COF vs. SYF: Capital One Financial vs. Synchrony Financial Stock Comparison
How do Capital One Financial (COF) and Synchrony Financial (SYF) 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 Synchrony Financial (SYF) are both classified in the Consumer Finance sub-industry within the broader Consumer Finance industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.
| Profile Item | COF | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Capital One Financial Corp. | Synchrony Financial |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Financials |
| GICS Industry Group | Financial Services | Financial Services |
| GICS Industry | Consumer Finance | Consumer Finance |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Consumer Finance | Consumer Finance |
| Market Capitalization | 121.43 billion USD | 23.99 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | November 16, 1994 | July 31, 2014 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | COF | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -5.89% | 2.84% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 26.49% | 39.02% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 7.24% | 10.89% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | COF | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 31.21% | 31.32% |
| Beta (5Y) | 1.09 | 1.40 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -45.56% | -44.60% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 3.66M | 3.37M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | COF | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -0.33 | -0.05 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -0.43 | -0.06 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Capital One Financial (COF) at 9.39% and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 19.83% 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%
SYF
Financial Services industry group
19.83%
- Max
- 44.78%
- Q3
- 21.85%
- SYF
- 19.83%
- Median
- 12.91%
- Q1
- 4.48%
- Min
- -18.71%
Net Margin (TTM)
Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 34.07% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Capital One Financial (COF) at 22.23%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.
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%
SYF
Financial Services industry group
34.07%
- Max
- 62.84%
- SYF
- 34.07%
- Q3
- 28.05%
- Median
- 15.36%
- Q1
- 4.82%
- Min
- -28.52%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Capital One Financial (COF) at 37.83% and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 49.84% 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%
SYF
Financial Services industry group
49.84%
- Max
- 107.33%
- Q3
- 55.90%
- SYF
- 49.84%
- Median
- 30.09%
- Q1
- 14.60%
- Min
- -44.34%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | COF | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 9.39% | 19.83% |
| ROA (TTM) | 1.57% | 2.78% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 22.23% | 34.07% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 37.83% | 49.84% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Capital One Financial (COF) at 36.62% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Synchrony Financial (SYF) at -0.50% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in revenue momentum.
EPS Growth
Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 8.54% 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.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | COF | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 36.62% | -0.50% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 15.98% | 8.67% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -65.23% | 8.54% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -39.18% | 14.70% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Capital One Financial (COF) in Financial Services and Synchrony Financial (SYF) 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 Synchrony Financial (SYF) 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
| Metric | COF | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -- | -- |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Both Capital One Financial (COF) at 1.57% and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 1.67% 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%
SYF
Financial Services industry group
1.67%
- Max
- 9.77%
- Q3
- 3.92%
- SYF
- 1.67%
- Median
- 1.09%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Both Capital One Financial (COF) at 19.61% and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 12.94% 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%
SYF
Financial Services industry group
12.94%
- Max
- 241.07%
- Q3
- 97.36%
- Median
- 25.77%
- SYF
- 12.94%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | COF | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.57% | 1.67% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 19.61% | 12.94% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 7.70 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Capital One Financial (COF) at 12.37 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for SYF, though growth and earnings durability still matter.
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
SYF
Financial Services industry group
7.70
- Max
- 45.85
- Q3
- 24.64
- Median
- 15.37
- Q1
- 9.68
- SYF
- 7.70
- Min
- 0.16
P/S Ratio (TTM)
On P/S ratio, both Capital One Financial (COF) at 2.48 and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 2.45 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
SYF
Financial Services industry group
2.45
- Max
- 9.23
- Q3
- 4.57
- Median
- 2.72
- SYF
- 2.45
- Q1
- 1.28
- Min
- -0.55
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
On P/B ratio, both Capital One Financial (COF) at 1.15 and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 1.55 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
SYF
Financial Services industry group
1.55
- Max
- 7.79
- Q3
- 3.63
- Median
- 1.57
- SYF
- 1.55
- Q1
- 0.81
- Min
- -0.39
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | COF | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 12.37 | 7.70 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 2.48 | 2.45 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 1.15 | 1.55 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |