Stock fact sheet · data as of
Investar Holding Corporation (ISTR): fair value, margin of safety and Wheel Score
Financial Services · Banks - Regional · United States · Defensive
Is ISTR undervalued?
ISTR closed at 28.69 on 16 Oct 2026, which is 19% above the GLS average fair value of 24.19 from 9 models. 5 of them value the shares below today's price. Our screens read that as "no margin of safety": the stock is not a value candidate at this price, whatever the quality numbers say.
The 9 models disagree widely: DCF gives 4.30 while 10 Cap gives 47.54. A spread that wide means the average is sensitive to which methods you trust; the model table below shows where each one lands, and the Quote page lets you switch any of them off.
The nightly engine files ISTR under Defensive: a low beta, a dividend and positive earnings.
Nine valuation models for ISTR
Each model turns the latest filed numbers into a value per share; the GLS fair value is the simple average of the ones that produce a positive number. The last two rows are shown for reference and never enter the average. The Quote page lets you switch any model off and add your own margin of safety.
| Model | Value | vs price | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCF | 4.30 | -85% | Present value of the projected free cash flows, discounted at the cost of capital |
| Graham Number | 40.26 | +40% | The most a defensive investor pays for the earnings and book value per share |
| Graham Growth | 40.42 | +41% | Graham's growth formula: EPS × (8.5 + 2 × growth), adjusted for bond yields |
| Lynch | 10.47 | -64% | EPS × the earnings growth rate (PEG of 1), growth capped at 25% |
| GLS Growth | 7.03 | -76% | EPS compounded ten years at the blended growth rate, discounted back at 15% a year |
| 10 Cap | 47.54 | +66% | Owner's earnings (operating cash flow less maintenance capex) capitalised at 10% |
| Payback Time | 34.21 | +19% | Eight years of compounded free cash flow: the price at which the business pays for itself |
| DDM | 6.77 | -76% | Dividend discount model: next year's dividend ÷ (10% − 3% growth); needs a dividend |
| EPV | 26.68 | -7% | Earnings power value: current EPS capitalised at 9% with no growth |
| Zombie (liquidation) | -153.91 | -636% | Current assets less all liabilities, per share: the balance-sheet floor. Not in the average |
| Wall St target | 31.50 | +10% | Analysts' average 12-month price target. Not in the average |
Quality and financial health
Financial health is average - ISTR passes 6 of the nine Piotroski tests, which passes the Sunday Scan's "6 or more" rule. The Financials tab on the Quote page shows which tests fail. The GLS Moat score is low at 4.3 out of 10, which says the ten-year record of revenue, earnings, margins and returns on capital has been inconsistent - growth and shocks rather than steady compounding.
Returns on capital are moderate - ROIC 5.0%, ROE 7.6%, ROA 0.8% - with debt at 0.51 times equity and a free-cash-flow yield of 6.3%.
The dividend yield is 1.60% at a payout ratio of 19%; for a wheel trader holding assigned shares the dividend adds to the covered-call premium, and the ex-dividend date is worth knowing before a call is sold.
Institutional ownership scores 7/10, insider activity 4/10 and Congressional trading 5/10 on the GLS smart-money scales.
| Piotroski F-score | 6 / 9 | ROIC | 5.0% |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLS Moat | 4.3 / 10 | ROE | 7.6% |
| Debt / equity | 0.51 | ROA | 0.8% |
| Free-cash-flow yield | 6.3% | Payout ratio | 19% |
| Institutions | 7 / 10 | Insiders · Congress | 4 · 5 / 10 |
Wheel Score 31: No options
ISTR has no listed options in the nightly snapshot, so there is nothing to sell and the stock cannot be wheeled however good the business; the Wheel Score is capped at 39 and shown as "No options" (31 here). The valuation and quality numbers still apply to owning the shares outright.
Volume runs at 79k shares a day on a market cap of $395M, with a beta of 0.47 - a low beta, so day-to-day moves are smaller than the market's; the Stability part of the Wheel Score gives that 6 of 20.
| Part | Points | From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | 5 / 25 | -19% margin of safety | |
| Health | 13 / 20 | Piotroski 6/9 | |
| Moat | 6 / 15 | moat 4.3/10 | |
| Premium | 0 / 20 | no option data | |
| Stability | 6 / 20 | 79k shares/day, $395M cap, beta 0.47 |
The Wheel Score ranks ~7,400 US stocks for selling cash-secured puts and covered calls; it is updated nightly and is not a recommendation. The walkthrough lesson shows how the score fits into a trade, start to finish.
Upcoming events
Investar Holding Corporation reports earnings on 19 Oct 2026 (before the open) - inside the 14-day window the Sunday Scan avoids, because a put sold now would carry the report's gap risk.
Earnings, dividend, IPO, split and economic calendars for the whole market, filterable to your watchlists.
Similar stocks in Banks - Regional
The 12 companies below are the closest to Investar Holding Corporation by market cap within the Banks - Regional industry, each with its own fact sheet; the Compare page puts up to eight of them side by side.
| Stock | Close | Fair value | MoS | Wheel | Mkt cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCB PCB Bancorp | 27.60 | 32.30 | +15% | 67Good | $388M |
| USCB USCB Financial Holdings, Inc. | 21.95 | 37.31 | +41% | 39No options | $406M |
| CHMG Chemung Financial Corporation | 79.60 | 101.86 | +22% | 39No options | $384M |
| FRST Primis Financial Corp | 15.44 | 55.70 | +72% | 71Good | $383M |
| FCBM First Carolina Financial Services | 12.63 | 18.27 | +31% | 39No options | $382M |
| FNLC The First Bancorp, Inc. | 33.80 | 38.72 | +13% | 68Good | $381M |
| NECB Northeast Community Bancorp, Inc. | 27.68 | 79.18 | +65% | 75Good | $381M |
| PKBK Parke Bancorp, Inc. | 32.39 | 47.17 | +31% | 74Good | $381M |
| CZFS Citizens Financial Services, Inc. | 79.12 | 99.01 | +20% | 39No options | $381M |
| MVBF MVB Financial Corp. | 29.07 | 59.41 | +51% | 70Good | $376M |
| MSBC Mission Bancorp | 120.00 | 135.36 | +11% | 39No options | $370M |
| MFGI Merchants Financial Group, Inc. | 45.00 | 37.16 | -21% | 33No options | $368M |
⚖ Compare ISTR with 7 of them All Financial Services stocks →
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Start free See the Sunday ScanQuestions about ISTR
Is ISTR undervalued right now?
No: at 28.69 the stock trades 19% above the GLS average fair value of 24.19 (data as of 16 Oct 2026). The margin of safety is negative.
What is the Wheel Score of ISTR and what does it mean?
ISTR has no listed options in our nightly snapshot, so it cannot be wheeled; its Wheel Score is capped at 39 and shown as "No options".
What is the GLS fair value for ISTR?
24.19 per share as of 16 Oct 2026 - the simple average of the 9 valuation models (out of nine: DCF, Graham Number, Graham Growth, Lynch, GLS Growth, 10 Cap, Payback Time, DDM and EPV) that produced a positive value. The models run every night on the latest filings; the Quote page lets you switch any of them off and add a margin of safety of your own.
When does Investar Holding Corporation report earnings next?
The next earnings report is due on 19 Oct 2026 (before the open), 3 days from the data date of 16 Oct 2026. The Calendars page lists every upcoming report with its time of day.
Does ISTR have listed options, and how liquid are they?
No. The nightly options snapshot found no listed contracts on ISTR, so the wheel strategy cannot be run on it and the Wheel Score is capped at 39.