AXP vs. PM: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AXP and PM, 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 PM’s is 278.43 billion USD, indicating their market valuations are broadly comparable.
AXP’s beta of 1.25 points to significantly higher volatility compared to PM (beta: 0.54), suggesting AXP has greater potential for both gains and losses relative to market movements.
| Symbol | AXP | PM |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | American Express Company | Philip Morris International Inc. |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Financial Services | Consumer Defensive |
| Industry | Financial - Credit Services | Tobacco |
| CEO | Stephen Joseph Squeri | Jacek Olczak |
| Price | 328.13 USD | 178.88 USD |
| Market Cap | 229.88 billion USD | 278.43 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.25 | 0.54 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | June 1, 1972 | March 17, 2008 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AXP and PM 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.
PM
-72.22%
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 22.42%
- Q3
- 6.25%
- Median
- 4.04%
- Q1
- -111.21%
- Min
- -150.20%
PM has a negative Return on Equity of -72.22%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
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.
PM
22.44%
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 30.25%
- Q3
- 17.79%
- Median
- 6.37%
- Q1
- 1.66%
- Min
- 0.12%
In the upper quartile for the Tobacco industry, PM’s Return on Invested Capital of 22.44% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
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.
PM
19.83%
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 23.93%
- Q3
- 21.88%
- Median
- 11.78%
- Q1
- 6.14%
- Min
- 3.22%
PM’s Net Profit Margin of 19.83% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Tobacco 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.
PM
36.40%
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 51.15%
- Q3
- 27.45%
- Median
- 14.55%
- Q1
- 4.39%
- Min
- 0.82%
An Operating Profit Margin of 36.40% places PM in the upper quartile for the Tobacco industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | AXP | PM |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 34.05% | -72.22% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 3.64% | 11.68% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 8.40% | 22.44% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 13.64% | 19.83% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.36% | 36.40% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 82.37% | 65.11% |
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.
PM
0.79
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 4.42
- Q3
- 3.65
- Median
- 2.25
- Q1
- 0.78
- Min
- 0.57
PM’s Current Ratio of 0.79 aligns with the median group of the Tobacco industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector 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.
PM
-4.55
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 1.48
- Q3
- 0.76
- Median
- 0.74
- Q1
- 0.03
- Min
- 0.01
PM has a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of -4.55, which indicates negative shareholder equity where liabilities exceed assets. This is a critical sign of financial distress.
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.
PM
9.53
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 9.53
- Q3
- 8.30
- Median
- 4.34
- Q1
- 2.04
- Min
- -2.25
PM’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 9.53 is in the upper quartile for the Tobacco industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | AXP | PM |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 0.32 | 0.79 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.32 | 0.79 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 1.69 | -4.55 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.19 | 0.76 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 0.03 | 2.82 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 1.59 | 9.53 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AXP and PM. 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.
PM
3.02%
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 6.94%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- 2.98%
- Q1
- 0.37%
- Min
- 0.00%
PM’s Dividend Yield of 3.02% is consistent with its peers in the Tobacco industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
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.
PM
108.91%
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 171.09%
- Q3
- 98.77%
- Median
- 67.00%
- Q1
- 13.01%
- Min
- 0.00%
PM’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 108.91% 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 | PM |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.93% | 3.02% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 20.01% | 108.91% |
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.
PM
36.58
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 37.02
- Q3
- 31.70
- Median
- 27.58
- Q1
- 17.76
- Min
- 9.72
A P/E Ratio of 36.58 places PM in the upper quartile for the Tobacco 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.
PM
4.12
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 6.56
- Q3
- 4.77
- Median
- 3.75
- Q1
- 3.29
- Min
- 3.17
The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Tobacco industry.
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.
PM
7.26
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 7.35
- Q3
- 7.29
- Median
- 4.89
- Q1
- 2.91
- Min
- 0.49
PM’s P/S Ratio of 7.26 aligns with the market consensus for the Tobacco industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
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.
PM
-25.50
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 1.61
- Q3
- 1.61
- Median
- 1.52
- Q1
- 1.20
- Min
- 1.00
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Tobacco industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | AXP | PM |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 22.38 | 36.58 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 2.10 | 4.12 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 3.05 | 7.26 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 7.37 | -25.50 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 20.31 | 27.31 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 15.56 | 20.18 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 3.06 | 8.44 |