Based on key financial metrics such as the price-to-sales ratio, shareholder yield and the price-earnings ratio, the following 4 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.

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4 Undervalued Banks Stocks

Of course, there are countless value stocks that are worth mentioning, but this is a concise list of the top 4 undervalued stocks in the Banks industry for Wednesday, October 16, 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.

First Financial Bancorp.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

First Financial Bancorp. operates as the bank holding company for First Financial Bank that provides commercial banking and related services to individuals and businesses in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois. The company offers checking, savings, and money-market accounts; and accepts various deposit products, such as interest-bearing and non-interest-bearing accounts, time deposits, and cash management services for commercial customers. It also provides real estate loans secured by residential property, such as one to four family residential housing units or commercial property comprising owner-occupied and/or investor income producing real estate consisting of apartments, shopping centers, and office buildings; commercial and industrial loans for various purposes, including inventory, receivables, and equipment, as well as equipment and leasehold improvement financing for franchisees; consumer loans comprising new and used vehicle loans, second mortgages on residential real estate, and unsecured loans; and home equity lines of credit. In addition, the company offers commercial financing to the insurance industry, registered investment advisors, certified public accountants, indirect auto finance companies, and restaurant franchisees. Further, it provides a range of trust and wealth management services; lease and equipment financing services; and currency payments, foreign exchange hedging, and other advisory products. First Financial Bancorp. was founded in 1863 and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.

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.

First Financial Bancorp. has a Value Score of 73, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at First Financial Bancorp.’s price-to-sales ratio at 3.15 compared to the industry median at 2.90, this company has a higher price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make First Financial Bancorp.’s stock less attractive for value investors.

First Financial Bancorp.’s price-earnings ratio is 10.60 compared to the industry median at 12.10. This means it has a lower share price relative to earnings compared to its peers. This could make First Financial Bancorp. more attractive for value investors.

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. First Financial Bancorp.’s shareholder yield is higher than its industry median ratio of 2.95%. 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. First Financial Bancorp.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its industry median ratio of 1.00. This could make First Financial Bancorp. less attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Lastly, let’s take a look at First Financial Bancorp.’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio (P/FCF), which can indicate a company’s market value relative to its operating cash flow. First Financial Bancorp.’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 15.20. This could make First Financial Bancorp. more attractive because the lower P/FCF ratio indicates that First Financial Bancorp. 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.

Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A., a financial service holding company, provides various financial products and services to individuals and companies in Argentina. The company operates through Banks, NaranjaX, Insurance, and Other Businesses segments. It also offers personal loans; express and mortgage loans; pledge and credit card loans; credit and debit cards; and online banking services, as well as savings, deposits, and checking accounts related services. In addition, the company offers financing products; consumer finance and digital banking services; electronic check; global custody services; Fima funds; financial and stock market services to individuals, companies, and financial institutions; foreign trade services; and capital market and investment banking products that include debt securities, short-term securities, and financial trusts. Further, it provides robbery, personal accident, life collective, home, life, integral, pet, surety, and technical insurance products. Additionally, the company offers private banking services to high net worth individuals; and operates digital investment platform. Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. was founded in 1905 and is based in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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.

Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. has a Value Score of 93, which is considered to be undervalued.

Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A.’s price-earnings ratio is 74.9 compared to the industry median at 12.1. This means that it has a higher price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. less attractive for value investors.

Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.00.

You can read more about Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A.’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.

MainStreet Bancshares, Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

MainStreet Bancshares, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for MainStreet Bank that provides various banking products and services for individuals, small to medium-sized businesses, and professional service organizations. The company offers demand, NOW, money market, savings, and sweep accounts, as well as certificates of deposit; business and consumer checking, interest-bearing checking, business account analysis, and other depository services; and cash management, wire transfer, check imaging, bill pay, remote deposit capture, and courier services. It also provides commercial loans, include government contract receivables, plant and equipment, general working capital, contract administration, and acquisition loans; commercial real estate, real estate construction, and residential real estate loans; and consumer loans comprising term loans and overdraft protection, as well as debit and credit cards. In addition, the company offers deposit insurance solutions; remote deposit of checks; and internet bill payment, online cash management, and online and mobile banking services. It operates in Herndon, Fairfax, McLean, Leesburg, Clarendon, and Washington D.C., as well as automated teller machines. The company was incorporated in 2003 and is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia.

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.

MainStreet Bancshares, Inc. has a Value Score of 86, which is considered to be undervalued.

MainStreet Bancshares, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 9.0 compared to the industry median at 12.1. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes MainStreet Bancshares, Inc. more attractive for value investors.

MainStreet Bancshares, Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make MainStreet Bancshares, Inc. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.00.

You can read more about MainStreet Bancshares, Inc.’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.

Valley National Bancorp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Valley National Bancorp operates as the holding company for Valley National Bank that provides various commercial, private banking, retail, insurance, and wealth management financial services products. It operates through Consumer Banking, Commercial Banking, and Treasury and Corporate other segments. The company offers non-interest bearing, savings, NOW, money market, and time deposit accounts; commercial and industrial, commercial real estate, residential mortgage, and automobile loans; loans secured by the cash surrender value of life insurance; home equity loans and lines of credit; automobile financing; and secured and unsecured other consumer loans. It also invests in various securities and interest-bearing deposits with other banks; and provides international banking services, such as standby and documentary letters of credit, and related products, as well as foreign exchange transactions, documentary collections, and foreign wire transfers services. In addition, the company offers investment services for individuals and small to medium sized businesses; and trusts investment strategies designed for various investment profiles and objectives. Further, it provides trust services, such as living and testamentary trusts, investment management, custodial and escrow services, and estate administration to individuals; tax credit advisory services; brokerage services; property and casualty, life, health, and title insurance agency services; and health care equipment lending and other commercial equipment leasing services, as well as owns real estate related investments. Additionally, the company offers online, mobile, and telephone banking services; receivable, payment, and security solution, merchant, payroll processing, and liquidity services; credit cards; and drive-in and night deposit, automated teller machine, remote deposit capture, and safe deposit facility services. Valley National Bancorp was founded in 1927 and is headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey.

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.

Valley National Bancorp has a Value Score of 66, which is considered to be undervalued.

Valley National Bancorp’s price-earnings ratio is 13.0 compared to the industry median at 12.1. This means that it has a higher price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Valley National Bancorp less attractive for value investors.

Valley National Bancorp’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Valley National Bancorp less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.00.

You can read more about Valley National 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.

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 4 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.

• First Financial Bancorp. stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. stock has a Value Grade of A.
• MainStreet Bancshares, Inc. stock has a Value Grade of A.
• Valley National Bancorp stock has a Value Grade of B.

Now that you have a bit more background about each of the 4 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.

• 4 Undervalued Banks Stocks for Wednesday, October 16
• 4 Undervalued Banks Stocks for Tuesday, October 15
• 5 Undervalued Banks Stocks for Monday, October 14
• 6 Undervalued Banks Stocks for Friday, October 11

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.