C vs. COF: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 18, 2025

Here’s a clear look at C and COF, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

Symbol	C	COF
Company Name	Citigroup Inc.	Capital One Financial Corporation
Country	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Financials	Financials
GICS Industry	Banks	Consumer Finance
Market Capitalization	174.24 billion USD	138.76 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	January 3, 1977	November 16, 1994
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of C and COF 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.

C vs. COF: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	C	COF
5-Day Price Return	3.75%	4.67%
13-Week Price Return	26.35%	8.51%
26-Week Price Return	14.96%	5.00%
52-Week Price Return	63.64%	64.22%
Month-to-Date Return	1.01%	0.92%
Year-to-Date Return	34.47%	21.67%
10-Day Avg. Volume	15.05M	3.53M
3-Month Avg. Volume	15.72M	4.71M
3-Month Volatility	24.59%	28.60%
Beta	1.37	1.22

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

C

6.72%

Banks Industry

Max: 26.37%
Q3: 15.92%
Median: 12.25%
Q1: 8.69%
Min: 0.15%

C’s Return on Equity of 6.72% is in the lower quartile for the Banks industry. This indicates a less efficient generation of profit from its equity base when compared to its competitors.

COF

0.00%

Consumer Finance Industry

Max: 32.87%
Q3: 20.39%
Median: 14.14%
Q1: 7.64%
Min: -10.63%

COF’s Return on Equity of 0.00% is in the lower quartile for the Consumer Finance industry. This indicates a less efficient generation of profit from its equity base when compared to its competitors.

C vs. COF: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Banks and Consumer Finance industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

C

17.37%

Banks Industry

Max: 54.20%
Q3: 35.70%
Median: 28.97%
Q1: 22.53%
Min: 6.98%

Falling into the lower quartile for the Banks industry, C’s Net Profit Margin of 17.37% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

COF

14.90%

Consumer Finance Industry

Max: 19.68%
Q3: 15.94%
Median: 13.37%
Q1: 9.73%
Min: 3.66%

COF’s Net Profit Margin of 14.90% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Consumer Finance industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

C vs. COF: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Banks and Consumer Finance industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

C

23.02%

Banks Industry

Max: 63.35%
Q3: 44.59%
Median: 37.24%
Q1: 28.25%
Min: 13.37%

C’s Operating Profit Margin of 23.02% is in the lower quartile for the Banks industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.

COF

18.33%

Consumer Finance Industry

Max: 50.11%
Q3: 29.38%
Median: 18.31%
Q1: 14.26%
Min: -5.45%

COF’s Operating Profit Margin of 18.33% is around the midpoint for the Consumer Finance industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

C vs. COF: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Banks and Consumer Finance industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	C	COF
Return on Equity (TTM)	6.72%	0.00%
Return on Assets (TTM)	0.57%	0.00%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	17.37%	14.90%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	23.02%	18.33%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	--	--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

C

Banks Industry

Max: --
Q3: --
Median: --
Q1: --
Min: --

For the Banks industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.

COF

Consumer Finance Industry

Max: 5.34
Q3: 4.21
Median: 2.67
Q1: 0.71
Min: 0.20

For the Consumer Finance industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.

C vs. COF: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Banks and Consumer Finance industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

C

3.38

Banks Industry

Max: 4.75
Q3: 2.62
Median: 1.02
Q1: 0.39
Min: 0.00

The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Banks industry.

COF

0.47

Consumer Finance Industry

Max: 6.63
Q3: 3.39
Median: 2.21
Q1: 0.94
Min: 0.00

The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Consumer Finance industry.

C vs. COF: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Banks and Consumer Finance industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

C

Banks Industry

Max: --
Q3: --
Median: --
Q1: --
Min: --

The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Banks industry.

COF

Consumer Finance Industry

Max: 49.63
Q3: 39.33
Median: 4.56
Q1: 2.97
Min: -15.69

The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Consumer Finance industry.

C vs. COF: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Banks and Consumer Finance industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	C	COF
Current Ratio (MRQ)	--	--
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	--	--
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	3.38	0.47
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	--	--

Growth

Revenue Growth

C vs. COF: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

C vs. COF: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

C

3.04%

Banks Industry

Max: 10.27%
Q3: 5.83%
Median: 3.81%
Q1: 2.50%
Min: 0.00%

C’s Dividend Yield of 3.04% is consistent with its peers in the Banks industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

COF

0.95%

Consumer Finance Industry

Max: 8.31%
Q3: 3.93%
Median: 2.51%
Q1: 0.84%
Min: 0.00%

COF’s Dividend Yield of 0.95% is consistent with its peers in the Consumer Finance industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

C vs. COF: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Banks and Consumer Finance industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

C

37.43%

Banks Industry

Max: 147.07%
Q3: 80.55%
Median: 54.40%
Q1: 35.71%
Min: 0.00%

C’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 37.43% is within the typical range for the Banks industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

COF

23.78%

Consumer Finance Industry

Max: 145.89%
Q3: 88.53%
Median: 23.79%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

COF’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 23.78% is within the typical range for the Consumer Finance industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

C vs. COF: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Banks and Consumer Finance industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	C	COF
Dividend Yield (TTM)	3.04%	0.95%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	37.43%	23.78%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

C

12.30

Banks Industry

Max: 20.05
Q3: 12.65
Median: 10.21
Q1: 7.54
Min: 2.74

C’s P/E Ratio of 12.30 is within the middle range for the Banks industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

COF

28.43

Consumer Finance Industry

Max: 34.39
Q3: 20.36
Median: 13.05
Q1: 9.29
Min: 4.74

A P/E Ratio of 28.43 places COF in the upper quartile for the Consumer Finance industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.

C vs. COF: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Banks and Consumer Finance industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

C

1.10

Banks Industry

Max: 5.06
Q3: 2.98
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.59
Min: 0.45

The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Banks industry.

COF

1.12

Consumer Finance Industry

Max: 4.28
Q3: 2.67
Median: 1.88
Q1: 1.15
Min: 0.55

In the lower quartile for the Consumer Finance industry, COF’s P/S Ratio of 1.12 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.

C vs. COF: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Banks and Consumer Finance industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

C

0.73

Banks Industry

Max: 2.18
Q3: 1.36
Median: 1.09
Q1: 0.81
Min: 0.20

C’s P/B Ratio of 0.73 is in the lower quartile for the Banks 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.

COF

1.23

Consumer Finance Industry

Max: 3.63
Q3: 2.40
Median: 1.96
Q1: 1.16
Min: 0.26

COF’s P/B Ratio of 1.23 is within the conventional range for the Consumer Finance industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

C vs. COF: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Banks and Consumer Finance industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	C	COF
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	12.30	28.43
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	1.10	1.12
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	0.73	1.23
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	7.55	7.60