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.

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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 Wednesday, November 06, 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.

Sierra Bancorp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Sierra Bancorp operates as the bank holding company for Bank of the Sierra that provides retail and commercial banking services to individuals and businesses in California. It accepts various deposit products, such as checking accounts, savings accounts, money market demand accounts, time deposits, retirement accounts, and sweep accounts. The company’s loan products include agricultural, commercial, consumer, real estate, construction, and mortgage loans. It also offers automated teller machines; electronic point-of-sale payment alternatives; online and automated telephone banking services; and remote deposit capture and automated payroll services for business customers. Sierra Bancorp was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Porterville, California.

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.

Sierra Bancorp has a Value Score of 67, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at Sierra Bancorp’s price-to-sales ratio at 2.92 compared to the industry median at 2.95, this company has a lower price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Sierra Bancorp’s stock more attractive for value investors.

Sierra Bancorp’s price-earnings ratio is 11.60 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 Sierra 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. Sierra Bancorp’s shareholder yield is higher than its industry median ratio of 2.80%. 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. Sierra Bancorp’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its industry median ratio of 1.01. This could make Sierra Bancorp less attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Lastly, let’s take a look at Sierra Bancorp’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio (P/FCF), which can indicate a company’s market value relative to its operating cash flow. Sierra Bancorp’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio is higher than its industry median ratio of 15.25. This could make Sierra Bancorp less attractive because the higher P/FCF ratio indicates that Sierra 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.

Customers Bancorp, Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Customers Bancorp, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Customers Bank that provides financial products and services to individual consumers, and small and middle market businesses. The company provides deposit banking products, which includes commercial and consumer checking, non-interest-bearing and interest-bearing demand, MMDA, savings, and time deposit accounts. Its lending business offers commercial and industrial, commercial real estate, and multifamily and residential mortgage loans; SBA lending and financing; specialty lending includes fund finance, real estate specialty finance, technology and venture, and healthcare and financial institutions group; commercial loans to mortgage companies, and commercial equipment financing; and fund finance, such as variable rate loans secured by collateral pools to private debt funds; and cash management services. In addition, the company provides digital banking including Banking-as-a-Service to fintech companies, payments and treasury services to businesses, and consumer loans through fintech companies and the TassatPay, a blockchain-based instant B2B payments platform which offers instant payments including over-the-counter desks, exchanges, liquidity providers, market makers, funds, and other B2B verticals. Further, it offers mobile phone and internet banking, wire transfers, electronic bill payment, lock box, remote deposit capture, courier, merchant processing, cash vault, controlled disbursements, positive pay, and cash management services, such as account reconciliation, collections, and sweep accounts. The company was incorporated in 2010 and is headquartered in West Reading, Pennsylvania.

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.

Customers Bancorp, Inc. has a Value Score of 69, which is considered to be undervalued.

Customers Bancorp, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 7.5 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 Customers Bancorp, Inc. more attractive for value investors.

Customers Bancorp, Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Customers Bancorp, Inc. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.01.

You can read more about Customers Bancorp, 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.

Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for First Federal Savings Bank that provides various banking and financial advisory services in the United States. The company offers personal and business services, including checking accounts, savings accounts, retirement accounts, health savings accounts, Moola kids account, and direct deposits, as well as certificates of deposit. It also provides mortgage, refinance, new construction, and home equity loans; personal loans, such as auto, recreational vehicles, and unsecured loans; business loans comprising revolving lines of credit, term loans, real estate loans, letter of credit, and small business administration loans; and treasury management, deposit products, and merchant deposit capture. In addition, the company offers debit and credit cards, merchant services, online banking, and cash management services. The company was founded in 1912 and is based in Huntington, Indiana.

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.

Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc. has a Value Score of 83, which is considered to be undervalued.

Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 10.6 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 Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc. more attractive for value investors.

Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.01.

You can read more about Northeast Indiana Bancorp, 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.

OFG Bancorp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

OFG Bancorp, a financial holding company, provides a range of banking and financial services. It operates through three segments: Banking, Wealth Management, and Treasury. The company offers checking and savings accounts, and individual retirement accounts; certificate of deposits, as well as time deposit products; commercial, consumer, auto leasing, and mortgage lending services; credit cards; cash management; financial planning and insurance services; and corporate and individual trust, and retirement services. In addition, it provides securities brokerage and investment advisory services, including various investment alternatives, such as tax-advantaged fixed income securities, mutual funds, stocks, and bonds to retail and institutional clients; and separately-managed accounts and mutual fund asset allocation programs. Further, the company engages in the insurance agency and reinsurance businesses; administration and servicing of retirement plans; and various treasury-related functions with an investment portfolio consisting of mortgage-backed securities, obligations of U.S. government sponsored agencies, and U.S. Treasury securities and money market instruments. Additionally, it offers money management and investment banking services; and engages in the asset/liability management activities, such as purchases and sales of investment securities, interest rate risk management, derivatives, and borrowings. The company provides investment brokerage, transactional, international trade financing, residential mortgage, and consumer finance services. OFG Bancorp was founded in 1964 and is headquartered in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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.

OFG Bancorp has a Value Score of 77, which is considered to be undervalued.

OFG Bancorp’s price-earnings ratio is 10.0 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 OFG Bancorp more attractive for value investors.

OFG Bancorp’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make OFG Bancorp more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.01.

You can read more about OFG 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.

U & I Financial Corp.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

U & I Financial Corp. operates as the holding company for UniBank that provides banking products and services for small to medium-sized businesses, professionals, and residents with a particular emphasis on Korean and other ethnic minority communities in the United States. The company offers checking, and savings and money market accounts; certificates of deposits/installment savings products. It also provides Commercial Loans, comprising commercial real estate term loans, construction loans, business term loans, equipment loans, business lines of credit, business express loans, and professional lines and loans; and small business administration guaranteed loans. In addition, the company offers credit cards, and online and mobile banking services. It operates branches in Tacoma, Bellevue, and Federal Way, Washington, as well as a loan production office in Atlanta, Georgia. The company was founded in 2006 and is based in Lynnwood, Washington.

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.

U & I Financial Corp. has a Value Score of 92, which is considered to be undervalued.

U & I Financial Corp.’s price-earnings ratio is 2.1 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 U & I Financial Corp. more attractive for value investors.

U & I Financial Corp.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make U & I Financial Corp. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.01.

You can read more about U & I 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.

VersaBank’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

VersaBank provides various banking products and services in Canada and the United States. It offers deposit products, such as web-based chequing accounts, guaranteed investment certificates, registered retirement savings plans, and tax-free savings accounts, as well as deposit insurance products. The company also provides lending services, including point of sale financing that covers purchasing loan and lease receivables from finance companies operating in various industries; commercial banking services comprising commercial real estate, public sector/infrastructure financing, and condominium financing; and residential mortgages. In addition, it offers cybersecurity services. The company was formerly known as Pacific & Western Bank of Canada and changed its name to VersaBank in May 2016. VersaBank was incorporated in 1979 and is headquartered in London, Canada.

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.

VersaBank has a Value Score of 71, which is considered to be undervalued.

VersaBank’s price-earnings ratio is 12.1 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 VersaBank fairly attractive for value investors.

VersaBank’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make VersaBank more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.01.

You can read more about VersaBank’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.

• Sierra Bancorp stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Customers Bancorp, Inc. stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc. stock has a Value Grade of A.
• OFG Bancorp stock has a Value Grade of B.
• U & I Financial Corp. stock has a Value Grade of A.
• VersaBank stock has a Value Grade of B.

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 Wednesday, November 06
• 5 Undervalued Banks Stocks for Tuesday, November 05
• 3 Undervalued Banks Stocks for Monday, November 04
• 6 Undervalued Banks Stocks for Friday, November 01

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.