Esquire Financial (ESQ) vs Westamerica Bancorporation (WABC)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Westamerica Bancorporation (WABC) has outperformed Esquire Financial (ESQ) over the past year, gaining 22.8% versus a gain of 11.3%. Over five years, ESQ leads with a +256.8% price change compared with +6.5% for WABC. Esquire Financial is the larger company by market cap ($1.40 billion vs $1.35 billion), about 1.0 times the size.
On valuation, Westamerica Bancorporation trades at a lower forward P/E (12.5x vs 13.7x for Esquire Financial). Westamerica Bancorporation offers the higher dividend yield (3.19% vs 0.65%).
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 | WABC |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $115.70 | $58.31 |
| Market cap | $1.40B | $1.35B |
| 1-day change | -0.64% | -0.72% |
| YTD return | +13.35% | +21.91% |
| 1-year return | +11.26% | +22.76% |
| 5-year return | +256.77% | +6.46% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 19.22 | 12.84 |
| Forward P/E | 13.66 | 12.47 |
| EPS (TTM) | $6.02 | $4.54 |
| Dividend yield | 0.65% | 3.19% |
| Annual dividend | $0.75 | $1.86 |
| 52-week high | $134.82 | $63.61 |
| 52-week low | $92.10 | $44.93 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -14.18% | -8.33% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | none |
| Avg. price target upside | +15.82% | +9.76% |
| Average volume | 167.19K | 191.87K |
| Shares outstanding | 12.10M | 23.11M |
| Employees | 151 | 608 |
| 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
- WABC has outperformed ESQ by 11.5 percentage points over the past year.
- Esquire Financial trades at a higher earnings multiple (19.2x vs 12.8x trailing P/E).
- Westamerica Bancorporation offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (3.19% vs 0.65%).
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 Westamerica Bancorporation
WABC stock →Westamerica Bancorporation operates as a bank holding company for Westamerica Bank that provides various banking products and services to individual and commercial customers in the United States. The company accepts various deposit products from local businesses and professionals, as well as retail savings and checking accounts, as well as certificates of deposit.
Financial Services · Banks - Regional · 608 employees
ESQ vs WABC FAQ
Which is bigger, Esquire Financial or Westamerica Bancorporation?
Esquire Financial (ESQ) is larger, with a market capitalization of $1.40B compared with $1.35B for Westamerica Bancorporation (WABC).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ESQ or WABC?
WABC returned +22.76% 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 WABC?
WABC has the lower trailing P/E at 12.8, 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 Westamerica Bancorporation?
Westamerica Bancorporation has the higher yield at 3.19%, compared with 0.65% for Esquire Financial.
Are Esquire Financial and Westamerica Bancorporation in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Banks - Regional industry within the Financial Services sector.