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C vs. WFC: Citigroup vs. Wells Fargo Stock Comparison

How do Citigroup (C) and Wells Fargo (WFC) 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 Wells Fargo (WFC) are both classified in the Diversified Banks sub-industry within the broader Banks industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Citigroup (C) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
Profile ItemCWFC
NameCitigroup Inc.Wells Fargo & Company
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupBanksBanks
GICS IndustryBanksBanks
GICS Sub-IndustryDiversified BanksDiversified Banks
Market Capitalization222.83 billion USD268.50 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJanuary 3, 1977June 1, 1972
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

C
WFC
GSPC
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Citigroup (C) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC), 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 Wells Fargo (WFC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Citigroup (C) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricCWFC
Total Return (1Y)46.63%11.69%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)46.04%27.19%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)18.40%16.66%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

C
WFC
GSPC
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Citigroup (C) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC), 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 Wells Fargo (WFC). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Citigroup (C) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricCWFC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)28.85%26.65%
Beta (5Y)1.130.92
Max Drawdown (5Y)-44.31%-37.10%
Avg. Volume (3M)12.41M16.73M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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C and WFC 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 Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricCWFC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.480.29
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.210.41

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Wells Fargo (WFC) at 12.58% 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
19.84%
Q3
13.14%
Median
10.82%
Q1
8.64%
C
8.53%
Min
3.15%

WFC

Banks industry group

12.58%

Max
19.84%
Q3
13.14%
WFC
12.58%
Median
10.82%
Q1
8.64%
Min
3.15%
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Citigroup (C) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): A comparison of their ROE against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Wells Fargo (WFC) at 27.23% keeps about the industry-typical share of revenue as profit, while Citigroup (C) at 21.83% retains only a bottom-quartile share.

C

Banks industry group

21.83%

Max
47.55%
Q3
34.66%
Median
30.25%
Q1
25.91%
C
21.83%
Min
12.81%

WFC

Banks industry group

27.23%

Max
47.55%
Q3
34.66%
Median
30.25%
WFC
27.23%
Q1
25.91%
Min
12.81%
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Citigroup (C) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): 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 Wells Fargo (WFC) 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 Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricCWFC
ROE (TTM)8.53%12.58%
ROA (TTM)0.66%1.08%
Net Margin (TTM)21.83%27.23%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Citigroup (C) at 5.63% and Wells Fargo (WFC) at 1.70% post bottom-quartile revenue growth versus peers, pointing to weaker demand or pricing momentum than typical rivals.

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Citigroup (C) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Citigroup (C) at 17.68% and Wells Fargo (WFC) at 16.57% 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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Citigroup (C) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Citigroup (C) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricCWFC
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.63%1.70%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)4.59%4.02%
EPS Growth (YoY)17.68%16.57%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.05%25.86%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Citigroup (C) in Banks and Wells Fargo (WFC) 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 Wells Fargo (WFC) 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 Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricCWFC
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Citigroup (C) at 1.86% and Wells Fargo (WFC) at 2.09% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

C

Banks industry group

1.86%

Max
6.20%
Q3
3.10%
Median
2.21%
C
1.86%
Q1
1.00%
Min
0.00%

WFC

Banks industry group

2.09%

Max
6.20%
Q3
3.10%
Median
2.21%
WFC
2.09%
Q1
1.00%
Min
0.00%
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Citigroup (C) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Citigroup (C) at 25.86% and Wells Fargo (WFC) at 26.16% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

C

Banks industry group

25.86%

Max
74.89%
Q3
42.28%
Median
28.91%
C
25.86%
Q1
19.60%
Min
0.00%

WFC

Banks industry group

26.16%

Max
74.89%
Q3
42.28%
Median
28.91%
WFC
26.16%
Q1
19.60%
Min
0.00%
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Citigroup (C) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Citigroup (C) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricCWFC
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.86%2.09%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)25.86%26.16%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Citigroup (C) at 13.87 and Wells Fargo (WFC) at 12.55 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

13.87

Max
21.86
Q3
15.93
C
13.87
Median
13.25
Q1
11.80
Min
6.78

WFC

Banks industry group

12.55

Max
21.86
Q3
15.93
Median
13.25
WFC
12.55
Q1
11.80
Min
6.78
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Citigroup (C) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): 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 Wells Fargo (WFC) 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 1.16 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Wells Fargo (WFC) at 1.65 carries an above-peer premium to book — WFC is pricier on assets.

C

Banks industry group

1.16

Max
2.34
Q3
1.64
Median
1.36
C
1.16
Q1
1.16
Min
0.68

WFC

Banks industry group

1.65

Max
2.34
WFC
1.65
Q3
1.64
Median
1.36
Q1
1.16
Min
0.68
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Citigroup (C) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Citigroup (C) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricCWFC
P/E Ratio (TTM)13.8712.55
P/S Ratio (TTM)----
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.161.65
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----