HBT Financial (HBT) vs Westamerica Bancorporation (WABC)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
HBT Financial (HBT) has outperformed Westamerica Bancorporation (WABC) over the past year, gaining 44.7% versus a gain of 26.5%. Over five years, HBT leads with a +108.1% price change compared with +8.8% for WABC. Westamerica Bancorporation is the larger company by market cap ($1.38 billion vs $1.29 billion), about 1.1 times the size.
On valuation, HBT Financial trades at a lower forward P/E (10.3x vs 12.7x for Westamerica Bancorporation). Westamerica Bancorporation offers the higher dividend yield (3.12% vs 2.48%).
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 | HBT | WABC |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $35.53 | $59.59 |
| Market cap | $1.29B | $1.38B |
| 1-day change | 0.00% | +2.20% |
| YTD return | +37.45% | +24.59% |
| 1-year return | +44.67% | +26.52% |
| 5-year return | +108.14% | +8.80% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 15.12 | 13.13 |
| Forward P/E | 10.27 | 12.72 |
| EPS (TTM) | $2.35 | $4.54 |
| Dividend yield | 2.48% | 3.12% |
| Annual dividend | $0.88 | $1.86 |
| 52-week high | $37.51 | $63.61 |
| 52-week low | $22.36 | $44.93 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -5.28% | -6.32% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | hold |
| Avg. price target upside | +13.14% | +7.40% |
| Average volume | 135.07K | 192.64K |
| Shares outstanding | 36.37M | 23.11M |
| Employees | 826 | 608 |
| Sector | Finance | Financial Services |
| Industry | Major Banks | 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
- HBT has outperformed WABC by 18.1 percentage points over the past year.
- The two companies sit in different sectors: HBT Financial in Finance and Westamerica Bancorporation in Financial Services.
About HBT Financial
HBT stock →HBT Financial, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Heartland Bank and Trust Company that provides financial products and services to consumers, businesses, and municipal entities in Illinois and Eastern Iowa.
Finance · Major Banks · 826 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
HBT vs WABC FAQ
Which is bigger, HBT Financial or Westamerica Bancorporation?
Westamerica Bancorporation (WABC) is larger, with a market capitalization of $1.38B compared with $1.29B for HBT Financial (HBT).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, HBT or WABC?
HBT returned +44.67% over the past 12 months, compared with +26.52% for WABC (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, HBT or WABC?
WABC has the lower trailing P/E at 13.1, versus 15.1 for HBT. 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, HBT Financial or Westamerica Bancorporation?
Westamerica Bancorporation has the higher yield at 3.12%, compared with 2.48% for HBT Financial.
Are HBT Financial and Westamerica Bancorporation in the same industry?
No. HBT Financial is in the Finance sector, while Westamerica Bancorporation is in Financial Services.