Live Oak Bancshares (LOB) 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 Live Oak Bancshares (LOB) over the past year, gaining 26.5% versus a loss of 3.5%. Over five years, WABC leads with a +8.8% price change compared with -51.5% for LOB. Live Oak Bancshares is the larger company by market cap ($1.60 billion vs $1.38 billion), about 1.2 times the size.
On valuation, Live Oak Bancshares trades at a lower forward P/E (8.2x vs 12.7x for Westamerica Bancorporation). Westamerica Bancorporation offers the higher dividend yield (3.12% vs 0.35%).
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 | LOB | WABC |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $34.57 | $59.59 |
| Market cap | $1.60B | $1.38B |
| 1-day change | +0.90% | +2.20% |
| YTD return | +0.64% | +24.59% |
| 1-year return | -3.52% | +26.52% |
| 5-year return | -51.51% | +8.80% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 12.13 | 13.13 |
| Forward P/E | 8.19 | 12.72 |
| EPS (TTM) | $2.85 | $4.54 |
| Dividend yield | 0.35% | 3.12% |
| Annual dividend | $0.12 | $1.86 |
| 52-week high | $44.53 | $63.61 |
| 52-week low | $29.36 | $44.93 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -22.37% | -6.32% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | hold |
| Avg. price target upside | +23.66% | +7.40% |
| Average volume | 220.47K | 192.64K |
| Shares outstanding | 46.28M | 23.11M |
| Employees | 1,027 | 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 LOB by 30.0 percentage points over the past year.
- Westamerica Bancorporation offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (3.12% vs 0.35%).
About Live Oak Bancshares
LOB stock →Live Oak Bancshares, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Live Oak Banking Company that provides various banking products and services in the United States.
Financial Services · Banks - Regional · 1,027 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
LOB vs WABC FAQ
Which is bigger, Live Oak Bancshares or Westamerica Bancorporation?
Live Oak Bancshares (LOB) is larger, with a market capitalization of $1.60B compared with $1.38B for Westamerica Bancorporation (WABC).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, LOB or WABC?
WABC returned +26.52% over the past 12 months, compared with -3.52% for LOB (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, LOB or WABC?
LOB has the lower trailing P/E at 12.1, versus 13.1 for WABC. 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, Live Oak Bancshares or Westamerica Bancorporation?
Westamerica Bancorporation has the higher yield at 3.12%, compared with 0.35% for Live Oak Bancshares.
Are Live Oak Bancshares and Westamerica Bancorporation in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Banks - Regional industry within the Financial Services sector.