Citizens Financial Services (CZFS) vs Investar (ISTR)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
Citizens Financial Services (CZFS) has outperformed Investar (ISTR) over the past year, gaining 38.2% versus a gain of 26.4%. Over five years, ISTR leads with a +59.1% price change compared with +34.0% for CZFS. Investar is the larger company by market cap ($397.1 million vs $375.4 million), about 1.1 times the size.
On valuation, Investar trades at a lower forward P/E (8.7x vs 8.9x for Citizens Financial Services). Citizens Financial Services offers the higher dividend yield (2.58% vs 1.56%).
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 | CZFS | ISTR |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $78.05 | $28.82 |
| Market cap | $375.41M | $397.05M |
| 1-day change | -1.77% | -0.83% |
| YTD return | +39.35% | +8.76% |
| 1-year return | +38.24% | +26.43% |
| 5-year return | +33.99% | +59.06% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 9.13 | 11.86 |
| Forward P/E | 8.86 | 8.74 |
| EPS (TTM) | $8.55 | $2.43 |
| Dividend yield | 2.58% | 1.56% |
| Annual dividend | $2.01 | $0.45 |
| 52-week high | $84.65 | $31.77 |
| 52-week low | $52.35 | $21.43 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -7.80% | -9.29% |
| Analyst consensus | none | none |
| Avg. price target upside | +14.03% | +18.84% |
| Average volume | 34.48K | 128.98K |
| Shares outstanding | 4.81M | 13.78M |
| Employees | 388 | 421 |
| 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
- CZFS has outperformed ISTR by 11.8 percentage points over the past year.
- Investar trades at a higher earnings multiple (11.9x vs 9.1x trailing P/E).
- Citizens Financial Services offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (2.58% vs 1.56%).
About Citizens Financial Services
CZFS stock →Citizens Financial Services, Inc., a bank holding company, provides various banking products and services for individual, business, governmental, and institutional customers. The company offers various deposit products, such as checking, savings, and time deposit accounts; loan products, including residential, commercial, and agricultural real estate loans; commercial and industrial loans; state and political subdivision loans; and consumer loans, as well as various other specialized financial services.
Finance · Major Banks · 388 employees
About Investar
ISTR stock →Investar Holding Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Investar Bank that provides a range of commercial banking products to individuals, professionals, and small to medium-sized businesses in south Louisiana, southeast Texas, and Alabama in the United States. The company offers various deposit products and services, such as savings, checking, money market, and individual retirement accounts, as well as various certificates of deposit; debit and credit cards; internet, mobile, and video banking services; and reciprocal deposit products.
Finance · Major Banks · 421 employees
CZFS vs ISTR FAQ
Which is bigger, Citizens Financial Services or Investar?
Investar (ISTR) is larger, with a market capitalization of $397.05M compared with $375.41M for Citizens Financial Services (CZFS).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, CZFS or ISTR?
CZFS returned +38.24% over the past 12 months, compared with +26.43% for ISTR (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, CZFS or ISTR?
CZFS has the lower trailing P/E at 9.1, versus 11.9 for ISTR. 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, Citizens Financial Services or Investar?
Citizens Financial Services has the higher yield at 2.58%, compared with 1.56% for Investar.
Are Citizens Financial Services and Investar in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Major Banks industry within the Finance sector.