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BAC vs. HSBC: Bank of America vs. HSBC Stock Comparison

How do Bank of America (BAC) and HSBC (HSBC) 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 HSBC (HSBC) 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 HSBC (HSBC) 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 HSBC (HSBC)
Profile ItemBACHSBC
NameBank of America CorporationHSBC Holdings plc Sponsored ADR
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited Kingdom
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupBanksBanks
GICS IndustryBanksBanks
GICS Sub-IndustryDiversified BanksDiversified Banks
Market Capitalization439.63 billion USD355.75 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973July 16, 1999
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BAC
HSBC
GSPC
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Bank of America (BAC) vs. HSBC (HSBC), 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 HSBC (HSBC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Bank of America (BAC) and HSBC (HSBC). 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 HSBC (HSBC)
MetricBACHSBC
Total Return (1Y)33.91%72.87%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)27.79%45.56%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)12.79%37.82%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BAC
HSBC
GSPC
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Bank of America (BAC) vs. HSBC (HSBC), 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 HSBC (HSBC). 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 HSBC (HSBC)
MetricBACHSBC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)21.84%27.34%
Beta (5Y)1.160.58
Max Drawdown (5Y)-46.64%-31.80%
Avg. Volume (3M)36.03M1.54M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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BAC and HSBC 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 HSBC (HSBC)
MetricBACHSBC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.372.52
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.964.07

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Bank of America (BAC) at 11.20% and HSBC (HSBC) at 13.11% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

BAC

Banks industry group

11.20%

Max
19.15%
Q3
13.31%
BAC
11.20%
Median
11.15%
Q1
9.23%
Min
3.19%

HSBC

Banks industry group

13.11%

Max
19.15%
Q3
13.31%
HSBC
13.11%
Median
11.15%
Q1
9.23%
Min
3.19%
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Bank of America (BAC) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their ROE against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

HSBC (HSBC) at 37.80% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Bank of America (BAC) at 29.52%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

BAC

Banks industry group

29.52%

Max
47.25%
Q3
34.98%
Median
30.75%
BAC
29.52%
Q1
26.58%
Min
14.41%

HSBC

Banks industry group

37.80%

Max
47.25%
HSBC
37.80%
Q3
34.98%
Median
30.75%
Q1
26.58%
Min
14.41%
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Bank of America (BAC) vs. HSBC (HSBC): 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 HSBC (HSBC) 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 HSBC (HSBC)
MetricBACHSBC
ROE (TTM)11.20%13.11%
ROA (TTM)0.97%0.78%
Net Margin (TTM)29.52%37.80%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Bank of America (BAC) at 6.84% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while HSBC (HSBC) at 5.38% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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

EPS Growth

Bank of America (BAC) at 18.69% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while HSBC (HSBC) at -3.23% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Bank of America (BAC) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricBACHSBC
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.84%5.38%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)6.00%9.75%
EPS Growth (YoY)18.69%-3.23%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)6.10%17.49%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Bank of America (BAC) in Banks and HSBC (HSBC) 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 HSBC (HSBC) 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 HSBC (HSBC)
MetricBACHSBC
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Bank of America (BAC) at 1.81% pays a yield in its industry’s typical range, while HSBC (HSBC) at 0.73% falls in the bottom quartile of its peers.

BAC

Banks industry group

1.81%

Max
5.71%
Q3
3.09%
Median
2.17%
BAC
1.81%
Q1
1.08%
Min
0.00%

HSBC

Banks industry group

0.73%

Max
5.71%
Q3
3.09%
Median
2.17%
Q1
1.08%
HSBC
0.73%
Min
0.00%
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Bank of America (BAC) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Bank of America (BAC) at 25.87% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while HSBC (HSBC) at 53.57% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

BAC

Banks industry group

25.87%

Max
77.19%
Q3
42.07%
Median
28.70%
BAC
25.87%
Q1
18.60%
Min
0.00%

HSBC

Banks industry group

53.57%

Max
77.19%
HSBC
53.57%
Q3
42.07%
Median
28.70%
Q1
18.60%
Min
0.00%
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Bank of America (BAC) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Bank of America (BAC) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricBACHSBC
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.81%0.73%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)25.87%53.57%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Bank of America (BAC) at 14.31 and HSBC (HSBC) at 14.65 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

BAC

Banks industry group

14.31

Max
20.23
Q3
15.29
BAC
14.31
Median
12.88
Q1
11.58
Min
7.42

HSBC

Banks industry group

14.65

Max
20.23
Q3
15.29
HSBC
14.65
Median
12.88
Q1
11.58
Min
7.42
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Bank of America (BAC) vs. HSBC (HSBC): 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 HSBC (HSBC) 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)

Bank of America (BAC) at 1.57 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while HSBC (HSBC) at 8.23 prices above its benchmark range — HSBC looks rich relative to book.

BAC

Banks industry group

1.57

Max
2.33
Q3
1.63
BAC
1.57
Median
1.36
Q1
1.16
Min
0.67

HSBC

Banks industry group

8.23

HSBC
8.23
Max
2.33
Q3
1.63
Median
1.36
Q1
1.16
Min
0.67
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Bank of America (BAC) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Bank of America (BAC) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricBACHSBC
P/E Ratio (TTM)14.3114.65
P/S Ratio (TTM)----
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.578.23
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----