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.

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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, October 13, 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.

M&T; Bank Corporation’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

M&T; Bank Corporation operates as a bank holding company for Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association that provides retail and commercial banking products and services in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Commercial Bank, Retail Bank, and Institutional Services and Wealth Management. It offers a range of credit products and banking services, such as commercial lending and leasing, letters of credits, deposit products, cash management services, commercial real estate loans, and credit facilities secured by various commercial real estate properties to middle-market and large commercial customers. The company also provides customers deposit products, including demand, savings and time accounts, and other services; automobile and recreational finance loans, home equity loans and lines of credit, credit cards, and other loan products, as well as residential mortgage and real estate loans; business loans, cash management, payroll, direct deposit, and merchant credit card services to consumers and small businesses through branch network, telephone banking, internet banking, and automated teller machines. In addition, it offers trustee, agency, investment management, and administrative services; personal trust, planning and advisory, fiduciary, asset management, family office, and other services; and investment products, including mutual funds and annuities, and other services for corporations and institutions, investment bankers, corporate tax, finance and legal executives, and other institutional clients. M&T; Bank Corporation was founded in 1856 and is headquartered in Buffalo, 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.

M&T; Bank Corporation has a Value Score of 78, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at M&T; Bank Corporation’s price-to-sales ratio at 3.55 compared to the industry median at 3.33, this company has a higher price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make M&T; Bank Corporation’s stock less attractive for value investors.

M&T; Bank Corporation’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 M&T; Bank Corporation 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. M&T; Bank Corporation’s shareholder yield is higher than its industry median ratio of 2.30%. 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. M&T; Bank Corporation’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its industry median ratio of 1.24. This could make M&T; Bank Corporation less attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Lastly, let’s take a look at M&T; Bank Corporation’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio (P/FCF), which can indicate a company’s market value relative to its operating cash flow. M&T; Bank Corporation’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 14.55. This could make M&T; Bank Corporation more attractive because the lower P/FCF ratio indicates that M&T; Bank Corporation 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.

MVB Financial Corp.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

MVB Financial Corp. operates as bank holding company for MVB Bank, Inc that provides financial services to individuals and corporate clients. The company operates through three segments: CoRe Banking, Mortgage Banking, and Financial Holding Company. It offers various demand deposit accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit; and commercial, consumer, and real estate mortgage loans, as well as lines of credit. The company provides debit cards; cashier’s checks; safe deposit rental facilities; and non-deposit investment services, as well as financial technology (Fintech) banking services. In addition, it offers fintech solutions for the gaming, payments, banking-as-a-service, and digital asset sectors; fraud prevention services for merchants, credit agencies, Fintech companies, and other vendors; and digital products and web and mobile applications for forward-thinking community banks, credit unions, digital banks, and Fintech companies. It operates full-service branches in West Virginia and Virginia. The company was founded in 1999 and is based in Fairmont, West 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.

MVB Financial Corp. has a Value Score of 82, which is considered to be undervalued.

MVB Financial Corp.’s price-earnings ratio is 9.9 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 MVB Financial Corp. more attractive for value investors.

MVB Financial Corp.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make MVB Financial Corp. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.24.

You can read more about MVB 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.

OptimumBank Holdings, Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

OptimumBank Holdings, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for OptimumBank, which provides various consumer and commercial banking services to individuals and businesses. The company accepts interest-bearing and noninterest-bearing, savings, money market, and NOW accounts, as well as time deposits, wire transfers, ACH services, and certificates of deposit. It also offers multi-family real estate, residential and commercial real estate, and land and construction loans; commercial loans for working capital purposes or acquiring equipment, inventory, and furniture; and consumer loans for various purposes, including purchases of automobiles, recreational vehicles, boats, home improvements, lines of credit, personal, and deposit account collateralized loans. In addition, the company provides debit and ATM cards; cash management, notary, and night depository services; and direct deposits, money orders, cashier’s checks, domestic collections, and banking by mail. OptimumBank Holdings, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

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.

OptimumBank Holdings, Inc. has a Value Score of 61, which is considered to be undervalued.

OptimumBank Holdings, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 9.9 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 OptimumBank Holdings, Inc. more attractive for value investors.

OptimumBank Holdings, Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make OptimumBank Holdings, Inc. more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.24.

You can read more about OptimumBank 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.

Virginia National Bankshares Corporation’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Virginia National Bankshares Corporation operates as the holding company for Virginia National Bank that provides a range of commercial and retail banking products and services in Virginia. It operates through two segments: Bank and VNB Trust and Estate Services. The company provides checking accounts, demand deposits, NOW accounts, money market deposit accounts, time deposits, certificates of deposit, individual retirement accounts, and other depository services. The company also offers commercial loans, real estate construction and land loans, commercial real estate loans, 1-4 family residential mortgages, and commercial mortgages, as well as consumer loans comprising student loans, revolving credit, and other fixed payment loans. In addition, it provides automated teller machines, internet banking, treasury, and cash management services; merchant and debit card services; and investment advisory and management services. Further, the company offers investment management, wealth management, corporate trustee, trust and estate administration, IRA administration, in-house investment management, and custody services. It serves individuals, businesses, and charitable organizations. The company was formerly known as Virginia National Bank and changed its name to Virginia National Bankshares Corporation in December 2013. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Charlottesville, 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.

Virginia National Bankshares Corporation has a Value Score of 59, which is considered to be fairly valued.

Virginia National Bankshares Corporation’s price-earnings ratio is 10.8 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 Virginia National Bankshares Corporation more attractive for value investors.

Virginia National Bankshares Corporation’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Virginia National Bankshares Corporation more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.24.

You can read more about Virginia National Bankshares 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.

WaFd, Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

WaFd, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Washington Federal Bank that provides lending, depository, insurance, and other banking services in the United States. The company provides deposit products, including business and personal checking accounts, and term certificates of deposit, as well as money market accounts and passbook savings accounts. It offers single-family residential, construction, land acquisition and development, consumer lot, multi-family residential, commercial real estate, home equity, business, and consumer loans, as well as commercial and industrial loans. In addition, the company offers insurance brokerage services, such as individual and business insurance policies; holds and markets real estate properties; and debit and credit cards, as well as acts as the trustee. Additionally, it provides technology and data services; and personalized financial guidance and investment services. It serves consumers, mid-sized and large businesses, and owners and developers of commercial real estate. The company was formerly known as Washington Federal, Inc. and changed its name to WaFd, Inc. in September 2023. WaFd, Inc. was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Seattle, 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.

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

WaFd, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 9.3 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 WaFd, Inc. more attractive for value investors.

WaFd, Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make WaFd, Inc. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.24.

You can read more about WaFd, 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.

Western Alliance Bancorporation’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Western Alliance Bancorporation operates as the bank holding company for Western Alliance Bank that provides various banking products and related services primarily in Arizona, California, and Nevada. It operates through Commercial and Consumer Related segments. The company offers deposit products, including demand deposit, checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as fixed-rate and fixed maturity certificates of deposit accounts; treasury management products and services to small and middle-market businesses, specialized banking services to sophisticated commercial institutions and investors; and residential mortgage products and services. It also provides commercial and industrial loan products, such as working capital lines of credit, loans to technology companies, inventory and accounts receivable lines, mortgage warehouse lines, equipment loans and leases, and other commercial loans; commercial real estate loans, which are secured by multifamily residential properties, professional offices, industrial facilities, retail centers, hotels, and other commercial properties; construction and land development loans for single family and multifamily residential projects, industrial/warehouse properties, office buildings, retail centers, medical office facilities, and residential lot developments; and consumer loans. In addition, the company offers other financial services, such as internet banking, wire transfers, electronic bill payment and presentment, funds transfer and other digital payment offerings, lock box services, courier, and cash management services. Further, the company holds certain investment securities, municipal and non-profit loans, and leases; invests primarily in low-income housing tax credits and small business investment corporations; and certain real estate loans and related securities. Western Alliance Bancorporation was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.

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.

Western Alliance Bancorporation has a Value Score of 85, which is considered to be undervalued.

Western Alliance Bancorporation’s price-earnings ratio is 8.4 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 Western Alliance Bancorporation more attractive for value investors.

Western Alliance Bancorporation’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Western Alliance Bancorporation less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.24.

You can read more about Western Alliance Bancorporation’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.

Wintrust Financial Corporation’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Wintrust Financial Corporation, a financial holding company, provides community-oriented, personal, and commercial banking services in the United States. It operates through three segments: Community Banking, Specialty Finance, and Wealth Management. The Community Banking segment offers non-interest-bearing deposits, non-brokered interest-bearing transaction accounts, and savings and domestic time deposits; home equity, consumer, and real estate loans; safe deposit facilities; and automatic teller machine, online and mobile banking, and other services. This segment also engages in the retail origination of residential mortgages; provision of lending, deposits, and treasury management services to condominium, homeowner, and community associations; and asset-based lending for middle-market companies. In addition, it provides loan and deposit services to mortgage brokerage companies; lending to restaurant franchisees; direct leasing; small business administration loans; commercial mortgages and construction loans; and financial solutions. The Specialty Finance segment offers commercial and life insurance premiums financing for businesses and individuals; accounts receivable financing, value-added, and out-sourced administrative services, including data processing of payrolls, billing, and cash management services to temporary staffing industry; other specialty finance services; equipment financing through structured loan and lease products; and property and casualty insurance premium financing. The Wealth Management segment provides wealth management services, such as trust and investment, tax-deferred like-kind exchange, asset management, and securities brokerage services. Wintrust Financial Corporation was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Rosemont, 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.

Wintrust Financial Corporation has a Value Score of 70, which is considered to be undervalued.

Wintrust Financial Corporation’s price-earnings ratio is 11.6 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 Wintrust Financial Corporation more attractive for value investors.

Wintrust Financial Corporation’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Wintrust Financial Corporation more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.24.

You can read more about Wintrust 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.

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.

• M&T; Bank Corporation stock has a Value Grade of B.
• MVB Financial Corp. stock has a Value Grade of A.
• OptimumBank Holdings, Inc. stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Virginia National Bankshares Corporation stock has a Value Grade of C.
• WaFd, Inc. stock has a Value Grade of A.
• Western Alliance Bancorporation stock has a Value Grade of A.
• Wintrust Financial 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, October 12
• 5 Undervalued Banks Stocks for Friday, October 09
• Which Is a Better Investment, 1st Source Corporation or UMB Financial Corporation Stock?
• Which Is a Better Investment, Beacon Financial Corporation or Popular, Inc. Stock?

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.