Bankwell Financial Group (BWFG) vs Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (FMAO)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 10, 2026.
Summary
Bankwell Financial Group (BWFG) has outperformed Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (FMAO) over the past year, gaining 52.3% versus a gain of 40.9%. Over five years, BWFG leads with a +121.2% price change compared with +45.1% for FMAO. Bankwell Financial Group is the larger company by market cap ($515.9 million vs $475.9 million), about 1.1 times the size.
On valuation, Farmers & Merchants Bancorp trades at a lower forward P/E (10.6x vs 10.9x for Bankwell Financial Group). Farmers & Merchants Bancorp offers the higher dividend yield (2.66% vs 1.24%).
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 | BWFG | FMAO |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $64.72 | $34.55 |
| Market cap | $515.95M | $475.86M |
| 1-day change | -1.43% | -1.45% |
| YTD return | +43.30% | +39.77% |
| 1-year return | +52.31% | +40.91% |
| 5-year return | +121.15% | +45.11% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 12.03 | 11.87 |
| Forward P/E | 10.91 | 10.57 |
| EPS (TTM) | $5.38 | $2.91 |
| Dividend yield | 1.24% | 2.66% |
| Annual dividend | $0.80 | $0.918 |
| 52-week high | $69.59 | $36.12 |
| 52-week low | $40.45 | $22.77 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -7.00% | -4.35% |
| Analyst consensus | hold | none |
| Avg. price target upside | +7.39% | +4.20% |
| Average volume | 71.74K | 63.45K |
| Shares outstanding | 7.97M | 13.77M |
| Employees | 167 | 477 |
| Sector | Finance | Finance |
| Industry | Major Banks | Savings Institutions |
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
- BWFG has outperformed FMAO by 11.4 percentage points over the past year.
- Farmers & Merchants Bancorp offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (2.66% vs 1.24%).
About Bankwell Financial Group
BWFG stock →Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Bankwell Bank that provides various banking services for individual and commercial customers.
Finance · Major Banks · 167 employees
About Farmers & Merchants Bancorp
FMAO stock →Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for The Farmers & Merchants State Bank that provides commercial banking services to individuals and small businesses in Northwest Ohio, Northeast Indiana, and Southeast Michigan.
Finance · Savings Institutions · 477 employees
BWFG vs FMAO FAQ
Which is bigger, Bankwell Financial Group or Farmers & Merchants Bancorp?
Bankwell Financial Group (BWFG) is larger, with a market capitalization of $515.95M compared with $475.86M for Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (FMAO).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, BWFG or FMAO?
BWFG returned +52.31% over the past 12 months, compared with +40.91% for FMAO (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, BWFG or FMAO?
FMAO has the lower trailing P/E at 11.9, versus 12.0 for BWFG. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Bankwell Financial Group or Farmers & Merchants Bancorp?
Farmers & Merchants Bancorp has the higher yield at 2.66%, compared with 1.24% for Bankwell Financial Group.
Are Bankwell Financial Group and Farmers & Merchants Bancorp in the same industry?
Both are in the Finance sector, but in different industries: Major Banks for Bankwell Financial Group and Savings Institutions for Farmers & Merchants Bancorp.