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CFG vs. RY: Citizens Financial vs. Royal Bank of Canada Stock Comparison

How do Citizens Financial (CFG) 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

Citizens Financial (CFG) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY) both belong to the Banks industry, though CFG is classified under Regional Banks while RY falls under Diversified Banks.

Company profile comparison for Citizens Financial (CFG) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY)
Profile ItemCFGRY
NameCitizens Financial Group Inc.Royal Bank of Canada
Country/RegionUnited StatesCanada
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupBanksBanks
GICS IndustryBanksBanks
GICS Sub-IndustryRegional BanksDiversified Banks
Market Capitalization26.51 billion USD278.49 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateSeptember 24, 2014October 16, 1995
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CFG
RY
GSPC
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Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY)
MetricCFGRY
Total Return (1Y)30.28%42.94%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)42.95%38.10%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)10.93%17.71%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CFG
RY
GSPC
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Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY)
MetricCFGRY
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)25.87%17.09%
Beta (5Y)1.070.78
Max Drawdown (5Y)-56.19%-28.69%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.99M1.25M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CFG 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY)
MetricCFGRY
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.002.26
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.503.50

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Royal Bank of Canada (RY) at 16.21% 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%

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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Citizens Financial (CFG) vs. Royal Bank of Canada (RY): A comparison of their ROE against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Royal Bank of Canada (RY) at 33.87% keeps about the industry-typical share of revenue as profit, while Citizens Financial (CFG) at 27.02% retains only 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%

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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Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY)
MetricCFGRY
ROE (TTM)8.90%16.21%
ROA (TTM)0.99%0.96%
Net Margin (TTM)27.02%33.87%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Royal Bank of Canada (RY) at 15.73% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Citizens Financial (CFG) at 5.61% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Citizens Financial (CFG) 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: Citizens Financial (CFG) reports EPS growth of 27.39%, ranked against its industry; Royal Bank of Canada (RY) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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Citizens Financial (CFG) vs. Royal Bank of Canada (RY): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Citizens Financial (CFG) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY)
MetricCFGRY
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.61%15.73%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)0.93%10.90%
EPS Growth (YoY)27.39%--
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.99%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Citizens Financial (CFG) 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: Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY)
MetricCFGRY
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Royal Bank of Canada (RY) at 3.23% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Citizens Financial (CFG) at 2.88% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, RY the richer one.

CFG

Banks industry group

2.88%

Max
5.79%
Q3
3.18%
CFG
2.88%
Median
2.39%
Q1
1.20%
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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Citizens Financial (CFG) vs. Royal Bank of Canada (RY): 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 Royal Bank of Canada (RY) at 41.49% 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%

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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Citizens Financial (CFG) vs. Royal Bank of Canada (RY): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Citizens Financial (CFG) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY)
MetricCFGRY
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.88%3.23%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)37.17%41.49%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Citizens Financial (CFG) at 12.78 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Royal Bank of Canada (RY) at 17.58 sits in the richer quartile — RY needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

CFG

Banks industry group

12.78

Max
18.16
Q3
13.75
CFG
12.78
Median
11.81
Q1
10.64
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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Citizens Financial (CFG) 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 Citizens Financial (CFG) 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)

Citizens Financial (CFG) at 1.16 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Royal Bank of Canada (RY) at 2.92 prices above its benchmark range — RY 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

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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Citizens Financial (CFG) vs. Royal Bank of Canada (RY): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Citizens Financial (CFG) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY)
MetricCFGRY
P/E Ratio (TTM)12.7817.58
P/S Ratio (TTM)----
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.162.92
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----