AXP vs. BLK: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AXP and BLK, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
AXP’s market capitalization stands at 229.88 billion USD, while BLK’s is 167.65 billion USD, indicating their market valuations are broadly comparable.
With betas of 1.25 for AXP and 1.42 for BLK, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | AXP | BLK |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | American Express Company | BlackRock, Inc. |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Financial Services | Financial Services |
| Industry | Financial - Credit Services | Asset Management |
| CEO | Stephen Joseph Squeri | Laurence Douglas Fink |
| Price | 328.13 USD | 1,082.15 USD |
| Market Cap | 229.88 billion USD | 167.65 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.25 | 1.42 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | June 1, 1972 | October 1, 1999 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AXP and BLK by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
AXP
34.05%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 34.05%
- Q3
- 18.70%
- Median
- 10.57%
- Q1
- 3.55%
- Min
- -12.12%
In the upper quartile for the Financial - Credit Services industry, AXP’s Return on Equity of 34.05% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
BLK
14.27%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 34.25%
- Q3
- 18.22%
- Median
- 11.24%
- Q1
- 5.81%
- Min
- -5.72%
BLK’s Return on Equity of 14.27% is on par with the norm for the Asset Management industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
AXP
8.40%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 68.11%
- Q3
- 32.26%
- Median
- 9.52%
- Q1
- 3.37%
- Min
- -7.03%
Return on Invested Capital is often not a primary measure of capital efficiency in the Financial - Credit Services industry.
BLK
4.35%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 42.18%
- Q3
- 20.06%
- Median
- 8.68%
- Q1
- 3.13%
- Min
- -16.42%
BLK’s Return on Invested Capital of 4.35% is in line with the norm for the Asset Management industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
Net Profit Margin
AXP
13.64%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 39.42%
- Q3
- 20.10%
- Median
- 12.91%
- Q1
- 5.82%
- Min
- -14.80%
AXP’s Net Profit Margin of 13.64% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Financial - Credit Services industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
BLK
29.84%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 91.66%
- Q3
- 57.81%
- Median
- 29.48%
- Q1
- 15.70%
- Min
- -27.65%
BLK’s Net Profit Margin of 29.84% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Asset Management industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin
AXP
17.36%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 77.26%
- Q3
- 42.86%
- Median
- 17.99%
- Q1
- 10.82%
- Min
- -14.94%
AXP’s Operating Profit Margin of 17.36% is around the midpoint for the Financial - Credit Services industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
BLK
36.71%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 99.76%
- Q3
- 78.28%
- Median
- 34.76%
- Q1
- 21.75%
- Min
- -48.25%
BLK’s Operating Profit Margin of 36.71% is around the midpoint for the Asset Management industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | AXP | BLK |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 34.05% | 14.27% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 3.64% | 4.44% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 8.40% | 4.35% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 13.64% | 29.84% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.36% | 36.71% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 82.37% | 65.72% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
AXP
0.32
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 8.15
- Q3
- 4.39
- Median
- 2.62
- Q1
- 1.06
- Min
- 0.15
For the Financial - Credit Services industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.
BLK
12.36
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 12.44
- Q3
- 5.76
- Median
- 3.04
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- 0.01
BLK’s Current Ratio of 12.36 is in the upper quartile for the Asset Management industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
AXP
1.69
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 4.69
- Q3
- 2.55
- Median
- 1.20
- Q1
- 0.55
- Min
- 0.00
AXP’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.69 is typical for the Financial - Credit Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
BLK
0.30
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 2.62
- Q3
- 1.42
- Median
- 0.76
- Q1
- 0.34
- Min
- 0.01
Falling into the lower quartile for the Asset Management industry, BLK’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.30 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio
AXP
1.59
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 17.48
- Q3
- 7.42
- Median
- 1.59
- Q1
- 0.38
- Min
- -7.77
The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Financial - Credit Services industry.
BLK
16.94
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 13.30
- Q3
- 6.30
- Median
- 2.71
- Q1
- 1.00
- Min
- -6.91
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 16.94, BLK demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Asset Management industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | AXP | BLK |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 0.32 | 12.36 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.32 | 12.36 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 1.69 | 0.30 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.19 | 0.10 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 0.03 | 0.80 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 1.59 | 16.94 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AXP and BLK. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
AXP
0.93%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 14.68%
- Q3
- 2.97%
- Median
- 1.03%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AXP’s Dividend Yield of 0.93% is consistent with its peers in the Financial - Credit Services industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
BLK
1.91%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 26.09%
- Q3
- 11.60%
- Median
- 6.37%
- Q1
- 2.75%
- Min
- 0.00%
BLK’s Dividend Yield of 1.91% is in the lower quartile for the Asset Management industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
Dividend Payout Ratio
AXP
20.01%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 169.58%
- Q3
- 38.15%
- Median
- 18.30%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AXP’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 20.01% is within the typical range for the Financial - Credit Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
BLK
49.86%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 1,034.88%
- Q3
- 127.70%
- Median
- 75.15%
- Q1
- 34.21%
- Min
- 0.00%
BLK’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 49.86% is within the typical range for the Asset Management industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | AXP | BLK |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.93% | 1.91% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 20.01% | 49.86% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
AXP
22.38
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 42.04
- Q3
- 25.88
- Median
- 12.28
- Q1
- 9.55
- Min
- 3.09
AXP’s P/E Ratio of 22.38 is within the middle range for the Financial - Credit Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
BLK
26.60
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 38.72
- Q3
- 23.40
- Median
- 11.45
- Q1
- 8.80
- Min
- 1.54
A P/E Ratio of 26.60 places BLK in the upper quartile for the Asset Management industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
AXP
2.10
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 2.76
- Q3
- 1.57
- Median
- 0.82
- Q1
- 0.51
- Min
- 0.06
A Forward PEG Ratio of 2.10 places AXP in the upper quartile for the Financial - Credit Services industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
BLK
-0.27
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 6.38
- Q3
- 3.23
- Median
- 1.55
- Q1
- 0.89
- Min
- 0.02
BLK has a negative Forward PEG Ratio of -0.27. This typically results from negative earnings or forecasts of declining future earnings, making the ratio not meaningful for valuation.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
AXP
3.05
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 6.24
- Q3
- 3.02
- Median
- 1.54
- Q1
- 0.75
- Min
- 0.32
The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Financial - Credit Services industry.
BLK
7.93
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 13.75
- Q3
- 7.92
- Median
- 4.87
- Q1
- 3.51
- Min
- 0.02
BLK’s P/S Ratio of 7.93 is in the upper echelon for the Asset Management industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio
AXP
7.37
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 3.58
- Q3
- 2.84
- Median
- 1.28
- Q1
- 0.84
- Min
- 0.07
At 7.37, AXP’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Financial - Credit Services industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
BLK
3.49
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 5.33
- Q3
- 2.75
- Median
- 1.06
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.00
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Asset Management industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | AXP | BLK |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 22.38 | 26.60 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 2.10 | -0.27 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 3.05 | 7.93 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 7.37 | 3.49 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 20.31 | 42.26 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 15.56 | 21.37 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 3.06 | 8.24 |