Forward Industries Announces Strategic Share Repurchase
MWN-AI** Summary
Forward Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: FWDI) has announced a strategic share repurchase transaction that is expected to enhance the company's Solana (SOL) per-share value while reducing its overall share count. The company has agreed to repurchase 6,164,324 shares of common stock for $27.4 million, which will decrease the total shares outstanding from 83,142,133 to 76,977,809. Following the repurchase, Forward's SOL holdings will increase to 7,013,536, resulting in a SOL-per-share value rising from approximately 0.0624 to 0.0662—a notable increase of about 29%.
To fund this transaction, Forward has secured low-cost financing through a Master Digital Currency Loan Agreement with Galaxy Digital LLC, borrowing $40 million at an attractive average interest rate of 3.4% APR over an average maturity of 4.9 months. Significantly, the loan is backed by fwdSOL in Forward's treasury, allowing the company to earn staking rewards even as it utilizes this capital.
In addition to the share repurchase, Forward anticipates a significant reduction in its operating costs. The company forecasts that its selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses will drop by approximately 45%, from $6.5 million in the fiscal Q1 to about $3.6 million in Q3 2026. This reduction is part of a broader initiative that includes cost-saving measures across various operational aspects.
Forward's Chief Investment Officer, Ryan Navi, expressed confidence that these strategic maneuvers will leverage capital efficiently, amplify shareholder value, and enhance the company's digital asset treasury strategy. As Forward Industries continues to invest in the Solana ecosystem, it aims to create a sustainable competitive advantage while optimizing its financial structure.
MWN-AI** Analysis
Forward Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: FWDI) has recently made headlines with its strategic share repurchase, aimed at enhancing shareholder value through a well-structured financial maneuver. By purchasing over 6 million shares from an institutional investor, the company will reduce its shares outstanding significantly, leading to an impressive 29% increase in SOL-per-share, rising from 0.0624 to 0.0662. This increase not only boosts the attractiveness of Forward's stock but also demonstrates effective capital allocation.
Financed through a low-cost loan agreement with Galaxy Digital LLC at a competitive 3.4% APR, Forward is positioned to capitalize on its existing SOL holdings, as the structure allows for continued earning of staking rewards. This reflects not only financial prudence but also unlocks opportunities for compounded growth in the digital asset space. The share repurchase comes at a time when Forward expects operating expenses to decline by 45%, focusing on long-term cost optimization. A decrease in SG&A expenses signifies effective operational efficiency at a time when many firms are grappling with rising costs.
Given the current data, potential investors may view Forward Industries as a promising opportunity for exposure to the burgeoning Solana ecosystem. The company’s strategy for using the proceeds from the financing to fuel its digital asset treasury signifies a robust approach to growth in a volatile market.
However, investors should be cautious due to inherent risks in the cryptocurrency space, including market volatility and regulatory uncertainty. Hence, while Forward’s recent developments present an optimistic outlook, potential investors should conduct thorough due diligence and consider market conditions when making investment decisions. Overall, Forward Industries appears poised for growth, but careful analysis of risks and macroeconomic factors is advisable.
**MWN-AI Summary and Analysis is based on asking OpenAI to summarize and analyze this news release.
Transaction Expected to Increase SOL-per-Share and Return Over 6 Million Shares of Common Stock to its Treasury Using Low-Cost Financing from Galaxy Digital LLC
Cost Optimization Initiatives Expected to Enhance Operating Leverage
AUSTIN, TX, March 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Forward Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: FWDI) (the "Company" or “Forward”), the leading Solana treasury company, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to repurchase 6,164,324 shares of its common stock from an institutional investor in a privately negotiated transaction. The total purchase cost is $27.4 million.
The transaction will reduce Forward’s common shares outstanding from 83,142,133 to 76,977,809. As of December 31st, 2025, Forward held 6,962,501 SOL and had 111,591,332 fully diluted shares outstanding resulting in a SOL-per-share of approximately 0.0624. As of March 18th, 2026 and following this transaction, Forward holds 7,013,536 SOL and has 105,894,207 fully diluted shares outstanding, resulting in a SOL-per-share of 0.0662 and an annualized increase of approximately 29%, as depicted in the attached capitalization table.
To finance the transaction, Forward has entered into a Master Digital Currency Loan Agreement with Galaxy Digital LLC. (“Galaxy”), under which the Company has borrowed $40 million at a weighted average annual interest rate of approximately 3.4% APR with an average weighted maturity of approximately 4.9 months. The facility is secured by fwdSOL held in the Company’s treasury. Importantly, Forward will continue to earn staking rewards on the underlying SOL, enabling the Company to maintain yield generation while accessing low-cost capital. Forward expects to use the proceeds to finance the share repurchase and support the Company’s digital asset treasury strategy.
“This transaction represents a highly efficient use of capital that immediately increases SOL-per-share by reducing Forward’s share count,” said Ryan Navi, Chief Investment Officer of Forward Industries. “By repurchasing shares at a discount to both our net asset value and current market price, and by securing attractively priced financing that allows us to maintain staking rewards on our collateral, we are able to return a meaningful block of shares to our treasury while continuing to compound our digital asset holdings. We believe this structure reinforces our disciplined approach to capital allocation and our commitment to maximizing long-term value for Forward shareholders.”
Forward also announced that it expects certain operating expenses to decline significantly over the coming quarters, as depicted in the table below. The Company currently forecasts that SG&A expenses (excluding stock-based compensation and design segment SG&A) will decrease by approximately 45% from $6.5 million in fiscal Q1 to an estimated $3.6 million by fiscal Q3. This reflects a broader cost reduction plan that includes reductions in fees under the Company’s services agreement with Galaxy Digital LP, lower outside legal expenses, reduced marketing expenditures, reduced third-party vendor costs, and other operational efficiencies.
Kyle Samani, Chairman of Forward Industries, added, “We are executing on a series of operational initiatives designed to reduce our cost structure and improve operating leverage. We expect these efforts to drive a material decline in SG&A over the coming quarters, excluding stock-based compensation and design segment SG&A. Combined with this share repurchase, which allows us to increase SOL-per-share while continuing to earn staking rewards on our collateral, we are building a more efficient platform that compounds value for shareholders over time.”
About Forward Industries, Inc.
Forward Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: FWDI) is a Solana focused digital asset treasury company, with the strategy to buy, hold, stake, trade, invest in, and grow SOL and SOL related digital assets, protocols and businesses. Our mission is to expand and strengthen the Solana ecosystem by acquiring and staking SOL and engaging with, providing tools to and investing in the Solana network, Solana developers and Solana related projects in order to increase shareholder value. In connection with a private placement transaction in September 2025, we launched our digital asset treasury strategy supported by industry leading investors and operating partners including Galaxy Digital and Jump Crypto. For more information on the Company’s Solana treasury strategy, visit forwardindustries.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “intend”, “potential”, “seek”, “expect,” “plan,” “could,” “may,” “will,” “believe,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “goal,” “project,” and other words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements address various matters including statements relating to anticipated benefits of the share repurchase transaction, expected increase in SOL-per-share, terms and use of proceeds of the Galaxy financing, and projected reductions in operating expenses and SG&A, the Company’s plan for value creation and strategic advantages, market size and growth opportunities. Each forward-looking statement contained in this press release is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statement. Applicable risks and uncertainties include, among others, failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed digital asset treasury strategy; changes in business, market, financial, political and regulatory conditions; risks relating to the Company’s operations and business, including the highly volatile nature of the price of Solana and other cryptocurrencies; the risk that the price of the Company’s common stock may be highly correlated to the price of the digital assets that it holds; risks related to increased competition in the industries and markets in which the Company does and will operate (including the applicable digital assets market); risks relating failure to realize anticipated benefits of the share repurchase transaction, ability to achieve projected costs reductions, counterparty risks associated with financing arrangements, to significant legal, commercial, regulatory and technical uncertainty regarding digital assets generally; risks relating to the treatment of digital assets for U.S. and foreign tax purposes, as well as those risks and uncertainties identified in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this document, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of these statements.
Contacts
Media Contact
Carissa Felger / Sam Cohen
Gasthalter & Co.
(212) 257-4170
Forward@gasthalter.com
Investor Relations Contact
Sean Mansouri, CFA / Aaron D’Souza
Elevate IR
(720) 330-2829
ir@forwardindustries.com
Attachments
FAQ**
How does the share repurchase through "Madrona International FWDI" impact the overall capital allocation strategy and shareholder value for Forward Industries, particularly concerning operating leverage enhancement?
What specific cost optimization initiatives will be implemented by Forward Industries under "Madrona International FWDI" to achieve the projected 45% reduction in SG&A expenses over the upcoming quarters?
Can you elaborate on how the loan agreement with Galaxy Digital LLC under "Madrona International FWDI" influences the company's ability to maintain staking rewards and its overall treasury strategy?
Given the expected increase in SOL-per-share post-transaction, how does Forward Industries plan to communicate this value proposition to investors and stakeholders, particularly in relation to "Madrona International FWDI"?
**MWN-AI FAQ is based on asking OpenAI questions about Madrona International (NYSE: FWDI).
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