Amerant Bancorp (NYSE:AMTB) and First Community Bancshares (NASDAQ:FCBC) Head-To-Head Contrast

First Community Bancshares (NASDAQ:FCBC – Get Free Report) and Amerant Bancorp (NYSE:AMTB – Get Free Report) are both small-cap finance companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, valuation, dividends, risk, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations and profitability.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares First Community Bancshares and Amerant Bancorp”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

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

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent ratings and target prices for First Community Bancshares and Amerant Bancorp, as reported by MarketBeat.

Amerant Bancorp has a consensus price target of $27.75, indicating a potential downside of 4.01%. Given Amerant Bancorp’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Amerant Bancorp is more favorable than First Community Bancshares.

Dividends

First Community Bancshares pays an annual dividend of $1.32 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.8%. Amerant Bancorp pays an annual dividend of $0.36 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.2%. First Community Bancshares pays out 41.6% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Amerant Bancorp pays out 25.9% 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 Community Bancshares has increased its dividend for 13 consecutive years. First Community Bancshares is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

Volatility & Risk

First Community Bancshares has a beta of 0.49, suggesting that its stock price is 51% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Amerant Bancorp has a beta of 0.82, suggesting that its stock price is 18% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares First Community Bancshares and Amerant Bancorp’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

35.0% of First Community Bancshares shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 42.1% of Amerant Bancorp shares are held by institutional investors. 3.7% of First Community Bancshares shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 2.7% of Amerant Bancorp shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

Amerant Bancorp beats First Community Bancshares on 9 of the 17 factors compared between the two stocks.

About First Community Bancshares

(Get Free Report)

First Community Bankshares, Inc. operates as the financial holding company for First Community Bank that provides various banking products and services. It offers demand deposit accounts, savings and money market accounts, certificates of deposit, and individual retirement plans; and commercial, consumer real estate, and consumer and other loans. The company also provides trust management, estate administration, and investment advisory services; and investment management services. It serves individuals and businesses across various industries, such as education, government, and health services; coal mining and gas extraction; retail trade; construction; manufacturing; tourism; and transportation. The company operates through branches in West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Community Bankshares, Inc. was founded in 1874 and is headquartered in Bluefield, Virginia.

About Amerant Bancorp

(Get Free Report)

Amerant Bancorp Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Amerant Bank, N.A. that provides banking products and services to individuals and businesses in the United States and internationally. The company offers checking, savings, and money market accounts; and certificates of deposits. It also provides variable and fixed rate commercial real estate loans; loans secured by owner-occupied properties; loans to domestic and foreign individuals primarily secured by personal residence; working capital loans, asset-based lending, participations in shared national credits, purchased receivables, and small business administration loans; loans to financial institutions and acceptances; and consumer loans and overdrafts, such as automobile, personal, or loans secured by cash or securities and revolving credit card agreements. In addition, the company offers trust and estate planning products and services to high-net-worth customers, brokerage and investment advisory services in global capital markets, and wealth management and fiduciary services. Further, it provides debit and credit cards, night depositories, direct deposits, cashier’s checks, safe deposit boxes, letters of credit, and treasury management services, including wire transfer, remote deposit capture, and automated clearinghouse services; derivative instruments; and online and mobile banking, account balances, statements and other documents, online transfers and bill payment, and electronic delivery of customer statements services, as well as automated teller machines, and banking by mobile devices, telephone, and mail. As of December 31, 2021, the company operated 24 banking centers comprising 17 in Florida and 7 in Texas. It also operates loan production offices in Tampa, Florida. The company was formerly known as Mercantil Bank Holding Corporation and changed its name to Amerant Bancorp Inc. in June 2019. Amerant Bancorp Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Coral Gables, Florida.

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