. The company’s reach in independent tax offices and focus on underwriting will continue to support this segment.
  • Balance sheet optimization focus: The company plans to redeploy recently freed liquidity into assets with higher risk-adjusted returns, maintaining a cautious approach to loan growth and capital allocation. This strategy is designed to preserve strong net interest margins, even in a volatile rate environment.
  • Technology and risk management investments: Ongoing investment in technology infrastructure and risk controls are expected to enhance operational efficiency and compliance, though they could modestly increase expenses. Management will balance these investments with efforts to control compensation costs and maintain efficiency ratios.

Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters

Looking ahead, the StockStory team will be monitoring (1) continued growth and retention in tax services and independent office partnerships, (2) redeployment of liquidity from recent portfolio sales into higher-yielding assets, and (3) the impact of technology and risk management investments on efficiency and compliance. We will also watch for signs of credit quality shifts and new partnership wins as the competitive landscape evolves.

Pathward Financial currently trades at $75.40, down from $80.82 just before the earnings. In the wake of this quarter, is it a buy or sell? See for yourself in our full research report (it’s free).

High Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election sent major indices to all-time highs, but stocks have retraced as investors debate the health of the economy and the potential impact of tariffs.

While this leaves much uncertainty around 2025, a few companies are poised for long-term gains regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate, like our Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025).

Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.

Stock Quote API & Stock News API supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms Of Service.