Reviewing Catalyst Bancorp (NASDAQ:CLST) & First Northern Community Bancorp (OTCMKTS:FNRN)

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares First Northern Community Bancorp and Catalyst Bancorp”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
First Northern Community Bancorp	$81.97 million	1.84	$21.55 million	$1.36	7.29
Catalyst Bancorp	$5.42 million	9.44	$600,000.00	($0.82)	-14.35

First Northern Community Bancorp has higher revenue and earnings than Catalyst Bancorp. Catalyst Bancorp is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than First Northern Community Bancorp, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Profitability

This table compares First Northern Community Bancorp and Catalyst Bancorp’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
First Northern Community Bancorp	25.01%	12.60%	1.11%
Catalyst Bancorp	N/A	-4.12%	-1.20%

Insider and Institutional Ownership

17.9% of First Northern Community Bancorp shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 33.1% of Catalyst Bancorp shares are owned by institutional investors. 13.0% of First Northern Community Bancorp shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 5.9% of Catalyst Bancorp shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Risk & Volatility

First Northern Community Bancorp has a beta of 0.33, meaning that its share price is 67% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Catalyst Bancorp has a beta of 0.14, meaning that its share price is 86% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

First Northern Community Bancorp beats Catalyst Bancorp on 9 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

About First Northern Community Bancorp

First Northern Community Bancorp operates as the bank holding company for First Northern Bank of Dixon that provides commercial banking products and services to individuals, and small and medium sized businesses. The company accepts demand deposits, interest-bearing transaction deposits, savings and money market deposit accounts, and time deposits. It also offers commercial, commercial real estate, agriculture, residential mortgage, residential construction, and consumer loans. In addition, the company provides debit and credit cards; investment and brokerage services; alternative investment products, and fiduciary and other financial services; and equipment leasing, merchant card processing, payroll, and international banking services through third parties. Further, it offers cashier's checks, safe deposit boxes, and other customary banking services. The company operates branches located in the cities of Auburn, Colusa, Davis, Dixon, Fairfield, Orland, Rancho Cordova, Roseville, Sacramento, Vacaville, West Sacramento, Winters, Willows, and Woodland; satellite banking office inside a retirement community in the city of Davis; residential mortgage loan office in Davis; and commercial loan office in the Contra Costa County city of Walnut Creek. First Northern Community Bancorp was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Dixon, California.

About Catalyst Bancorp

Catalyst Bancorp, Inc. operates as a holding company for Catalyst Bank that provides various banking services to individuals and businesses in Louisiana. The company accepts various deposit products, including savings accounts, demand and NOW accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit. It also offers single family residential first mortgage loans, commercial real estate mortgage loans, multi-family residential mortgage loans, commercial and industrial loans, construction and land loans, consumer loans, and other loans. In addition, the company invests in various types of securities comprising mortgage-backed securities, the U.S. treasury obligations, securities of various federal agencies and of state and municipal governments, certificates of deposit at federally insured banks and savings institutions, and federal funds. Catalyst Bancorp, Inc. was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in Opelousas, Louisiana.