Heritage Financial (HFWA) vs Pioneer Bancorp (PBFS)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
Pioneer Bancorp (PBFS) has outperformed Heritage Financial (HFWA) over the past year, gaining 34.3% versus a gain of 15.5%. Over five years, PBFS leads with a +43.1% price change compared with +11.2% for HFWA. Heritage Financial is the larger company by market cap ($1.13 billion vs $426.0 million), about 2.6 times the size.
On valuation, Heritage Financial trades at a lower trailing P/E (13.1x vs 25.2x for Pioneer Bancorp). Heritage Financial pays a dividend yielding 3.48%, while Pioneer Bancorp 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 | HFWA | PBFS |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $27.57 | $17.62 |
| Market cap | $1.13B | $426.05M |
| 1-day change | +1.21% | +1.67% |
| YTD return | +16.58% | +30.71% |
| 1-year return | +15.45% | +34.30% |
| 5-year return | +11.17% | +43.14% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 13.13 | 25.17 |
| Forward P/E | 10.46 | — |
| EPS (TTM) | $2.10 | $0.70 |
| Dividend yield | 3.48% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.96 | $0.00 |
| 52-week high | $31.25 | $19.91 |
| 52-week low | $21.32 | $12.64 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -11.78% | -11.50% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | — |
| Avg. price target upside | +17.52% | — |
| Average volume | 404.22K | 12.62K |
| Shares outstanding | 40.92M | 24.18M |
| Employees | 976 | 298 |
| Sector | Finance | Finance |
| Industry | Banks | 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
- Heritage Financial is about 2.6 times larger than Pioneer Bancorp by market value ($1.13B vs $426.05M).
- PBFS has outperformed HFWA by 18.8 percentage points over the past year.
- Pioneer Bancorp trades at a higher earnings multiple (25.2x vs 13.1x trailing P/E).
- Heritage Financial offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (3.48% vs 0.00%).
About Heritage Financial
HFWA stock →Heritage Financial Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Heritage Bank that provides various financial services to small and medium sized businesses and its owners in the United States. It accepts various deposit products, such as noninterest demand deposits, interest bearing demand deposits, money market accounts, savings accounts, personal checking accounts, and certificates of deposit.
Finance · Banks · 976 employees
About Pioneer Bancorp
PBFS stock →Pioneer Bancorp, Inc. operates as a holding company for Pioneer Bank, National Association that provides various banking products and services in New York.
Finance · Banks · 298 employees
HFWA vs PBFS FAQ
Which is bigger, Heritage Financial or Pioneer Bancorp?
Heritage Financial (HFWA) is larger, with a market capitalization of $1.13B compared with $426.05M for Pioneer Bancorp (PBFS).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, HFWA or PBFS?
PBFS returned +34.30% over the past 12 months, compared with +15.45% for HFWA (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, HFWA or PBFS?
HFWA has the lower trailing P/E at 13.1, versus 25.2 for PBFS. 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, Heritage Financial or Pioneer Bancorp?
Heritage Financial pays a dividend yielding 3.48%, while Pioneer Bancorp does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are Heritage Financial and Pioneer Bancorp in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Banks industry within the Finance sector.