First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC) vs TowneBank (TOWN)
A side-by-side comparison of First Financial Bancorp. and TowneBank across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of October 6, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
Total return — FFBC vs TOWN
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10yFFBC vs TOWN: by the numbers
- •FFBC is the larger company ($3.29B vs $3.26B market cap).
- •TOWN trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (9.95 vs 11.08 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •TOWN converts more revenue to profit (24.14% vs 21.41% net margin).
- •FFBC grew revenue faster over the past five years (13.90% vs 11.08% CAGR).
- •TOWN pays the higher dividend yield (5.04% vs 3.21%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | FFBC | TOWN |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 11.08 | 9.95 |
| Forward P/E | 10.29 | 11.28 |
| PEG ratio | 1.02 | 5.18 |
| P/S ratio | 2.47 | 2.51 |
| P/B ratio | 1.10 | 1.09 |
Profitability
| Metric | FFBC | TOWN |
|---|---|---|
| Operating margin | 26.86% | 20.86% |
| Net margin | 21.41% | 24.14% |
| ROE | 9.55% | 10.48% |
First Financial Bancorp.: Gross margin is not shown for a lender or insurer: its revenue is interest, premiums and fees rather than the sale of goods, so there is no cost of goods sold to measure it against.
TowneBank: Gross margin is not shown for a lender or insurer: its revenue is interest, premiums and fees rather than the sale of goods, so there is no cost of goods sold to measure it against.
Dividends
| Metric | FFBC | TOWN |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 3.21% | 5.04% |
| Payout ratio | 35.69% | 50.56% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | FFBC | TOWN |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 13.90% | 11.08% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 10.95% | 2.01% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 9.86% | 6.13% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, FFBC or TOWN?
- TOWN has the lower trailing P/E: FFBC trades at 11.08 and TOWN at 9.95. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, FFBC or TOWN?
- Over the past five years, FFBC grew revenue faster — FFBC at a 13.90% CAGR versus TOWN at 11.08%.
- Does FFBC or TOWN pay a bigger dividend?
- FFBC yields 3.21% and TOWN yields 5.04% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is FFBC or TOWN more profitable?
- TOWN runs the higher net margin — FFBC at 21.41% versus TOWN at 24.14%.
- How have FFBC and TOWN total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, FFBC delivered 7.73% and TOWN delivered 7.26% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
First Financial Bancorp. & TowneBank appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified October 6, 2026.