HTH vs CVBF

For growth investors, Hilltop Holdings Inc.

(HTH) is the stronger pick with 5. 5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -2. 3% for CVB Financial Corp. (CVBF). CVB Financial Corp. (CVBF) offers the better valuation at 13. 5x trailing P/E (14. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Hilltop Holdings Inc. (HTH) a "Hold" — based on 12 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, CVB Financial Corp.

(CVBF) is the cheapest at 13. 5x versus Hilltop Holdings Inc. at 14. 5x. On forward P/E, CVB Financial Corp. is actually cheaper at 14. 2x.

Over the past 5 years, Hilltop Holdings Inc.

(HTH) delivered a total return of +15. 4%, compared to +12. 2% for CVB Financial Corp. (CVBF). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HTH returned +123. 5% versus CVBF's +67. 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), Hilltop Holdings Inc.

(HTH) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 72β versus CVB Financial Corp. 's 0. 94β — meaning CVBF is approximately 30% more volatile than HTH relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Hilltop Holdings Inc. (HTH) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 42% versus 43% for CVB Financial Corp. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Hilltop Holdings Inc.

(HTH) is pulling ahead at 5. 5% versus -2. 3% for CVB Financial Corp. (CVBF). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Hilltop Holdings Inc. grew EPS 51. 7% year-over-year, compared to 5. 6% for CVB 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.

CVB Financial Corp.

(CVBF) is the more profitable company, earning 32. 5% net margin versus 10. 2% for Hilltop Holdings Inc. — meaning it keeps 32. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CVBF leads at 43. 8% versus 13. 6% for HTH. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CVBF leads at 79. 9%, 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, CVB Financial Corp.

(CVBF) trades at 14. 2x forward P/E versus 16. 1x for Hilltop Holdings Inc. — 1. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CVBF: 20. 7% to $24. 75.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

CVB Financial Corp. (CVBF) offers the highest yield at 4. 0%, versus 1. 9% for Hilltop Holdings Inc. (HTH).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Hilltop Holdings Inc.

(HTH) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 72), 1. 9% yield, +123. 5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (HTH: +123. 5%, CVBF: +67. 6%), 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.

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.