FFBC vs ONB

For growth investors, Old National Bancorp (ONB) is the stronger pick with 25.

5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 7% for First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC). First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC) offers the better valuation at 11. 5x trailing P/E (9. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC) a "Hold" — based on 19 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 Financial Bancorp.

(FFBC) is the cheapest at 11. 5x versus Old National Bancorp at 13. 7x. On forward P/E, Old National Bancorp is actually cheaper at 9. 4x — 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: First Financial Bancorp. wins at 0. 89x versus Old National Bancorp's 1. 67x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Old National Bancorp (ONB) delivered a total return of +39.

8%, compared to +39. 0% for First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ONB returned +141. 4% versus FFBC's +106. 6%. 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), First Financial Bancorp.

(FFBC) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 98β versus Old National Bancorp's 1. 23β — meaning ONB is approximately 25% more volatile than FFBC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 43% versus 88% for Old National Bancorp — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Old National Bancorp (ONB) is pulling ahead at 25.

5% versus 2. 7% for First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: First Financial Bancorp. grew EPS 10. 8% year-over-year, compared to 6. 5% for Old National Bancorp. 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 Financial Bancorp.

(FFBC) is the more profitable company, earning 20. 3% net margin versus 18. 0% for Old National Bancorp — meaning it keeps 20. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: FFBC leads at 25. 5% versus 23. 6% for ONB. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — FFBC leads at 68. 4%, 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, First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 89x versus Old National Bancorp's 1. 67x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Old National Bancorp (ONB) trades at 9. 4x forward P/E versus 9. 7x for First Financial Bancorp. — 0. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ONB: 10. 6% to $27. 17.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC) offers the highest yield at 3. 2%, versus 2. 4% for Old National Bancorp (ONB).

For long-horizon retirement investors, First Financial Bancorp.

(FFBC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 98), 3. 2% yield, +106. 6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (FFBC: +106. 6%, ONB: +141. 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: FFBC is a small-cap deep-value stock; ONB is a small-cap high-growth 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.