The business behind the dividend
| Measure | ISTR | Median | Formula |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return on equity | 7.6% | 10.6% | Net income ÷ shareholders’ equity |
| Return on capital employed | — | — | Operating income ÷ (equity + total debt) |
| Owner earnings | $24.31m | $120.90m | Net income + depreciation & amortisation − capital expenditure |
| Free cash flow | $16.83m | $155.08m | Operating cash flow − capital expenditure |
| Operating margin | 29.8% | 14.3% | Operating income ÷ revenue |
| Net margin | 24.5% | 10.1% | Net income ÷ revenue |
| Debt to equity | — | — | Total debt ÷ shareholders’ equity |
| Interest cover | — | — | Operating income ÷ interest expense |
| Current ratio | — | — | Current assets ÷ current liabilities |
| Long-term debt to working capital | — | — | Long-term debt ÷ (current assets − current liabilities) |
| Cash conversion | — | — | Operating cash flow ÷ net income |
| Accruals | 0.2% | -3.1% | (Net income − operating cash flow) ÷ total assets |
Not computed here: Cash conversion, Current ratio, Debt to equity, Long-term debt to working capital, Interest cover, Return on capital employed — why a blank is not a zero.
Ten years of it
The same measures, for every year the filings support. One year is a fact; a row is a business.
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Return on equity | 7.6% | 8.4% | 7.4% | 16.5% | 3.3% | 5.7% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 4.7% | 7.0% | 7.0% |
| Operating margin | 29.8% | 27.9% | 24.6% | 42.2% | 13.6% | 23.3% | 30.3% | 23.3% | 23.3% | 26.6% | 24.6% |
| Net margin | 24.5% | 23.2% | 20.1% | 33.9% | 11.0% | 18.7% | 24.4% | 18.4% | 15.4% | 18.3% | 18.7% |
How it compares in banks & insurers
Among the 377 banks & insurers companies here measured on GAAP earnings, Investar Holding pays out less than 278 of them. The median for that group is 30.6%, against this company’s 20.4%.
Closest on GAAP earnings
- Bank of the James Financial Group (BOTJ) 20.1%
- FinVolution Group (FINV) 20.3%
- Business First Bancshares (BFST) 20.4%
- Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) 20.6%
Same sector and same denominator, so the figures are comparable. All 377 in banks & insurers →