Financial Survey: TrustCo Bank Corp NY (NASDAQ:TRST) versus Virginia National Bankshares (NASDAQ:VABK)

Virginia National Bankshares (NASDAQ:VABK) and TrustCo Bank Corp NY (NASDAQ:TRST) are both small-cap finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, risk, earnings, profitability, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and dividends.

Risk & Volatility

Virginia National Bankshares has a beta of 0.44, suggesting that its stock price is 56% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, TrustCo Bank Corp NY has a beta of 0.65, suggesting that its stock price is 35% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

37.4% of Virginia National Bankshares shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 68.6% of TrustCo Bank Corp NY shares are owned by institutional investors. 14.4% of Virginia National Bankshares shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 3.4% of TrustCo Bank Corp NY shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Virginia National Bankshares and TrustCo Bank Corp NY”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Virginia National Bankshares	$83.34 million	3.31	$19.26 million	$4.56	11.15
TrustCo Bank Corp NY	$278.36 million	3.32	$61.14 million	$3.60	15.09

TrustCo Bank Corp NY has higher revenue and earnings than Virginia National Bankshares. Virginia National Bankshares is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than TrustCo Bank Corp NY, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Dividends

Virginia National Bankshares pays an annual dividend of $1.44 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.8%. TrustCo Bank Corp NY pays an annual dividend of $1.60 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.9%. Virginia National Bankshares pays out 31.6% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. TrustCo Bank Corp NY pays out 44.4% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Virginia National Bankshares and TrustCo Bank Corp NY, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Virginia National Bankshares	0	1	0	0	2.00
TrustCo Bank Corp NY	0	0	0	1	4.00

Profitability

This table compares Virginia National Bankshares and TrustCo Bank Corp NY’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Virginia National Bankshares	28.18%	13.36%	1.52%
TrustCo Bank Corp NY	22.76%	9.62%	1.01%

Summary

TrustCo Bank Corp NY beats Virginia National Bankshares on 9 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Virginia National Bankshares

Virginia National Bankshares Corporation operates as the holding company for Virginia National Bank that provides a range of commercial and retail banking services. The company operates through Bank, Sturman Wealth Advisors, VNB Trust and Estate Services, and Masonry Capital segments. It provides checking accounts, demand deposits, NOW accounts, money market deposit accounts, time deposits, certificates of deposit, individual retirement accounts, and other depository services. In addition, the company offers commercial and industrial loans, real estate construction and land loans, commercial real estate loans, and 1-4 family residential mortgages, as well as consumer loans comprising student loans, revolving credit, and other fixed payment loans. Further, it provides automated teller machines, internet banking, treasury, and cash management services; merchant and debit card services; and wealth and investment advisory, and brokerage services. Additionally, the company offers investment management, corporate trustee, trust and estate administration, IRA administration, house investment management, and custody services. It serves individuals, businesses, and charitable organizations in the Charlottesville/Albemarle County, Fauquier County, Manassas, Prince William County, Richmond, and Winchester market areas in Virginia. Virginia National Bankshares Corporation was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia.

About TrustCo Bank Corp NY

TrustCo Bank Corp NY operates as the holding company for Trustco Bank, a federal savings bank that provides personal and business banking services to individuals and businesses. The company accepts deposits; and offers loans and investments. It also operates as a real estate investment trust that acquires, holds, and manages real estate mortgage assets, including residential mortgage loans and mortgage-backed securities. In addition, the company serves as the executor of estates and trustee of personal trusts; provides asset and wealth management, estate planning and related advice, and custodial services; and acts as trustee for various types of employee benefit plans, and corporate pension and profit-sharing trusts. It operates through banking offices in Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Montgomery, Orange, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Ulster, Warren, Washington, and Westchester counties of New York; Brevard, Charlotte, Flagler, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Manatee, Martin, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, and Volusia counties in Florida; Bennington County in Vermont; Berkshire County in Massachusetts; and Bergen County in New Jersey, as well as automatic teller machines. The company was founded in 1902 and is headquartered in Glenville, New York.