FCCO vs CHMG

For growth investors, First Community Corporation (FCCO) is the stronger pick with 12.

7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -6. 5% for Chemung Financial Corporation (CHMG). First Community Corporation (FCCO) offers the better valuation at 13. 0x trailing P/E (11. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate First Community Corporation (FCCO) a "Buy" — based on 5 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 Community Corporation (FCCO) is the cheapest at 13.

0x versus Chemung Financial Corporation at 23. 2x. On forward P/E, Chemung Financial Corporation is actually cheaper at 10. 1x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Chemung Financial Corporation (CHMG) delivered a total return of +86.

5%, compared to +77. 2% for First Community Corporation (FCCO). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CHMG returned +175. 6% versus FCCO's +171. 1%. 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), Chemung Financial Corporation (CHMG) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

55β versus First Community Corporation's 0. 61β — meaning FCCO is approximately 10% more volatile than CHMG relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Chemung Financial Corporation (CHMG) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 74% for First Community Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), First Community Corporation (FCCO) is pulling ahead at 12.

7% versus -6. 5% for Chemung Financial Corporation (CHMG). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: First Community Corporation grew EPS 36. 5% year-over-year, compared to -36. 9% for Chemung Financial 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.

First Community Corporation (FCCO) is the more profitable company, earning 17.

3% net margin versus 10. 8% for Chemung Financial Corporation — meaning it keeps 17. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: FCCO leads at 22. 7% versus 14. 2% for CHMG. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — FCCO leads at 68. 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, Chemung Financial Corporation (CHMG) trades at 10.

1x forward P/E versus 11. 0x for First Community Corporation — 0. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FCCO: -6. 9% to $30. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

First Community Corporation (FCCO) offers the highest yield at 1. 9%, versus 1. 8% for Chemung Financial Corporation (CHMG).

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

55), 1. 8% yield, +175. 6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CHMG: +175. 6%, FCCO: +171. 1%), 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: FCCO is a small-cap deep-value stock; CHMG is a small-cap quality compounder 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.