Based on key financial metrics such as the price-to-sales ratio, shareholder yield and the price-earnings ratio, the following 7 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.

7 Undervalued Banks Stocks

Of course, there are countless value stocks that are worth mentioning, but this is a concise list of the top 7 undervalued stocks in the Banks industry for Tuesday, August 18, 2026. 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.

Citigroup Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Citigroup Inc., a diversified financial service holding company, provides various financial products and services to consumers, corporations, governments, and institutions. It operates through five segments: Services, Markets, Banking, U.S. Personal Banking, and Wealth. The Services segment includes treasury and trade solutions, which provides cash management, trade, and working capital solutions to multinational corporations, financial institutions, and public sector organizations; and securities services, such as cross-border support for clients, local market expertise, post-trade technologies, data solutions, and various securities services solutions. The Markets segment offers sales and trading services for equities, foreign exchange, rates, spread products, and commodities to corporate, institutional, and public sector clients; and market-making services, including asset classes, risk management solutions, financing, and prime brokerage. The Banking segment includes investment banking services comprising equity and debt capital markets-related strategic financing solutions; advisory services related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, restructurings, and corporate defense activities; and corporate lending consists of corporate and commercial banking. The U.S. Personal Banking segment provides proprietary and co-branded card portfolios; and traditional banking services to retail and small business customers. The Wealth segment offers financial services to high-net-worth clients through banking, lending, mortgages, investment, custody, and trust product offerings; professional industries, including law firms, consulting groups, accounting, and asset management; and affluent and high net worth clients. The company operates in North America, the United Kingdom, Japan, North and South Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Citigroup Inc. was founded in 1812 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

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.

Citigroup Inc. has a Value Score of 79, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at Citigroup Inc.’s price-to-sales ratio at 3.01 compared to the industry median at 3.57, this company has a lower price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Citigroup Inc.’s stock more attractive for value investors.

Citigroup Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 15.10 compared to the industry median at 12.70. This means it has a higher share price relative to earnings compared to its peers. This could make Citigroup Inc. less 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. Citigroup Inc.’s shareholder yield is higher than its industry median ratio of 2.40%. 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. Citigroup Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 1.27. This could make Citigroup Inc. more attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Peoples Bancorp Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Peoples Bancorp Inc. operates as the financial holding company for Peoples Bank that provides commercial and consumer banking products and services. The company accepts various deposit products, including demand deposit accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, and governmental deposits; and provides commercial and industrial, commercial real estate, construction, finance, residential real estate, and consumer indirect and direct loans, as well as home equity lines of credit and overdrafts. It also offers debit and automated teller machine (ATM) cards; safe deposit rental facilities; money orders and cashier’s checks; and online, telephone, and mobile banking services. In addition, it provides various life, health, and property and casualty insurance products; third-party insurance administration; interactive teller machines; insurance premium financing; commercial and technology equipment leasing; fiduciary and trust; equipment financing agreements; and asset management and administration services, as well as employee benefit, retirement, and healthcare plan administration services. Further, the company offers brokerage services through an unaffiliated registered broker-dealer; and credit cards to individuals and businesses, as well as merchant credit card transaction processing, and person-to-person and business-to-business payment processing services. Peoples Bancorp Inc. was founded in 1902 and is based in Marietta, 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.

Peoples Bancorp Inc. has a Value Score of 70, which is considered to be undervalued.

Peoples Bancorp Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 12.4 compared to the industry median at 12.7. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Peoples Bancorp Inc. more attractive for value investors.

Peoples Bancorp Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Peoples Bancorp Inc. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.27.

You can read more about Peoples 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.

Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Peapack Private Bank & Trust that provides private banking and wealth management services in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Banking and Wealth Management. It offers checking and savings accounts, money market and interest-bearing checking accounts, certificates of deposit, and individual retirement accounts. The company also provides working capital lines of credit, term loans for fixed asset acquisitions, commercial mortgages, multi-family mortgages, and other forms of asset-based financing services; and residential mortgages, home equity lines of credit, and other second mortgage loans. In addition, it offers corporate and industrial (C&I;) lending and equipment finance, commercial real estate, multifamily, residential, and consumer lending activities; treasury management, C&I; advisory, escrow management, deposit generation, and investment management services; personal trust services, including services as executor, trustee, administrator, custodian, and guardian; and other financial planning, tax preparation, and advisory services. Further, the company provides telephone and Internet banking, merchant credit card, and customer support sales services. Its private banking clients include businesses, non-profits, and consumers; wealth management clients include individuals, families, foundations, endowments, trusts, and estates; and commercial loan clients include business owners, professionals, retailers, contractors, and real estate investors. The company operates its private banking locations in Bedminster, Morristown, Princeton, and Teaneck, New Jersey; and branches in Somerset, Morris, Hunterdon, and Union counties, as well as operates automated teller machines. The company was founded in 1921 and is headquartered in Bedminster, 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.

Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation has a Value Score of 71, which is considered to be undervalued.

Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation’s price-earnings ratio is 16.2 compared to the industry median at 12.7. This means that it has a higher price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation less attractive for value investors.

Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.27.

You can read more about Peapack-Gladstone Financial 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.

QCR Holdings, Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

QCR Holdings, Inc., a multi-bank holding company, provides commercial and consumer banking, and trust and asset management services. The company’s deposit products include noninterest-bearing demand, interest-bearing demand, time, and brokered deposits. It also provides various commercial and retail lending/leasing, and investment services to corporations, partnerships, individuals, and government agencies. In addition, the company offers loans to small and mid-sized businesses; business loans, including lines of credit for working capital and operational purposes; term loans for the acquisition of facilities, equipment, and other purposes; commercial and residential real estate loans; and installment and other consumer loans, such as motor vehicle, home improvement, home equity, signature loans, and small personal credit lines, as well as issuance of trust preferred securities. QCR Holdings, Inc. was incorporated in 1993 and is headquartered in Moline, Illinois.

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.

QCR Holdings, Inc. has a Value Score of 77, which is considered to be undervalued.

QCR Holdings, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 12.4 compared to the industry median at 12.7. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes QCR Holdings, Inc. more attractive for value investors.

QCR Holdings, Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make QCR Holdings, Inc. more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.27.

You can read more about QCR Holdings, 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.

River Financial Corporation’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

River Financial Corporation operates as the bank holding company for River Bank & Trust that provides commercial and consumer banking services to small to medium-sized businesses, organizations, entrepreneurs, and individuals in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. The company accepts demand, time, savings, and other deposits, including negotiable orders of withdrawal accounts, and amortization and prepayments of loans and investment; and interest-bearing transaction accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit. It also offers commercial real estate term loans, residential mortgage loans, and construction and land development loans; home equity lines of credit; commercial and industrial loans; loan approval; and consumer loans that consist of loans to purchase automobiles and other consumer durable goods. In addition, the company provides investment brokerage; commercial and retail online banking, automated bill payment, mobile banking, and remote deposit capture services; and loans and investment amortization and prepayment services. River Financial Corporation was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Prattville, Alabama.

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.

River Financial Corporation has a Value Score of 81, which is considered to be undervalued.

River Financial Corporation’s price-earnings ratio is 7.3 compared to the industry median at 12.7. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes River Financial Corporation more attractive for value investors.

River Financial Corporation’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make River Financial Corporation less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.27.

You can read more about River Financial 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.

Southside Bancshares, Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Southside Bancshares, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Southside Bank that provides various financial services to individuals, businesses, municipal entities, and nonprofit organizations. Its deposit products include savings, money market, and interest and noninterest bearing checking accounts, as well as certificates of deposit. The company offers consumer loan services, including 1-4 family residential, home equity, home improvement, automobile, and other consumer related loans; commercial loans, such as short-term working capital loans for inventory and accounts receivable, short and medium-term loans for equipment or other business capital expansion, commercial real estate loans, and municipal loans; and construction loans for 1-4 family residential and commercial real estate. It also provides trust and wealth management services comprising investment management, administration of irrevocable, revocable, and testamentary trusts, estate administration, and custodian services for individuals, partnerships, and corporations; brokerage services; and safe deposit services. In addition, the company offers retirement and employee benefit accounts consisting of plans and profit sharing plans; and telephone, internet, and mobile banking products. The company offers various banking services through branches, drive-thru facilities, loan production offices, automated teller machines, and interactive teller machines. Southside Bancshares, Inc. was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Tyler, 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.

Southside Bancshares, Inc. has a Value Score of 78, which is considered to be undervalued.

Southside Bancshares, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 12.9 compared to the industry median at 12.7. This means that it has a higher price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Southside Bancshares, Inc. less attractive for value investors.

Southside Bancshares, Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Southside Bancshares, Inc. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.27.

You can read more about Southside 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.

1st Source Corporation’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

1st Source Corporation operates as the bank holding company for 1st Source Bank that provides commercial and consumer banking services, trust and wealth advisory services, and insurance products to individual and business clients in the United States. The company’s consumer banking services, which include checking and savings accounts; certificates of deposit; health savings and individual retirement accounts; online and mobile banking products; consumer loans, real estate mortgage loans, and home equity lines of credit; and financial planning, financial literacy, and other consultative services, as well as debit and credit cards. It also provides commercial, small business, agricultural, and real estate loans for financing of industrial and commercial properties, equipment, inventories, accounts receivables, acquisition, and general corporate purposes; and commercial leasing, treasury management, payment services, Fedwires, ACH and merchant services, and retirement planning services, as well as construction and permanent loans and tax equity investments for community solar, commercial and industrial, small utility scale, university, and municipal projects. In addition, the company offers trust, investment, agency, and custodial services for individual, estate and trust, corporate, and not-for-profit customers, as well as employee benefit plans and charitable foundations. Further, it provides equipment loan and lease products for construction equipment, aircraft, autos and light trucks, and medium and heavy-duty trucks; and financing services for construction equipment, new and pre-owned private and cargo aircraft, and various vehicle types for fleet purposes. Additionally, it offers property, casualty, individual and group health, and life insurance products and services for individuals and businesses; and owns and manages available-for-sale investment securities. 1st Source Corporation was founded in 1863 and is headquartered in South Bend, 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.

1st Source Corporation has a Value Score of 66, which is considered to be undervalued.

1st Source Corporation’s price-earnings ratio is 12.6 compared to the industry median at 12.7. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes 1st Source Corporation more attractive for value investors.

1st Source Corporation’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make 1st Source Corporation more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.27.

You can read more about 1st Source 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.

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 7 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.

• Citigroup Inc. stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Peoples Bancorp Inc. stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation stock has a Value Grade of B.
• QCR Holdings, Inc. stock has a Value Grade of B.
• River Financial Corporation stock has a Value Grade of A.
• Southside Bancshares, Inc. stock has a Value Grade of B.
• 1st Source Corporation stock has a Value Grade of B.

Now that you have a bit more background about each of the 7 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.

• 7 Undervalued Banks Stocks for Monday, August 17
• Is Bank of Marin Bancorp (BMRC) Overvalued?
• Is Bank7 Corp. (BSVN) Overvalued?
• Is ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. (COFS) Overvalued?

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.