Contrasting First Financial Corporation Indiana (NASDAQ:THFF) & Equitable Financial (OTCMKTS:EQFN)

First Financial Corporation Indiana (NASDAQ:THFF) and Equitable Financial (OTCMKTS:EQFN) are both small-cap finance companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, institutional ownership, earnings, analyst recommendations, risk, profitability and valuation.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares First Financial Corporation Indiana and Equitable Financial”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
First Financial Corporation Indiana	$307.51 million	2.13	$47.28 million	$5.23	10.57
Equitable Financial	$33.95 million	1.10	$3.44 million	N/A	N/A

First Financial Corporation Indiana has higher revenue and earnings than Equitable Financial.

Profitability

This table compares First Financial Corporation Indiana and Equitable Financial’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
First Financial Corporation Indiana	18.44%	10.90%	1.12%
Equitable Financial	10.15%	6.88%	0.67%

Risk & Volatility

First Financial Corporation Indiana has a beta of 0.43, indicating that its stock price is 57% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Equitable Financial has a beta of 0.13, indicating that its stock price is 87% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current ratings and target prices for First Financial Corporation Indiana and Equitable Financial, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
First Financial Corporation Indiana	0	2	2	0	2.50
Equitable Financial	0	0	0	0	0.00

First Financial Corporation Indiana presently has a consensus price target of $57.67, suggesting a potential upside of 4.30%. Given First Financial Corporation Indiana’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities research analysts clearly believe First Financial Corporation Indiana is more favorable than Equitable Financial.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

72.7% of First Financial Corporation Indiana shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 7.2% of Equitable Financial shares are owned by institutional investors. 3.7% of First Financial Corporation Indiana shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 11.3% of Equitable Financial shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Summary

First Financial Corporation Indiana beats Equitable Financial on 11 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks.

About First Financial Corporation Indiana

First Financial Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides various financial services. The company offers non-interest-bearing demand, interest-bearing demand, savings, time, and other time deposits. It also provides commercial loans primarily to expand a business or finance asset purchases; residential real estate and residential real estate construction loans; and home equity loans and lines, secured loans, and cash/CD secured and unsecured loans. In addition, the company offers lease financing, trust account, depositor, and insurance services. The company was founded in 1834 and is headquartered in Terre Haute, Indiana.

About Equitable Financial

Equitable Financial Corp. operates as the holding company for Equitable Bank that provides various banking products and services in Nebraska, the United States. The company offers checking and savings accounts; recorder checks; online and mobile banking; remote deposit capture; voice banking; credit card processing; debit and gift cards; and safe deposit boxes. It also provides home, home equity, auto, personal, real estate and construction, operating lines of credit, small business administration, and agricultural loans, as well as equipment financing. In addition, the company offers foreign currency and exchanges; financial planning; wealth management; investment advisory; and retirement services. It operates through branches located in Grand Island, North Platte, and Omaha. The company was founded in 1882 and is headquartered in Grand Island, Nebraska.