PROV vs NWBI vs FULT vs WAFD

For growth investors, Northwest Bancshares, Inc.

(NWBI) is the stronger pick with 16. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -1. 6% for WaFd, Inc. (WAFD). Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT) offers the better valuation at 11. 2x trailing P/E (11. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Provident Financial Holdings, Inc. (PROV) a "Hold" — based on 10 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, Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT) is the cheapest at 11.

2x versus Provident Financial Holdings, Inc. at 18. 4x. On forward P/E, Northwest Bancshares, Inc. is actually cheaper at 10. 7x — 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: Fulton Financial Corporation wins at 0. 82x versus WaFd, Inc. 's 3. 69x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT) delivered a total return of +61.

1%, compared to +18. 2% for Provident Financial Holdings, Inc. (PROV). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FULT returned +114. 2% versus PROV's +25. 8%. 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), Provident Financial Holdings, Inc.

(PROV) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 21β versus Fulton Financial Corporation's 0. 99β — meaning FULT is approximately 378% more volatile than PROV relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Northwest Bancshares, Inc. (NWBI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 24% versus 166% for Provident Financial Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Northwest Bancshares, Inc.

(NWBI) is pulling ahead at 16. 3% versus -1. 6% for WaFd, Inc. (WAFD). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Fulton Financial Corporation grew EPS 32. 5% year-over-year, compared to -12. 3% for Provident Financial Holdings, 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.

Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT) is the more profitable company, earning 20.

7% net margin versus 10. 4% for Provident Financial Holdings, Inc. — meaning it keeps 20. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: FULT leads at 25. 7% versus 14. 8% for PROV. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NWBI leads at 68. 3%, 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, Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 82x versus WaFd, Inc. 's 3. 69x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Northwest Bancshares, Inc. (NWBI) trades at 10. 7x forward P/E versus 15. 4x for Provident Financial Holdings, Inc. — 4. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FULT: 0. 6% to $23. 50.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Northwest Bancshares, Inc. (NWBI) offers the highest yield at 5. 1%, versus 2. 8% for WaFd, Inc. (WAFD).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Provident Financial Holdings, Inc.

(PROV) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 21), 3. 3% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (PROV: +25. 8%, FULT: +114. 2%), 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: PROV is a small-cap income-oriented stock; NWBI is a small-cap high-growth stock; FULT is a small-cap deep-value stock; WAFD is a small-cap deep-value 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.