PEBO vs FFBC vs HONE

For growth investors, HarborOne Bancorp, Inc.

(HONE) is the stronger pick with 10. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 0. 4% for Peoples Bancorp Inc. (PEBO). First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC) offers the better valuation at 12. 1x trailing P/E (10. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Peoples Bancorp Inc. (PEBO) 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, First Financial Bancorp.

(FFBC) is the cheapest at 12. 1x versus HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. at 18. 3x. On forward P/E, First Financial Bancorp. is actually cheaper at 10. 2x. 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 First Financial Bancorp. 's 0. 94x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, First Financial Bancorp.

(FFBC) delivered a total return of +48. 6%, compared to -9. 8% for HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. (HONE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PEBO returned +132. 4% versus HONE's +88. 3%. 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), Peoples Bancorp Inc.

(PEBO) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 63β versus HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. 's 1. 08β — meaning HONE is approximately 71% more volatile than PEBO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 43% versus 90% for HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. — 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 0. 4% for Peoples Bancorp Inc. (PEBO). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. grew EPS 78. 4% year-over-year, compared to -9. 7% for Peoples Bancorp Inc.. 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 8. 7% for HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. — 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 10. 9% for HONE. 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, HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. (HONE) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 89x versus First Financial Bancorp. 's 0. 94x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC) trades at 10. 2x forward P/E versus 13. 3x for HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. — 3. 1x 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.

Peoples Bancorp Inc. (PEBO) offers the highest yield at 4. 5%, versus 2. 6% for HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. (HONE).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Peoples Bancorp Inc.

(PEBO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 63), 4. 5% yield, +132. 4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (PEBO: +132. 4%, HONE: +88. 3%), 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: PEBO is a small-cap deep-value stock; FFBC is a small-cap deep-value stock; HONE 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.