AXP vs. BCS: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
UpdatedHere’s a clear look at AXP and BCS, comparing key factors like performance, valuation metrics, dividends, and financial strength. It’s built for investors or anyone curious to see how these two stocks match up.
Company Overview
AXP dwarfs BCS in market cap, clocking in at 200.37 billion USD—about 3.20 times the 62.70 billion USD of its counterpart.
AXP at 1.24 and BCS at 1.05 move in sync when it comes to market volatility.
Quick note: BCS sports an ADR tag, marking it as a foreign player on U.S. exchanges, unlike the homegrown AXP.
| Symbol | AXP | BCS |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | American Express Company | Barclays PLC |
| Country | US | GB |
| Sector | Financial Services | Financial Services |
| Industry | Financial - Credit Services | Banks - Diversified |
| CEO | Mr. Stephen Joseph Squeri | Mr. Coimbatore Sundararajan Venkatakrishnan Ph.D. |
| Price | 286 USD | 17.57 USD |
| Market Cap | 200.37 billion USD | 62.70 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.239 | 1.046 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | June 1, 1972 | September 9, 1986 |
| ADR | No | Yes |
Performance Comparison
This chart compares the performance of AXP and BCS over the past year by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each (starting one year ago).
Hover over the lines to see the investment’s value and total return (%) at specific dates.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Valuation Metrics Comparison
For a detailed comparison of valuation metrics between AXP and BCS, please refer to the table below.
| Symbol | AXP | BCS |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 19.51 | 7.39 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 1.83 | 0.50 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 2.66 | 1.72 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 6.43 | 0.63 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 17.71 | 0.00 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 13.57 | -20.58 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 2.67 | -3.06 |
| EV-to-Free Cash Flow (TTM) | 17.74 | 0.00 |
Dividend Comparison
Both AXP at 1.02% and BCS at 2.59% pay dividends, blending income with growth in their strategies. Yet BCS’s 2.59% yield, 153% above AXP’s 1.02%, suggests a focus on generous payouts—possibly from stronger profits—while AXP leans toward reinvestment, perhaps due to tighter margins.
| Symbol | AXP | BCS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.02% | 2.59% |
Financial Strength Metrics Comparison
This section dives into the financial resilience of AXP and BCS, spotlighting key metrics like liquidity, leverage, and debt coverage. Check out the standout observations below where notable differences or extremes pop up.
- For both AXP (0.32) and BCS (0.67), current ratios sit below 1. With current assets trailing short-term liabilities, they might tap into cash flow or borrowing to stay afloat—a setup not uncommon in certain sectors, though it bears monitoring if cash gets tight.
- AXP (0.32) and BCS (0.67) both clock quick ratios under 0.8. Without inventory, their liquid assets don’t match short-term debts, so they might lean on sales or loans to cover the difference—doable if cash keeps flowing.
- BCS’s interest coverage comes up “--”, reflecting interest demands so faint they’re barely there—likely minimal debt or tiny rates—whereas AXP at 0.00 cruises past interest with ease.
| Symbol | AXP | BCS |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 0.32 | 0.67 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.32 | 0.67 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 1.69 | 1.48 |
| Debt-to-Assets Ratio (TTM) | 0.19 | 0.07 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 1.59 | -- |