BOH vs CPF

For growth investors, Bank of Hawaii Corporation (BOH) is the stronger pick with 6.

6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 6. 4% for Central Pacific Financial Corp. (CPF). Central Pacific Financial Corp. (CPF) offers the better valuation at 12. 1x trailing P/E (10. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Bank of Hawaii Corporation (BOH) a "Hold" — based on 15 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Central Pacific Financial Corp.

(CPF) is the cheapest at 12. 1x versus Bank of Hawaii Corporation at 23. 3x. On forward P/E, Central Pacific Financial Corp. is actually cheaper at 10. 7x.

Over the past 5 years, Central Pacific Financial Corp.

(CPF) delivered a total return of +39. 2%, compared to -0. 2% for Bank of Hawaii Corporation (BOH). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CPF returned +93. 0% versus BOH's +57. 8%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Central Pacific Financial Corp.

(CPF) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 80β versus Bank of Hawaii Corporation's 0. 98β — meaning BOH is approximately 22% more volatile than CPF relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Central Pacific Financial Corp. (CPF) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 17% versus 45% for Bank of Hawaii Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Bank of Hawaii Corporation (BOH) is pulling ahead at 6.

6% versus 6. 4% for Central Pacific Financial Corp. (CPF). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Central Pacific Financial Corp. grew EPS 45. 7% year-over-year, compared to -16. 4% for Bank of Hawaii Corporation. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Central Pacific Financial Corp.

(CPF) is the more profitable company, earning 21. 4% net margin versus 14. 6% for Bank of Hawaii Corporation — meaning it keeps 21. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CPF leads at 27. 8% versus 19. 2% for BOH. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CPF leads at 76. 1%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Central Pacific Financial Corp.

(CPF) trades at 10. 7x forward P/E versus 13. 4x for Bank of Hawaii Corporation — 2. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BOH: -1. 3% to $79. 67.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Bank of Hawaii Corporation (BOH) offers the highest yield at 3. 5%, versus 3. 1% for Central Pacific Financial Corp. (CPF).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Central Pacific Financial Corp.

(CPF) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 80), 3. 1% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CPF: +93. 0%, BOH: +57. 8%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Financial Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: BOH is a small-cap income-oriented stock; CPF is a small-cap deep-value stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.