Head-To-Head Review: Penns Woods Bancorp (NASDAQ:PWOD) versus First Citizens BancShares (NASDAQ:FCNCP)

Penns Woods Bancorp (NASDAQ:PWOD) and First Citizens BancShares (NASDAQ:FCNCP) are both financial services companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, dividends, earnings, risk, institutional ownership, profitability and analyst recommendations.

Dividends

Penns Woods Bancorp pays an annual dividend of $1.28 per share and has a dividend yield of 5.2%. First Citizens BancShares pays an annual dividend of $1.34 per share and has a dividend yield of 5.6%. Penns Woods Bancorp pays out 58.7% of its earnings in the form of a dividend.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

27.9% of Penns Woods Bancorp shares are held by institutional investors. 4.0% of Penns Woods Bancorp shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Penns Woods Bancorp and First Citizens BancShares’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Penns Woods Bancorp	15.20%	8.99%	0.77%
First Citizens BancShares	N/A	N/A	N/A

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Penns Woods Bancorp and First Citizens BancShares”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Penns Woods Bancorp	$64.12 million	2.92	$16.61 million	$2.18	11.40
First Citizens BancShares	$9.77 billion	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Penns Woods Bancorp has higher earnings, but lower revenue than First Citizens BancShares.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent ratings and target prices for Penns Woods Bancorp and First Citizens BancShares, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Penns Woods Bancorp	0	0	0	0	N/A
First Citizens BancShares	0	0	0	0	N/A

Summary

Penns Woods Bancorp beats First Citizens BancShares on 5 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Penns Woods Bancorp

Penns Woods Bancorp, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Jersey Shore State Bank, which provides commercial and retail banking services to individuals, partnerships, non-profit organizations, and corporations. It accepts time, demand, and savings deposits, including super NOW accounts, statement savings accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit, as well as checking and individual retirement account (IRAs) accounts. The company also offers loan products comprising residential, commercial, and construction real estate loans; agricultural loans for the purchase or improvement of real estate; commercial loans for the acquisition and improvement of real estate, purchase of equipment, and working capital purposes; letters of credit; consumer loans, such as construction and residential mortgages, home equity loans and lines, automobile financing, personal loans and lines of credit, and overdraft and check lines; and revolving credit loans with overdraft protection. In addition, it provides securities brokerage and financial planning services, which include the sale of life insurance products, annuities, and estate planning services; property and casualty, and auto insurance products; safe deposit services; ATM services; and Internet and telephone banking services. Further, the company engages in real estate transactions and investment activities. It operates through a network of offices located in Clinton, Lycoming, Centre, Montour, Union, Blair, and Luzerne Counties, Pennsylvania. Penns Woods Bancorp, Inc. was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

About First Citizens BancShares

First Citizens BancShares, Inc. operates as the holding company for First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company that provides retail and commercial banking services to individuals, businesses, and professionals. The company's deposit products include checking, savings, money market, and time deposit accounts. Its loan product portfolio comprises commercial construction and mortgage; and commercial and industrial leases, as well as small business administration loans. In addition, the company offers consumer loans, such as residential and revolving mortgage, consumer auto, and other consumer loans. Further, it provides wealth management services, including annuities, brokerage services, and third-party mutual funds, as well as investment management and advisory services. The company provides its products and services through its branch network. First Citizens BancShares, Inc. was founded in 1898 and is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.