United Bankshares trades at $38.14 and has moved in lockstep with the market. Its shares have returned 10.8% over the last six months while the S&P 500 has gained 15.7%.
Is there a buying opportunity in United Bankshares, or does it present a risk to your portfolio? Dive into our full research report to see our analyst team’s opinion, it’s free.
Why Is United Bankshares Not Exciting?
We don't have much confidence in United Bankshares. Here are three reasons you should be careful with UBSI and a stock we'd rather own.
1. Lackluster Revenue Growth
Long-term growth is the most important, but within financials, a stretched historical view may miss recent interest rate changes and market returns. United Bankshares’s recent performance shows its demand has slowed as its annualized revenue growth of 1.7% over the last two years was below its five-year trend. 
Note: Quarters not shown were determined to be outliers, impacted by outsized investment gains/losses that are not indicative of the recurring fundamentals of the business.
2. EPS Barely Growing
Analyzing the long-term change in earnings per share (EPS) shows whether a company's incremental sales were profitable – for example, revenue could be inflated through excessive spending on advertising and promotions.
United Bankshares’s EPS grew at an unimpressive 4.4% compounded annual growth rate over the last five years, lower than its 6.9% annualized revenue growth. This tells us the company became less profitable on a per-share basis as it expanded.
3. Substandard TBVPS Growth Indicates Limited Asset Expansion
In the banking industry, tangible book value per share (TBVPS) provides the clearest picture of shareholder value, as it focuses on concrete assets while excluding intangible items that may not hold value during challenging times.
Disappointingly for investors, United Bankshares’s TBVPS grew at a tepid 7.3% annual clip over the last two years.
Final Judgment
United Bankshares isn’t a terrible business, but it doesn’t pass our quality test. That said, the stock currently trades at 1× forward P/B (or $38.14 per share). While this valuation is reasonable, we don’t really see a big opportunity at the moment. We're pretty confident there are superior stocks to buy right now. We’d recommend looking at our favorite semiconductor picks and shovels play.
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