AXP vs. CNA: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AXP and CNA, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
AXP’s market capitalization of 229.88 billion USD is substantially larger than CNA’s 12.36 billion USD, indicating a significant difference in their market valuations.
AXP’s beta of 1.25 points to significantly higher volatility compared to CNA (beta: 0.52), suggesting AXP has greater potential for both gains and losses relative to market movements.
| Symbol | AXP | CNA |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | American Express Company | CNA Financial Corporation |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Financial Services | Financial Services |
| Industry | Financial - Credit Services | Insurance - Property & Casualty |
| CEO | Stephen Joseph Squeri | Douglas Merle Worman |
| Price | 328.13 USD | 45.69 USD |
| Market Cap | 229.88 billion USD | 12.36 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.25 | 0.52 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | June 1, 1972 | February 3, 1969 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AXP and CNA 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.
CNA
8.64%
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 28.14%
- Q3
- 17.51%
- Median
- 12.75%
- Q1
- 8.26%
- Min
- 0.61%
CNA’s Return on Equity of 8.64% is on par with the norm for the Insurance - Property & Casualty 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.
CNA
-39.52%
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 21.89%
- Q3
- 10.09%
- Median
- 3.90%
- Q1
- 0.89%
- Min
- -7.26%
Return on Invested Capital is often not a primary measure of capital efficiency in the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry.
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.
CNA
6.23%
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 21.98%
- Q3
- 13.09%
- Median
- 9.18%
- Q1
- 6.10%
- Min
- 2.13%
CNA’s Net Profit Margin of 6.23% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Insurance - Property & Casualty 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.
CNA
5.91%
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 31.70%
- Q3
- 17.32%
- Median
- 12.57%
- Q1
- 7.38%
- Min
- 4.31%
CNA’s Operating Profit Margin of 5.91% is in the lower quartile for the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | AXP | CNA |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 34.05% | 8.64% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 3.64% | 1.33% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 8.40% | -39.52% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 13.64% | 6.23% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.36% | 5.91% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 82.37% | 94.85% |
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.
CNA
0.41
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 51.52
- Q3
- 30.84
- Median
- 20.50
- Q1
- 6.61
- Min
- 0.41
CNA’s Current Ratio of 0.41 falls into the lower quartile for the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
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.
CNA
0.29
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 0.58
- Q3
- 0.36
- Median
- 0.27
- Q1
- 0.14
- Min
- 0.01
CNA’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.29 is typical for the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
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.
CNA
6.54
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 39.40
- Q3
- 22.24
- Median
- 12.38
- Q1
- 6.68
- Min
- -12.40
In the lower quartile for the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry, CNA’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 6.54 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | AXP | CNA |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 0.32 | 0.41 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.32 | 0.41 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 1.69 | 0.29 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.19 | 0.04 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 0.03 | 2.67 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 1.59 | 6.54 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AXP and CNA. 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.
CNA
8.32%
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 8.17%
- Q3
- 3.10%
- Median
- 1.79%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CNA’s Dividend Yield of 8.32% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry. While this may seem attractive, an unusually high yield can sometimes be a warning sign, reflecting a falling stock price or market concerns about the dividend’s sustainability.
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.
CNA
115.20%
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 115.20%
- Q3
- 35.27%
- Median
- 22.19%
- Q1
- 3.16%
- Min
- 0.00%
CNA’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 115.20% is above 100%. This means the company is paying out more in dividends than it earned, a practice that is often unsustainable and could indicate a risk to future dividend stability.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | AXP | CNA |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.93% | 8.32% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 20.01% | 115.20% |
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.
CNA
13.85
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 35.83
- Q3
- 23.28
- Median
- 14.49
- Q1
- 11.91
- Min
- 4.47
CNA’s P/E Ratio of 13.85 is within the middle range for the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
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.
CNA
-0.17
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 2.53
- Q3
- 1.90
- Median
- 1.33
- Q1
- 0.86
- Min
- 0.01
CNA has a negative Forward PEG Ratio of -0.17. 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.
CNA
0.86
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 3.76
- Q3
- 2.39
- Median
- 1.80
- Q1
- 1.01
- Min
- 0.50
The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry.
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.
CNA
1.21
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 5.34
- Q3
- 2.95
- Median
- 1.92
- Q1
- 1.31
- Min
- 0.52
CNA’s P/B Ratio of 1.21 is in the lower quartile for the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | AXP | CNA |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 22.38 | 13.85 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 2.10 | -0.17 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 3.05 | 0.86 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 7.37 | 1.21 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 20.31 | 4.73 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 15.56 | 15.92 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 3.06 | 1.03 |