Advertisement
WTFC vs ZION
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Wintrust Financial (WTFC) vs. Zions Bancorporation (ZION) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Wintrust Financial (WTFC) and Zions Bancorporation (ZION) are both large regional banks, but they operate in very different geographies — the Midwest versus the Western U.S.
- Both banks reported solid third-quarter 2026 results, with ZION posting a 20% year-over-year earnings gain and WTFC notching a seventh consecutive record-profit quarter.
- ZION has shown stronger recent momentum, up roughly 31% over the past year, while WTFC has pulled back about 10% over the last three months.
- WTFC trades at a higher price-to-earnings ratio but offers a lower dividend yield, whereas ZION carries a higher yield and a lower valuation multiple.
- Key contrasts include net interest margin (NIM) stability, credit quality, and fee-income growth trajectories.
Introduction
Regional banks remain a focal point for investors assessing how interest-rate conditions, credit quality, and deposit competition shape earnings. This stock comparison examines two well-established institutions with comparable market capitalizations — Wintrust Financial and Zions Bancorporation — to help traders and long-term investors evaluate relative performance and market positioning. WTFC is a Chicago-area community-banking and specialty-finance franchise, while ZION operates across 11 Western states. Despite similar sizes, the two names present meaningfully different growth drivers, valuation profiles, and momentum signals, making them a useful pair for investors weighing regional-bank exposure.
WTFC Overview and Recent Performance
Wintrust Financial Corporation is a financial holding company headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois, providing community banking, specialty finance (including insurance premium financing), and wealth management services. In its most recent quarter, WTFC reported revenue of roughly $758 million, up 8.7% year over year, and delivered its seventh consecutive quarter of record net income. Its net interest margin (NIM, a measure of the spread between lending income and funding costs) held near 3.51%, remarkably stable for eleven straight quarters.
Recent stock behavior has been more subdued. The shares have declined about 10% over the last three months even as the one-year return remains positive in the high teens. Sentiment has been tempered by a tangible book value per share figure that missed consensus and by a modest pullback after a strong multi-year run. Analysts, however, maintain a largely favorable stance, with an average price target well above the recent share price.
ZION Overview and Recent Performance
Zions Bancorporation, National Association, is a Salt Lake City-based regional bank serving customers primarily in 11 Western states through seven locally managed bank divisions. In its most recent quarter, ZION reported earnings of $1.78 per share, a 20% year-over-year increase, driven by improved credit quality — net loan charge-offs fell to just $3 million from $56 million a year earlier. Customer deposits grew nearly 10% annualized from the prior quarter.
The stock has displayed stronger recent momentum, with a one-year total return of roughly 31% and a year-to-date gain in the double digits. A key strategic development was the completion of the Basis Multifamily Finance acquisition, which positions ZION as one of only four U.S. banks with direct access to both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac multifamily programs. Offsetting factors include a modestly declining NIM and a reduction in full-year operating-leverage guidance.
Trending AI Robots
Tickeron offers hundreds of AI-powered trading bots that collectively monitor and trade thousands of different tickers across equities, ETFs, and forex. Because each bot employs its own trading style, strategy, timeframe, and statistical profile, only the strongest performers suited to current market conditions earn a place in the curated Trending AI Robots section. This selection highlights the robots currently demonstrating the most consistent signals and favorable performance statistics, giving traders a focused way to identify which strategies — and which tickers — the AI is presently favoring. Explore the Trending AI Robots page to see the latest rankings and discover the bots best aligned with today's market environment.
Head-to-Head Comparison
The two banks diverge sharply in geographic focus and growth strategy. WTFC concentrates on the Chicago area, Wisconsin, and western Michigan, growing through branch expansion and deposit share gains, and leans on net interest income for the majority of revenue. ZION, by contrast, is building out capital-markets and wealth-management fee income alongside its acquisition of a multifamily agency platform.
On profitability, WTFC holds the higher NIM (near 3.5% versus roughly 3.2% for ZION), while ZION shows a stronger return on equity and a lower price-to-earnings multiple. ZION also offers a materially higher dividend yield of about 3%, versus roughly 1.5% for WTFC. In terms of momentum, ZION has outperformed recently, while WTFC has seen a near-term pullback. Both banks maintain solid capital positions, with Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1, a core measure of a bank's capital strength) ratios in the 10% to 12% range.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable trend consistency, recent relative performance, and the stability of its earnings trajectory, Tickeron's AI would currently lean toward ZION, reflecting its stronger one-year and year-to-date momentum, improving credit metrics, and lower valuation multiple. That said, WTFC presents a more durable margin profile and a steadier earnings record, which could favor it under different market conditions. As with any probabilistic assessment, the relative positioning of these two names may shift as interest-rate expectations and regional economic data evolve.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is WTFC is a StrongBuy and ZION is a StrongBuy.
Momentum Indicator for WTFC turns positive, indicating new upward trend
WTFC saw its Momentum Indicator move above the 0 level on October 20, 2026. This is an indication that the stock could be shifting in to a new upward move. Traders may want to consider buying the stock or buying call options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 83 similar instances where the indicator turned positive. In 60 of the 83 cases, the stock moved higher in the following days. The odds of a move higher are at 72%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
WTFC moved above its 50-day moving average on October 22, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
The 10-day moving average for WTFC crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 29, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 9 of 17 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 53%.
Following a +0.95% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where WTFC advanced for three days, in 187 of 291 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 64%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 156 of 270 cases where WTFC Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 58%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for WTFC moved out of overbought territory on November 03, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 38 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 26 of the 38 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 68%.
The Stochastic Oscillator may be shifting from an upward trend to a downward trend. In 41 of 69 cases where WTFC's Stochastic Oscillator exited the overbought zone, the price fell further within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 59%.
The 50-day moving average for WTFC moved below the 200-day moving average on October 20, 2026. This could be a long-term bearish signal for the stock as the stock shifts to an downward trend.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where WTFC declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 61%.
WTFC broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 21, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 9 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating very strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 21 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating low risk on high returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 56, placing this stock better than average.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 45 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to consistent earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 47 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. WTFC’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 63 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (1.437) is normal, around the industry mean (1.262). P/E Ratio (11.987) is within average values for comparable stocks, (13.479). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.150) is also within normal values, averaging (1.190). Dividend Yield (0.015) settles around the average of (0.035) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (3.527) is also within normal values, averaging (3.738).
ZION sees its Stochastic Oscillator ascending out of oversold territory
On November 10, 2026, the Stochastic Oscillator for ZION moved out of oversold territory and this could be a bullish sign for the stock. Traders may want to buy the stock or buy call options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 64 instances where the indicator left the oversold zone. In 50 of the 64 cases the stock moved higher in the following days. This puts the odds of a move higher at over 78%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on November 09, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on ZION as a result. In 59 of 82 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 72%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for ZION just turned positive on October 08, 2026. Looking at past instances where ZION's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 30 of 48 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 62%.
ZION moved above its 50-day moving average on November 09, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
The 10-day moving average for ZION crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 30, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 9 of 17 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 53%.
Following a +0.44% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where ZION advanced for three days, in 214 of 331 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 65%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 147 of 239 cases where ZION Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 62%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for ZION moved out of overbought territory on October 23, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 36 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 24 of the 36 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 67%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where ZION declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 69%.
ZION broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 20, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 9 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating very strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 46 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. ZION’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 50 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 61 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to average earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 73 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (1.241) is normal, around the industry mean (1.262). P/E Ratio (8.250) is within average values for comparable stocks, (13.479). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (3.417) is also within normal values, averaging (1.190). Dividend Yield (0.030) settles around the average of (0.035) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (2.573) is also within normal values, averaging (3.738).
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 78 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. ZION’s unstable profits reported over time resulted in significant Drawdowns within these last five years. A stable profit reduces stock drawdown and volatility. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 56, placing this stock worse than average.
WTFC | ZION | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 34 | 85 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 63 Fair valued | 73 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 21 | 78 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 9 | 9 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 47 | 46 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 45 | 61 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | n/a | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
WTFC's Valuation (63) in the Regional Banks industry is in the same range as ZION (73). This means that WTFC’s stock grew similarly to ZION’s over the last 12 months.
WTFC's Profit vs Risk Rating (21) in the Regional Banks industry is somewhat better than the same rating for ZION (78). This means that WTFC’s stock grew somewhat faster than ZION’s over the last 12 months.
WTFC's SMR Rating (9) in the Regional Banks industry is in the same range as ZION (9). This means that WTFC’s stock grew similarly to ZION’s over the last 12 months.
ZION's Price Growth Rating (46) in the Regional Banks industry is in the same range as WTFC (47). This means that ZION’s stock grew similarly to WTFC’s over the last 12 months.
WTFC's P/E Growth Rating (45) in the Regional Banks industry is in the same range as ZION (61). This means that WTFC’s stock grew similarly to ZION’s over the last 12 months.
| WTFC | ZION | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 68% | 1 day ago 67% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 59% | 1 day ago 78% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 72% | 1 day ago 72% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | N/A | 3 days ago 63% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 61% | 1 day ago 65% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 61% | 1 day ago 62% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 17 days ago 64% | 1 day ago 65% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 6 days ago 61% | 6 days ago 69% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 61% | 1 day ago 77% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 58% | 1 day ago 62% |
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is overvalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
WTFC’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green while ZION’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- WTFC’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- ZION’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
WTFC’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while ZION’s TA Score has 7 bullish TA indicator(s).
- WTFC’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
- ZION’s TA Score: 7 bullish, 3 bearish.
Price Growth
WTFC (@Regional Banks) experienced а -0.39% price change this week, while ZION (@Regional Banks) price change was -0.14% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Regional Banks industry was -1.16%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +2.48%, and the average quarterly price growth was +11.87%.
Reported Earning Dates
WTFC is expected to report earnings on Jan 20, 2027.
ZION is expected to report earnings on Jan 26, 2027.
Industries' Descriptions
@Regional Banks (-1.16% weekly)Regional banks have a smaller reach than major banks, and cater mostly to one region of a country, such as a state or within a group of states. They offer services often similar – albeit with some limitations/smaller scale – compared to major banks. Taking deposits, making loans, mortgages, leases, credit cards , fund management, insurance and investment banking. SunTrust Banks, State Street Corp., M&T Bank Corp. are some examples of U.S. regional banks.
Advertisement
ZION and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, ZION has been closely correlated with WTFC. These tickers have moved in lockstep 88% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if ZION jumps, then WTFC could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To ZION | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZION | 100% | +0.33% | ||
| WTFC - ZION | 88% Closely correlated | +0.27% | ||
| ONB - ZION | 86% Closely correlated | N/A | ||
| FNB - ZION | 86% Closely correlated | -0.33% | ||
| CFG - ZION | 86% Closely correlated | +0.86% | ||
| USB - ZION | 85% Closely correlated | -0.08% | ||
More | ||||
| 1 Day | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ETFs / NAME | Price $ | Chg $ | Chg % |
| IQM | 90.66 | 4.33 | +5.02% |
| Franklin Intelligent Machines ETF (IQM) | |||
| IWB | 415.99 | 5.14 | +1.25% |
| iShares Russell 1000 ETF (IWB) | |||
| TOK | 152.83 | 1.39 | +0.92% |
| iShares MSCI Kokusai ETF (TOK) | |||
| KROP | 34.67 | 0.01 | +0.03% |
| Global X AgTech & Food Innovation ETF (KROP) | |||
| FDD | 19.24 | -0.09 | -0.47% |
| First Trust STOXX European Select Dividend Income Fund | |||