NLY vs. SYF: Annaly Capital Management vs. Synchrony Financial Stock Comparison
How do Annaly Capital Management (NLY) 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
Annaly Capital Management (NLY) and Synchrony Financial (SYF) both fall under the Financial Services industry group, but NLY is classified in Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) while SYF is classified in Consumer Finance.
Synchrony Financial (SYF) is an ordinary operating company, while Annaly Capital Management (NLY) is a REIT — read its payout ratio and P/E alongside FFO (funds from operations) rather than comparing them directly to SYF’s multiples.
| Profile Item | NLY | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Annaly Capital Management, Inc. | Synchrony Financial |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Financials |
| GICS Industry Group | Financial Services | Financial Services |
| GICS Industry | Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) | Consumer Finance |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Mortgage REITs | Consumer Finance |
| Market Capitalization | 14.77 billion USD | 23.99 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | October 8, 1997 | July 31, 2014 |
| Security Type | REIT | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | NLY | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -0.90% | 2.84% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 19.10% | 39.02% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 1.83% | 10.89% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | NLY | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 20.57% | 31.32% |
| Beta (5Y) | 1.22 | 1.40 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -49.57% | -44.60% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 10.28M | 3.37M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | NLY | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -0.25 | -0.05 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -0.36 | -0.06 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Annaly Capital Management (NLY) at 7.35% 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.
NLY
Financial Services industry group
7.35%
- Max
- 44.78%
- Q3
- 21.85%
- Median
- 12.91%
- NLY
- 7.35%
- 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)
Annaly Capital Management (NLY) at 80.27% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 34.07% also retains a top-quartile share.
NLY
Financial Services industry group
80.27%
- NLY
- 80.27%
- Max
- 62.84%
- Q3
- 28.05%
- 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)
Annaly Capital Management (NLY) at 107.33% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 49.84%, which runs around its industry’s norm.
NLY
Financial Services industry group
107.33%
- NLY
- 107.33%
- Max
- 107.33%
- Q3
- 55.90%
- 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 | NLY | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 7.35% | 19.83% |
| ROA (TTM) | 0.84% | 2.78% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 80.27% | 34.07% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 107.33% | 49.84% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Annaly Capital Management (NLY) at 87.29% delivers above-range revenue growth, while Synchrony Financial (SYF) at -0.50% falls into the bottom quartile — a wide split in revenue momentum.
EPS Growth
Annaly Capital Management (NLY) at 80.25% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 8.54% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for NLY.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | NLY | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 87.29% | -0.50% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 4.72% | 8.67% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 80.25% | 8.54% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -9.35% | 14.70% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Annaly Capital Management (NLY) 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: Annaly Capital Management (NLY) 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 | NLY | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -- | -- |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 1.67% pays an industry-typical yield; Annaly Capital Management (NLY) at 15.38% is above its entire peer range — the higher number, but one that calls for a look at payout sustainability before treating it as an advantage.
NLY
Financial Services industry group
15.38%
- NLY
- 15.38%
- Max
- 9.77%
- Q3
- 3.92%
- 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)
Annaly Capital Management (NLY) reports payout ratio above 100% at 201.39%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Synchrony Financial (SYF) reports 12.94%, ranking against industry peers normally.
NLY
Financial Services industry group
201.39%
- Max
- 241.07%
- NLY
- 201.39%
- Q3
- 97.36%
- Median
- 25.77%
- 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 | NLY | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 15.38% | 1.67% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 201.39% | 12.94% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 7.70 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Annaly Capital Management (NLY) at 13.02 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for SYF, though growth and earnings durability still matter.
NLY
Financial Services industry group
13.02
- Max
- 45.85
- Q3
- 24.64
- Median
- 15.37
- NLY
- 13.02
- 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)
Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 2.45 prices around its industry’s typical P/S ratio, while Annaly Capital Management (NLY) at 10.62 clears its benchmark range — NLY looks notably rich on sales.
NLY
Financial Services industry group
10.62
- NLY
- 10.62
- Max
- 9.23
- Q3
- 4.57
- Median
- 2.72
- 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 Annaly Capital Management (NLY) at 1.05 and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 1.55 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.
NLY
Financial Services industry group
1.05
- Max
- 7.79
- Q3
- 3.63
- Median
- 1.57
- NLY
- 1.05
- 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 | NLY | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 13.02 | 7.70 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 10.62 | 2.45 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 1.05 | 1.55 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |