FBNC vs UBSI

For growth investors, United Bankshares, Inc.

(UBSI) is the stronger pick with 12. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 3% for First Bancorp (FBNC). United Bankshares, Inc. (UBSI) offers the better valuation at 13. 3x trailing P/E (12. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate First Bancorp (FBNC) a "Buy" — based on 16 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, United Bankshares, Inc.

(UBSI) is the cheapest at 13. 3x versus First Bancorp at 22. 1x. On forward P/E, United Bankshares, Inc. is actually cheaper at 12. 0x.

Over the past 5 years, First Bancorp (FBNC) delivered a total return of +39.

9%, compared to +23. 7% for United Bankshares, Inc. (UBSI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FBNC returned +228. 5% versus UBSI's +52. 4%. 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), United Bankshares, Inc.

(UBSI) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 95β versus First Bancorp's 0. 96β — meaning FBNC is approximately 1% more volatile than UBSI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, First Bancorp (FBNC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 5% versus 17% for United Bankshares, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), United Bankshares, Inc.

(UBSI) is pulling ahead at 12. 3% versus 2. 3% for First Bancorp (FBNC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: First Bancorp grew EPS 45. 7% year-over-year, compared to 18. 9% for United Bankshares, 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.

United Bankshares, Inc.

(UBSI) is the more profitable company, earning 25. 5% net margin versus 20. 4% for First Bancorp — meaning it keeps 25. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: UBSI leads at 32. 4% versus 26. 6% for FBNC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — FBNC leads at 70. 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.

On forward earnings alone, United Bankshares, Inc.

(UBSI) trades at 12. 0x forward P/E versus 12. 6x for First Bancorp — 0. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for UBSI: 7. 5% to $46. 67.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

United Bankshares, Inc. (UBSI) offers the highest yield at 3. 4%, versus 1. 5% for First Bancorp (FBNC).

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

96), 1. 5% yield, +228. 5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (FBNC: +228. 5%, UBSI: +52. 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.

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: FBNC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; UBSI 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.