HONE vs OCFC

For growth investors, HarborOne Bancorp, Inc.

(HONE) is the stronger pick with 10. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -4. 7% for OceanFirst Financial Corp. (OCFC). OceanFirst Financial Corp. (OCFC) offers the better valuation at 16. 1x trailing P/E (9. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. (HONE) a "Hold" — based on 6 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, OceanFirst Financial Corp.

(OCFC) is the cheapest at 16. 1x versus HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. at 18. 3x. On forward P/E, OceanFirst Financial Corp. is actually cheaper at 9. 9x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. wins at 0. 89x versus OceanFirst Financial Corp. 's 3. 57x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, OceanFirst Financial Corp.

(OCFC) delivered a total return of +2. 5%, compared to -5. 8% for HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. (HONE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HONE returned +88. 3% versus OCFC's +45. 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), HarborOne Bancorp, Inc.

(HONE) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 05β versus OceanFirst Financial Corp. 's 1. 05β — meaning OCFC is approximately 1% more volatile than HONE relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. (HONE) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 90% versus 98% for OceanFirst Financial Corp. — 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 -4. 7% for OceanFirst Financial Corp. (OCFC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. grew EPS 78. 4% year-over-year, compared to -29. 1% for OceanFirst Financial Corp.. 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.

OceanFirst Financial Corp.

(OCFC) is the more profitable company, earning 10. 8% net margin versus 8. 7% for HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. — meaning it keeps 10. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: OCFC leads at 14. 1% versus 10. 9% for HONE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — OCFC leads at 54. 5%, 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, HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. (HONE) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 89x versus OceanFirst Financial Corp. 's 3. 57x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, OceanFirst Financial Corp. (OCFC) trades at 9. 9x forward P/E versus 13. 3x for HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. — 3. 4x 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.

OceanFirst Financial Corp. (OCFC) offers the highest yield at 4. 5%, versus 2. 6% for HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. (HONE).

For long-horizon retirement investors, HarborOne Bancorp, Inc.

(HONE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 05), 2. 6% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (HONE: +88. 3%, OCFC: +45. 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: HONE is a small-cap quality compounder stock; OCFC 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.