PFS vs NBTB vs WSFS vs OCFC vs KRNY

For growth investors, Provident Financial Services, Inc.

(PFS) is the stronger pick with 21. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -4. 7% for OceanFirst Financial Corp. (OCFC). Provident Financial Services, Inc. (PFS) offers the better valuation at 10. 1x trailing P/E (9. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Provident Financial Services, Inc. (PFS) a "Buy" — based on 9 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, Provident Financial Services, Inc.

(PFS) is the cheapest at 10. 1x versus Kearny Financial Corp. at 19. 2x. On forward P/E, Provident Financial Services, Inc. is actually cheaper at 9. 5x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: WSFS Financial Corporation wins at 0. 67x 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, WSFS Financial Corporation (WSFS) delivered a total return of +43.

1%, compared to -20. 5% for Kearny Financial Corp. (KRNY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: WSFS returned +129. 0% versus KRNY's -9. 0%. 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), Kearny Financial Corp.

(KRNY) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 83β versus OceanFirst Financial Corp. 's 1. 05β — meaning OCFC is approximately 26% more volatile than KRNY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, WSFS Financial Corporation (WSFS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 11% versus 168% for Kearny Financial Corp. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Provident Financial Services, Inc.

(PFS) is pulling ahead at 21. 3% versus -4. 7% for OceanFirst Financial Corp. (OCFC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Kearny Financial Corp. grew EPS 130. 2% 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.

WSFS Financial Corporation (WSFS) is the more profitable company, earning 21.

1% net margin versus 7. 6% for Kearny Financial Corp. — meaning it keeps 21. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PFS leads at 29. 5% versus 9. 0% for KRNY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — WSFS leads at 74. 7%, 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, WSFS Financial Corporation (WSFS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 67x 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, Provident Financial Services, Inc. (PFS) trades at 9. 5x forward P/E versus 12. 9x for Kearny Financial Corp. — 3. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for KRNY: 17. 6% to $9. 50.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Kearny Financial Corp. (KRNY) offers the highest yield at 5. 5%, versus 0. 9% for WSFS Financial Corporation (WSFS).

For long-horizon retirement investors, WSFS Financial Corporation (WSFS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

89), 0. 9% yield, +129. 0% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (WSFS: +129. 0%, 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: PFS is a small-cap high-growth stock; NBTB is a small-cap deep-value stock; WSFS is a small-cap deep-value stock; OCFC is a small-cap deep-value stock; KRNY is a small-cap income-oriented 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.