Head-To-Head Review: First Horizon (NYSE:FHN) and SouthCrest Financial Group (OTCMKTS:SCSG)

First Horizon (NYSE:FHN) and SouthCrest Financial Group (OTCMKTS:SCSG) are both finance companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, earnings, institutional ownership, risk, valuation, profitability and analyst recommendations.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for First Horizon and SouthCrest Financial Group, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
First Horizon	0	6	4	0	2.40
SouthCrest Financial Group	0	0	0	0	N/A

First Horizon presently has a consensus price target of $12.78, indicating a potential upside of 10.15%. Given First Horizon’s higher probable upside, research analysts plainly believe First Horizon is more favorable than SouthCrest Financial Group.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

76.4% of First Horizon shares are held by institutional investors. 1.6% of First Horizon shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Profitability

This table compares First Horizon and SouthCrest Financial Group’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
First Horizon	20.40%	11.74%	1.15%
SouthCrest Financial Group	N/A	N/A	N/A

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares First Horizon and SouthCrest Financial Group’s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
First Horizon	$3.33 billion	1.95	$900.00 million	$1.67	6.95
SouthCrest Financial Group	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

First Horizon has higher revenue and earnings than SouthCrest Financial Group.

Summary

First Horizon beats SouthCrest Financial Group on 8 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks.

About First Horizon

First Horizon Corporation operates as the bank holding company for First Horizon Bank that provides various financial services. The company operates through three segments: Regional Banking, Specialty Banking, and Corporate. It offers general banking services for consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and governments. The company provides underwriting services for bank-eligible securities and other fixed-income securities by financial subsidiaries; sells loans and derivatives; and offers advisory services. In addition, it offers commercial and business banking for business enterprises, consumer banking, and private client and wealth management services; and capital markets, professional commercial real estate, mortgage warehouse and asset-based lending, franchise and equipment finance, and corporate and correspondent banking. Further, the company provides transaction processing services including check clearing services and remittance processing, credit cards, investment, and sale of mutual fund and retail insurances, as well as trust, fiduciary, and agency services. First Horizon Corporation was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.

About SouthCrest Financial Group

SouthCrest Financial Group, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for SouthCrest Bank, N.A. that provides various banking products and services. It offers checking, savings, and money market accounts; and certificates of deposit. The company also provides personal loans for cars, boats, recreational vehicles, and other purchases; home equity lines of credit; loans on investment properties; owner occupied real estate, acquisition construction and development, professional practice acquisition, equipment and inventory, construction to permanent, and investment real estate loans; and working capital and lines of credit. In addition, it offers credit cards; remote deposit capture, positive pay, ACH, online wires, merchant, and reorder checks services; and online banking, online bill pay, mobile banking and deposit, and telephone banking services. The company serves retail, private, entrepreneurial, high-net-worth, and commercial customers. It operates through 9 branches in Georgia. SouthCrest Financial Group, Inc. was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.