Unity Bancorp (NASDAQ:UNTY) versus Chemung Financial (NASDAQ:CHMG) Head to Head Analysis
by Kim Johansen · The Markets DailyUnity Bancorp (NASDAQ:UNTY – Get Free Report) and Chemung Financial (NASDAQ:CHMG – Get Free Report) are both small-cap finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, valuation, profitability, earnings and risk.
Insider and Institutional Ownership
42.3% of Unity Bancorp shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 47.5% of Chemung Financial shares are held by institutional investors. 28.9% of Unity Bancorp shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 12.7% of Chemung Financial shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.
Analyst Ratings
This is a summary of current ratings and price targets for Unity Bancorp and Chemung Financial, as provided by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Unity Bancorp | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 3.17 |
| Chemung Financial | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2.50 |
Unity Bancorp currently has a consensus target price of $65.50, suggesting a potential upside of 20.12%. Chemung Financial has a consensus target price of $87.75, suggesting a potential upside of 10.82%. Given Unity Bancorp’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Unity Bancorp is more favorable than Chemung Financial.
Dividends
Unity Bancorp pays an annual dividend of $0.68 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.2%. Chemung Financial pays an annual dividend of $1.44 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.8%. Unity Bancorp pays out 11.8% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Chemung Financial pays out 20.7% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. Unity Bancorp has increased its dividend for 12 consecutive years and Chemung Financial has increased its dividend for 1 consecutive years.
Profitability
This table compares Unity Bancorp and Chemung Financial’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Unity Bancorp | 31.00% | 16.34% | 1.91% |
| Chemung Financial | 20.68% | 12.98% | 1.22% |
Valuation & Earnings
This table compares Unity Bancorp and Chemung Financial”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Unity Bancorp | $188.41 million | 2.91 | $57.95 million | $5.75 | 9.48 |
| Chemung Financial | $140.78 million | 2.71 | $15.10 million | $6.96 | 11.38 |
Unity Bancorp has higher revenue and earnings than Chemung Financial. Unity Bancorp is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Chemung Financial, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Risk & Volatility
Unity Bancorp has a beta of 0.65, indicating that its share price is 35% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Chemung Financial has a beta of 0.58, indicating that its share price is 42% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Summary
Unity Bancorp beats Chemung Financial on 14 of the 18 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Unity Bancorp
Unity Bancorp, Inc. operates as a bank holding company for Unity Bank that provides range of commercial and retail banking services to individuals, small and medium sized businesses, and professional communities. It offers personal and business checking accounts, time deposits, money market accounts, savings accounts, and retirement accounts, as well as noninterest and interest-bearing demand deposits. The company also provides small business administration loans; commercial loans; and residential mortgage and consumer loans, including residential real estate, home equity lines and loans, and residential construction lines, as well as personal loans. In addition, it offers credit and debit cards, wire transfer, safe deposit box, automated teller, and internet and mobile banking services; and automated clearing house origination and remote deposit capture services. Unity Bancorp, Inc. was incorporated in 1991 and is headquartered in Clinton, New Jersey.
About Chemung Financial
Chemung Financial Corporation operates as a bank holding company for Chemung Canal Trust Company that provides a range of banking, financing, fiduciary, and other financial services. The company provides demand, savings, and time deposits; non-interest and interest-bearing checking accounts; and insured money market accounts. It also offers commercial and agricultural loans comprising loans to small to mid-sized businesses; commercial and residential mortgage loans; and consumer loans, including home equity lines of credit and home equity term loans. In addition, the company provides interest rate swaps, letters of credit, employee benefit plans, insurance products, mutual fund, brokerage, and tax preparation services. Further, it offers guardian, custodian, trustee, investment, pension, estate planning, and employee benefit administrative services, as well as acts as an agent for pension, profit-sharing, and other employee benefit trusts. Chemung Financial Corporation was founded in 1833 and is headquartered in Elmira, New York.