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COF vs. MS: Capital One Financial vs. Morgan Stanley Stock Comparison

How do Capital One Financial (COF) and Morgan Stanley (MS) 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

Capital One Financial (COF) and Morgan Stanley (MS) both fall under the Financial Services industry group, but COF is classified in Consumer Finance while MS is classified in Capital Markets.

Company profile comparison for Capital One Financial (COF) and Morgan Stanley (MS)
Profile ItemCOFMS
NameCapital One Financial Corp.Morgan Stanley Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupFinancial ServicesFinancial Services
GICS IndustryConsumer FinanceCapital Markets
GICS Sub-IndustryConsumer FinanceInvestment Banking & Brokerage
Market Capitalization121.43 billion USD283.60 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateNovember 16, 1994February 23, 1993
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

COF
MS
GSPC
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Capital One Financial (COF) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS), 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 Capital One Financial (COF) and Morgan Stanley (MS). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Capital One Financial (COF) and Morgan Stanley (MS). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Capital One Financial (COF) and Morgan Stanley (MS)
MetricCOFMS
Total Return (1Y)-5.89%19.44%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)26.49%40.69%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)7.24%17.38%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

COF
MS
GSPC
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Capital One Financial (COF) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS), 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 Capital One Financial (COF) and Morgan Stanley (MS). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Capital One Financial (COF) and Morgan Stanley (MS)
MetricCOFMS
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)31.21%29.73%
Beta (5Y)1.091.21
Max Drawdown (5Y)-45.56%-32.38%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.66M5.37M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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COF and MS 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 Capital One Financial (COF) and Morgan Stanley (MS)
MetricCOFMS
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.330.51
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.430.73

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Capital One Financial (COF) at 9.39% and Morgan Stanley (MS) at 18.04% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

COF

Financial Services industry group

9.39%

Max
44.78%
Q3
21.85%
Median
12.91%
COF
9.39%
Q1
4.48%
Min
-18.71%

MS

Financial Services industry group

18.04%

Max
44.78%
Q3
21.85%
MS
18.04%
Median
12.91%
Q1
4.48%
Min
-18.71%
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Capital One Financial (COF) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their ROE against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Capital One Financial (COF) at 22.23% and Morgan Stanley (MS) at 25.63% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

COF

Financial Services industry group

22.23%

Max
62.84%
Q3
28.05%
COF
22.23%
Median
15.36%
Q1
4.82%
Min
-28.52%

MS

Financial Services industry group

25.63%

Max
62.84%
Q3
28.05%
MS
25.63%
Median
15.36%
Q1
4.82%
Min
-28.52%
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Capital One Financial (COF) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their net margin against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Capital One Financial (COF) at 37.83% and Morgan Stanley (MS) at 39.00% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

COF

Financial Services industry group

37.83%

Max
107.33%
Q3
55.90%
COF
37.83%
Median
30.09%
Q1
14.60%
Min
-44.34%

MS

Financial Services industry group

39.00%

Max
107.33%
Q3
55.90%
MS
39.00%
Median
30.09%
Q1
14.60%
Min
-44.34%
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Capital One Financial (COF) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their operating margin against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Capital One Financial (COF) and Morgan Stanley (MS)
MetricCOFMS
ROE (TTM)9.39%18.04%
ROA (TTM)1.57%1.35%
Net Margin (TTM)22.23%25.63%
Operating Margin (TTM)37.83%39.00%
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Capital One Financial (COF) at 36.62% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Morgan Stanley (MS) at 14.48% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for COF.

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Capital One Financial (COF) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Morgan Stanley (MS) at 28.43% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Capital One Financial (COF) at -65.23% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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Capital One Financial (COF) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Capital One Financial (COF) and Morgan Stanley (MS)
MetricCOFMS
Revenue Growth (YoY)36.62%14.48%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)15.98%9.52%
EPS Growth (YoY)-65.23%28.43%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-39.18%18.41%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Capital One Financial (COF) in Financial Services and Morgan Stanley (MS) in Financial Services 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: Capital One Financial (COF) in Financial Services and Morgan Stanley (MS) in Financial Services 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 Capital One Financial (COF) and Morgan Stanley (MS)
MetricCOFMS
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Capital One Financial (COF) at 1.57% and Morgan Stanley (MS) at 2.40% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

COF

Financial Services industry group

1.57%

Max
9.77%
Q3
3.92%
COF
1.57%
Median
1.09%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MS

Financial Services industry group

2.40%

Max
9.77%
Q3
3.92%
MS
2.40%
Median
1.09%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Capital One Financial (COF) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Capital One Financial (COF) at 19.61% and Morgan Stanley (MS) at 32.91% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

COF

Financial Services industry group

19.61%

Max
241.07%
Q3
97.36%
Median
25.77%
COF
19.61%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MS

Financial Services industry group

32.91%

Max
241.07%
Q3
97.36%
MS
32.91%
Median
25.77%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Capital One Financial (COF) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Capital One Financial (COF) and Morgan Stanley (MS)
MetricCOFMS
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.57%2.40%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)19.61%32.91%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Capital One Financial (COF) at 12.37 and Morgan Stanley (MS) at 14.39 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

COF

Financial Services industry group

12.37

Max
45.85
Q3
24.64
Median
15.37
COF
12.37
Q1
9.68
Min
0.16

MS

Financial Services industry group

14.39

Max
45.85
Q3
24.64
Median
15.37
MS
14.39
Q1
9.68
Min
0.16
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Capital One Financial (COF) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Capital One Financial (COF) at 2.48 and Morgan Stanley (MS) at 3.55 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

COF

Financial Services industry group

2.48

Max
9.23
Q3
4.57
Median
2.72
COF
2.48
Q1
1.28
Min
-0.55

MS

Financial Services industry group

3.55

Max
9.23
Q3
4.57
MS
3.55
Median
2.72
Q1
1.28
Min
-0.55
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Capital One Financial (COF) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Capital One Financial (COF) at 1.15 and Morgan Stanley (MS) at 2.65 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

COF

Financial Services industry group

1.15

Max
7.79
Q3
3.63
Median
1.57
COF
1.15
Q1
0.81
Min
-0.39

MS

Financial Services industry group

2.65

Max
7.79
Q3
3.63
MS
2.65
Median
1.57
Q1
0.81
Min
-0.39
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Capital One Financial (COF) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Capital One Financial (COF) and Morgan Stanley (MS)
MetricCOFMS
P/E Ratio (TTM)12.3714.39
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.483.55
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.152.65
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----