Hingham Institution for Savings (HIFS) Stock Analysis & Winston Score

Hingham Institution for Savings is a small community bank based in Hingham, Massachusetts. It offers basic banking services like savings accounts, checking accounts, and loans — mostly to individuals and real estate investors in the greater Boston area. The bank has operated for over 180 years, making it one of the oldest savings institutions in the United States.

The bank earns money primarily through the difference between the interest it charges on loans and the interest it pays on deposits, a model called net interest income. It operates almost entirely in Massachusetts, with a focused presence on the South Shore of Boston, and keeps costs very low compared to most banks — giving it a reputation for disciplined, efficient management. The main risk the bank faces is interest rate sensitivity, since rising or falling rates directly affect how much profit it earns on its loan portfolio, which is heavily concentrated in commercial real estate.

Winston Score History

Growth Profile

For growth stock investors

When traditional metrics don't capture the full picture, these are the signals growth stock investors use instead.

Revenue Growth

-18.0% YoY

YoY Growth Rate

Revenue declining

EPS Growth

-60.2% YoY

YoY Growth Rate

Earnings declining

R&D Spend

$0/ year

0.0% of revenue

Below sector average (7%)

Research and development spending

Insider Activity

27.0%ownership

→ Flat

Insiders holding steady — not selling despite ability to

Cash Position

Cash flow positive

$5M cash & investments

Quarterly Free Cash Flow

↑ Burn rate improving

Company generates more cash than it spends — no dilution risk from fundraising

Revenue declining

Hingham Institution for Savings's revenue is actually shrinking. In a growth stock, that removes the core investment thesis. The low Winston Score here may be warranted — unless there's a turnaround story.

The Winston Score above measures business quality today. Growth stocks often score lower because they invest in the future rather than maximising current profits. These metrics show what matters most for evaluating that future.

Share count broadly stable

+0.3% over 4y

The share count has stayed roughly flat over this period — little dilution or buyback activity.

Diluted shares outstanding: 2.2M (2021) → 2.2M (2025)

Score breakdown

Every number that matters to educated investors.

Each metric is explained in plain language so you know exactly what you're looking at. Start your free trial now.

Quality

Gross Margin

28.4%

Modest — 28.4% gross margin

Operating Margin

10.0%

Modest — 10.0% operating margin

ROCE

0.2%

Weak — 0.2% return on capital

ROIC between 0% and 5%. They earn a few cents back per dollar invested in the business.

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free

Growth

Sales YoY

+5.8%

Slow sales growth (5.8% YoY)

EPS YoY

+76.6%

Earnings growing fast (76.6% YoY)

Earnings growing 25%+ a year. The compounder zone.

EPS Consistency

6/8 quarters

Earnings grew in most of the last 8 quarters

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free

Cash Flow

Cash Conversion

74%

Modest — 74% of profit becomes cash

FCF Margin

16.3%

Converts sales into free cash efficiently (16.3%)

FCF margin between 10% and 20%. Every $100 in sales becomes $10 to $20 in real cash.

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free

Stability

Debt / Equity

2.93

Heavy debt load (2.93)

Interest Cover

0.52x

Dangerous — barely covers interest (0.5x)

Interest coverage below 1. Their profits don't cover the interest bill.

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

12.8x

Attractive valuation — P/E 12.8

P/E in the normal range. Price is roughly $15 for every $1 of yearly profit.

P/E vs Forward

N/A

not available

Data not available

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free

Dividends

Dividend Yield

1.02%

Small dividend — 1.02% yield

Modest yield. The bulk of any return needs to come from price appreciation.

Dividend Growth

+27.8%

Dividend growing fast (27.8% YoY)

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free

🔒 See full fundamentals and if they are improving or declining — click here for your free trial now.

Start free trial