Hingham Institution for Savings (NASDAQ:HIFS – Get Free Report) and Community West Bancshares (NASDAQ:CWBC – Get Free Report) are both small-cap finance companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, earnings, institutional ownership, profitability, dividends, valuation and risk.
Profitability
This table compares Hingham Institution for Savings and Community West Bancshares’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Hingham Institution for Savings | 25.94% | 8.22% | 0.88% |
| Community West Bancshares | 16.86% | 10.12% | 1.16% |
Risk & Volatility
Hingham Institution for Savings has a beta of 0.83, indicating that its share price is 17% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Community West Bancshares has a beta of 0.81, indicating that its share price is 19% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Earnings & Valuation
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Hingham Institution for Savings | $236.78 million | 2.82 | $54.55 million | $30.02 | 10.20 |
| Community West Bancshares | $196.20 million | 3.62 | $38.17 million | $1.85 | 14.15 |
Hingham Institution for Savings has higher revenue and earnings than Community West Bancshares. Hingham Institution for Savings is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Community West Bancshares, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Dividends
Hingham Institution for Savings pays an annual dividend of $2.52 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.8%. Community West Bancshares pays an annual dividend of $0.48 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.8%. Hingham Institution for Savings pays out 8.4% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Community West Bancshares 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.
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of recent ratings and recommmendations for Hingham Institution for Savings and Community West Bancshares, as provided by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Hingham Institution for Savings | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3.00 |
| Community West Bancshares | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2.60 |
Community West Bancshares has a consensus target price of $28.17, suggesting a potential upside of 7.59%. Given Community West Bancshares’ higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Community West Bancshares is more favorable than Hingham Institution for Savings.
Institutional and Insider Ownership
49.3% of Hingham Institution for Savings shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 33.8% of Community West Bancshares shares are owned by institutional investors. 9.0% of Community West Bancshares shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.
About Hingham Institution for Savings
Hingham Institution for Savings provides various financial products and services to individuals and small businesses in the United States. It offers savings, checking, money market, demand, and negotiable order of withdrawal accounts, as well as certificates of deposit. The company provides commercial and residential real estate, construction, home equity, commercial, consumer, and mortgage loans. In addition, it offers ATMs, debit cards, and Internet-based banking services. The company offers its services through a network of offices in Boston; Washington, D.C.; and San Francisco Bay Area. Hingham Institution for Savings was incorporated in 1834 and is headquartered in Hingham, Massachusetts.
About Community West Bancshares
Community West Bancshares operates as the bank holding company for Community West Bank, N.A. that provides various financial products and services in California. The company offers deposit products, such as checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, and fixed rate and fixed maturity certificates of deposits; and cash management products. It also provides commercial, commercial real estate, consumer, manufactured housing, and small business administration loans, as well as agricultural loans for real estate and operating lines; home equity lines of credit collateralized by residential real estate; single family real estate loans; and installment loans consisting of automobile and general-purpose loans. The company serves small to medium-sized businesses and their owners, professionals, high-net worth individuals, and non-profit organizations. Community West Bancshares was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Goleta, California.
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