ATLO

We rate AMES NATIONAL CORP (ATLO) as a Hold with a composite score of 56.5/100 at a current price of $27.51. The stock presents a mixed quantitative picture — neither compelling enough to warrant new accumulation nor weak enough to justify selling for existing holders. Our factors are split, and the overall profile suggests patience is warranted.

The rating is primarily driven by strength in momentum (88th percentile) and stability (77th percentile), which together account for the majority of the composite score. Offsetting weakness in investment (25th percentile) and quality (35th percentile) tempers our overall conviction. We assign a Narrow Moat rating (65/100), Medium uncertainty, and Poor capital allocation.

Key items to watch: balance sheet deleveraging progress. Any material change in these dynamics could warrant a reassessment of our rating. The moat trend is stable, which suggests the competitive landscape is stable for now.

AMES NATIONAL CORP holds a top-quartile position (#0 of 50) within the Finance, Insurance, And Real Estate sector, based on our composite quantitative scoring across quality, value, momentum, and stability factors. The composite score of 56.5/100 places it at rank #1085 in our full 7,333-stock universe. At $180M in market capitalization, AMES NATIONAL CORP is a small-cap player in the Finance, Insurance, And Real Estate space, which limits certain scale advantages but may allow for more agile strategic execution.

The outlook is moderately positive, with revenue expanding at 6% and favorable momentum (88th percentile) reflecting constructive market sentiment. The business shows steady execution, though the growth rate is below the levels typically associated with high-conviction growth stories. Momentum confirmation provides support for the current price level.

The margin cascade tells an important story: gross margins of 0% (-76.5pp vs sector) narrow to operating margins of 21% (+4.2pp vs sector) and net margins of 17.2%, yielding a gross-to-net conversion rate of N/A%. The significant margin erosion from gross to net suggests elevated operating expenses, high interest costs, or other structural drags that warrant monitoring.

At a current price of $27.51, AMES NATIONAL CORP is trading near fair value based on current fundamentals. Our value factor score of 61/100 reflects a composite assessment across multiple valuation metrics including price-to-earnings, price-to-book, EV/EBITDA, and price-to-sales ratios relative to both sector peers and the broader market. Valuation metrics are mixed, with no strong signal of mispricing in either direction.

The stock currently trades at a P/E of 16.8x (a 40% premium to the sector median of 11.9x), EV/EBITDA of 13.6x (at a premium), P/B of 1.2x, P/S of 2.9x. The above-sector P/E multiple suggests the market is pricing in superior growth or quality, which our analysis finds only partially justified by current fundamentals.

We assign a Medium uncertainty rating to AMES NATIONAL CORP. The stock presents a balanced risk profile: significant leverage (951% debt-to-equity) and weak quality scores (35th percentile). While not risk-free, the core business fundamentals are adequate to withstand moderate economic stress, and the range of potential outcomes around our fair value estimate is manageable.

Specific risk factors that inform our assessment include: significant leverage (951% debt-to-equity); weak quality scores (35th percentile); low beta of 0.42 — while defensive, this may indicate limited upside participation in bull markets. Each of these factors independently widens the distribution of potential outcomes, and in combination they create a risk profile that demands careful position sizing. The stability factor at the 77th percentile and quality factor at the 35th percentile provide a quantitative summary of the overall risk landscape.

Key risk mitigants include: above-average stability (77th percentile) suggests predictable business dynamics; a 3.96% dividend yield anchors total return. These factors partially offset the identified risks and provide downside protection in adverse scenarios. On balance, the risk-reward profile is favorable for long-term investors.

We rate AMES NATIONAL CORP's capital allocation as Poor. Key concerns include elevated leverage (951% D/E), weak asset returns (ROA 0.7%). Exemplary capital allocators generate ROE above 20% and maintain conservative leverage — AMES NATIONAL CORP significantly underperforms these benchmarks, raising questions about management's ability to create shareholder value.

Investors should scrutinize management's reinvestment decisions and balance sheet trajectory before committing capital. Poor capital allocation often compounds over time: overlevered balance sheets limit strategic flexibility, while low returns on capital destroy shareholder value. We would need to see sustained improvement in profitability metrics and balance sheet discipline before considering an upgrade.

In summary, AMES NATIONAL CORP receives a Hold rating with a composite score of 56.5/100 (rank #1085 of 7,333). Our quantitative framework assigns a Narrow Moat (65/100, trend: stable), Medium uncertainty, and Poor capital allocation. The average factor score across quality, value, momentum, stability, and investment is 57/100.

Our analysis supports a neutral stance on AMES NATIONAL CORP. While the quantitative profile is not weak enough to warrant selling, it lacks the multi-factor strength required for a buy recommendation. Existing holders should maintain positions and monitor for catalysts — either fundamental improvement or valuation compression — that would shift the risk-reward balance.