Community Financial System (CBU) vs First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 7, 2026.
Summary
First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC) has outperformed Community Financial System (CBU) over the past year, gaining 19.4% versus a gain of 1.7%. Over five years, FFBC leads with a +31.0% price change compared with -16.4% for CBU. First Financial Bancorp. is the larger company by market cap ($3.25 billion vs $3.12 billion), about 1.0 times the size.
On valuation, First Financial Bancorp. trades at a lower forward P/E (8.7x vs 11.4x for Community Financial System). First Financial Bancorp. offers the higher dividend yield (3.24% vs 3.17%).
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 | CBU | FFBC |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $59.22 | $30.87 |
| Market cap | $3.12B | $3.25B |
| 1-day change | -0.60% | -1.59% |
| YTD return | +3.10% | +23.38% |
| 1-year return | +1.72% | +19.42% |
| 5-year return | -16.38% | +30.97% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 13.74 | 10.91 |
| Forward P/E | 11.40 | 8.75 |
| EPS (TTM) | $4.31 | $2.83 |
| Dividend yield | 3.17% | 3.24% |
| Annual dividend | $1.88 | $1.00 |
| 52-week high | $71.11 | $36.25 |
| 52-week low | $53.46 | $23.06 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -16.72% | -14.84% |
| Analyst consensus | hold | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +16.80% | +22.64% |
| Average volume | 258.30K | 928.16K |
| Shares outstanding | 52.62M | 105.17M |
| Employees | 2,853 | 2,371 |
| 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
- FFBC has outperformed CBU by 17.7 percentage points over the past year.
- Community Financial System trades at a higher earnings multiple (13.7x vs 10.9x trailing P/E).
About Community Financial System
CBU stock →Community Financial System, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Community Bank, N.A.
Finance · Major Banks · 2,853 employees
About First Financial Bancorp.
FFBC stock →First Financial Bancorp. operates as the bank holding company for First Financial Bank that provides commercial banking and banking-related services to individuals and businesses in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois.
Finance · Major Banks · 2,371 employees
CBU vs FFBC FAQ
Which is bigger, Community Financial System or First Financial Bancorp.?
First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC) is larger, with a market capitalization of $3.25B compared with $3.12B for Community Financial System (CBU).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, CBU or FFBC?
FFBC returned +19.42% over the past 12 months, compared with +1.72% for CBU (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, CBU or FFBC?
FFBC has the lower trailing P/E at 10.9, versus 13.7 for CBU. 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, Community Financial System or First Financial Bancorp.?
First Financial Bancorp. has the higher yield at 3.24%, compared with 3.17% for Community Financial System.
Are Community Financial System and First Financial Bancorp. in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Major Banks industry within the Finance sector.