WallStSmart

Lakeland Financial Corporation (LKFN)vsRoyal Bank of Canada (RY)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Royal Bank of Canada generates 23911% more annual revenue ($65.72B vs $273.69M). LKFN leads profitability with a 40.6% profit margin vs 33.7%. LKFN appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 1.44. RY earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 67/100 (B-).

LKFN

Strong Buy

67

out of 100

Grade: B-

Growth: 6.7Profit: 7.5Value: 6.3Quality: 5.0
Piotroski: 3/9Altman Z: -0.68

RY

Strong Buy

67

out of 100

Grade: B-

Growth: 8.7Profit: 8.0Value: 5.0Quality: 5.0
Piotroski: 4/9Altman Z: -0.50

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

LKFN5 strengths · Avg: 9.2/10
Profit MarginProfitability
40.6%10/10

Keeps 41 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Operating MarginProfitability
51.5%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 51.5%

Debt/EquityHealth
0.0210/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

P/E RatioValuation
14.4x8/10

Attractively priced relative to earnings

Price/BookValuation
2.0x8/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

RY6 strengths · Avg: 9.3/10
Market CapQuality
$291.15B10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Profit MarginProfitability
33.7%10/10

Keeps 34 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Operating MarginProfitability
45.3%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 45.3%

Free Cash FlowQuality
$20.82B10/10

Generating 20.8B in free cash flow

Revenue GrowthGrowth
16.1%8/10

16.1% revenue growth

EPS GrowthGrowth
27.5%8/10

Earnings expanding 27.5% YoY

Areas to Watch

LKFN3 concerns · Avg: 2.7/10
Market CapQuality
$1.56B3/10

Smaller company, higher risk/reward

Piotroski F-ScoreQuality
3/93/10

Weak financial health signals

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
-0.682/10

Distress zone — elevated risk

RY3 concerns · Avg: 2.3/10
PEG RatioValuation
2.344/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
-0.502/10

Distress zone — elevated risk

Debt/EquityHealth
2.771/10

Elevated debt levels

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : LKFN

The strongest argument for LKFN centers on Profit Margin, Operating Margin, Debt/Equity. Profitability is solid with margins at 40.6% and operating margin at 51.5%. PEG of 1.44 suggests the stock is reasonably priced for its growth.

Bull Case : RY

The strongest argument for RY centers on Market Cap, Profit Margin, Operating Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 33.7% and operating margin at 45.3%. Revenue growth of 16.1% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bear Case : LKFN

The primary concerns for LKFN are Market Cap, Piotroski F-Score, Altman Z-Score.

Bear Case : RY

The primary concerns for RY are PEG Ratio, Altman Z-Score, Debt/Equity. Debt-to-equity of 2.77 is elevated, increasing financial risk.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

LKFN profiles as a mature stock while RY is a growth play — different risk/reward profiles.

RY carries more volatility with a beta of 0.93 — expect wider price swings.

RY is growing revenue faster at 16.1% — sustainability is the question.

RY generates stronger free cash flow (20.8B), providing more financial flexibility.

Bottom Line

LKFN scores higher overall (67/100 vs 67/100), backed by strong 40.6% margins. Both earn "Strong Buy" and "Strong Buy" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.

This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.

Lakeland Financial Corporation

FINANCIAL SERVICES · BANKS - REGIONAL · USA

Lakeland Financial Corporation is the banking holding company for Lake City Bank offering various banking products and services. The company is headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana.

Royal Bank of Canada

FINANCIAL SERVICES · BANKS - DIVERSIFIED · USA

Royal Bank of Canada is a globally diversified financial services company. The company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Want to dig deeper into these stocks?