ASBA vs FULT

For growth investors, Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT) is the stronger pick with 5.

0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -6. 6% for Associated Banc-Corp (ASBA). Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT) offers the better valuation at 10. 3x trailing P/E (10. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT) a "Hold" — based on 20 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, Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT) is the cheapest at 10.

3x versus Associated Banc-Corp at 31. 3x.

Over the past 5 years, Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT) delivered a total return of +41.

4%, compared to +19. 4% for Associated Banc-Corp (ASBA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FULT returned +106. 1% versus ASBA's +19. 4%. 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), Associated Banc-Corp (ASBA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

18β versus Fulton Financial Corporation's 1. 13β — meaning FULT is approximately 513% more volatile than ASBA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Associated Banc-Corp (ASBA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 17% versus 37% for Fulton Financial Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT) is pulling ahead at 5.

0% versus -6. 6% for Associated Banc-Corp (ASBA). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Fulton Financial Corporation grew EPS 32. 5% year-over-year, compared to -29. 2% for Associated Banc-Corp. 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.

Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT) is the more profitable company, earning 20.

7% net margin versus 12. 9% for Associated Banc-Corp — meaning it keeps 20. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: FULT leads at 25. 7% versus 24. 6% for ASBA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ASBA leads at 100. 0%, 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.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Associated Banc-Corp (ASBA) offers the highest yield at 3. 6%, versus 3. 6% for Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Associated Banc-Corp (ASBA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

18), 3. 6% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ASBA: +19. 4%, FULT: +106. 1%), 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: ASBA is a small-cap income-oriented stock; FULT 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.