First Financial Bankshares (NASDAQ:FFIN) and SmartFinancial (NASDAQ:SMBK) Head-To-Head Comparison

First Financial Bankshares (NASDAQ:FFIN – Get Free Report) and SmartFinancial (NASDAQ:SMBK – Get Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, analyst recommendations, earnings, institutional ownership, risk, profitability and valuation.

Dividends

First Financial Bankshares pays an annual dividend of $0.88 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.5%. SmartFinancial pays an annual dividend of $0.36 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.7%. First Financial Bankshares pays out 47.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. SmartFinancial pays out 10.6% 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. First Financial Bankshares has increased its dividend for 15 consecutive years and SmartFinancial has increased its dividend for 3 consecutive years. First Financial Bankshares is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

Get First Financial Bankshares alerts:

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares First Financial Bankshares and SmartFinancial”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

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

Institutional and Insider Ownership

69.8% of First Financial Bankshares shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 58.8% of SmartFinancial shares are owned by institutional investors. 3.8% of First Financial Bankshares shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 6.9% of SmartFinancial shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Risk and Volatility

First Financial Bankshares has a beta of 0.81, suggesting that its share price is 19% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, SmartFinancial has a beta of 0.69, suggesting that its share price is 31% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

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

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for First Financial Bankshares and SmartFinancial, as reported by MarketBeat.

First Financial Bankshares currently has a consensus target price of $36.75, indicating a potential upside of 6.12%. SmartFinancial has a consensus target price of $50.42, indicating a potential downside of 3.03%. Given First Financial Bankshares’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities research analysts clearly believe First Financial Bankshares is more favorable than SmartFinancial.

Summary

First Financial Bankshares beats SmartFinancial on 12 of the 16 factors compared between the two stocks.

About First Financial Bankshares

(Get Free Report)

First Financial Bankshares, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides commercial banking products and services in Texas. The company offers checking, savings and time deposits; automated teller machines, drive-in, and night deposit services; safe deposit facilities, remote deposit capture, internet banking, mobile banking, payroll cards, funds transfer, and performing other customary commercial banking services; securities brokerage services; and trust and wealth management services, including wealth management, estates administration, oil and gas management, testamentary trusts, revocable and irrevocable trusts, and agency accounts. It also provides commercial and industrial, municipal, agricultural, construction and development, farm, residential, and consumer auto and non-auto, as well as non-owner occupied and owner occupied commercial real estate loans. In addition, the company offers advisory and specialized services related to asset management, investing, purchasing, advertising, public relations, and technology services. First Financial Bankshares, Inc. was founded in 1890 and is headquartered in Abilene, Texas.

About SmartFinancial

(Get Free Report)

SmartFinancial, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for SmartBank that provides various financial services to individuals and corporate customers in Tennessee, Alabama, and Florida. It operates through Commercial Real Estate, Consumer Real Estate, Construction and Land Development, Commercial and Industrial, Leases, and Consumer and Other segments. The company offers noninterest-bearing and interest-bearing checking, interest-bearing demand, savings, money market, time deposit, individual retirement accounts, as well as certificates of deposit. It also provides commercial and residential real estate, consumer real estate, and construction and land development loans; commercial and financial loans and leases; commercial business and mortgage loans; and direct consumer installment, educational, agriculture, and other revolving credit loans; equipment financing, heavy equipment, semis, and trailers loans and leases to small and mid-size companies; letters of credit; and overdraft facilities. In addition, the company offers wealth management, insurance, mortgage origination, and internet and mobile banking services. SmartFinancial, Inc. is headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Receive News & Ratings for First Financial Bankshares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for First Financial Bankshares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.