First BanCorp. (FBP) Hits Fresh High: Is There Still Room to Run?

Company Performance - First Bancorp (FBP) shares have increased by 12% over the past month, reaching a new 52-week high of $18.62 [1] - Year-to-date, FBP has gained 10.9%, outperforming the Zacks Finance sector's 5.1% and the Zacks Banks - Southeast industry's 1.7% [1] Earnings and Revenue - FBP has consistently exceeded earnings consensus estimates, reporting EPS of $0.44 against a consensus of $0.38 in its last earnings report [2] - For the current fiscal year, FBP is projected to earn $1.76 per share on revenues of $930.33 million, reflecting a 3.51% change in EPS and a 0.06% change in revenues [3] - The next fiscal year forecasts earnings of $1.88 per share on revenues of $945.22 million, indicating year-over-year changes of 6.21% in EPS and 1.6% in revenues [3] Valuation Metrics - FBP currently trades at 10.3X current fiscal year EPS estimates, below the peer industry average of 11.5X [7] - On a trailing cash flow basis, FBP trades at 9.3X compared to the peer group's average of 8.9X [7] - The stock has a PEG ratio of 1.5, which does not place it among the top value stocks [7] Zacks Rank and Style Scores - FBP holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) due to favorable earnings estimate revisions from analysts [8] - The stock has a Value Score of B, with Growth and Momentum Scores both at C, resulting in a combined VGM Score of B [6][9] Industry Comparison - In comparison to peers, Bank7 Corp. (BSVN) also has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) and a Value Score of A, indicating a competitive position within the industry [10] - BSVN is expected to post earnings of $4.05 per share on revenues of $93.5 million for the current fiscal year, having beaten consensus estimates by 16.35% last quarter [11]