ALRS vs NBTB vs FFIN vs BANF vs OTTR

For growth investors, First Financial Bankshares, Inc.

(FFIN) is the stronger pick with 11. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -9. 3% for BancFirst Corporation (BANF). Otter Tail Corporation (OTTR) offers the better valuation at 13. 7x trailing P/E (15. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Alerus Financial Corporation (ALRS) a "Hold" — based on 5 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, Otter Tail Corporation (OTTR) is the cheapest at 13.

7x versus Alerus Financial Corporation at 44. 6x. On forward P/E, Alerus Financial Corporation is actually cheaper at 10. 3x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Otter Tail Corporation wins at 0. 69x versus First Financial Bankshares, Inc. 's 3. 67x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Otter Tail Corporation (OTTR) delivered a total return of +99.

6%, compared to -25. 9% for First Financial Bankshares, Inc. (FFIN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BANF returned +315. 6% versus ALRS's +106. 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), Otter Tail Corporation (OTTR) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

25β versus BancFirst Corporation's 0. 79β — meaning BANF is approximately 217% more volatile than OTTR relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, First Financial Bankshares, Inc. (FFIN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 78% for Alerus Financial Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), First Financial Bankshares, Inc.

(FFIN) is pulling ahead at 11. 7% versus -9. 3% for BancFirst Corporation (BANF). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: First Financial Bankshares, Inc. grew EPS 13. 5% year-over-year, compared to -18. 1% for Alerus Financial 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.

First Financial Bankshares, Inc.

(FFIN) is the more profitable company, earning 30. 7% net margin versus 5. 3% for Alerus Financial Corporation — meaning it keeps 30. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: FFIN leads at 37. 5% versus 6. 9% for ALRS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BANF leads at 82. 9%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Otter Tail Corporation (OTTR) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 69x versus First Financial Bankshares, Inc. 's 3. 67x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Alerus Financial Corporation (ALRS) trades at 10. 3x forward P/E versus 16. 5x for First Financial Bankshares, Inc. — 6. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FFIN: 16. 6% to $39. 25.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

NBT Bancorp Inc. (NBTB) offers the highest yield at 3. 0%, versus 1. 6% for BancFirst Corporation (BANF).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Otter Tail Corporation (OTTR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

25), 2. 3% yield, +237. 6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (OTTR: +237. 6%, ALRS: +106. 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (ALRS (Financial Services) and NBTB (Financial Services) and FFIN (Financial Services) and BANF (Financial Services) and OTTR (Utilities)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: ALRS is a small-cap quality compounder stock; NBTB is a small-cap deep-value stock; FFIN is a small-cap quality compounder stock; BANF is a small-cap deep-value stock; OTTR 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.