Esquire Financial (ESQ) vs Peapack-Gladstone Financial (PGC)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Peapack-Gladstone Financial (PGC) has outperformed Esquire Financial (ESQ) over the past year, gaining 55.9% versus a gain of 11.3%. Over five years, ESQ leads with a +256.8% price change compared with +30.4% for PGC. Esquire Financial is the larger company by market cap ($1.40 billion vs $769.6 million), about 1.8 times the size.
On valuation, Peapack-Gladstone Financial trades at a lower forward P/E (9.0x vs 13.7x for Esquire Financial). Esquire Financial offers the higher dividend yield (0.65% vs 0.46%).
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 | ESQ | PGC |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $115.70 | $43.41 |
| Market cap | $1.40B | $769.57M |
| 1-day change | -0.64% | -1.74% |
| YTD return | +13.35% | +55.87% |
| 1-year return | +11.26% | +55.87% |
| 5-year return | +256.77% | +30.40% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 19.22 | 15.39 |
| Forward P/E | 13.66 | 9.03 |
| EPS (TTM) | $6.02 | $2.82 |
| Dividend yield | 0.65% | 0.46% |
| Annual dividend | $0.75 | $0.20 |
| 52-week high | $134.82 | $49.14 |
| 52-week low | $92.10 | $24.71 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -14.18% | -11.66% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | none |
| Avg. price target upside | +15.82% | +29.00% |
| Average volume | 167.19K | 165.87K |
| Shares outstanding | 12.10M | 17.73M |
| Employees | 151 | 682 |
| Sector | Financial Services | Financial Services |
| Industry | Banks - Regional | Banks - Regional |
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
- PGC has outperformed ESQ by 44.6 percentage points over the past year.
About Esquire Financial
ESQ stock →Esquire Financial Holdings, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Esquire Bank, National Association that provides commercial banking products and services to legal and small businesses, and commercial and retail customers in the United States.
Financial Services · Banks - Regional · 151 employees
About Peapack-Gladstone Financial
PGC stock →Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Peapack Private Bank & Trust that provides private banking and wealth management services in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Banking and Wealth Management.
Financial Services · Banks - Regional · 682 employees
ESQ vs PGC FAQ
Which is bigger, Esquire Financial or Peapack-Gladstone Financial?
Esquire Financial (ESQ) is larger, with a market capitalization of $1.40B compared with $769.57M for Peapack-Gladstone Financial (PGC).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ESQ or PGC?
PGC returned +55.87% over the past 12 months, compared with +11.26% for ESQ (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, ESQ or PGC?
PGC has the lower trailing P/E at 15.4, versus 19.2 for ESQ. 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, Esquire Financial or Peapack-Gladstone Financial?
Esquire Financial has the higher yield at 0.65%, compared with 0.46% for Peapack-Gladstone Financial.
Are Esquire Financial and Peapack-Gladstone Financial in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Banks - Regional industry within the Financial Services sector.