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 Friday, March 07, 2025. 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.

Bar Harbor Bankshares’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Bar Harbor Bankshares operates as the holding company for Bar Harbor Bank & Trust that provides banking and nonbanking products and services primarily to consumers and businesses. It accepts various deposit products, including interest-bearing and non-interest-bearing demand accounts, savings accounts, time deposits, and money market deposit accounts, as well as certificates of deposit. The company also provides commercial construction loans, such as raw land, land development, and construction of commercial and multifamily residential properties; commercial real estate owner occupied and non-owner occupied loans; tax exempt loans to various state and municipal government entities; commercial and industrial loans, including loans for the purpose of financing working capital and capital investment; residential real estate loans consists of one-to-four family homes; home equity loans; and consumer loans, including personal lines of credit and amortizing loans to qualified individuals for various purposes, such as auto loans, recreational equipment, overdraft protection, and other consumer loans. In addition, it provides life insurance, annuity, and retirement products, as well as financial planning services; and third-party investment and insurance services. Further, the company offers trust and estate administration, wealth advisory, and investment management services to individuals, businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and municipalities; and 401(K) plan, financial, estate and charitable planning, investment management, family office, municipal, and tax services. Bar Harbor Bankshares was founded in 1887 and is headquartered in Bar Harbor, Maine.

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.

Bar Harbor Bankshares has a Value Score of 67, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at Bar Harbor Bankshares’s price-to-sales ratio at 3.15 compared to the industry median at 2.91, this company has a higher price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Bar Harbor Bankshares’s stock less attractive for value investors.

Bar Harbor Bankshares’s price-earnings ratio is 10.80 compared to the industry median at 11.60. This means it has a lower share price relative to earnings compared to its peers. This could make Bar Harbor Bankshares 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. Bar Harbor Bankshares’s shareholder yield is higher than its industry median ratio of 2.90%. 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. Bar Harbor Bankshares’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its industry median ratio of 0.98. This could make Bar Harbor Bankshares less attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Lastly, let’s take a look at Bar Harbor Bankshares’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio (P/FCF), which can indicate a company’s market value relative to its operating cash flow. Bar Harbor Bankshares’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio is higher than its industry median ratio of 16.15. This could make Bar Harbor Bankshares less attractive because the higher P/FCF ratio indicates that Bar Harbor Bankshares 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.

Cadence Bank’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Cadence Bank provides commercial banking and financial services in the United States. It operates through Corporate Banking, Community Banking, Mortgage, and Banking Services segments. The company offers deposit products, including checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, time deposits, and other deposit accounts through multiple channels It also provides commercial, consumer, industrial, and residential and commercial real estate loans. In addition, the company offers term loans, lines of credit, equipment and receivable financing, energy, restaurant, healthcare, technology, small business administration, agricultural loans, construction loans, second mortgage loans, and home equity lines of credit, as well as automobiles, recreation vehicles, boats, secured and unsecured personal, and deposit account secured loans. Further, it provides wealth management, and other fiduciary and private banking services. Additionally, the company offers trust and investment management, asset management, and retirement and savings solutions, as well as estate planning, annuity, and credit-related products. It serves individuals, businesses, governmental institutions, and non-profit entities. The company was founded in 1876 and is headquartered in Tupelo, Mississippi.

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.

Cadence Bank has a Value Score of 88, which is considered to be undervalued.

Cadence Bank’s price-earnings ratio is 11.0 compared to the industry median at 11.6. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Cadence Bank more attractive for value investors.

Cadence Bank’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Cadence Bank fairly attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 0.98.

You can read more about Cadence Bank’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.

Cathay General Bancorp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Cathay General Bancorp operates as the holding company for Cathay Bank that offers various commercial banking products and services to individuals, professionals, and small to medium-sized businesses in the United States. The company offers various deposit products, including passbook accounts, checking accounts, money market deposit accounts, certificates of deposit, individual retirement accounts, and public funds deposits. It also provides loan products, such as commercial mortgage loans, commercial loans, small business administration loans, residential mortgage loans, real estate construction loans, and home equity lines of credit, as well as installment loans to individuals for household, and other consumer expenditures. In addition, the company offers trade financing, letter of credit, wire transfer, forward currency spot and forward contract, safe deposit, collection, automatic teller machine, Internet banking, investment, and other customary bank services, as well as securities and insurance products. Cathay General Bancorp was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, 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.

Cathay General Bancorp has a Value Score of 66, which is considered to be undervalued.

Cathay General Bancorp’s price-earnings ratio is 11.3 compared to the industry median at 11.6. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Cathay General Bancorp more attractive for value investors.

Cathay General Bancorp’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Cathay General Bancorp more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 0.98.

You can read more about Cathay General 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.

International Bancshares Corporation’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

International Bancshares Corporation, a multibank financial holding company, provides a range of commercial and retail banking services in Texas and the State of Oklahoma. It accepts checking and saving deposits; and offers commercial, real estate, personal, home improvement, automobile, and other installment and term loans. The company also provides international banking services, including letters of credit, commercial and industrial loans, and foreign exchange services. In addition, it offers other banking related services, such as credit cards, safety deposit boxes, collections, escrow, drive up and walk up facilities, and other customary banking services; and internet and mobile banking services, as well as securities products through third party providers. The company offers its banking services through ATM network and retail locations in shopping malls and other places. International Bancshares Corporation was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Laredo, Texas.

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.

International Bancshares Corporation has a Value Score of 64, which is considered to be undervalued.

International Bancshares Corporation’s price-earnings ratio is 9.4 compared to the industry median at 11.6. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes International Bancshares Corporation more attractive for value investors.

International Bancshares Corporation’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make International Bancshares Corporation more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 0.98.

You can read more about International Bancshares Corporation’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.

First Internet Bancorp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

First Internet Bancorp operates as the bank holding company for First Internet Bank of Indiana that provides commercial, small business, consumer, and municipal banking products and services to individuals and commercial customers in the United States. The company accepts non-interest bearing and interest-bearing demand deposit, commercial deposit, savings, money market, and Banking-as-a-Service brokered deposit accounts, as well as certificates of deposit. It also offers commercial and industrial, owner-occupied and investor commercial real estate, construction, residential mortgage, home equity, line of credit and home improvement, small installment, term, and other consumer loans, as well as single tenant lease financing, and public and healthcare finance; franchise finance; and small business lending. In addition, the company is involved in the purchase, manage, service, and safekeeping of municipal securities; and provision of public and municipal lending and leasing products to government entities. Further, the company offers corporate credit card and treasury management services. First Internet Bancorp was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Fishers, 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.

First Internet Bancorp has a Value Score of 82, which is considered to be undervalued.

First Internet Bancorp’s price-earnings ratio is 9.9 compared to the industry median at 11.6. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes First Internet Bancorp more attractive for value investors.

First Internet Bancorp’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make First Internet Bancorp less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 0.98.

You can read more about First Internet 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.

South Plains Financial, Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

South Plains Financial, Inc. operates as a bank holding company for City Bank that provides commercial and consumer financial services to small and medium-sized businesses and individuals. The company operates through two segments, Banking and Insurance. It offers deposit products, including demand deposit accounts, interest-bearing products, savings accounts, and certificate of deposits. The company also provides commercial real estate loans; general and specialized commercial loans, including agricultural production and real estate, energy, finance, investment, and insurance loans, as well as loans to goods, services, restaurant and retail, construction, and other industries; residential construction loans; and 1-4 family residential loans, auto loans, and other loans for recreational vehicles or other purposes. In addition, it offers crop insurance products; trust products and services; investment services; mortgage banking services; online and mobile banking services; and debit and credit cards. The company was founded in 1941 and is headquartered in Lubbock, Texas.

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.

South Plains Financial, Inc. has a Value Score of 66, which is considered to be undervalued.

South Plains Financial, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 11.6 compared to the industry median at 11.6. This means that it has a higher price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes South Plains Financial, Inc. fairly attractive for value investors.

South Plains Financial, Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make South Plains Financial, Inc. more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 0.98.

You can read more about South Plains Financial, 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.

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.

• Bar Harbor Bankshares stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Cadence Bank stock has a Value Grade of A.
• Cathay General Bancorp stock has a Value Grade of B.
• International Bancshares Corporation stock has a Value Grade of B.
• First Internet Bancorp stock has a Value Grade of A.
• South Plains Financial, Inc. 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 Friday, March 07
• 7 Undervalued Banks Stocks for Thursday, March 06
• Which Is a Better Investment, Atlantic Union Bankshares Corporation or Bank of Hawaii Corporation Stock?
• Which Is a Better Investment, Atlantic Union Bankshares Corporation or Trustmark Corporation Stock?

AAII Disclaimer

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