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BCS vs. RY: Barclays vs. Royal Bank of Canada Stock Comparison

How do Barclays (BCS) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY) 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

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

Royal Bank of Canada (RY) 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 Barclays (BCS) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY)
Profile ItemBCSRY
NameBarclays PLC Sponsored ADRRoyal Bank of Canada
Country/RegionUnited KingdomCanada
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupBanksBanks
GICS IndustryBanksBanks
GICS Sub-IndustryDiversified BanksDiversified Banks
Market Capitalization74.23 billion USD278.49 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateSeptember 9, 1986October 16, 1995
Security TypeADRCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BCS
RY
GSPC
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Barclays (BCS) vs. Royal Bank of Canada (RY), 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 Barclays (BCS) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Barclays (BCS) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY)
MetricBCSRY
Total Return (1Y)8.81%42.94%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)56.19%38.10%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)21.37%17.71%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BCS
RY
GSPC
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Barclays (BCS) vs. Royal Bank of Canada (RY), 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 Barclays (BCS) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Barclays (BCS) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY)
MetricBCSRY
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)32.20%17.09%
Beta (5Y)1.000.78
Max Drawdown (5Y)-48.14%-28.69%
Avg. Volume (3M)4.89M1.25M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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BCS and RY 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 Barclays (BCS) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY)
MetricBCSRY
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.142.26
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.213.50

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Royal Bank of Canada (RY) at 16.21% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Barclays (BCS) at 10.45% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for RY.

BCS

Banks industry group

10.45%

Max
19.84%
Q3
13.67%
Median
11.49%
BCS
10.45%
Q1
9.50%
Min
3.64%

RY

Banks industry group

16.21%

Max
19.84%
RY
16.21%
Q3
13.67%
Median
11.49%
Q1
9.50%
Min
3.64%
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Barclays (BCS) vs. Royal Bank of Canada (RY): A comparison of their ROE against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Barclays (BCS) at 28.22% and Royal Bank of Canada (RY) at 33.87% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

BCS

Banks industry group

28.22%

Max
47.19%
Q3
35.25%
Median
31.21%
BCS
28.22%
Q1
27.11%
Min
14.93%

RY

Banks industry group

33.87%

Max
47.19%
Q3
35.25%
RY
33.87%
Median
31.21%
Q1
27.11%
Min
14.93%
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Barclays (BCS) vs. Royal Bank of Canada (RY): A comparison of their net margin against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for Barclays (BCS) in Banks and Royal Bank of Canada (RY) 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 Barclays (BCS) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY)
MetricBCSRY
ROE (TTM)10.45%16.21%
ROA (TTM)0.48%0.96%
Net Margin (TTM)28.22%33.87%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Barclays (BCS) at 11.09% and Royal Bank of Canada (RY) at 15.73% 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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Barclays (BCS) vs. Royal Bank of Canada (RY): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Barclays (BCS) reports EPS growth of 21.55%, ranked against its industry; Royal Bank of Canada (RY) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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Barclays (BCS) vs. Royal Bank of Canada (RY): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Barclays (BCS) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY)
MetricBCSRY
Revenue Growth (YoY)11.09%15.73%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)5.21%10.90%
EPS Growth (YoY)21.55%--
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)12.38%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Barclays (BCS) in Banks and Royal Bank of Canada (RY) 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: Barclays (BCS) in Banks and Royal Bank of Canada (RY) 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 Barclays (BCS) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY)
MetricBCSRY
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Royal Bank of Canada (RY) at 3.23% offers top-quartile income, while Barclays (BCS) at 0.50% sits in the bottom quartile — a wide gap in cash returned to shareholders.

BCS

Banks industry group

0.50%

Max
5.79%
Q3
3.18%
Median
2.39%
Q1
1.20%
BCS
0.50%
Min
0.00%

RY

Banks industry group

3.23%

Max
5.79%
RY
3.23%
Q3
3.18%
Median
2.39%
Q1
1.20%
Min
0.00%
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Barclays (BCS) vs. Royal Bank of Canada (RY): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Barclays (BCS) at 22.96% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Royal Bank of Canada (RY) at 41.49% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

BCS

Banks industry group

22.96%

Max
70.75%
Q3
41.28%
Median
29.26%
BCS
22.96%
Q1
18.98%
Min
0.00%

RY

Banks industry group

41.49%

Max
70.75%
RY
41.49%
Q3
41.28%
Median
29.26%
Q1
18.98%
Min
0.00%
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Barclays (BCS) vs. Royal Bank of Canada (RY): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Barclays (BCS) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY)
MetricBCSRY
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.50%3.23%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)22.96%41.49%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Barclays (BCS) at 8.33 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Royal Bank of Canada (RY) at 17.58 sits in the richer quartile — a clear split in what investors pay for each dollar of trailing earnings.

BCS

Banks industry group

8.33

Max
18.16
Q3
13.75
Median
11.81
Q1
10.64
BCS
8.33
Min
6.49

RY

Banks industry group

17.58

Max
18.16
RY
17.58
Q3
13.75
Median
11.81
Q1
10.64
Min
6.49
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Barclays (BCS) vs. Royal Bank of Canada (RY): 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 Barclays (BCS) in Banks and Royal Bank of Canada (RY) 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 relative to book while Royal Bank of Canada (RY) at 2.92 prices above its industry range — a wide valuation gap against assets.

BCS

Banks industry group

0.88

Max
2.28
Q3
1.58
Median
1.32
Q1
1.10
BCS
0.88
Min
0.59

RY

Banks industry group

2.92

RY
2.92
Max
2.28
Q3
1.58
Median
1.32
Q1
1.10
Min
0.59
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Barclays (BCS) vs. Royal Bank of Canada (RY): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Barclays (BCS) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY)
MetricBCSRY
P/E Ratio (TTM)8.3317.58
P/S Ratio (TTM)----
P/B Ratio (MRQ)0.882.92
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----