CNB Financial (NASDAQ:CCNE – Get Free Report) and Columbia Financial (NASDAQ:CLBK – Get Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, valuation, dividends, risk, profitability, analyst recommendations and institutional ownership.
Profitability
This table compares CNB Financial and Columbia Financial’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| CNB Financial | 23.26% | 13.15% | 1.31% |
| Columbia Financial | 8.54% | 5.17% | 0.67% |
Dividends
CNB Financial pays an annual dividend of $0.76 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.1%. Columbia Financial pays an annual dividend of $0.20 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.8%. CNB Financial pays out 20.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Columbia Financial pays out 69.0% 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. CNB Financial has increased its dividend for 1 consecutive years. CNB Financial is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.
Risk & Volatility
CNB Financial has a beta of 0.61, meaning that its stock price is 39% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Columbia Financial has a beta of 0.27, meaning that its stock price is 73% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Insider & Institutional Ownership
52.3% of CNB Financial shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 12.7% of Columbia Financial shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.9% of CNB Financial shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 3.5% of Columbia Financial shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.
Valuation & Earnings
This table compares CNB Financial and Columbia Financial”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| CNB Financial | $432.51 million | 2.46 | $66.13 million | $3.80 | 9.43 |
| Columbia Financial | $508.02 million | 6.02 | $51.77 million | $0.29 | 39.14 |
CNB Financial has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Columbia Financial. CNB Financial is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Columbia Financial, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Analyst Ratings
This is a summary of recent recommendations and price targets for CNB Financial and Columbia Financial, as provided by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| CNB Financial | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2.67 |
| Columbia Financial | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2.75 |
CNB Financial currently has a consensus price target of $37.20, indicating a potential upside of 3.77%. Columbia Financial has a consensus price target of $15.10, indicating a potential upside of 33.04%. Given Columbia Financial’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Columbia Financial is more favorable than CNB Financial.
Summary
CNB Financial beats Columbia Financial on 11 of the 17 factors compared between the two stocks.
About CNB Financial
CNB Financial Corporation is a bank holding company headquartered in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. Through its subsidiary, CNB Bank, it provides banking and related financial services to individuals, businesses and organizations. Its offerings include consumer and commercial deposit accounts, loans, mortgage services, cash management and other banking services. The company also provides wealth management and trust services through its financial services businesses. CNB Bank traces its roots to 1865 and serves communities across Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York.
About Columbia Financial
Columbia Financial, Inc. is the holding company for Columbia Bank, a community bank headquartered in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. The bank serves individuals, businesses and organizations, primarily in northern and central New Jersey. Columbia Bank offers deposit accounts and lending services, including residential mortgages, home equity loans, commercial real estate financing and other business loans. It also provides digital and traditional banking services for personal and business customers. The bank traces its history to the Columbia Building and Loan Association, established in 1926.
Receive News & Ratings for CNB Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CNB Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
