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HSBC vs. NWG: HSBC vs. NatWest Stock Comparison

How do HSBC (HSBC) and NatWest (NWG) 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

HSBC (HSBC) and NatWest (NWG) are both classified in the Diversified Banks sub-industry within the broader Banks industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Both HSBC (HSBC) and NatWest (NWG) trade as ADRs — their core financials are comparable, but keep FX, depositary-program fees, and dividend withholding in view for each.

Company profile comparison for HSBC (HSBC) and NatWest (NWG)
Profile ItemHSBCNWG
NameHSBC Holdings plc Sponsored ADRNatWest Group plc Sponsored ADR
Country/RegionUnited KingdomUnited Kingdom
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupBanksBanks
GICS IndustryBanksBanks
GICS Sub-IndustryDiversified BanksDiversified Banks
Market Capitalization297.66 billion USD61.54 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJuly 16, 1999October 18, 2007
Security TypeADRADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

HSBC
NWG
GSPC
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HSBC (HSBC) vs. NatWest (NWG), 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 HSBC (HSBC) and NatWest (NWG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for HSBC (HSBC) and NatWest (NWG)
MetricHSBCNWG
Total Return (1Y)32.02%7.03%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)43.61%59.12%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)33.35%30.15%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

HSBC
NWG
GSPC
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HSBC (HSBC) vs. NatWest (NWG), 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 HSBC (HSBC) and NatWest (NWG). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for HSBC (HSBC) and NatWest (NWG)
MetricHSBCNWG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)28.54%33.39%
Beta (5Y)0.540.96
Max Drawdown (5Y)-31.80%-40.66%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.58M3.73M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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HSBC and NWG 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 HSBC (HSBC) and NatWest (NWG)
MetricHSBCNWG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.970.08
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.520.12

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both HSBC (HSBC) at 14.22% and NatWest (NWG) at 14.58% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

HSBC

Banks industry group

14.22%

Max
19.84%
HSBC
14.22%
Q3
13.67%
Median
11.49%
Q1
9.50%
Min
3.64%

NWG

Banks industry group

14.58%

Max
19.84%
NWG
14.58%
Q3
13.67%
Median
11.49%
Q1
9.50%
Min
3.64%
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HSBC (HSBC) vs. NatWest (NWG): A comparison of their ROE against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both HSBC (HSBC) at 41.16% and NatWest (NWG) at 36.93% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

HSBC

Banks industry group

41.16%

Max
47.19%
HSBC
41.16%
Q3
35.25%
Median
31.21%
Q1
27.11%
Min
14.93%

NWG

Banks industry group

36.93%

Max
47.19%
NWG
36.93%
Q3
35.25%
Median
31.21%
Q1
27.11%
Min
14.93%
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HSBC (HSBC) vs. NatWest (NWG): A comparison of their net margin against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for HSBC (HSBC) in Banks and NatWest (NWG) 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 HSBC (HSBC) and NatWest (NWG)
MetricHSBCNWG
ROE (TTM)14.22%14.58%
ROA (TTM)0.84%0.85%
Net Margin (TTM)41.16%36.93%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

NatWest (NWG) at 13.35% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while HSBC (HSBC) at 5.38% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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HSBC (HSBC) vs. NatWest (NWG): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

NatWest (NWG) at 26.93% 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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HSBC (HSBC) vs. NatWest (NWG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for HSBC (HSBC) and NatWest (NWG)
MetricHSBCNWG
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.38%13.35%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)9.75%7.55%
EPS Growth (YoY)-3.23%26.93%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)17.49%26.12%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: HSBC (HSBC) in Banks and NatWest (NWG) 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: HSBC (HSBC) in Banks and NatWest (NWG) 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 HSBC (HSBC) and NatWest (NWG)
MetricHSBCNWG
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

NatWest (NWG) at 2.19% pays a yield in its industry’s typical range, while HSBC (HSBC) at 0.86% falls in the bottom quartile of its peers.

HSBC

Banks industry group

0.86%

Max
5.79%
Q3
3.18%
Median
2.39%
Q1
1.20%
HSBC
0.86%
Min
0.00%

NWG

Banks industry group

2.19%

Max
5.79%
Q3
3.18%
Median
2.39%
NWG
2.19%
Q1
1.20%
Min
0.00%
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HSBC (HSBC) vs. NatWest (NWG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both HSBC (HSBC) at 53.57% and NatWest (NWG) at 47.43% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

HSBC

Banks industry group

53.57%

Max
70.75%
HSBC
53.57%
Q3
41.28%
Median
29.26%
Q1
18.98%
Min
0.00%

NWG

Banks industry group

47.43%

Max
70.75%
NWG
47.43%
Q3
41.28%
Median
29.26%
Q1
18.98%
Min
0.00%
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HSBC (HSBC) vs. NatWest (NWG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for HSBC (HSBC) and NatWest (NWG)
MetricHSBCNWG
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.86%2.19%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)53.57%47.43%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

NatWest (NWG) at 7.84 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while HSBC (HSBC) at 11.38 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for NWG, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

HSBC

Banks industry group

11.38

Max
18.16
Q3
13.75
Median
11.81
HSBC
11.38
Q1
10.64
Min
6.49

NWG

Banks industry group

7.84

Max
18.16
Q3
13.75
Median
11.81
Q1
10.64
NWG
7.84
Min
6.49
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HSBC (HSBC) vs. NatWest (NWG): 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 HSBC (HSBC) in Banks and NatWest (NWG) 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)

NatWest (NWG) at 1.20 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.

HSBC

Banks industry group

6.87

HSBC
6.87
Max
2.28
Q3
1.58
Median
1.32
Q1
1.10
Min
0.59

NWG

Banks industry group

1.20

Max
2.28
Q3
1.58
Median
1.32
NWG
1.20
Q1
1.10
Min
0.59
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HSBC (HSBC) vs. NatWest (NWG): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for HSBC (HSBC) and NatWest (NWG)
MetricHSBCNWG
P/E Ratio (TTM)11.387.84
P/S Ratio (TTM)----
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.871.20
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----