Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) vs Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | COF | 9.0% revenue growth vs AGM's -0.8% |
| Value | AGM | Lower P/E (8.4x vs 9.7x), PEG 0.56 vs 10.08 |
| Quality / Margins | AGM | 11.3% net margin vs COF's 8.8% |
| Stability / Safety | AGM | Beta 0.67 vs COF's 1.53 |
| Dividends | AGM | 5.1% yield, 14-year raise streak, vs COF's 1.2% |
| Momentum (1Y) | COF | -1.1% vs AGM's -21.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AGM | 0.5% ROA vs COF's 0.2% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac) is a government-sponsored enterprise that provides a secondary market for agricultural and rural infrastructure loans in the United States. It makes money primarily through guarantee fees on loan-backed securities (about 60% of revenue) and net interest income from its retained loan portfolio (about 40%). Its key advantage is its government-sponsored status, which provides lower funding costs and regulatory advantages in the agricultural lending market.
Capital One is a diversified financial services company that operates primarily as a credit card issuer and consumer bank. It generates revenue through three main segments: credit card interest and fees (its largest segment), consumer banking services, and commercial banking operations. The company's key advantage lies in its sophisticated data analytics and technology platform—which enables targeted marketing and risk assessment—coupled with its direct banking model that reduces physical branch costs.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
AGM leads in 2 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Analyst Outlook). COF leads in 1 (Financial Metrics). 3 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
COF is the larger business by revenue, generating $53.9B annually — 33.5x AGM's $1.6B. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 11.3% (AGM) to 8.8% (COF).
| Metric | AGMFederal Agricultu… | COFCapital One Finan… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.6B | $53.9B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $0 | $6.1B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $182M | $1.4B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $80M | $20.8B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | +50.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | — | +11.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +11.3% | +8.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +5.0% | +31.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -20.1% | +9.5% |
Valuation Metrics
At 9.5x trailing earnings, AGM trades at a 44% valuation discount to COF's 16.9x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), AGM offers better value at 0.63x vs COF's 10.08x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | AGMFederal Agricultu… | COFCapital One Finan… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.5B | $124.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $31.4B | $126.7B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 9.48x | 16.88x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 8.36x | 9.67x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.63x | 10.08x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 13.85x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.91x | 2.31x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.01x | 1.23x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 18.36x | 7.34x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AGM delivers a 10.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $11 in annual profit, vs $1 for COF. COF carries lower financial leverage with a 0.75x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to AGM's 17.93x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), COF scores 5/9 vs AGM's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | AGMFederal Agricultu… | COFCapital One Finan… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +10.6% | +1.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +0.5% | +0.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | +4.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | — | +4.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 17.93x | 0.75x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $29.9B | $2.3B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $931M | $43.2B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $30.8B | $45.6B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 0.11x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AGM five years ago would be worth $20,353 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $16,819 for COF. Over the past 12 months, COF leads with a -1.1% total return vs AGM's -21.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors COF at 23.1% vs AGM's 7.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | AGMFederal Agricultu… | COFCapital One Finan… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -10.6% | -20.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -21.7% | -1.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +22.4% | +86.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +103.5% | +68.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +491.0% | +228.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +7.0% | +23.1% |
Risk & Volatility
AGM is the less volatile stock with a 0.67 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than COF's 1.53 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | AGMFederal Agricultu… | COFCapital One Finan… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.67x | 1.53x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $210.78 | $259.64 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $146.69 | $143.22 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +74.8% | +75.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 42.9 | 45.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 90K | 4.5M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates AGM as "Buy" and COF as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 47.8% upside for AGM (target: $233) vs 39.9% for COF (target: $274). For income investors, AGM offers the higher dividend yield at 5.15% vs COF's 1.24%.
| Metric | AGMFederal Agricultu… | COFCapital One Finan… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $233.00 | $273.62 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 5 | 56 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +5.1% | +1.2% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 14 | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $8.12 | $2.43 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.9% | +0.6% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Agricultura… (AGM) | 100 | 226.38 | +126.4% |
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | 100 | 244.54 | +144.5% |
Federal Agricultura… (AGM) returned +104% over 5 years vs Capital One Financi… (COF)'s +68%. A $10,000 investment in AGM 5 years ago would be worth $20,353 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Agricultura… (AGM) | $332M | $1.6B | +385.1% |
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | $27.5B | $53.9B | +96.0% |
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation's revenue grew from $332M (2016) to $1.6B (2025) — a 19.2% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Agricultura… (AGM) | 23.3% | 11.3% | -51.4% |
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | 13.6% | 8.8% | -35.4% |
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation's net margin went from 23% (2016) to 11% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Agricultura… (AGM) | 11.9 | 10.6 | -10.9% |
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | 28.5 | 15.4 | -46.0% |
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation has traded in a 7x–12x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~9x. Capital One Financial Corporation has traded in a 5x–29x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~17x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Agricultura… (AGM) | 5.97 | 16.63 | +178.6% |
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | 6.89 | 11.59 | +68.2% |
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation's EPS grew from $5.97 (2016) to $16.63 (2025) — a 12% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation generated $80M FCF in 2025 (-82% vs 2021). Capital One Financial Corporation generated $17B FCF in 2024 (+46% vs 2021).
AGM vs COF: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AGM or COF a better buy right now?
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) offers the better valuation at 9.5x trailing P/E (8.4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) a "Buy" — based on 5 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — AGM or COF?
On trailing P/E, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) is the cheapest at 9.5x versus Capital One Financial Corporation at 16.9x. On forward P/E, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation is actually cheaper at 8.4x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation wins at 0.56x versus Capital One Financial Corporation's 10.08x — a PEG below 1.0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — AGM or COF?
Over the past 5 years, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) delivered a total return of +103.5%, compared to +68.2% for Capital One Financial Corporation (COF). A $10,000 investment in AGM five years ago would be worth approximately $20K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AGM returned +491.0% versus COF's +228.4%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — AGM or COF?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) is the lower-risk stock at 0.67β versus Capital One Financial Corporation's 1.53β — meaning COF is approximately 128% more volatile than AGM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 75% versus 18% for Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — AGM or COF?
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) is the more profitable company, earning 11.3% net margin versus 8.8% for Capital One Financial Corporation — meaning it keeps 11.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: COF leads at 11.0% versus 0.0% for AGM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — COF leads at 50.8%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is AGM or COF more undervalued right now?
The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential. By this metric, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.56x versus Capital One Financial Corporation's 10.08x. A PEG below 1.0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) trades at 8.4x forward P/E versus 9.7x for Capital One Financial Corporation — 1.3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AGM: 47.8% to $233.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — AGM or COF?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) offers the highest yield at 5.1%, versus 1.2% for Capital One Financial Corporation (COF).
08Is AGM or COF better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.67), 5.1% yield, +491.0% 10Y return). Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) carries a higher beta of 1.53 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (AGM: +491.0%, COF: +228.4%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between AGM and COF?
Both stocks operate in the Financial Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.