Head-To-Head Review: BNCCORP (OTCMKTS:BNCC) and United Bancorp (NASDAQ:UBCP)

United Bancorp (NASDAQ:UBCP) and BNCCORP (OTCMKTS:BNCC) are both small-cap finance companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, profitability, risk, valuation, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and dividends.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares United Bancorp and BNCCORP”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
United Bancorp	$47.51 million	1.91	$7.75 million	$1.34	11.72
BNCCORP	$57.17 million	2.24	$8.77 million	$2.48	14.52

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

Insider & Institutional Ownership

15.4% of United Bancorp shares are owned by institutional investors. 12.9% of United Bancorp shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 28.4% of BNCCORP shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Profitability

This table compares United Bancorp and BNCCORP’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
United Bancorp	16.32%	12.44%	0.91%
BNCCORP	15.34%	8.73%	0.90%

Volatility & Risk

United Bancorp has a beta of 0.36, suggesting that its share price is 64% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, BNCCORP has a beta of 0.38, suggesting that its share price is 62% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current recommendations for United Bancorp and BNCCORP, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
United Bancorp	0	1	0	0	2.00
BNCCORP	0	0	0	0	0.00

Summary

BNCCORP beats United Bancorp on 7 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks.

About United Bancorp

United Bancorp, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Unified Bank that provides commercial and retail banking services in Ohio. The company provides range of banking and financial services, which includes accepting demand, savings, and time deposits. It also offers commercial, real estate and consumer loans. United Bancorp, Inc. was founded in 1902 and is headquartered in Martins Ferry, Ohio.

About BNCCORP

BNCCORP, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for BNC National Bank that provides community banking, retail and mortgage banking, and wealth management services to businesses and consumers. The company offers commercial banking services, including business financing, commercial real estate lending, small business administration loans, business checking, cash management, corporate credit cards, and merchant services to small to middle-market businesses. It also provides retail and mortgage banking services, such as personal checking and savings products, personal loans, and card services; and residential loans through a consumer direct channel, as well as a retail channel. In addition, the company offers wealth management solutions, including 401(k) and other retirement plans, trust services, and personal wealth advisory services. It offers community banking and wealth management services through 11 locations in Arizona and North Dakota; and mortgage banking services through 7 locations in Arizona, North Dakota, Illinois, and Kansas. The company was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Bismarck, North Dakota.