Critical Contrast: SouthCrest Financial Group (OTCMKTS:SCSG) and Trustmark (NASDAQ:TRMK)

Trustmark (NASDAQ:TRMK) and SouthCrest Financial Group (OTCMKTS:SCSG) are both finance companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their risk, earnings, profitability, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, valuation and dividends.

Profitability

This table compares Trustmark and SouthCrest Financial Group’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Trustmark	17.62%	9.48%	0.92%
SouthCrest Financial Group	N/A	N/A	N/A

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent ratings and price targets for Trustmark and SouthCrest Financial Group, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Trustmark	0	4	1	0	2.20
SouthCrest Financial Group	0	0	0	0	0.00

Trustmark presently has a consensus target price of $35.20, suggesting a potential downside of 10.39%. Given Trustmark’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Trustmark is more favorable than SouthCrest Financial Group.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Trustmark and SouthCrest Financial Group”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Trustmark	$1.10 billion	2.19	$165.49 million	$3.31	11.87
SouthCrest Financial Group	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Trustmark has higher revenue and earnings than SouthCrest Financial Group.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

67.6% of Trustmark shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.5% of Trustmark shares are owned 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.

Summary

Trustmark beats SouthCrest Financial Group on 9 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Trustmark

Trustmark Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Trustmark National Bank that provides banking and other financial solutions to individuals and corporate institutions in the United States. The company operates through three segments: General Banking, Wealth Management, and Insurance. It offers checking, savings, and money market accounts; certificates of deposits and individual retirement accounts; financing for commercial and industrial projects, income-producing commercial real estate, owner-occupied real estate, and construction and land development; and installment and real estate loans, and lines of credit, as well as treasury management services. The company also provides mortgage banking services, including construction financing, production of conventional and government-insured mortgages, and secondary marketing and mortgage servicing. In addition, it provides wealth management and trust services, such as administration of personal trusts and estates; management of investment accounts for individuals, employee benefit plans, and charitable foundations; and corporate trust and institutional custody, securities brokerage, financial and estate planning, retirement plan, and investment management services. Further, the company offers business insurance products and services for medical professionals, construction, manufacturing, hospitality, real estate, and group life and health plans; and life and health insurance, and personal line policies for individual customers. Trustmark Corporation was founded in 1889 and is headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi.

About SouthCrest Financial Group

SouthCrest Financial Group, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for SouthCrest Bank, N.A. that provides various banking products and services. It offers checking, savings, and money market accounts; and certificates of deposit. The company also provides personal loans for cars, boats, recreational vehicles, and other purchases; home equity lines of credit; loans on investment properties; owner occupied real estate, acquisition construction and development, professional practice acquisition, equipment and inventory, construction to permanent, and investment real estate loans; and working capital and lines of credit. In addition, it offers credit cards; remote deposit capture, positive pay, ACH, online wires, merchant, and reorder checks services; and online banking, online bill pay, mobile banking and deposit, and telephone banking services. The company serves retail, private, entrepreneurial, high-net-worth, and commercial customers. It operates through 9 branches in Georgia. SouthCrest Financial Group, Inc. was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.