Comparing Brookline Bancorp (NASDAQ:BRKL) and Equitable Financial (OTCMKTS:EQFN)

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

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Brookline Bancorp and Equitable Financial”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Brookline Bancorp	$355.56 million	2.50	$68.71 million	$0.77	12.84
Equitable Financial	$31.33 million	1.01	$2.71 million	N/A	N/A

Brookline Bancorp has higher revenue and earnings than Equitable Financial.

Volatility and Risk

Brookline Bancorp has a beta of 0.71, suggesting that its stock price is 29% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Equitable Financial has a beta of 0.14, suggesting that its stock price is 86% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

78.9% of Brookline Bancorp shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 7.2% of Equitable Financial shares are held by institutional investors. 2.9% of Brookline Bancorp shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 11.3% of Equitable Financial shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Brookline Bancorp and Equitable Financial’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Brookline Bancorp	10.51%	5.94%	0.62%
Equitable Financial	8.66%	5.81%	0.54%

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current ratings and target prices for Brookline Bancorp and Equitable Financial, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Brookline Bancorp	0	1	0	1	3.00
Equitable Financial	0	0	0	0	0.00

Brookline Bancorp currently has a consensus price target of $15.25, suggesting a potential upside of 54.20%. Given Brookline Bancorp’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, research analysts plainly believe Brookline Bancorp is more favorable than Equitable Financial.

Summary

Brookline Bancorp beats Equitable Financial on 12 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Brookline Bancorp

Brookline Bancorp, Inc. operates as a bank holding company for the Brookline Bank that provide commercial, business, and retail banking services to corporate, municipal, and retail customers in the United States. Its deposit products include demand checking, NOW, money market, and savings accounts. The company’s loan portfolio primarily comprises first mortgage loans secured by commercial, multi-family, and residential real estate properties; loans to business entities comprising commercial lines of credit; loans to condominium associations; loans and leases used to finance equipment for small businesses; financing for construction and development projects; and home equity and other consumer loans. It provides credit, term loans, letters of credit, foreign exchange, cash management, consumer and residential loans, wealth and investment advisory, and online and mobile banking services, as well as invests in debt and equity securities. The company was founded in 1871 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.

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.