Which Is a Better Investment, Citizens Financial Group, Inc. or Zions Bancorporation, National Association Stock?

By Jenna Brashear
August 01, 2026
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Sifting through countless of stocks in the Banks industry can be tedious, and sometimes two stocks are just too similar to judge which is the better investment. If you’re on the fence about investing in Zions Bancorporation, National Association, Citizens Financial Group or Inc. because you’re not sure how they measure up, it’s important to compare them on a few factors before making your decision.

Read on to learn how Zions Bancorporation, National Association, Citizens Financial Group and Inc. compare based on key financial metrics to determine which better meets your investment needs.

About Zions Bancorporation, National Association, Citizens Financial Group and Inc.

Zions Bancorporation, National Association provides various banking products and related services primarily in the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The company operates through Zions Bank, California Bank & Trust, Amegy Bank, National Bank of Arizona, Nevada State Bank, Vectra Bank Colorado, and The Commerce Bank of Washington segments. It offers commercial and small business banking services to small- and medium-sized businesses, such as commercial, industrial, and owner-occupied lending and leasing; municipal and public finance services; depository account and cash management services; commercial and small business cards; merchant processing services; corporate trust services; and correspondent banking and international lending services. The company also provides capital markets and investment banking services, including loan syndications, foreign exchange services, interest rate derivatives, fixed income securities underwriting, mergers and acquisitions advisory services, advisory and capital raising, commercial mortgage-backed security conduit lending, and power and project financing; and commercial real estate lending services consisting of term and construction/land development financing for commercial and residential purposes. In addition, it offers retail banking services comprising residential mortgages lending, home equity lines of credit, personal lines of credit, installment consumer loans, depository account services, consumer cards, and personal trust services; and wealth management services consisting of investment management, fiduciary and estate, and advanced business succession and estate planning services. The company was formerly known as ZB, National Association and changed its name to Zions Bancorporation, National Association in September 2018. Zions Bancorporation, National Association was founded in 1873 and is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Citizens Financial Group, Inc. operates as the bank holding company that provides retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations, and institutions in the United States. The company operates through two segments, Consumer Banking and Commercial Banking. The Consumer Banking segment offers deposit products, mortgage and home equity lending products, credit cards, business loans, and wealth management services; and education and point-of-sale finance loans, as well as digital deposit products. This segment serves its customers through telephone service centers, as well as through its online and mobile platforms. The Commercial Banking segment provides various financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, and interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as syndicated loans, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and debt and equity capital markets services. The company serves customers and small businesses, high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families, as well as investors, entrepreneurs, and companies and institutions, as well as multifamily, office, industrial, retail, healthcare, and hospitality sectors. The company was formerly known as RBS Citizens Financial Group, Inc. and changed its name to Citizens Financial Group, Inc. in April 2014. Citizens Financial Group, Inc. was founded in 1828 and is headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island.

Latest Banks and Zions Bancorporation, National Association, Citizens Financial Group, Inc. Stock News

As of July 31, 2026, Zions Bancorporation, National Association had a $10.2 billion market capitalization, compared to the Banks median of $716.9 million. Zions Bancorporation, National Association’s stock is up 19.1% in 2026, up 0.6% in the previous five trading days and up 28.57% in the past year.

Currently, Zions Bancorporation, National Association’s price-earnings ratio is 10.8. Zions Bancorporation, National Association’s trailing 12-month revenue is $3.4 billion with a 31.8% net profit margin. Year-over-year quarterly sales growth most recently was 10.2%. Analysts expect adjusted earnings to reach $6.570 per share for the current fiscal year. Zions Bancorporation, National Association currently has a 2.6% dividend yield.

As of July 31, 2026, Citizens Financial Group, Inc. had a $30.3 billion market cap, putting it in the 90th percentile of all stocks. Citizens Financial Group, Inc.’s stock is up 22.7% in 2026, down 0.3% in the previous five trading days and up 47.16% in the past year.

Currently, Citizens Financial Group, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 17.0. Citizens Financial Group, Inc.’s trailing 12-month revenue is $7.9 billion with a 26.1% net profit margin. Year-over-year quarterly sales growth most recently was 13.8%. Analysts expect adjusted earnings to reach $5.294 per share for the current fiscal year. Citizens Financial Group, Inc. currently has a 2.6% dividend yield.

How We Compare Zions Bancorporation, National Association, Citizens Financial Group and Inc. Stock Grades

Stock evaluation requires access to huge amounts of data and the knowledge and time to sift through it all, make sense of financial ratios, read income statements and analyze recent stock movements. 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 streamline and work through such data.

AAII’s proprietary stock grades come with A+ Investor. These offer intuitive A‐F grades for each of five key investing factors: value, growth, momentum, earnings estimate revisions and quality. Here, we’ll take a closer look at Zions Bancorporation, National Association, Citizens Financial Group and Inc.’s stock grades to see how they measure up against one another.

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Zions Bancorporation, National Association, Citizens Financial Group and Inc. Growth Grades

Company Ticker Growth
Zions Bancorporation, National Association ZION B
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. CFG B

The foundation of growth investing is seeking out stocks of companies exhibiting strong, consistent and prolonged growth that is expected to continue into the future.

In order to compute the growth score and assign it a letter grade, the percentile ranks for each of three components‐consistency of annual sales growth, five-year sales growth rankings adjusted for extreme levels, and consistency of positive annual cash from operations‐must be determined. These three rank figures are added together, and the sum is ranked against the entire stock universe to arrive at a company’s Growth Score to create an equal distribution of grades.

The companies in the bottom 20% of the stock universe receive Growth Grades of F, considered to be very weak, while those in the top 20% receive A grades, which are considered very strong.

Zions Bancorporation, National Association has a Growth Score of 77, which is Strong. Citizens Financial Group, Inc. has a Growth Score of 77, which is Strong.

The Growth Grade Winner: It’s a Tie!

Looking at the Growth Grade breakdown above, both Zions Bancorporation, National Association, Citizens Financial Group and Inc. have a grade of B. For investors who focus solely on a company’s upward growth, further research should be conducted into both companies’ other financial metrics before deciding whether to invest.

Zions Bancorporation, National Association, Citizens Financial Group and Inc.’s Momentum Grades

Company Ticker Momentum
Zions Bancorporation, National Association ZION B
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. CFG B

Momentum grades help to uncover stocks experiencing anomalously high rates of return; research finds that stocks with high relative levels of momentum tend to outperform, whereas those with low levels of momentum tend to continue underperforming. Momentum is based on the price change of a stock over a specified period relative to all other stocks.

Typically, AAII looks at the weighted relative strength over the trailing four quarters. The weighted four-quarter relative strength rank is the relative price change for each of the past four quarters. The most recent quarterly price change is given a weight of 40% and each of the three previous quarters are given a weighting of 20%.

Zions Bancorporation, National Association has a Momentum Score of 66, which is Strong. Citizens Financial Group, Inc. has a Momentum Score of 75, which is Strong.

The Momentum Grade Winner: It’s a Tie!

Looking at the Momentum Grade breakdown above, both Zions Bancorporation, National Association, Citizens Financial Group and Inc. have a grade of B. For those who focus solely on a company’s momentum, further research will need to be conducted into both companies to see if they fit your individual needs as an investor.

Zions Bancorporation, National Association, Citizens Financial Group and Inc.’s Estimate Revisions Grades

Company Ticker Earnings Estimate
Zions Bancorporation, National Association ZION B
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. CFG B

Earnings estimate revisions scores consider the magnitude of a company’s earnings surprise in its last two reported fiscal quarters. Often, positive surprises beget further positive surprises‐or at least continued sales growth (the exact opposite is generally true, too).

Estimate revisions offer an indication of what analysts are thinking about the short-term prospects of a firm. Estimate revisions are based on the statistical significance of a firm’s last two quarterly earnings surprises and the percentage change in its consensus estimate for the current fiscal year over the past month and past three months.

Zions Bancorporation, National Association has a Earnings Estimate Score of 66, which is Positive. Citizens Financial Group, Inc. has a Earnings Estimate Score of 70, which is Positive.

The Earnings Estimate Revisions Grade Winner: It’s a Tie!

Looking at the Earnings Estimate Revisions Grade breakdown above, both Zions Bancorporation, National Association, Citizens Financial Group and Inc. have a grade of B. For those focusing solely on a company’s estimate revisions, other financial metrics will need to be evaluated to determine whether Zions Bancorporation, National Association, Citizens Financial Group or Inc. is a better fit.

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Other Zions Bancorporation, National Association, Citizens Financial Group and Inc. Grades

In addition to Estimate Revisions, Momentum and Growth, A+ Investor also provides grades for Value and Quality.

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Successful stock investing involves buying low and selling high, so stock valuation is an important consideration for stock selection. Buying stocks that are going to go up typically means buying stocks that are undervalued in the first place, although momentum investors may argue that point.

AAII’s A+ Investor Quality Grade comes from the ranking of key metrics. Specifically, the quality grade is the percentile rank of the composite of return on assets (ROA), return on invested capital (ROIC), gross profit relative to assets, buyback yield, change in total liabilities to assets, accruals, Z double prime bankruptcy risk (Z) score and F-Score.

These 2 key factors, when combined with the above, provide a holistic view into a particular stock. Further, by joining A+ Investor you can see whether Zions Bancorporation, National Association, Citizens Financial Group and Inc. pass any of our 60+ stock screens that have outperformed the market since their creation.

So, Which Is the Better Investment, Zions Bancorporation, National Association, Citizens Financial Group or Inc. Stock?

Overall, Zions Bancorporation, National Association stock has a Growth Score of 77, Momentum Score of 66 and Estimate Revisions Score of 66.

Citizens Financial Group, Inc. stock has a Growth Score of 77, Momentum Score of 75 and Estimate Revisions Score of 70.

Comparing Zions Bancorporation, National Association, Citizens Financial Group and Inc.’s grades, scores and metrics can act as a solid basis to determine whether they may be a good investment or not. You’ll also want to look at your portfolio’s asset allocation as well as your risk tolerance and financial goals to see if either of these stocks would make a good fit for you. AAII can help you figure out which investments align with your individual needs and preferences.

Investors are encouraged to do their own due diligence and research. In this way, individuals can effectively become managers of their own assets‐without having to rely on others for financial independence. You can count on AAII for timeless articles on financial planning and stock-picking, unbiased research and actionable analysis.

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

Learn More About A+ Investor

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.



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