ATLO vs MVBF

For growth investors, MVB Financial Corp.

(MVBF) is the stronger pick with 19. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 6. 3% for Ames National Corporation (ATLO). MVB Financial Corp. (MVBF) offers the better valuation at 12. 6x trailing P/E (15. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate MVB Financial Corp. (MVBF) a "Buy" — based on 7 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, MVB Financial Corp.

(MVBF) is the cheapest at 12. 6x versus Ames National Corporation at 13. 4x. On forward P/E, Ames National Corporation is actually cheaper at 10. 6x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Ames National Corporation (ATLO) delivered a total return of +31.

5%, compared to -26. 2% for MVB Financial Corp. (MVBF). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MVBF returned +132. 5% versus ATLO's +51. 7%. 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), Ames National Corporation (ATLO) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

64β versus MVB Financial Corp. 's 0. 84β — meaning MVBF is approximately 31% more volatile than ATLO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, MVB Financial Corp. (MVBF) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 23% versus 29% for Ames National Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), MVB Financial Corp.

(MVBF) is pulling ahead at 19. 0% versus 6. 3% for Ames National Corporation (ATLO). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Ames National Corporation grew EPS 87. 7% year-over-year, compared to 34. 6% for MVB Financial 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.

Ames National Corporation (ATLO) is the more profitable company, earning 19.

4% net margin versus 10. 0% for MVB Financial Corp. — meaning it keeps 19. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ATLO leads at 23. 6% versus 13. 6% for MVBF. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MVBF leads at 71. 7%, 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, Ames National Corporation (ATLO) trades at 10.

6x forward P/E versus 15. 0x for MVB Financial Corp. — 4. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MVBF: 15. 4% to $30. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Ames National Corporation (ATLO) offers the highest yield at 2. 8%, versus 2. 6% for MVB Financial Corp. (MVBF).

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

64), 2. 8% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ATLO: +51. 7%, MVBF: +132. 5%), 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: ATLO is a small-cap deep-value stock; MVBF is a small-cap high-growth 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.