COFS
ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc.
Banks - Regional
Market Cap$471M
5Y Perf.+7.3%
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Stock Comparison
COFS vs BWFG
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
BWFG
Bankwell Financial Group, Inc.
Banks - Regional
Market Cap$415M
5Y Perf.+255.9%
COFS vs BWFG — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | COFS | BWFG |
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Banks - Regional | Banks - Regional |
| Market Cap | $471M | $415M |
| Revenue (TTM) | $193M | $208M |
| Net Income (TTM) | $28M | $35M |
| Gross Margin | 58.2% | 51.6% |
| Operating Margin | 17.7% | 23.3% |
| Forward P/E | 8.8x | 9.6x |
| Total Debt | $316M | $180M |
| Cash & Equiv. | $88M | $225M |
COFS vs BWFG — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
COFS
BWFG
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChoiceOne Financial… (COFS) | 100 | 107.3 | +7.3% |
| Bankwell Financial … (BWFG) | 100 | 355.9 | +255.9% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: COFS vs BWFG
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
Bottom line: BWFG leads in 4 of 7 categories, making it the strongest pick for profitability and margin quality and capital preservation and lower volatility. ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. is the stronger pick specifically for growth and revenue expansion and valuation and capital efficiency. As sector peers, any of these can serve as alternatives in the same allocation.
COFS
ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc.
The Banking Pick
COFS is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 5 yrs, beta 0.95, yield 3.8%
- Rev growth 38.7%, EPS growth -38.2%
- Beta 0.95, yield 3.8%, current ratio 2.61x
Best for: income & stability and growth exposure
BWFG
Bankwell Financial Group, Inc.
The Banking Pick
BWFG carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for long-term compounding and sleep-well-at-night.
- 175.8% 10Y total return vs COFS's 102.0%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.84, Low D/E 59.6%, current ratio 1.89x
- Efficiency ratio 0.3% vs COFS's 0.4% (lower = leaner)
Best for: long-term compounding and sleep-well-at-night
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | COFS | 38.7% NII/revenue growth vs BWFG's 6.1% |
| Value | COFS | Lower P/E (8.8x vs 9.6x) |
| Quality / Margins | BWFG | Efficiency ratio 0.3% vs COFS's 0.4% (lower = leaner) |
| Stability / Safety | BWFG | Beta 0.84 vs COFS's 0.95, lower leverage |
| Dividends | COFS | 3.8% yield, 5-year raise streak, vs BWFG's 1.5% |
| Momentum (1Y) | BWFG | +55.7% vs COFS's +15.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | BWFG | Efficiency ratio 0.3% vs COFS's 0.4% |
COFS vs BWFG — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
FY 2025
FY 2019
COFS vs BWFG — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
BEST OVERALLBWFGLAGGINGCOFS
COFSChoiceOne Financial S…
1leads
BWFGBankwell Financial Gr…
5leads
6 Total Categories
CATEGORYLEADERvs COFSMETRICS WON
Income & Cash FlowRevenue, margins, and cash flow strength
BWFG4/5
Valuation MetricsMultiples, price ratios, and targets
BWFG4/6
Profitability & EfficiencyROE, ROIC, leverage, and quality scores
BWFG8/9
Total Returns1Y, 3Y, 5Y total returns with dividends
BWFG6/6
Risk & VolatilityBeta, volatility, and downside exposure
BWFG2/2
Analyst OutlookRatings, price targets, and dividends
COFS2/2
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
BWFG leads this category, winning 4 of 5 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
BWFG and COFS operate at a comparable scale, with $208M and $193M in trailing revenue. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 16.9% (BWFG) to 14.6% (COFS).
| Metric | COFSChoiceOne Financi… | BWFGBankwell Financia… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $193M | $208M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $49M | $53M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $28M | $35M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $12M | -$5M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +58.2% | +51.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +17.7% | +23.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +14.6% | +16.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +12.4% | +12.6% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +9.5% | +2.1% |
BWFG leads this category, winning 4 of 5 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
BWFG leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 11.7x trailing earnings, BWFG trades at a 25% valuation discount to COFS's 15.7x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, BWFG's 7.0x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than COFS's 20.5x.
| Metric | COFSChoiceOne Financi… | BWFGBankwell Financia… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $471M | $415M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $699M | $370M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 15.67x | 11.71x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 8.79x | 9.62x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.27x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 20.45x | 7.04x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.44x | 2.00x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.95x | 1.35x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 19.73x | 15.90x |
BWFG leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
BWFG leads this category, winning 8 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
BWFG delivers a 12.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $12 in annual profit, vs $6 for COFS. BWFG carries lower financial leverage with a 0.60x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to COFS's 0.68x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), BWFG scores 6/9 vs COFS's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | COFSChoiceOne Financi… | BWFGBankwell Financia… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +6.4% | +12.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +0.7% | +1.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +4.1% | +8.0% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +1.5% | +4.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.68x | 0.60x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $228M | -$45M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $88M | $225M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $316M | $180M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.52x | 0.49x |
BWFG leads this category, winning 8 of 9 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
BWFG leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in BWFG five years ago would be worth $19,208 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $14,704 for COFS. Over the past 12 months, BWFG leads with a +55.7% total return vs COFS's +15.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors BWFG at 34.7% vs COFS's 17.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | COFSChoiceOne Financi… | BWFGBankwell Financia… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +9.7% | +16.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +15.0% | +55.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +61.3% | +144.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +47.0% | +92.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +102.0% | +175.8% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +17.3% | +34.7% |
BWFG leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
BWFG leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
BWFG is the less volatile stock with a 0.84 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than COFS's 0.95 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. BWFG currently trades 96.8% from its 52-week high vs COFS's 89.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | COFSChoiceOne Financi… | BWFGBankwell Financia… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.95x | 0.84x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $35.40 | $53.86 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $26.10 | $33.26 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +89.0% | +96.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 61.4 | 55.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 75K | 40K |
BWFG leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
COFS leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates COFS as "Buy" and BWFG as "Buy". For income investors, COFS offers the higher dividend yield at 3.85% vs BWFG's 1.54%.
| Metric | COFSChoiceOne Financi… | BWFGBankwell Financia… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $34.00 | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 3 | 3 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.8% | +1.5% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 5 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.21 | $0.80 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.6% | +0.3% |
COFS leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Key Takeaway
BWFG leads in 5 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Valuation Metrics). COFS leads in 1 (Analyst Outlook).
Best OverallBankwell Financial Group, I… (BWFG)Leads 5 of 6 categories
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COFS vs BWFG: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is COFS or BWFG a better buy right now?
For growth investors, ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc.
(COFS) is the stronger pick with 38. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 6. 1% for Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. (BWFG). Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. (BWFG) offers the better valuation at 11. 7x trailing P/E (9. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. (COFS) a "Buy" — based on 3 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.
02Which has the better valuation — COFS or BWFG?
On trailing P/E, Bankwell Financial Group, Inc.
(BWFG) is the cheapest at 11. 7x versus ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. at 15. 7x. On forward P/E, ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. is actually cheaper at 8. 8x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — COFS or BWFG?
Over the past 5 years, Bankwell Financial Group, Inc.
(BWFG) delivered a total return of +92. 1%, compared to +47. 0% for ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. (COFS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BWFG returned +175. 8% versus COFS's +102. 0%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — COFS or BWFG?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Bankwell Financial Group, Inc.
(BWFG) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 84β versus ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. 's 0. 95β — meaning COFS is approximately 13% more volatile than BWFG relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. (BWFG) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 60% versus 68% for ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — COFS or BWFG?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc.
(COFS) is pulling ahead at 38. 7% versus 6. 1% for Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. (BWFG). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. grew EPS 261. 8% year-over-year, compared to -38. 2% for ChoiceOne Financial 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.
06Which has better profit margins — COFS or BWFG?
Bankwell Financial Group, Inc.
(BWFG) is the more profitable company, earning 16. 9% net margin versus 14. 6% for ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. — meaning it keeps 16. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BWFG leads at 23. 3% versus 17. 7% for COFS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — COFS leads at 58. 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.
07Is COFS or BWFG more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc.
(COFS) trades at 8. 8x forward P/E versus 9. 6x for Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. — 0. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.
08Which pays a better dividend — COFS or BWFG?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. (COFS) offers the highest yield at 3. 8%, versus 1. 5% for Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. (BWFG).
09Is COFS or BWFG better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Bankwell Financial Group, Inc.
(BWFG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 84), 1. 5% yield, +175. 8% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BWFG: +175. 8%, COFS: +102. 0%), 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.
10What are the main differences between COFS and BWFG?
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: COFS is a small-cap high-growth stock; BWFG 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.
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Revenue Growth>
%
(COFS: 38.7% · BWFG: 6.1%)Net Margin>
%
(COFS: 14.6% · BWFG: 16.9%)P/E Ratio<
x
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