ISTR vs AROW vs NBTB vs FIS vs JKHY

For growth investors, NBT Bancorp Inc.

(NBTB) is the stronger pick with 10. 4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -1. 9% for Investar Holding Corporation (ISTR). Investar Holding Corporation (ISTR) offers the better valuation at 13. 7x trailing P/E (9. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Investar Holding Corporation (ISTR) a "Buy" — 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, Investar Holding Corporation (ISTR) is the cheapest at 13.

7x versus Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. at 58. 0x. On forward P/E, Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. is actually cheaper at 6. 9x — 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: Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. wins at 0. 28x versus Arrow Financial Corporation's 5. 24x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Investar Holding Corporation (ISTR) delivered a total return of +39.

2%, compared to -65. 1% for Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AROW returned +110. 9% versus FIS's -18. 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), Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.

(JKHY) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 21β versus Investar Holding Corporation's 0. 91β — meaning ISTR is approximately 327% more volatile than JKHY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Arrow Financial Corporation (AROW) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 7% versus 51% for Investar Holding Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), NBT Bancorp Inc.

(NBTB) is pulling ahead at 10. 4% versus -1. 9% for Investar Holding Corporation (ISTR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Arrow Financial Corporation grew EPS 49. 7% year-over-year, compared to -47. 2% for Fidelity National Information Services, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, JKHY leads at 6. 9% annualised revenue growth. 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.

NBT Bancorp Inc.

(NBTB) is the more profitable company, earning 19. 5% net margin versus 3. 6% for Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. — meaning it keeps 19. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NBTB leads at 25. 3% versus 16. 5% for FIS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NBTB leads at 72. 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.

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, Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 28x versus Arrow Financial Corporation's 5. 24x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS) trades at 6. 9x forward P/E versus 21. 3x for Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. — 14. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FIS: 54. 3% to $67. 14.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS) offers the highest yield at 3. 8%, versus 1. 4% for Investar Holding Corporation (ISTR).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.

(JKHY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 21), 1. 5% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (JKHY: +94. 7%, ISTR: +101. 8%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (ISTR (Financial Services) and AROW (Financial Services) and NBTB (Financial Services) and FIS (Technology) and JKHY (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: ISTR is a small-cap deep-value stock; AROW is a small-cap deep-value stock; NBTB is a small-cap deep-value stock; FIS is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; JKHY is a mid-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.