Head to Head Comparison: First Financial Bancorp. (NASDAQ:FFBC) versus FinWise Bancorp (NASDAQ:FINW)

First Financial Bancorp. (NASDAQ:FFBC – Get Free Report) and FinWise Bancorp (NASDAQ:FINW – Get Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, risk, earnings, profitability, institutional ownership, valuation and dividends.

Profitability

This table compares First Financial Bancorp. and FinWise Bancorp’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent ratings for First Financial Bancorp. and FinWise Bancorp, as provided by MarketBeat.

First Financial Bancorp. presently has a consensus price target of $34.00, suggesting a potential upside of 7.77%. FinWise Bancorp has a consensus price target of $18.00, suggesting a potential upside of 59.57%. Given FinWise Bancorp’s higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe FinWise Bancorp is more favorable than First Financial Bancorp..

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares First Financial Bancorp. and FinWise Bancorp”s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

First Financial Bancorp. has higher revenue and earnings than FinWise Bancorp. First Financial Bancorp. is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than FinWise Bancorp, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

77.2% of First Financial Bancorp. shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 35.4% of FinWise Bancorp shares are held by institutional investors. 1.1% of First Financial Bancorp. shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 22.4% of FinWise Bancorp shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Risk and Volatility

First Financial Bancorp. has a beta of 0.91, meaning that its stock price is 9% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, FinWise Bancorp has a beta of 0.7, meaning that its stock price is 30% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

First Financial Bancorp. beats FinWise Bancorp on 11 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About First Financial Bancorp.

(Get Free Report)

First Financial Bancorp. operates as the bank holding company for First Financial Bank that provides commercial banking and related services to individuals and businesses in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois. The company offers checking, savings, and money-market accounts; and accepts various deposit products, such as interest-bearing and non-interest-bearing accounts, time deposits, and cash management services for commercial customers. It also provides real estate loans secured by residential property, such as one to four family residential housing units or commercial property comprising owner-occupied and/or investor income producing real estate consisting of apartments, shopping centers, and office buildings; commercial and industrial loans for various purposes, including inventory, receivables, and equipment, as well as equipment and leasehold improvement financing for franchisees; consumer loans comprising new and used vehicle loans, second mortgages on residential real estate, and unsecured loans; and home equity lines of credit. In addition, the company offers commercial financing to the insurance industry, registered investment advisors, certified public accountants, indirect auto finance companies, and restaurant franchisees. Further, it provides a range of trust and wealth management services; lease and equipment financing services; and currency payments, foreign exchange hedging, and other advisory products. First Financial Bancorp. was founded in 1863 and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.

About FinWise Bancorp

(Get Free Report)

FinWise Bancorp operates as the bank holding company for FinWise Bank that provides various banking products and services to individual and corporate customers in Utah. The company offers various deposit products, including interest and noninterest bearing demand accounts, health savings account demand deposits, NOW and money market accounts, and checking and savings accounts, as well as time deposits and certificates of deposits. It also provides loans, including consumer, small business administration, commercial, commercial real estate, and residential real estate loans. In addition, the company offers debit cards, remote deposit capture, online banking, mobile banking, and direct deposit services; and business accounts and cash management services, such as business checking and savings accounts, and treasury services. FinWise Bancorp was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Murray, Utah.