BayFirst Financial (BAFN) vs Meridian (MRBK)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
Meridian (MRBK) has outperformed BayFirst Financial (BAFN) over the past year, gaining 24.2% versus a loss of 33.4%. Over five years, MRBK leads with a +23.4% price change compared with -77.1% for BAFN. Meridian is the larger company by market cap ($223.1 million vs $181.2 million), about 1.2 times the size.
Meridian pays a dividend yielding 2.91%, while BayFirst Financial does not currently pay one.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | BAFN | MRBK |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $6.72 | $18.70 |
| Market cap | $181.19M | $223.07M |
| 1-day change | -6.93% | +0.48% |
| YTD return | -14.39% | +6.37% |
| 1-year return | -33.40% | +24.17% |
| 5-year return | -77.06% | +23.43% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | — | 10.22 |
| Forward P/E | — | 8.39 |
| EPS (TTM) | $-11.42 | $1.83 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 2.91% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.545 |
| 52-week high | $10.38 | $21.67 |
| 52-week low | $4.26 | $13.81 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -35.26% | -13.71% |
| Analyst consensus | — | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | — | +22.99% |
| Average volume | 85.22K | 91.65K |
| Shares outstanding | 26.96M | 11.93M |
| Employees | 148 | 327 |
| Sector | Finance | Finance |
| Industry | Major Banks | Major Banks |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- MRBK has outperformed BAFN by 57.6 percentage points over the past year.
- Meridian offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (2.91% vs 0.00%).
About BayFirst Financial
BAFN stock →BayFirst Financial Corp. operates as the bank holding company for BayFirst National Bank that provides community banking services for small and medium sized businesses and individuals.
Finance · Major Banks · 148 employees
About Meridian
MRBK stock →Meridian Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Meridian Bank that provides commercial banking products and services in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Florida. It provides various deposit products, such as demand non-interest and interest bearing, savings, and money market accounts, as well as time deposits.
Finance · Major Banks · 327 employees
BAFN vs MRBK FAQ
Which is bigger, BayFirst Financial or Meridian?
Meridian (MRBK) is larger, with a market capitalization of $223.07M compared with $181.19M for BayFirst Financial (BAFN).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, BAFN or MRBK?
MRBK returned +24.17% over the past 12 months, compared with -33.40% for BAFN (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which pays a higher dividend, BayFirst Financial or Meridian?
Meridian pays a dividend yielding 2.91%, while BayFirst Financial does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are BayFirst Financial and Meridian in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Major Banks industry within the Finance sector.