Comparing BancFirst (NASDAQ:BANF) and First Bancorp (NASDAQ:FNLC)

First Bancorp (NASDAQ:FNLCGet Free Report) and BancFirst (NASDAQ:BANFGet Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, valuation, institutional ownership, dividends, profitability, earnings and risk.

Dividends

First Bancorp pays an annual dividend of $1.40 per share and has a dividend yield of 5.9%. BancFirst pays an annual dividend of $1.72 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.0%. First Bancorp pays out 56.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. BancFirst pays out 28.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. First Bancorp has raised its dividend for 6 consecutive years and BancFirst has raised its dividend for 30 consecutive years.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for First Bancorp and BancFirst, as provided by MarketBeat.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score
First Bancorp 0 0 0 0 N/A
BancFirst 1 1 0 0 1.50

BancFirst has a consensus target price of $85.50, indicating a potential upside of 0.19%. Given BancFirst’s higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe BancFirst is more favorable than First Bancorp.

Profitability

This table compares First Bancorp and BancFirst’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets
First Bancorp 18.41% 11.68% 0.94%
BancFirst 24.65% 14.62% 1.67%

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares First Bancorp and BancFirst’s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio
First Bancorp $143.61 million 1.83 $29.52 million $2.48 9.49
BancFirst $809.34 million 3.48 $212.46 million $6.12 13.94

BancFirst has higher revenue and earnings than First Bancorp. First Bancorp is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than BancFirst, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

40.4% of First Bancorp shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 51.7% of BancFirst shares are owned by institutional investors. 6.0% of First Bancorp shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 33.9% of BancFirst shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Volatility & Risk

First Bancorp has a beta of 0.58, suggesting that its share price is 42% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, BancFirst has a beta of 1.04, suggesting that its share price is 4% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

BancFirst beats First Bancorp on 14 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About First Bancorp

(Get Free Report)

The First Bancorp, Inc. operates as the holding company for First National Bank that provides a range of banking products and services to individuals and businesses. It offers various deposit products, including demand, NOW, time, savings, money market, and certificates of deposit accounts. The company also provides commercial loans comprising commercial real estate owner occupied, such as mortgage loans to finance investments in real property such as retail space, offices, industrial buildings, hotels, educational facilities, and other specific or mixed use properties; commercial real estate non-owner occupied loans; commercial construction to finance construction in a mix of owner- and nonowner occupied commercial real estate properties; and commercial and industrial loans, including revolving and term loan for financing working capital and/or capital investment. In addition, it offers commercial multifamily loans; residential real estate term and residential real estate construction loans; loans to municipalities in Maine for capitalized expenditures, construction projects, or tax anticipation notes; home equity revolving and term loans; and personal lines of credit and amortizing loans for various purposes, such as autos, recreational vehicles, debt consolidation, personal expenses, or overdraft protection. Further, the company offers private banking, financial planning, investment management, and trust services to individuals, businesses, non-profit organizations and municipalities; and brokerage, annuity, and various insurance products, as well as payment processing services. It operates through full-service banking offices in Lincoln, Knox, Waldo, Penobscot, Hancock, and Washington counties in the Mid-Coast, Eastern, and Down East regions of Maine. The company was formerly known as First National Lincoln Corporation and changed its name to The First Bancorp, Inc. in April 2008. The First Bancorp, Inc. was founded in 1864 and is based in Damariscotta, Maine.

About BancFirst

(Get Free Report)

BancFirst Corporation operates as the bank holding company for BancFirst that provides a range of commercial banking services to retail customers, and small to medium-sized businesses. The company operates through BancFirst Metropolitan Banks, BancFirst Community Banks, Pegasus, Worthington, and Other Financial Services segments. It offers checking accounts, negotiable order of withdrawal accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, sweep accounts, club accounts, individual retirement accounts, and certificates of deposit, as well as overdraft protection and auto draft services. The company also provides commercial and agricultural non-real estate loans for working capital, facilities acquisition or expansion, purchase of equipment, and other needs; lending services that include private banking, energy, commercial and residential real estate, and commercial and industrial loans; and loans to finance purchases of consumer goods, such as automobiles, boats, household goods, vacations, and education. In addition, it engages in the investment management and administration of trusts for individuals, corporations, and employee benefit plans, as well as bond trustee and paying agent business for various Oklahoma municipalities and governmental entities; and provision of item processing, research, and other correspondent banking services to financial institutions and governmental units. Further, the company provides insurance agency services; depository and funds transfer, collection, safe deposit box, cash management, and other services. It serves customers in non-metropolitan trade centers and cities in the metropolitan statistical areas of Oklahoma. The company was formerly known as United Community Corporation and changed its name to BancFirst Corporation in November 1988. BancFirst Corporation was incorporated in 1984 and is headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Receive News & Ratings for First Bancorp Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for First Bancorp and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.