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C vs. HSBC: Citigroup vs. HSBC Stock Comparison

How do Citigroup (C) 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

Citigroup (C) 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.

Citigroup (C) 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 Citigroup (C) and HSBC (HSBC)
Profile ItemCHSBC
NameCitigroup Inc.HSBC Holdings plc Sponsored ADR
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited Kingdom
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupBanksBanks
GICS IndustryBanksBanks
GICS Sub-IndustryDiversified BanksDiversified Banks
Market Capitalization233.72 billion USD355.87 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJanuary 3, 1977July 16, 1999
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

C
HSBC
GSPC
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Citigroup (C) 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 Citigroup (C) and HSBC (HSBC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Citigroup (C) and HSBC (HSBC). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Citigroup (C) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricCHSBC
Total Return (1Y)49.04%66.35%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)51.30%47.31%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)17.72%37.94%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

C
HSBC
GSPC
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Citigroup (C) 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 Citigroup (C) and HSBC (HSBC). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Citigroup (C) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricCHSBC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)29.05%27.30%
Beta (5Y)1.130.58
Max Drawdown (5Y)-43.46%-31.80%
Avg. Volume (3M)11.91M1.49M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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C 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 Citigroup (C) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricCHSBC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.552.28
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.313.69

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

HSBC (HSBC) at 13.11% is around its peer norm for ROE, while Citigroup (C) at 8.53% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker returns on shareholders’ equity.

C

Banks industry group

8.53%

Max
19.49%
Q3
13.33%
Median
11.17%
Q1
9.21%
C
8.53%
Min
3.19%

HSBC

Banks industry group

13.11%

Max
19.49%
Q3
13.33%
HSBC
13.11%
Median
11.17%
Q1
9.21%
Min
3.19%
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Citigroup (C) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their ROE against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

HSBC (HSBC) at 37.80% keeps a top-quartile share of each sales dollar as profit, while Citigroup (C) at 21.83% keeps a bottom-quartile share.

C

Banks industry group

21.83%

Max
47.25%
Q3
35.18%
Median
30.75%
Q1
26.80%
C
21.83%
Min
14.41%

HSBC

Banks industry group

37.80%

Max
47.25%
HSBC
37.80%
Q3
35.18%
Median
30.75%
Q1
26.80%
Min
14.41%
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Citigroup (C) 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 Citigroup (C) 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 Citigroup (C) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricCHSBC
ROE (TTM)8.53%13.11%
ROA (TTM)0.66%0.78%
Net Margin (TTM)21.83%37.80%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Citigroup (C) at 5.63% 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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Citigroup (C) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Citigroup (C) at 17.68% 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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Citigroup (C) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Citigroup (C) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricCHSBC
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.63%5.38%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)4.59%9.75%
EPS Growth (YoY)17.68%-3.23%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.05%17.49%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Citigroup (C) 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: Citigroup (C) 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 Citigroup (C) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricCHSBC
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Citigroup (C) at 1.73% pays a yield in its industry’s typical range, while HSBC (HSBC) at 0.72% falls in the bottom quartile of its peers.

C

Banks industry group

1.73%

Max
5.57%
Q3
3.08%
Median
2.25%
C
1.73%
Q1
1.20%
Min
0.00%

HSBC

Banks industry group

0.72%

Max
5.57%
Q3
3.08%
Median
2.25%
Q1
1.20%
HSBC
0.72%
Min
0.00%
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Citigroup (C) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Citigroup (C) at 25.86% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while HSBC (HSBC) at 53.57% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

C

Banks industry group

25.86%

Max
76.19%
Q3
41.82%
Median
28.70%
C
25.86%
Q1
18.66%
Min
0.00%

HSBC

Banks industry group

53.57%

Max
76.19%
HSBC
53.57%
Q3
41.82%
Median
28.70%
Q1
18.66%
Min
0.00%
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Citigroup (C) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Citigroup (C) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricCHSBC
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.73%0.72%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)25.86%53.57%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Citigroup (C) at 14.95 and HSBC (HSBC) at 14.83 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

C

Banks industry group

14.95

Max
20.84
Q3
15.55
C
14.95
Median
13.12
Q1
11.81
Min
7.19

HSBC

Banks industry group

14.83

Max
20.84
Q3
15.55
HSBC
14.83
Median
13.12
Q1
11.81
Min
7.19
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Citigroup (C) 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 Citigroup (C) 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)

Citigroup (C) at 1.21 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while HSBC (HSBC) at 8.24 prices above its benchmark range — HSBC looks rich relative to book.

C

Banks industry group

1.21

Max
2.39
Q3
1.67
Median
1.37
C
1.21
Q1
1.17
Min
0.43

HSBC

Banks industry group

8.24

HSBC
8.24
Max
2.39
Q3
1.67
Median
1.37
Q1
1.17
Min
0.43
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Citigroup (C) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Citigroup (C) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricCHSBC
P/E Ratio (TTM)14.9514.83
P/S Ratio (TTM)----
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.218.24
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----