BFIN vs KRNY

For growth investors, Kearny Financial Corp.

(KRNY) is the stronger pick with 5. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 4. 5% for BankFinancial Corporation (BFIN). Kearny Financial Corp. (KRNY) offers the better valuation at 19. 3x trailing P/E (13. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate BankFinancial Corporation (BFIN) a "Hold" — based on 2 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, Kearny Financial Corp.

(KRNY) is the cheapest at 19. 3x versus BankFinancial Corporation at 36. 4x. On forward P/E, Kearny Financial Corp. is actually cheaper at 13. 0x.

Over the past 5 years, BankFinancial Corporation (BFIN) delivered a total return of +32.

3%, compared to -21. 0% for Kearny Financial Corp. (KRNY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BFIN returned +24. 2% versus KRNY's -6. 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), BankFinancial Corporation (BFIN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

60β versus Kearny Financial Corp. 's 0. 83β — meaning KRNY is approximately 38% more volatile than BFIN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, BankFinancial Corporation (BFIN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 25% versus 168% for Kearny Financial Corp. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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

(KRNY) is pulling ahead at 5. 1% versus 4. 5% for BankFinancial Corporation (BFIN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Kearny Financial Corp. grew EPS 130. 2% year-over-year, compared to -55. 4% for BankFinancial 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.

Kearny Financial Corp.

(KRNY) is the more profitable company, earning 7. 6% net margin versus 5. 5% for BankFinancial Corporation — meaning it keeps 7. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: KRNY leads at 9. 0% versus 6. 8% for BFIN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BFIN leads at 66. 2%, 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, Kearny Financial Corp.

(KRNY) trades at 13. 0x forward P/E versus 15. 2x for BankFinancial Corporation — 2. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Kearny Financial Corp. (KRNY) offers the highest yield at 5. 4%, versus 3. 3% for BankFinancial Corporation (BFIN).

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

60), 3. 3% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BFIN: +24. 2%, KRNY: -6. 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.

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.