Comparing Shore Community Bank (OTCMKTS:SHRC) and Park National (NYSE:PRK)

Shore Community Bank (OTCMKTS:SHRC) and Park National (NYSE:PRK) are both finance companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their risk, earnings, valuation, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, profitability and dividends.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

62.7% of Park National shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.7% of Park National shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Shore Community Bank and Park National”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Shore Community Bank	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Park National	$520.61 million	4.90	$151.42 million	$9.31	16.94

Park National has higher revenue and earnings than Shore Community Bank.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for Shore Community Bank and Park National, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Shore Community Bank	0	0	0	0	0.00
Park National	0	2	0	0	2.00

Park National has a consensus target price of $181.75, indicating a potential upside of 15.22%. Given Park National’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Park National is more favorable than Shore Community Bank.

Profitability

This table compares Shore Community Bank and Park National’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Shore Community Bank	N/A	N/A	N/A
Park National	23.46%	12.31%	1.50%

Summary

Park National beats Shore Community Bank on 8 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Shore Community Bank

Shore Community Bank, a state chartered bank, provides banking products and services to businesses and individuals in Ocean County, New Jersey. The company's deposit products include checking accounts, savings accounts, certificates of deposit, individual retirement accounts, money market accounts, visa/mastercard merchant deposit accounts, and payroll/direct deposit accounts. Its loan portfolio comprises personal, home equity, term, and demand loans; lines of credit; letters of credit; commercial mortgages; and construction lending. The company also offers direct deposit and electronic transfer, wire transfer, ACH origination, night depository, tenant rent security, signature guarantee, remote deposit, notary, and automated asset management services; safe deposit boxes, escrow accounts, and debit cards, as well as online and telephone banking services. As of April 28, 2016, it operated five banking offices located in Toms River, Jackson, and Manahawkin, New Jersey. Shore Community Bank was incorporated in 1996 and is headquartered in Toms River, New Jersey.

About Park National

Park National Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Park National Bank that provides commercial banking and trust services in small and medium population areas. The company offers deposits for demand, savings, and time accounts; trust and wealth management services; cash management services; safe deposit operations; electronic funds transfers; Internet and mobile banking solutions with bill pay service; credit cards; and various additional banking-related services. It also provides commercial loans, including financing for industrial and commercial properties, financing for equipment, inventory and accounts receivable, acquisition financing, and commercial leasing, as well as for consumer finance companies; commercial real estate loans comprising mortgage loans to developers and owners of commercial real estate; originates financing leases primarily for the purchase of commercial vehicles, operating/manufacturing equipment, and municipal vehicles/equipment; consumer loans, such as automobile loans; consumer finance services; home equity lines of credit; and residential real estate and construction loans, as well as installment loans and commercial loans. In addition, the company offers aircraft financing services; and ParkDirect, a personal banking application. Park National Corporation was founded in 1908 and is headquartered in Newark, Ohio.