STBA vs NTRS vs STT vs FULT

For growth investors, State Street Corporation (STT) is the stronger pick with 19.

6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -9. 9% for Northern Trust Corporation (NTRS). Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT) offers the better valuation at 10. 3x trailing P/E (10. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate State Street Corporation (STT) a "Buy" — based on 37 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 10.

3x versus Northern Trust Corporation at 18. 3x. On forward P/E, Fulton Financial Corporation is actually cheaper at 10. 6x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: S&T Bancorp, Inc. wins at 0. 26x versus Northern Trust Corporation's 1. 50x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, State Street Corporation (STT) delivered a total return of +86.

2%, compared to +41. 4% for Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: STT returned +186. 8% versus FULT's +106. 1%. 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), S&T Bancorp, Inc.

(STBA) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 84β versus State Street Corporation's 1. 19β — meaning STT is approximately 41% more volatile than STBA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, S&T Bancorp, Inc. (STBA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 21% versus 145% for State Street Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), State Street Corporation (STT) is pulling ahead at 19.

6% versus -9. 9% for Northern Trust Corporation (NTRS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: State Street Corporation grew EPS 47. 1% year-over-year, compared to -10. 5% for Northern Trust Corporation. 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.

S&T Bancorp, Inc.

(STBA) is the more profitable company, earning 23. 6% net margin versus 12. 1% for Northern Trust Corporation — meaning it keeps 23. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: STBA leads at 29. 5% versus 15. 5% for STT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — STBA leads at 69. 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, S&T Bancorp, Inc. (STBA) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 26x versus Northern Trust Corporation's 1. 50x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT) trades at 10. 6x forward P/E versus 14. 8x for Northern Trust Corporation — 4. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FULT: 11. 9% to $24. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT) offers the highest yield at 3. 6%, versus 2. 0% for Northern Trust Corporation (NTRS).

For long-horizon retirement investors, S&T Bancorp, Inc.

(STBA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 84), 3. 1% yield, +126. 7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (STBA: +126. 7%, FULT: +106. 1%), 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: STBA is a small-cap deep-value stock; NTRS is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; STT is a mid-cap high-growth stock; FULT 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.