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CFG vs. HSBC: Citizens Financial vs. HSBC Stock Comparison

How do Citizens Financial (CFG) 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

Citizens Financial (CFG) and HSBC (HSBC) both belong to the Banks industry, though CFG is classified under Regional Banks while HSBC falls under Diversified Banks.

Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) and HSBC (HSBC)
Profile ItemCFGHSBC
NameCitizens Financial Group Inc.HSBC Holdings plc Sponsored ADR
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited Kingdom
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupBanksBanks
GICS IndustryBanksBanks
GICS Sub-IndustryRegional BanksDiversified Banks
Market Capitalization26.51 billion USD297.66 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateSeptember 24, 2014July 16, 1999
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CFG
HSBC
GSPC
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Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) and HSBC (HSBC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Citizens Financial (CFG) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricCFGHSBC
Total Return (1Y)30.28%32.02%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)42.95%43.61%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)10.93%33.35%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Citizens Financial (CFG) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricCFGHSBC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)25.87%28.54%
Beta (5Y)1.070.54
Max Drawdown (5Y)-56.19%-31.80%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.99M1.58M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CFG 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricCFGHSBC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.000.97
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.501.52

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

HSBC (HSBC) at 14.22% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Citizens Financial (CFG) at 8.90% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in returns on equity.

CFG

Banks industry group

8.90%

Max
19.84%
Q3
13.67%
Median
11.49%
Q1
9.50%
CFG
8.90%
Min
3.64%

HSBC

Banks industry group

14.22%

Max
19.84%
HSBC
14.22%
Q3
13.67%
Median
11.49%
Q1
9.50%
Min
3.64%
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Citizens Financial (CFG) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their ROE against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

HSBC (HSBC) at 41.16% keeps a top-quartile share of each sales dollar as profit, while Citizens Financial (CFG) at 27.02% keeps a bottom-quartile share.

CFG

Banks industry group

27.02%

Max
47.19%
Q3
35.25%
Median
31.21%
Q1
27.11%
CFG
27.02%
Min
14.93%

HSBC

Banks industry group

41.16%

Max
47.19%
HSBC
41.16%
Q3
35.25%
Median
31.21%
Q1
27.11%
Min
14.93%
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Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricCFGHSBC
ROE (TTM)8.90%14.22%
ROA (TTM)0.99%0.84%
Net Margin (TTM)27.02%41.16%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Citizens Financial (CFG) at 5.61% and HSBC (HSBC) at 5.38% post bottom-quartile revenue growth versus peers, pointing to weaker demand or pricing momentum than typical rivals.

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Citizens Financial (CFG) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Citizens Financial (CFG) at 27.39% 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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Citizens Financial (CFG) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Citizens Financial (CFG) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricCFGHSBC
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.61%5.38%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)0.93%9.75%
EPS Growth (YoY)27.39%-3.23%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.99%17.49%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Citizens Financial (CFG) 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: Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricCFGHSBC
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Citizens Financial (CFG) at 2.88% pays a yield in its industry’s typical range, while HSBC (HSBC) at 0.86% falls in the bottom quartile of its peers.

CFG

Banks industry group

2.88%

Max
5.79%
Q3
3.18%
CFG
2.88%
Median
2.39%
Q1
1.20%
Min
0.00%

HSBC

Banks industry group

0.86%

Max
5.79%
Q3
3.18%
Median
2.39%
Q1
1.20%
HSBC
0.86%
Min
0.00%
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Citizens Financial (CFG) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Citizens Financial (CFG) at 37.17% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while HSBC (HSBC) at 53.57% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

CFG

Banks industry group

37.17%

Max
70.75%
Q3
41.28%
CFG
37.17%
Median
29.26%
Q1
18.98%
Min
0.00%

HSBC

Banks industry group

53.57%

Max
70.75%
HSBC
53.57%
Q3
41.28%
Median
29.26%
Q1
18.98%
Min
0.00%
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Citizens Financial (CFG) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Citizens Financial (CFG) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricCFGHSBC
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.88%0.86%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)37.17%53.57%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Citizens Financial (CFG) at 12.78 and HSBC (HSBC) at 11.38 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

CFG

Banks industry group

12.78

Max
18.16
Q3
13.75
CFG
12.78
Median
11.81
Q1
10.64
Min
6.49

HSBC

Banks industry group

11.38

Max
18.16
Q3
13.75
Median
11.81
HSBC
11.38
Q1
10.64
Min
6.49
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Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) 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)

Citizens Financial (CFG) at 1.16 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while HSBC (HSBC) at 6.87 prices above its benchmark range — HSBC looks rich relative to book.

CFG

Banks industry group

1.16

Max
2.28
Q3
1.58
Median
1.32
CFG
1.16
Q1
1.10
Min
0.59

HSBC

Banks industry group

6.87

HSBC
6.87
Max
2.28
Q3
1.58
Median
1.32
Q1
1.10
Min
0.59
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Citizens Financial (CFG) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Citizens Financial (CFG) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricCFGHSBC
P/E Ratio (TTM)12.7811.38
P/S Ratio (TTM)----
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.166.87
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----