Based on key financial metrics such as the price-to-sales ratio, shareholder yield and the price-earnings ratio, the following 6 stocks made the list for top value stocks in the Banks industry. Those looking for value stocks to add to their portfolio may want to use this list as a starting point for further investment research.

Why Focus on Undervalued Banks Stocks?

Value investors seek to buy stocks at a discount to their intrinsic value. Long-term returns show that such strategies are advantageous. Value stocks, as a group, tend to outperform growth stocks over extended periods of time. Typically, value investors perform financial analysis of numerous metrics, don’t follow the herd and are long-term investors.

AAII’s A+ Investor Value Grade is derived from a stock’s Value Score. The Value Score is the percentile rank of the average of the percentile ranks of the price-to-sales ratio, price-earnings ratio, enterprise-value-to-EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) ratio, shareholder yield, price-to-book-value ratio and price-to-free-cash-flow ratio. The score is variable, meaning it can consider all six ratios or, should any of the six ratios not be valid, the remaining ratios that are valid. To be assigned a Value Score, stocks must have a valid (non-null) ratio and corresponding ranking for at least two of the six valuation ratios.

What Goes Into AAII’s Value Grade?

Stock evaluation requires access to huge amounts of data as well as the knowledge and time to sift through it all, make sense of financial ratios, read income statements and analyze recent stock movement. AAII created A+ Investor, a robust data suite that condenses data research in an actionable and customizable way suitable for investors of all knowledge levels, to help investors with that task.

AAII’s proprietary stock grades come with A+ Investor. These offer intuitive A–F grades for more than just value. It is possible for a stock to appear cheap based on one valuation metric but appear expensive on another. It is also possible for one valuation ratio to be associated with outperforming stocks during certain periods of time but not others. Some stocks may even have null values for certain metrics like the price-earnings ratio or the price-to-book ratio but not others. An example of this would be a company with losses instead of profits or a negative book value because of heavy borrowing. Negative earnings or book value result in non-meaningful ratios that are left blank or null.

Click the button below to learn more about A+ Investor and subscribe today.

6 Undervalued Banks Stocks

Of course, there are countless value stocks that are worth mentioning, but this is a concise list of the top 6 undervalued stocks in the Banks industry for Thursday, June 20, 2024. Let’s take a closer look at their individual scores to see how they measure up against each other and the Banks industry median.

The Value Grade is assigned based on how each stock’s composite valuation compares to all other stocks.

The process for assigning grades starts with each variable for a given stock. The percentile rankings for all valid ratios that a stock has are calculated. So, for instance, a stock could have a price-to-book ranking in the 43rd percentile, a price-earnings ranking in the 67th percentile, a price-to-sales ranking in the 23rd percentile, etc. Then, those rankings are averaged for each stock. (A minimum of two valid variables are required, though all six will be used if available.)

Once the average of the individual variables is calculated, that average is ranked against all stocks. Put another way, each stock’s composite valuation is compared to all other stocks. These ranks are then sorted into quintiles from the cheapest 20% (a grade of A) to the most expensive 20% (a grade of F).

As always, we recommend that you conduct proper due diligence and research before investing in any security. We also suggest that investors utilize numerous grades, not just value, when it comes to deciding whether a company is a good fit for their allocation needs.

Associated Banc-Corp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Associated Banc-Corp is a bank holding company. The Company, through Associated Bank and various nonbanking subsidiaries, provides a range of banking and nonbanking products and services to individuals and businesses. The Company is a banking franchise, offering a full range of financial products and services from more than 200 banking locations serving more than 100 communities throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota. Its Corporate and Commercial Specialty segment consists of lending and deposit solutions to larger businesses, developers, not-for-profits, municipalities, and financial institutions, and the support to deliver, fund, and manage such banking solutions. Its Community, Consumer, and Business segment consists of lending and deposit solutions to individuals and small to mid-sized businesses. Its Risk Management and Shared Services segment includes key shared corporate functions, parent company activity, intersegment eliminations, and residual revenues and expenses.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Associated Banc-Corp has a Value Score of 78, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at Associated Banc-Corp’s price-to-sales ratio at 1.50 compared to the industry median at 1.80, this company has a lower price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Associated Banc-Corp’s stock more attractive for value investors.

Associated Banc-Corp’s price-earnings ratio is 20.80 compared to the industry median at 9.99. This means it has a higher share price relative to earnings compared to its peers. This could make Associated Banc-Corp less attractive for value investors.

Now, let’s assess Associated Banc-Corp’s EV/EBITDA ratio, also known as enterprise multiple. At 7.4, when compared to the industry median of 6.4, the company may be considered overvalued in relation to its peers. Value investors could use the enterprise multiple to identify stocks that are considered overvalued or undervalued relative to their industry.

Shareholder yield is the sum of a stock’s dividend yield (paid over previous 12 months minus special dividends) and the percentage of net share buybacks over the previous 12 months. Associated Banc-Corp’s shareholder yield is higher than its industry median ratio of 3.60%. Value investors may look for an attractive shareholder yield because it can be a powerful tool for identifying if the company has a good management team.

As one of the most common value metrics, the price-to-book ratio evaluates a company’s current market price relative to its book value. Associated Banc-Corp’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 0.87. This could make Associated Banc-Corp more attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Lastly, let’s take a look at Associated Banc-Corp’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio (P/FCF), which can indicate a company’s market value relative to its operating cash flow. Associated Banc-Corp’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 11.22. This could make Associated Banc-Corp more attractive because the lower P/FCF ratio indicates that Associated Banc-Corp is undervalued. The P/FCF ratio metric can also be viewed over a long-term time frame to see if the company's cash flow to share price value is generally improving or worsening.

Plumas Bancorp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Plumas Bancorp is a bank holding company, which operates through its subsidiary, Plumas Bank (the Bank). The Bank is a state-chartered bank, which primary service in the Northeastern portion of California, with Lake Tahoe to the south and the Oregon border to the north, and the Northwestern portion of Nevada. The Bank primarily is engaged in providing loans and investment securities. The Banks principal commercial lending services include term real estate, commercial and industrial term loans. The Bank provides government-guaranteed and agricultural loans, as well as credit lines. The Banks principal retail lending services include consumer, automobile and home equity loans. The Bank provides land development and construction loans on a limited basis. The Bank has over 157 branch offices and 19 automated teller machines. The Bank also operates a lending office in Auburn, California and commercial/agricultural lending offices located in Chico, California and Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Plumas Bancorp has a Value Score of 86, which is considered to be undervalued.

Plumas Bancorp’s price-earnings ratio is 7.2 compared to the industry median at 10.0. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Plumas Bancorp more attractive for value investors.

Plumas Bancorp’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Plumas Bancorp more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 0.87.

You can read more about Plumas Bancorp’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Security National Financial Corp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Security National Financial Corporation operates in three segments: life insurance, cemetery and mortuary, and mortgages. The life insurance segment is engaged in the business of selling and servicing selected lines of life insurance, annuity products, and accident and health insurance. These products are marketed in 40 states through a commissioned sales force of independent licensed insurance agents. The cemetery and mortuary segment consists of eight mortuaries and five cemeteries in the state of Utah, one cemetery in the state of California, and one cemetery and four mortuaries in the state of New Mexico. It also engages in pre-need selling of funeral, cemetery, mortuary, and cremation services through its cemetery and mortuary locations. The mortgage segment originates and underwrites or otherwise purchases residential and commercial loans for new construction, existing homes, and other real estate projects. The mortgage segment operates through 100 retail offices in 23 states.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Security National Financial Corp has a Value Score of 97, which is considered to be undervalued.

Security National Financial Corp’s price-earnings ratio is 8.2 compared to the industry median at 10.0. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Security National Financial Corp more attractive for value investors.

Security National Financial Corp’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Security National Financial Corp less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 0.87.

You can read more about Security National Financial Corp’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Swedbank AB (ADR)’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Swedbank AB is a savings bank. The Company offers financial services and products in its home markets of Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The Company's segments are Swedish Banking, Baltic Banking, Large corporates & Institutions, and Group Functions & Other. The Company offers products mainly in the areas of lending, payments and savings. The Swedish Banking segment offers its products to private customers and companies in the Swedish market. The Swedish Banking segment's services are sold through the Company's own branch network, the telephone Bank, the Internet Bank and the distribution network of the independent savings banks. The Baltic Banking segment offers its products to private customers and companies in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The Baltic Banking segment's services are sold through its own branch network, the telephone Bank and the Internet Bank. The Large Corporates & Institutions segment offers its services to large companies and financial institutions.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Swedbank AB (ADR) has a Value Score of 82, which is considered to be undervalued.

Swedbank AB (ADR)’s price-earnings ratio is 6.9 compared to the industry median at 10.0. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Swedbank AB (ADR) more attractive for value investors.

Swedbank AB (ADR)’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Swedbank AB (ADR) more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 0.87.

You can read more about Swedbank AB (ADR)’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Univest Financial Corp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Univest Financial Corporation is a bank holding company for Univest Bank and Trust Co. (the Bank). The Bank is a state-chartered bank and trust company. The Company has three segments: Banking, Wealth Management and Insurance. Banking segment provides financial services to individuals, businesses, municipalities and non-profit organizations. These services include a full range of banking services, such as deposit taking, loan origination and servicing, mortgage banking, other general banking services, and equipment lease financing. Wealth Management segment offers investment advisory, financial planning, trust and brokerage services. The segment serves a diverse client base of private families and individuals, municipal pension plans, retirement plans, trusts and guardianships. Insurance segment includes a full-service insurance brokerage agency offering commercial property and casualty insurance, employee benefit solutions, personal insurance lines and human resources consulting.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Univest Financial Corp has a Value Score of 86, which is considered to be undervalued.

Univest Financial Corp’s price-earnings ratio is 9.0 compared to the industry median at 10.0. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Univest Financial Corp more attractive for value investors.

Univest Financial Corp’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Univest Financial Corp less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 0.87.

You can read more about Univest Financial Corp’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Western Alliance Bancorporation’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Western Alliance Bancorporation is a bank holding company. The Company provides a full spectrum of customized loan, deposit, and treasury management capabilities, including funds transfer and other digital payment offerings through its wholly owned banking subsidiary, Western Alliance Bank (WAB). WAB operates through five full-service banking divisions: Alliance Bank of Arizona, Bank of Nevada, Bridge Bank, First Independent Bank, and Torrey Pines Bank. The Company also provides a range of specialized financial services to business customers across the country, including mortgage banking services through AmeriHome and treasury management services to the homeowner's association sector, and digital payment services for the class action legal industry. It has two non-bank subsidiaries, such as CS Insurance Company (CSI) and Western Alliance Trust Company, N.A. (WATC). CSI is a captive insurance company. WATC provides corporate trust services and levered loan administration solutions.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Western Alliance Bancorporation has a Value Score of 83, which is considered to be undervalued.

Western Alliance Bancorporation’s price-earnings ratio is 8.7 compared to the industry median at 10.0. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Western Alliance Bancorporation more attractive for value investors.

Western Alliance Bancorporation’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Western Alliance Bancorporation more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 0.87.

You can read more about Western Alliance Bancorporation’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Other Banks Stock Grades

Value is just one of the five Stock Grades included in our A+ Investor service. AAII members can see the top-graded stocks—those with grades of A or B for value, growth, momentum, earnings estimate revisions and quality—on the A+ Stock Grades Screener.

Also, if you want full access to all of AAII’s premium services, you can subscribe to one convenient bundled plan called AAII Platinum where you can try out A+ Investor, AAII Dividend Investing, the Stock Superstars Report, Growth Investing and VMQ Stocks. With the other premium services, you can dive deep into additional metrics, portfolios, commentary and information about Banks stocks as well as other industrys.

Choosing Which of the 6 Best Banks Stocks Is Right for You

Choosing which value stocks to invest in will ultimately depend on your individual goals and allocation; however, comparing similar value stocks in the same industry can help you analyze which might be better investments for you in the long run. So, let’s take a look at the Value Grade for all of our stocks.

• Associated Banc-Corp stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Plumas Bancorp stock has a Value Grade of A.
• Security National Financial Corp stock has a Value Grade of A.
• Swedbank AB (ADR) stock has a Value Grade of A.
• Univest Financial Corp stock has a Value Grade of A.
• Western Alliance Bancorporation stock has a Value Grade of A.

Now that you have a bit more background about each of the 6 undervalued stocks in the Banks industry as well as their overall grades, it’s time for you to conduct additional research to see if these could fit your portfolio needs based on your goals and risk tolerance. AAII can help you figure out both and identify which investments align with what works best for you.

We do so through a program of education that teaches you to invest for yourself and become an effective manager of your own wealth—no more relying on others for your financial independence. You can rely on AAII for timeless articles on financial planning and stock-picking, unbiased research and actionable analysis that makes you a better investor.

A+ Investor adds to that qualitative teaching by giving you a powerful data suite that helps you whittle down investment decisions to find stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds that meet your needs.

Additional Resources About Banks Stocks

Want to learn more about Banks stocks to see if they could be the right investment for you? Check out some additional resources and articles to help you on your financial journey.

• 6 Undervalued Banks Stocks for Thursday, June 20
• 4 Undervalued Banks Stocks for Wednesday, June 19
• 5 Undervalued Banks Stocks for Tuesday, June 18
• 7 Undervalued Banks Stocks for Monday, June 17

AAII Disclaimer

We make no representations or warranties that any investor will, or is likely to, achieve profits similar to those shown, because past, hypothetical or simulated performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Before making an investment decision, you should consider your circumstances and whether the information on our content is applicable to your situation. This information was prepared in good faith and we accept no liability for any errors or omissions. The full disclaimer can be read here.