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BAC vs. BCS: Bank of America vs. Barclays Stock Comparison

How do Bank of America (BAC) and Barclays (BCS) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Bank of America (BAC) and Barclays (BCS) are both classified in the Diversified Banks sub-industry within the broader Banks industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Bank of America (BAC) trades as ordinary local shares, while Barclays (BCS) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Bank of America (BAC) and Barclays (BCS)
Profile ItemBACBCS
NameBank of America CorporationBarclays PLC Sponsored ADR
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited Kingdom
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupBanksBanks
GICS IndustryBanksBanks
GICS Sub-IndustryDiversified BanksDiversified Banks
Market Capitalization341.01 billion USD74.23 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973September 9, 1986
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BAC
BCS
GSPC
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Bank of America (BAC) vs. Barclays (BCS), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Bank of America (BAC) and Barclays (BCS). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Bank of America (BAC) and Barclays (BCS). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Bank of America (BAC) and Barclays (BCS)
MetricBACBCS
Total Return (1Y)-2.73%8.81%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)25.52%56.19%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)4.08%21.37%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BAC
BCS
GSPC
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Bank of America (BAC) vs. Barclays (BCS), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Bank of America (BAC) and Barclays (BCS). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Bank of America (BAC) and Barclays (BCS)
MetricBACBCS
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)22.49%32.20%
Beta (5Y)1.181.00
Max Drawdown (5Y)-46.64%-48.14%
Avg. Volume (3M)37.08M4.89M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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BAC and BCS are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Bank of America (BAC) and Barclays (BCS)
MetricBACBCS
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.310.14
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.410.21

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Bank of America (BAC) at 10.73% and Barclays (BCS) at 10.45% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

BAC

Banks industry group

10.73%

Max
19.84%
Q3
13.67%
Median
11.49%
BAC
10.73%
Q1
9.50%
Min
3.64%

BCS

Banks industry group

10.45%

Max
19.84%
Q3
13.67%
Median
11.49%
BCS
10.45%
Q1
9.50%
Min
3.64%
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Bank of America (BAC) vs. Barclays (BCS): A comparison of their ROE against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Bank of America (BAC) at 28.06% and Barclays (BCS) at 28.22% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

BAC

Banks industry group

28.06%

Max
47.19%
Q3
35.25%
Median
31.21%
BAC
28.06%
Q1
27.11%
Min
14.93%

BCS

Banks industry group

28.22%

Max
47.19%
Q3
35.25%
Median
31.21%
BCS
28.22%
Q1
27.11%
Min
14.93%
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Bank of America (BAC) vs. Barclays (BCS): A comparison of their net margin against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for Bank of America (BAC) in Banks and Barclays (BCS) in Banks, funding costs are part of the core business, so net margin and ROE are the cleaner profitability reads.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Bank of America (BAC) and Barclays (BCS)
MetricBACBCS
ROE (TTM)10.73%10.45%
ROA (TTM)0.94%0.48%
Net Margin (TTM)28.06%28.22%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Bank of America (BAC) at 6.84% and Barclays (BCS) at 11.09% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Bank of America (BAC) vs. Barclays (BCS): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Bank of America (BAC) at 18.69% and Barclays (BCS) at 21.55% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Bank of America (BAC) vs. Barclays (BCS): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Bank of America (BAC) and Barclays (BCS)
MetricBACBCS
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.84%11.09%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)6.00%5.21%
EPS Growth (YoY)18.69%21.55%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)6.10%12.38%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Bank of America (BAC) in Banks and Barclays (BCS) in Banks both report balance sheets without a current/non-current split, so their short-term liquidity is better judged through regulatory and funding measures.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

debt-to-equity ratio is set aside for both: Bank of America (BAC) in Banks and Barclays (BCS) in Banks run businesses where balance-sheet leverage is part of the model, so capital-adequacy and funding measures are the better gauges of balance-sheet risk.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Bank of America (BAC) and Barclays (BCS)
MetricBACBCS
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Bank of America (BAC) at 2.33% pays a yield in its industry’s typical range, while Barclays (BCS) at 0.50% falls in the bottom quartile of its peers.

BAC

Banks industry group

2.33%

Max
5.79%
Q3
3.18%
Median
2.39%
BAC
2.33%
Q1
1.20%
Min
0.00%

BCS

Banks industry group

0.50%

Max
5.79%
Q3
3.18%
Median
2.39%
Q1
1.20%
BCS
0.50%
Min
0.00%
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Bank of America (BAC) vs. Barclays (BCS): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Bank of America (BAC) at 27.62% and Barclays (BCS) at 22.96% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

BAC

Banks industry group

27.62%

Max
70.75%
Q3
41.28%
Median
29.26%
BAC
27.62%
Q1
18.98%
Min
0.00%

BCS

Banks industry group

22.96%

Max
70.75%
Q3
41.28%
Median
29.26%
BCS
22.96%
Q1
18.98%
Min
0.00%
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Bank of America (BAC) vs. Barclays (BCS): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Bank of America (BAC) and Barclays (BCS)
MetricBACBCS
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.33%0.50%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)27.62%22.96%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Barclays (BCS) at 8.33 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Bank of America (BAC) at 11.79 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for BCS, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

BAC

Banks industry group

11.79

Max
18.16
Q3
13.75
Median
11.81
BAC
11.79
Q1
10.64
Min
6.49

BCS

Banks industry group

8.33

Max
18.16
Q3
13.75
Median
11.81
Q1
10.64
BCS
8.33
Min
6.49
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Bank of America (BAC) vs. Barclays (BCS): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

P/S ratio is set aside for both Bank of America (BAC) in Banks and Barclays (BCS) in Banks: without a conventional revenue line, pricing per dollar of sales isn’t meaningful, and book- or earnings-based multiples make the better comparison.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Barclays (BCS) at 0.88 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile against book while Bank of America (BAC) at 1.26 is valued near its industry’s middle — BCS is cheaper on assets, though weigh it against ROE and asset quality.

BAC

Banks industry group

1.26

Max
2.28
Q3
1.58
Median
1.32
BAC
1.26
Q1
1.10
Min
0.59

BCS

Banks industry group

0.88

Max
2.28
Q3
1.58
Median
1.32
Q1
1.10
BCS
0.88
Min
0.59
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Bank of America (BAC) vs. Barclays (BCS): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Bank of America (BAC) and Barclays (BCS)
MetricBACBCS
P/E Ratio (TTM)11.798.33
P/S Ratio (TTM)----
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.260.88
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----