CIVB vs HONE vs NBTB vs FULT

For growth investors, HarborOne Bancorp, Inc.

(HONE) is the stronger pick with 10. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 0% for Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT). Civista Bancshares, Inc. (CIVB) offers the better valuation at 9. 5x trailing P/E (8. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Civista Bancshares, Inc. (CIVB) a "Buy" — based on 8 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, Civista Bancshares, Inc.

(CIVB) is the cheapest at 9. 5x versus HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. at 18. 3x. On forward P/E, Civista Bancshares, Inc. is actually cheaper at 8. 8x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Fulton Financial Corporation wins at 0. 76x versus Civista Bancshares, Inc. 's 1. 55x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

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

4%, compared to -5. 8% for HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. (HONE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CIVB returned +163. 5% versus HONE's +88. 3%. 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), Civista Bancshares, Inc.

(CIVB) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 86β versus Fulton Financial Corporation's 1. 12β — meaning FULT is approximately 30% more volatile than CIVB relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, NBT Bancorp Inc. (NBTB) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 17% versus 90% for HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), HarborOne Bancorp, Inc.

(HONE) is pulling ahead at 10. 7% versus 5. 0% for Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. grew EPS 78. 4% year-over-year, compared to 12. 5% for NBT Bancorp 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.

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

7% net margin versus 8. 7% for HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. — 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 10. 9% for HONE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NBTB leads at 72. 1%, 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, Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 76x versus Civista Bancshares, Inc. 's 1. 55x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Civista Bancshares, Inc. (CIVB) trades at 8. 8x forward P/E versus 13. 3x for HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. — 4. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HONE: 15. 7% to $14. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT) offers the highest yield at 3. 6%, versus 2. 6% for HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. (HONE).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Civista Bancshares, Inc.

(CIVB) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 86), 2. 7% yield, +163. 5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CIVB: +163. 5%, FULT: +106. 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: CIVB is a small-cap deep-value stock; HONE is a small-cap quality compounder stock; NBTB is a small-cap deep-value 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.