PGC

We rate PEAPACK GLADSTONE FINANCIAL CORP (PGC) as a Reduce with a composite score of 46.5/100 at a current price of $33.24. The quantitative profile shows weakness across multiple dimensions, suggesting limited upside potential and elevated risk of underperformance relative to peers over the next 12 months.

The rating is primarily driven by strength in momentum (55th percentile) and value (50th percentile), which together account for the majority of the composite score. Offsetting weakness in quality (33th percentile) and stability (36th percentile) tempers our overall conviction. We assign a No Moat rating (26/100), High 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.

PEAPACK GLADSTONE FINANCIAL 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 46.5/100 places it at rank #2561 in our full 7,333-stock universe. At $486M in market capitalization, PEAPACK GLADSTONE FINANCIAL 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.

Revenue contraction of -11% combined with momentum at the 55th percentile paints a cautious picture of the near-term business outlook. The market appears to be pricing in continued challenges, and a catalyst for reversal is not clearly visible from current data.

The margin cascade tells an important story: gross margins of 0% (-76.5pp vs sector) narrow to operating margins of 24% (+7.5pp vs sector) and net margins of 11.5%, 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 $33.24, PEAPACK GLADSTONE FINANCIAL CORP is trading near fair value based on current fundamentals. Our value factor score of 50/100 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 18.5x (a 55% premium to the sector median of 11.9x), EV/EBITDA of 8.2x (near the sector median), P/B of 0.9x, P/S of 2.1x. 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 High uncertainty rating to PEAPACK GLADSTONE FINANCIAL CORP. Key risk factors include significant leverage (1058% debt-to-equity), below-average price stability (36th percentile), weak quality scores (33th percentile). The wide range of potential outcomes widens our fair value estimate and increases the possibility of permanent capital impairment. Investors considering this name should size positions accordingly and demand a meaningful margin of safety before initiating.

Specific risk factors that inform our assessment include: significant leverage (1058% debt-to-equity); below-average price stability (36th percentile); weak quality scores (33th percentile). 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 36th percentile and quality factor at the 33th percentile provide a quantitative summary of the overall risk landscape.

We identify limited risk mitigants at this time, which contributes to our high uncertainty assessment. Investors should monitor for improvement in balance sheet metrics, margin stability, and business predictability that could warrant a downgrade in our risk assessment over time.

We rate PEAPACK GLADSTONE FINANCIAL CORP's capital allocation as Poor. Key concerns include elevated leverage (1058% D/E), weak asset returns (ROA 0.4%). Exemplary capital allocators generate ROE above 20% and maintain conservative leverage — PEAPACK GLADSTONE FINANCIAL 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, PEAPACK GLADSTONE FINANCIAL CORP receives a Reduce rating with a composite score of 46.5/100 (rank #2561 of 7,333). Our quantitative framework assigns a No Moat (26/100, trend: stable), High uncertainty, and Poor capital allocation. The average factor score across quality, value, momentum, stability, and investment is 43/100.

Our analysis does not support a constructive view on PEAPACK GLADSTONE FINANCIAL CORP at this time. The combination of limited competitive advantages, high uncertainty, and poor capital allocation suggests unfavorable risk-reward at current levels. We recommend investors avoid new positions and existing holders consider reducing exposure.