Do analysts rate CNOB or FNLC?

ConnectOne Bancorp presently has a consensus price target of $35.00, indicating a potential upside of 12.69%. Given ConnectOne Bancorp's higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe ConnectOne Bancorp is more favorable than First Bancorp, Inc (ME). Company Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score ConnectOne Bancorp 0 Sell rating(s) 1 Hold rating(s) 4 Buy rating(s) 0 Strong Buy rating(s) 2.80 First Bancorp, Inc (ME) 0 Sell rating(s) 0 Hold rating(s) 1 Buy rating(s) 0 Strong Buy rating(s) 3.00

Does the media refer more to CNOB or FNLC?

In the previous week, ConnectOne Bancorp had 1 more articles in the media than First Bancorp, Inc (ME). MarketBeat recorded 4 mentions for ConnectOne Bancorp and 3 mentions for First Bancorp, Inc (ME). First Bancorp, Inc (ME)'s average media sentiment score of 0.93 beat ConnectOne Bancorp's score of 0.90 indicating that First Bancorp, Inc (ME) is being referred to more favorably in the news media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment ConnectOne Bancorp 3 Very Positive mention(s) 0 Positive mention(s) 0 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive First Bancorp, Inc (ME) 0 Very Positive mention(s) 0 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

Do analysts rate TFIN or FNLC?

Triumph Financial presently has a consensus target price of $84.80, indicating a potential upside of 38.35%. Given Triumph Financial's higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Triumph Financial is more favorable than First Bancorp, Inc (ME). Company Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Triumph Financial 0 Sell rating(s) 6 Hold rating(s) 1 Buy rating(s) 0 Strong Buy rating(s) 2.14 First Bancorp, Inc (ME) 0 Sell rating(s) 0 Hold rating(s) 1 Buy rating(s) 0 Strong Buy rating(s) 3.00

Does the media favor TFIN or FNLC?

In the previous week, Triumph Financial had 2 more articles in the media than First Bancorp, Inc (ME). MarketBeat recorded 5 mentions for Triumph Financial and 3 mentions for First Bancorp, Inc (ME). Triumph Financial's average media sentiment score of 1.18 beat First Bancorp, Inc (ME)'s score of 0.93 indicating that Triumph Financial is being referred to more favorably in the media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Triumph Financial 4 Very Positive mention(s) 1 Positive mention(s) 0 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive First Bancorp, Inc (ME) 0 Very Positive mention(s) 0 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

Do analysts prefer FNLC or PFBC?

Preferred Bank has a consensus price target of $106.25, suggesting a potential downside of 2.95%. Given Preferred Bank's higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Preferred Bank is more favorable than First Bancorp, Inc (ME). Company Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score First Bancorp, Inc (ME) 0 Sell rating(s) 0 Hold rating(s) 1 Buy rating(s) 0 Strong Buy rating(s) 3.00 Preferred Bank 0 Sell rating(s) 5 Hold rating(s) 2 Buy rating(s) 1 Strong Buy rating(s) 2.50

Does the media prefer FNLC or PFBC?

In the previous week, Preferred Bank had 1 more articles in the media than First Bancorp, Inc (ME). MarketBeat recorded 4 mentions for Preferred Bank and 3 mentions for First Bancorp, Inc (ME). First Bancorp, Inc (ME)'s average media sentiment score of 0.93 beat Preferred Bank's score of 0.77 indicating that First Bancorp, Inc (ME) is being referred to more favorably in the media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment First Bancorp, Inc (ME) 0 Very Positive mention(s) 0 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive Preferred Bank 0 Very Positive mention(s) 0 Positive mention(s) 2 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

Do analysts recommend LKFN or FNLC?

Lakeland Financial presently has a consensus price target of $66.50, suggesting a potential upside of 11.75%. Given Lakeland Financial's higher probable upside, equities research analysts plainly believe Lakeland Financial is more favorable than First Bancorp, Inc (ME). Company Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Lakeland Financial 0 Sell rating(s) 3 Hold rating(s) 1 Buy rating(s) 0 Strong Buy rating(s) 2.25 First Bancorp, Inc (ME) 0 Sell rating(s) 0 Hold rating(s) 1 Buy rating(s) 0 Strong Buy rating(s) 3.00

Does the media refer more to LKFN or FNLC?

In the previous week, Lakeland Financial had 2 more articles in the media than First Bancorp, Inc (ME). MarketBeat recorded 5 mentions for Lakeland Financial and 3 mentions for First Bancorp, Inc (ME). Lakeland Financial's average media sentiment score of 1.07 beat First Bancorp, Inc (ME)'s score of 0.93 indicating that Lakeland Financial is being referred to more favorably in the media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Lakeland Financial 2 Very Positive mention(s) 1 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive First Bancorp, Inc (ME) 0 Very Positive mention(s) 0 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

Do analysts prefer FNLC or ESQ?

Esquire Financial has a consensus price target of $120.33, suggesting a potential downside of 1.59%. Given Esquire Financial's higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Esquire Financial is more favorable than First Bancorp, Inc (ME). Company Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score First Bancorp, Inc (ME) 0 Sell rating(s) 0 Hold rating(s) 1 Buy rating(s) 0 Strong Buy rating(s) 3.00 Esquire Financial 0 Sell rating(s) 1 Hold rating(s) 2 Buy rating(s) 1 Strong Buy rating(s) 3.00

Does the media refer more to FNLC or ESQ?

In the previous week, Esquire Financial had 2 more articles in the media than First Bancorp, Inc (ME). MarketBeat recorded 5 mentions for Esquire Financial and 3 mentions for First Bancorp, Inc (ME). First Bancorp, Inc (ME)'s average media sentiment score of 0.93 beat Esquire Financial's score of 0.83 indicating that First Bancorp, Inc (ME) is being referred to more favorably in the media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment First Bancorp, Inc (ME) 0 Very Positive mention(s) 0 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive Esquire Financial 2 Very Positive mention(s) 1 Positive mention(s) 0 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

First Bancorp, Inc (ME) (FNLC) Competitors

$34.35 +0.15 (+0.44%)

Closing price 09/25/2026 04:00 PM Eastern

Extended Trading

$34.37 +0.02 (+0.06%)

As of 09/25/2026 07:30 PM Eastern

Compare

FNLC vs. CNOB, TFIN, PFBC, LKFN, and ESQ

Should you buy First Bancorp, Inc (ME) stock or one of its competitors? First Bancorp, Inc (ME)'s main competitors and comparable companies include ConnectOne Bancorp (CNOB), Triumph Financial (TFIN), Preferred Bank (PFBC), Lakeland Financial (LKFN), and Esquire Financial (ESQ). Companies are selected based on similarities in market, industry, and size. These companies are all part of the "regional banks" industry.

How does First Bancorp, Inc (ME) compare to ConnectOne Bancorp?

ConnectOne Bancorp (NASDAQ:CNOB) and First Bancorp, Inc (ME) (NASDAQ:FNLC) are both small-cap finance companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, valuation, institutional ownership, risk, profitability, dividends, analyst recommendations and media sentiment.

67.7% of ConnectOne Bancorp shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 40.4% of First Bancorp, Inc (ME) shares are owned by institutional investors. 5.2% of ConnectOne Bancorp shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 5.1% of First Bancorp, Inc (ME) 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.

In the previous week, ConnectOne Bancorp had 1 more articles in the media than First Bancorp, Inc (ME). MarketBeat recorded 4 mentions for ConnectOne Bancorp and 3 mentions for First Bancorp, Inc (ME). First Bancorp, Inc (ME)'s average media sentiment score of 0.93 beat ConnectOne Bancorp's score of 0.90 indicating that First Bancorp, Inc (ME) is being referred to more favorably in the news media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
ConnectOne Bancorp	3 Very Positive mention(s)	0 Positive mention(s)	0 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	0 Very Positive mention(s)	0 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

ConnectOne Bancorp has a beta of 1.03, meaning that its share price is 3% more volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, First Bancorp, Inc (ME) has a beta of 0.49, meaning that its share price is 51% less volatile than the broader market.

ConnectOne Bancorp has higher revenue and earnings than First Bancorp, Inc (ME). ConnectOne Bancorp is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than First Bancorp, Inc (ME), indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
ConnectOne Bancorp	$679.93M	2.30	$80.44M	$3.05	10.18
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	$101.40M	3.82	$34.39M	$3.37	10.19

ConnectOne Bancorp presently has a consensus price target of $35.00, indicating a potential upside of 12.69%. Given ConnectOne Bancorp's higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe ConnectOne Bancorp is more favorable than First Bancorp, Inc (ME).

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
ConnectOne Bancorp	0 Sell rating(s)	1 Hold rating(s)	4 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.80
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	0 Sell rating(s)	0 Hold rating(s)	1 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	3.00

First Bancorp, Inc (ME) has a net margin of 21.43% compared to ConnectOne Bancorp's net margin of 20.21%. First Bancorp, Inc (ME)'s return on equity of 13.30% beat ConnectOne Bancorp's return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
ConnectOne Bancorp	20.21%	11.24%	1.17%
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	21.43%	13.30%	1.18%

ConnectOne Bancorp pays an annual dividend of $0.78 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.5%. First Bancorp, Inc (ME) pays an annual dividend of $1.52 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.4%. ConnectOne Bancorp pays out 25.6% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. First Bancorp, Inc (ME) pays out 45.1% 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. ConnectOne Bancorp has raised its dividend for 4 consecutive years and First Bancorp, Inc (ME) has raised its dividend for 6 consecutive years. First Bancorp, Inc (ME) is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

Summary

First Bancorp, Inc (ME) beats ConnectOne Bancorp on 10 of the 19 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does First Bancorp, Inc (ME) compare to Triumph Financial?

Triumph Financial (NYSE:TFIN) and First Bancorp, Inc (ME) (NASDAQ:FNLC) are both small-cap finance companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, profitability, dividends, analyst recommendations, valuation, institutional ownership, risk and media sentiment.

91.1% of Triumph Financial shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 40.4% of First Bancorp, Inc (ME) shares are held by institutional investors. 5.5% of Triumph Financial shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 5.1% of First Bancorp, Inc (ME) shares are held 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.

Triumph Financial has a beta of 1.37, indicating that its share price is 37% more volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, First Bancorp, Inc (ME) has a beta of 0.49, indicating that its share price is 51% less volatile than the broader market.

In the previous week, Triumph Financial had 2 more articles in the media than First Bancorp, Inc (ME). MarketBeat recorded 5 mentions for Triumph Financial and 3 mentions for First Bancorp, Inc (ME). Triumph Financial's average media sentiment score of 1.18 beat First Bancorp, Inc (ME)'s score of 0.93 indicating that Triumph Financial is being referred to more favorably in the media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
Triumph Financial	4 Very Positive mention(s)	1 Positive mention(s)	0 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	0 Very Positive mention(s)	0 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

Triumph Financial presently has a consensus target price of $84.80, indicating a potential upside of 38.35%. Given Triumph Financial's higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Triumph Financial is more favorable than First Bancorp, Inc (ME).

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Triumph Financial	0 Sell rating(s)	6 Hold rating(s)	1 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.14
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	0 Sell rating(s)	0 Hold rating(s)	1 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	3.00

First Bancorp, Inc (ME) has a net margin of 21.43% compared to Triumph Financial's net margin of 7.17%. First Bancorp, Inc (ME)'s return on equity of 13.30% beat Triumph Financial's return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Triumph Financial	7.17%	4.69%	0.62%
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	21.43%	13.30%	1.18%

First Bancorp, Inc (ME) has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Triumph Financial. First Bancorp, Inc (ME) is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Triumph Financial, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Triumph Financial	$518.88M	2.82	$25.36M	$1.48	41.41
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	$101.40M	3.82	$34.39M	$3.37	10.19

Summary

Triumph Financial beats First Bancorp, Inc (ME) on 8 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does First Bancorp, Inc (ME) compare to Preferred Bank?

First Bancorp, Inc (ME) (NASDAQ:FNLC) and Preferred Bank (NASDAQ:PFBC) are both small-cap finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, analyst recommendations, media sentiment, profitability, dividends, earnings, risk and institutional ownership.

First Bancorp, Inc (ME) has a beta of 0.49, meaning that its share price is 51% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, Preferred Bank has a beta of 0.54, meaning that its share price is 46% less volatile than the broader market.

Preferred Bank has a consensus price target of $106.25, suggesting a potential downside of 2.95%. Given Preferred Bank's higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Preferred Bank is more favorable than First Bancorp, Inc (ME).

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	0 Sell rating(s)	0 Hold rating(s)	1 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	3.00
Preferred Bank	0 Sell rating(s)	5 Hold rating(s)	2 Buy rating(s)	1 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.50

First Bancorp, Inc (ME) pays an annual dividend of $1.52 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.4%. Preferred Bank pays an annual dividend of $3.20 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.9%. First Bancorp, Inc (ME) pays out 45.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Preferred Bank pays out 29.3% 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. First Bancorp, Inc (ME) has increased its dividend for 6 consecutive years and Preferred Bank has increased its dividend for 5 consecutive years. First Bancorp, Inc (ME) is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

Preferred Bank has a net margin of 26.54% compared to First Bancorp, Inc (ME)'s net margin of 21.43%. Preferred Bank's return on equity of 17.27% beat First Bancorp, Inc (ME)'s return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	21.43%	13.30%	1.18%
Preferred Bank	26.54%	17.27%	1.77%

40.4% of First Bancorp, Inc (ME) shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 72.8% of Preferred Bank shares are held by institutional investors. 5.1% of First Bancorp, Inc (ME) shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

In the previous week, Preferred Bank had 1 more articles in the media than First Bancorp, Inc (ME). MarketBeat recorded 4 mentions for Preferred Bank and 3 mentions for First Bancorp, Inc (ME). First Bancorp, Inc (ME)'s average media sentiment score of 0.93 beat Preferred Bank's score of 0.77 indicating that First Bancorp, Inc (ME) is being referred to more favorably in the media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	0 Very Positive mention(s)	0 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
Preferred Bank	0 Very Positive mention(s)	0 Positive mention(s)	2 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

Preferred Bank has higher revenue and earnings than First Bancorp, Inc (ME). Preferred Bank is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than First Bancorp, Inc (ME), indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	$101.40M	3.82	$34.39M	$3.37	10.19
Preferred Bank	$505.97M	3.12	$133.63M	$10.94	10.01

Summary

Preferred Bank beats First Bancorp, Inc (ME) on 13 of the 20 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does First Bancorp, Inc (ME) compare to Lakeland Financial?

Lakeland Financial (NASDAQ:LKFN) and First Bancorp, Inc (ME) (NASDAQ:FNLC) are both small-cap finance companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, earnings, dividends, risk, media sentiment, profitability, analyst recommendations and institutional ownership.

In the previous week, Lakeland Financial had 2 more articles in the media than First Bancorp, Inc (ME). MarketBeat recorded 5 mentions for Lakeland Financial and 3 mentions for First Bancorp, Inc (ME). Lakeland Financial's average media sentiment score of 1.07 beat First Bancorp, Inc (ME)'s score of 0.93 indicating that Lakeland Financial is being referred to more favorably in the media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
Lakeland Financial	2 Very Positive mention(s)	1 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	0 Very Positive mention(s)	0 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

Lakeland Financial has higher revenue and earnings than First Bancorp, Inc (ME). First Bancorp, Inc (ME) is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Lakeland Financial, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Lakeland Financial	$279.40M	5.29	$103.36M	$4.36	13.65
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	$101.40M	3.82	$34.39M	$3.37	10.19

Lakeland Financial pays an annual dividend of $2.08 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.5%. First Bancorp, Inc (ME) pays an annual dividend of $1.52 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.4%. Lakeland Financial pays out 47.7% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. First Bancorp, Inc (ME) pays out 45.1% 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. Lakeland Financial has raised its dividend for 14 consecutive years and First Bancorp, Inc (ME) has raised its dividend for 6 consecutive years. First Bancorp, Inc (ME) is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio.

Lakeland Financial presently has a consensus price target of $66.50, suggesting a potential upside of 11.75%. Given Lakeland Financial's higher probable upside, equities research analysts plainly believe Lakeland Financial is more favorable than First Bancorp, Inc (ME).

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Lakeland Financial	0 Sell rating(s)	3 Hold rating(s)	1 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.25
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	0 Sell rating(s)	0 Hold rating(s)	1 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	3.00

81.2% of Lakeland Financial shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 40.4% of First Bancorp, Inc (ME) shares are owned by institutional investors. 3.0% of Lakeland Financial shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 5.1% of First Bancorp, Inc (ME) shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Lakeland Financial has a beta of 0.71, suggesting that its share price is 29% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, First Bancorp, Inc (ME) has a beta of 0.49, suggesting that its share price is 51% less volatile than the broader market.

Lakeland Financial has a net margin of 26.04% compared to First Bancorp, Inc (ME)'s net margin of 21.43%. Lakeland Financial's return on equity of 14.67% beat First Bancorp, Inc (ME)'s return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Lakeland Financial	26.04%	14.67%	1.58%
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	21.43%	13.30%	1.18%

Summary

Lakeland Financial beats First Bancorp, Inc (ME) on 14 of the 18 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does First Bancorp, Inc (ME) compare to Esquire Financial?

First Bancorp, Inc (ME) (NASDAQ:FNLC) and Esquire Financial (NASDAQ:ESQ) are both small-cap finance companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, analyst recommendations, profitability, risk, earnings, media sentiment, valuation and institutional ownership.

Esquire Financial has a net margin of 29.30% compared to First Bancorp, Inc (ME)'s net margin of 21.43%. Esquire Financial's return on equity of 18.22% beat First Bancorp, Inc (ME)'s return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	21.43%	13.30%	1.18%
Esquire Financial	29.30%	18.22%	2.27%

40.4% of First Bancorp, Inc (ME) shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 54.7% of Esquire Financial shares are owned by institutional investors. 5.1% of First Bancorp, Inc (ME) shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 13.9% of Esquire Financial shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Esquire Financial has a consensus price target of $120.33, suggesting a potential downside of 1.59%. Given Esquire Financial's higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Esquire Financial is more favorable than First Bancorp, Inc (ME).

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	0 Sell rating(s)	0 Hold rating(s)	1 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	3.00
Esquire Financial	0 Sell rating(s)	1 Hold rating(s)	2 Buy rating(s)	1 Strong Buy rating(s)	3.00

In the previous week, Esquire Financial had 2 more articles in the media than First Bancorp, Inc (ME). MarketBeat recorded 5 mentions for Esquire Financial and 3 mentions for First Bancorp, Inc (ME). First Bancorp, Inc (ME)'s average media sentiment score of 0.93 beat Esquire Financial's score of 0.83 indicating that First Bancorp, Inc (ME) is being referred to more favorably in the media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	0 Very Positive mention(s)	0 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
Esquire Financial	2 Very Positive mention(s)	1 Positive mention(s)	0 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

First Bancorp, Inc (ME) has a beta of 0.49, meaning that its share price is 51% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, Esquire Financial has a beta of 0.35, meaning that its share price is 65% less volatile than the broader market.

Esquire Financial has higher revenue and earnings than First Bancorp, Inc (ME). First Bancorp, Inc (ME) is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Esquire Financial, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	$101.40M	3.82	$34.39M	$3.37	10.19
Esquire Financial	$159.56M	9.28	$50.82M	$6.06	20.18

First Bancorp, Inc (ME) pays an annual dividend of $1.52 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.4%. Esquire Financial pays an annual dividend of $0.80 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.7%. First Bancorp, Inc (ME) pays out 45.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Esquire Financial pays out 13.2% 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. First Bancorp, Inc (ME) has increased its dividend for 6 consecutive years and Esquire Financial has increased its dividend for 4 consecutive years. First Bancorp, Inc (ME) is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

Summary

Esquire Financial beats First Bancorp, Inc (ME) on 15 of the 19 factors compared between the two stocks.

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New MarketBeat Followers Over Time

This chart shows the number of new MarketBeat users adding FNLC and its top 5 competitors to their watchlist. Each company is represented with a line over a 90 day period.

Media Sentiment Over Time

This chart shows the average media sentiment of NASDAQ and its competitors over the past 90 days as caculated by MarketBeat. The averaged score is equivalent to the following: Very Negative Sentiment <= -1.5, Negative Sentiment > -1.5 and <= -0.5, Neutral Sentiment > -0.5 and < 0.5, Positive Sentiment >= 0.5 and < 1.5, and Very Positive Sentiment >= 1.5.

FNLC vs. The Competition

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Metric	First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	Banks Industry	Finance Sector	NASDAQ Exchange
Market Cap	$387.54M	$23.44B	$13.76B	$13.17B
Dividend Yield	4.44%	3.11%	5.99%	14.03%
P/E Ratio	10.19	25.62	24.57	25.78
Price / Sales	3.82	9.70	507.53	92.83
Price / Cash	10.02	15.33	49.55	52.89
Price / Book	1.36	1.36	2.71	6.30
Net Income	$34.39M	$2.58B	$1.32B	$360.35M
7 Day Performance	-2.36%	-0.61%	-0.52%	-0.23%
1 Month Performance	-0.52%	-0.34%	-1.91%	-4.16%
1 Year Performance	28.17%	21.91%	7.75%	4.58%

First Bancorp, Inc (ME) Competitors List

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Company	MarketRank	Share Price	Analysts' Price Target	1Y Price Performance	Market Cap	Revenue	P/E Ratio	Employee Count	Indicator(s)
FNLC First Bancorp, Inc (ME)	2.3842 of 5 stars	$34.35 +0.4%	N/A	+28.2%	$387.54M	$101.40M	10.19	283	Dividend Announcement
CNOB ConnectOne Bancorp	3.7328 of 5 stars	$31.54 -1.1%	$35.00 +11.0%	+23.0%	$1.60B	$679.93M	10.34	756	Positive News
TFIN Triumph Financial	3.7797 of 5 stars	$63.52 -1.8%	$85.00 +33.8%	N/A	$1.55B	$518.88M	42.92	1,450	News Coverage Positive News Analyst Forecast
PFBC Preferred Bank	1.9158 of 5 stars	$106.18 +0.3%	$106.25 +0.1%	+19.8%	$1.53B	$505.97M	9.71	324	Analyst Upgrade High Trading Volume
LKFN Lakeland Financial	3.0256 of 5 stars	$59.94 -1.3%	$66.50 +10.9%	-9.5%	$1.51B	$421.71M	13.75	701	Positive News High Trading Volume

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This page (NASDAQ:FNLC) was last updated on 9/27/2026 by MarketBeat.com Staff.

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First Bancorp, Inc (ME) (FNLC) Competitors

FNLC vs. CNOB, TFIN, PFBC, LKFN, and ESQ

How does First Bancorp, Inc (ME) compare to ConnectOne Bancorp?

Summary

How does First Bancorp, Inc (ME) compare to Triumph Financial?

Summary

How does First Bancorp, Inc (ME) compare to Preferred Bank?

Summary

How does First Bancorp, Inc (ME) compare to Lakeland Financial?

Summary

How does First Bancorp, Inc (ME) compare to Esquire Financial?

Summary

New MarketBeat Followers Over Time

Media Sentiment Over Time

FNLC vs. The Competition

First Bancorp, Inc (ME) Competitors List

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First Bancorp, Inc (ME) (FNLC) Competitors

FNLC vs. CNOB, TFIN, PFBC, LKFN, and ESQ

How does First Bancorp, Inc (ME) compare to ConnectOne Bancorp?

Do institutionals and insiders believe in CNOB or FNLC?

Does the media refer more to CNOB or FNLC?

Which has more risk & volatility, CNOB or FNLC?

Which has preferable earnings & valuation, CNOB or FNLC?

Do analysts rate CNOB or FNLC?

Is CNOB or FNLC more profitable?

Is CNOB or FNLC a better dividend stock?

Summary

How does First Bancorp, Inc (ME) compare to Triumph Financial?

Do institutionals & insiders believe in TFIN or FNLC?

Which has more volatility and risk, TFIN or FNLC?

Does the media favor TFIN or FNLC?

Do analysts rate TFIN or FNLC?

Is TFIN or FNLC more profitable?

Which has better valuation & earnings, TFIN or FNLC?

Summary

How does First Bancorp, Inc (ME) compare to Preferred Bank?

Which has more volatility and risk, FNLC or PFBC?

Do analysts prefer FNLC or PFBC?

Is FNLC or PFBC a better dividend stock?

Is FNLC or PFBC more profitable?

Do insiders & institutionals have more ownership in FNLC or PFBC?

Does the media prefer FNLC or PFBC?

Which has preferable earnings & valuation, FNLC or PFBC?

Summary

How does First Bancorp, Inc (ME) compare to Lakeland Financial?

Does the media refer more to LKFN or FNLC?

Which has stronger earnings & valuation, LKFN or FNLC?

Is LKFN or FNLC a better dividend stock?

Do analysts recommend LKFN or FNLC?

Do insiders and institutionals hold more shares of LKFN or FNLC?

Which has more risk and volatility, LKFN or FNLC?

Is LKFN or FNLC more profitable?

Summary

How does First Bancorp, Inc (ME) compare to Esquire Financial?

Is FNLC or ESQ more profitable?

Do institutionals & insiders have more ownership in FNLC or ESQ?

Do analysts prefer FNLC or ESQ?

Does the media refer more to FNLC or ESQ?

Which has more volatility & risk, FNLC or ESQ?

Which has stronger valuation & earnings, FNLC or ESQ?

Is FNLC or ESQ a better dividend stock?

Summary

New MarketBeat Followers Over Time

Media Sentiment Over Time

FNLC vs. The Competition

First Bancorp, Inc (ME) Competitors List

Related Companies and Tools

MarketBeat All Access Features

Best-in-Class Portfolio Monitoring

Stock Ideas and Recommendations

Advanced Stock Screeners and Research Tools