Comparing Lifestore Financial Group (OTCMKTS:LSFG) & Evans Bancorp (NYSE:EVBN)

Risk and Volatility

Evans Bancorp has a beta of 0.97, indicating that its share price is 3% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Lifestore Financial Group has a beta of 0.91, indicating that its share price is 9% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Evans Bancorp and Lifestore Financial Group”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Evans Bancorp	$69.21 million	3.09	$11.95 million	$2.15	17.87
Lifestore Financial Group	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Evans Bancorp has higher revenue and earnings than Lifestore Financial Group.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

67.1% of Evans Bancorp shares are held by institutional investors. 6.3% of Evans Bancorp shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 12.2% of Lifestore Financial Group shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Profitability

This table compares Evans Bancorp and Lifestore Financial Group’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Evans Bancorp	9.89%	6.66%	0.53%
Lifestore Financial Group	N/A	N/A	N/A

Dividends

Evans Bancorp pays an annual dividend of $1.32 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.4%. Lifestore Financial Group pays an annual dividend of $0.60 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.3%. Evans Bancorp pays out 61.4% of its earnings in the form of a dividend.

Summary

Evans Bancorp beats Lifestore Financial Group on 7 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Evans Bancorp

Evans Bancorp, Inc. primarily operates as the financial holding company for Evans Bank, N.A. that provides a range of banking products and services to consumer and commercial customers in Western New York and the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. It operates in two segments, Banking Activities and Insurance Agency Activities. The company offers deposit products, which include checking and negotiable order of withdrawal accounts, savings accounts, and certificates of deposit. It also provides residential mortgages; commercial and multi-family mortgages and commercial construction loans; home equities, such as home equity lines of credit and second mortgage loans; commercial and industrial loans comprising term loans and lines of credit; consumer loans, including direct automobile, recreational vehicle, boat, home improvement, and personal loans; other loans consisting of cash reserves, overdrafts, and loan clearing accounts; and installment loans. In addition, the company sells various premium-based insurance policies, including business and personal insurance, employee benefits, surety bonds, risk management, life, disability, and long-term care coverage, as well as provides claims adjusting services to various insurance companies; and non-deposit investment products, such as annuities and mutual funds. It operates through a total of 21 full-service banking offices in Erie County, Niagara County, Monroe County, and Chautauqua County, New York. Evans Bancorp, Inc. was founded in 1920 and is headquartered in Williamsville, New York.

About Lifestore Financial Group

LifeStore Financial Group, Inc. operates as a federally chartered thrift holding company for LifeStore Bank that provides personal and business banking products and services in North Carolina. The company offers checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as certificates of deposit; mortgage loans, automobile loans, home equity lines of credit, commercial real estate loans, commercial construction loans, investment property loans, equipment loans, working capital loans/lines of credit, and small business administration loans; and credit cards. It also provides insurance agency products and services; investment and cash management services; and online and mobile banking services. The company was formerly known as AF Financial Group and changed its name to LifeStore Financial Group, Inc. in September 2009. LifeStore Financial Group, Inc. was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in West Jefferson, North Carolina. Lifestore Financial Group, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of AsheCo MHC, Inc.