WallStSmart

Royal Bank of Canada (RY)vsSouthern First Bancshares Inc (SFST)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Royal Bank of Canada generates 52030% more annual revenue ($67.15B vs $128.81M). RY leads profitability with a 33.9% profit margin vs 30.7%. SFST appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 2.31. SFST earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 71/100 (B).

RY

Buy

63

out of 100

Grade: C+

Growth: 7.3Profit: 8.0Value: 5.0Quality: 5.0
Piotroski: 4/9Altman Z: -0.50

SFST

Strong Buy

71

out of 100

Grade: B

Growth: 9.3Profit: 7.5Value: 5.7Quality: 6.5
Piotroski: 6/9Altman Z: -0.77

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

RY4 strengths · Avg: 9.5/10
Market CapQuality
$291.55B10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Profit MarginProfitability
33.9%10/10

Keeps 34 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Operating MarginProfitability
46.4%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 46.4%

Price/BookValuation
2.9x8/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

SFST6 strengths · Avg: 9.0/10
Price/BookValuation
1.3x10/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

Profit MarginProfitability
30.7%10/10

Keeps 31 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Operating MarginProfitability
44.0%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 44.0%

P/E RatioValuation
13.6x8/10

Attractively priced relative to earnings

Revenue GrowthGrowth
24.8%8/10

Revenue surging 24.8% year-over-year

EPS GrowthGrowth
48.1%8/10

Earnings expanding 48.1% YoY

Areas to Watch

RY4 concerns · Avg: 2.3/10
PEG RatioValuation
2.354/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Free Cash FlowQuality
$-28.67B2/10

Negative free cash flow — burning cash

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
-0.502/10

Distress zone — elevated risk

Debt/EquityHealth
2.881/10

Elevated debt levels

SFST3 concerns · Avg: 3.0/10
PEG RatioValuation
2.314/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Market CapQuality
$597.86M3/10

Smaller company, higher risk/reward

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
-0.772/10

Distress zone — elevated risk

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : RY

The strongest argument for RY centers on Market Cap, Profit Margin, Operating Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 33.9% and operating margin at 46.4%.

Bull Case : SFST

The strongest argument for SFST centers on Price/Book, Profit Margin, Operating Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 30.7% and operating margin at 44.0%. Revenue growth of 24.8% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bear Case : RY

The primary concerns for RY are PEG Ratio, Free Cash Flow, Altman Z-Score. Debt-to-equity of 2.88 is elevated, increasing financial risk.

Bear Case : SFST

The primary concerns for SFST are PEG Ratio, Market Cap, Altman Z-Score.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

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

RY carries more volatility with a beta of 0.92 — expect wider price swings.

SFST is growing revenue faster at 24.8% — sustainability is the question.

SFST generates stronger free cash flow (17M), providing more financial flexibility.

Bottom Line

SFST scores higher overall (71/100 vs 63/100), backed by strong 30.7% margins and 24.8% revenue growth. Both earn "Strong Buy" and "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.

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.

Southern First Bancshares Inc

FINANCIAL SERVICES · BANKS - REGIONAL · USA

Southern First Bancshares, Inc. is the banking holding company for Southern First Bank offering various banking products and services to the general public in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. The company is headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina.

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