BY vs FBIZ vs TCBK vs MBWM vs FIS

For growth investors, First Business Financial Services, Inc.

(FBIZ) is the stronger pick with 6. 4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 1. 3% for Byline Bancorp, Inc. (BY). First Business Financial Services, Inc. (FBIZ) offers the better valuation at 9. 4x trailing P/E (9. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate First Business Financial Services, Inc. (FBIZ) a "Buy" — based on 10 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, First Business Financial Services, Inc.

(FBIZ) is the cheapest at 9. 4x versus Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. at 63. 0x. On forward P/E, Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. is actually cheaper at 7. 5x — 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: Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. wins at 0. 31x versus TriCo Bancshares's 1. 05x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, First Business Financial Services, Inc.

(FBIZ) delivered a total return of +130. 9%, compared to -63. 2% for Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MBWM returned +178. 2% versus FIS's -13. 2%. 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), Fidelity National Information Services, Inc.

(FIS) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 76β versus TriCo Bancshares's 0. 93β — meaning TCBK is approximately 22% more volatile than FIS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, TriCo Bancshares (TCBK) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 6% versus 114% for Mercantile Bank Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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

(FBIZ) is pulling ahead at 6. 4% versus 1. 3% for Byline Bancorp, Inc. (BY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: First Business Financial Services, Inc. grew EPS 16. 5% year-over-year, compared to -47. 2% for Fidelity National Information Services, Inc.. 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.

Mercantile Bank Corporation (MBWM) is the more profitable company, earning 23.

9% net margin versus 3. 6% for Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. — meaning it keeps 23. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: TCBK leads at 31. 7% versus 16. 5% for FIS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — TCBK leads at 75. 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, Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 31x versus TriCo Bancshares's 1. 05x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS) trades at 7. 5x forward P/E versus 12. 0x for TriCo Bancshares — 4. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FIS: 42. 6% to $67. 38.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS) offers the highest yield at 3. 5%, versus 1. 2% for Byline Bancorp, Inc. (BY).

For long-horizon retirement investors, First Business Financial Services, Inc.

(FBIZ) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 81), 2. 1% yield, +161. 7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (FBIZ: +161. 7%, TCBK: +129. 4%), 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 (BY (Financial Services) and FBIZ (Financial Services) and TCBK (Financial Services) and MBWM (Financial Services) and FIS (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: BY is a small-cap deep-value stock; FBIZ is a small-cap deep-value stock; TCBK is a small-cap deep-value stock; MBWM is a small-cap deep-value stock; FIS is a mid-cap income-oriented 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.