OVLY vs WAFD vs CVBF vs BANR vs FFIN

For growth investors, First Financial Bankshares, Inc.

(FFIN) is the stronger pick with 11. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -8. 6% for Oak Valley Bancorp (OVLY). Banner Corporation (BANR) offers the better valuation at 11. 9x trailing P/E (10. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate WaFd, Inc. (WAFD) a "Hold" — based on 11 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, Banner Corporation (BANR) is the cheapest at 11.

9x versus First Financial Bankshares, Inc. at 19. 0x. On forward P/E, Banner Corporation is actually cheaper at 10. 9x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Banner Corporation wins at 0. 94x versus CVB Financial Corp. 's 4. 64x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Oak Valley Bancorp (OVLY) delivered a total return of +103.

9%, compared to -25. 9% for First Financial Bankshares, Inc. (FFIN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: OVLY returned +303. 2% versus CVBF's +66. 9%. 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), Oak Valley Bancorp (OVLY) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

55β versus CVB Financial Corp. 's 0. 81β — meaning CVBF is approximately 47% more volatile than OVLY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, First Financial Bankshares, Inc. (FFIN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 60% for WaFd, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), First Financial Bankshares, Inc.

(FFIN) is pulling ahead at 11. 7% versus -8. 6% for Oak Valley Bancorp (OVLY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Banner Corporation grew EPS 15. 6% year-over-year, compared to -4. 6% for Oak Valley 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.

CVB Financial Corp.

(CVBF) is the more profitable company, earning 32. 5% net margin versus 16. 0% for WaFd, 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 20. 5% for WAFD. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — OVLY leads at 99. 0%, 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, Banner Corporation (BANR) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 94x versus CVB Financial Corp. 's 4. 64x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Banner Corporation (BANR) trades at 10. 9x forward P/E versus 16. 5x for First Financial Bankshares, Inc. — 5. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FFIN: 16. 6% to $39. 25.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

CVB Financial Corp. (CVBF) offers the highest yield at 3. 8%, versus 1. 7% for Oak Valley Bancorp (OVLY).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Oak Valley Bancorp (OVLY) 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. 7% yield, +303. 2% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (OVLY: +303. 2%, CVBF: +66. 9%), 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: OVLY is a small-cap deep-value stock; WAFD is a small-cap deep-value stock; CVBF is a small-cap deep-value stock; BANR is a small-cap deep-value stock; FFIN 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.