First Carolina Financial Services (FCBM) vs Investar (ISTR)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Investar is the larger company by market cap ($399.4 million vs $394.0 million), about 1.0 times the size. On valuation, Investar trades at a lower forward P/E (8.8x vs 9.3x for First Carolina Financial Services). Investar pays a dividend yielding 1.55%, while First Carolina Financial Services does not currently pay one.
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 | FCBM | ISTR |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $12.68 | $28.99 |
| Market cap | $393.95M | $399.40M |
| 1-day change | -0.63% | -1.06% |
| YTD return | — | +8.50% |
| 1-year return | — | +26.32% |
| 5-year return | — | +58.68% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 23.48 | 11.93 |
| Forward P/E | 9.32 | 8.79 |
| EPS (TTM) | $0.54 | $2.43 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 1.55% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.45 |
| 52-week high | $13.40 | $31.77 |
| 52-week low | $12.17 | $21.43 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -5.37% | -8.75% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | none |
| Avg. price target upside | +15.69% | +18.14% |
| Average volume | 146.30K | 130.41K |
| Shares outstanding | 31.07M | 13.78M |
| Employees | 269 | 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
- First Carolina Financial Services trades at a higher earnings multiple (23.5x vs 11.9x trailing P/E).
- Investar offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (1.55% vs 0.00%).
About First Carolina Financial Services
FCBM stock →First Carolina Financial Services, Inc. operates as a bank holding company for First Carolina Bank that provides commercial banking services in the United States.
Finance · Major Banks · 269 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
FCBM vs ISTR FAQ
Which is bigger, First Carolina Financial Services or Investar?
Investar (ISTR) is larger, with a market capitalization of $399.40M compared with $393.95M for First Carolina Financial Services (FCBM).
Which has the lower P/E ratio, FCBM or ISTR?
ISTR has the lower trailing P/E at 11.9, versus 23.5 for FCBM. 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, First Carolina Financial Services or Investar?
Investar pays a dividend yielding 1.55%, while First Carolina Financial Services does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are First Carolina Financial Services and Investar in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Major Banks industry within the Finance sector.