Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Barclays PLC (BCS) vs JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) vs Bank of America Corporation (BAC) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | JPM | 14.6% revenue growth vs BCS's -48.0% |
| Value | BCS | Lower P/E (11.3x vs 11.5x), PEG 0.30 vs 0.75 |
| Quality / Margins | BCS | 26.7% net margin vs BAC's 16.2% |
| Stability / Safety | BAC | Beta 0.99 vs BCS's 1.15, lower leverage |
| Dividends | BCS | 3.4% yield, 5-year raise streak, vs BAC's 2.5% |
| Momentum (1Y) | BCS | +57.9% vs BAC's +10.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | JPM | 1.3% ROA vs BCS's 0.5%, ROIC 5.4% vs 1.8% |
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
Barclays is a major British multinational universal bank offering retail, corporate, and investment banking services globally. It generates revenue primarily through interest income from lending activities (roughly 60%) and fees from investment banking, wealth management, and credit card services (roughly 40%). Its key competitive advantage lies in its diversified revenue streams across retail and investment banking, coupled with its strong UK retail franchise and global investment banking presence.
JPMorgan Chase is a global financial services giant that operates as a universal bank offering consumer banking, investment banking, commercial banking, and asset management services. It generates revenue primarily through net interest income from lending activities (about 50% of total revenue) and non-interest income from investment banking fees, trading, asset management, and card services. The company's key competitive advantage lies in its massive scale, diversified revenue streams, and fortress balance sheet—which together create significant barriers to entry and provide stability through economic cycles.
Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions providing comprehensive banking and financial services to consumers, businesses, and institutions. It generates revenue primarily through net interest income from its massive loan portfolio — about 60% of total revenue — supplemented by fees from investment banking, wealth management, and trading activities. The company's key advantage is its massive scale and nationwide branch network — the second-largest in the U.S. — which creates a stable deposit base and cross-selling opportunities across its diverse financial services ecosystem.
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 3 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
BCS leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). JPM leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
JPM is the larger business by revenue, generating $270.8B annually — 10.1x BCS's $26.8B. BCS is the more profitable business, keeping 26.7% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to BAC's 16.2%.
| Metric | BCSBarclays PLC | JPMJPMorgan Chase & … | BACBank of America C… |
|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $26.8B | $270.8B | $188.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $5.7B | $81.3B | $36.6B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $7.2B | $58.0B | $30.6B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $0 | -$119.7B | $12.6B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +100.0% | +58.6% | +55.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +34.7% | +27.7% | +18.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +26.7% | +21.6% | +16.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -30.1% | -15.5% | +6.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +36.0% | +16.0% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 11.0x trailing earnings, BCS trades at a 28% valuation discount to JPM's 15.2x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), BCS offers better value at 0.30x vs JPM's 1.17x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | BCSBarclays PLC | JPMJPMorgan Chase & … | BACBank of America C… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $83.7B | $809.7B | $379.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $356.7B | $1.09T | $513.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 11.00x | 15.21x | 13.04x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 11.28x | 13.93x | 11.52x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.30x | 1.17x | 0.85x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 28.47x | 13.15x | 14.02x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.32x | 2.99x | 2.01x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.84x | 2.51x | 1.24x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — | 30.07x |
Profitability & Efficiency
JPM delivers a 16.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $16 in annual profit, vs $9 for BCS. BAC carries lower financial leverage with a 1.21x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to BCS's 5.59x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), BAC scores 7/9 vs JPM's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | BCSBarclays PLC | JPMJPMorgan Chase & … | BACBank of America C… |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +9.2% | +16.1% | +10.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +0.5% | +1.3% | +0.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +1.8% | +5.4% | +3.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +0.9% | +8.2% | +4.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 5.59x | 2.18x | 1.21x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$63.3B | $281.8B | $134.1B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $234.1B | $469.3B | $231.8B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $437.0B | $751.1B | $365.9B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 0.74x | 0.44x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in BCS five years ago would be worth $29,199 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $15,219 for BAC. Over the past 12 months, BCS leads with a +57.9% total return vs BAC's +10.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors BCS at 44.6% vs BAC's 15.5% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | BCSBarclays PLC | JPMJPMorgan Chase & … | BACBank of America C… |
|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -5.6% | -7.3% | -10.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +57.9% | +15.7% | +10.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +202.3% | +119.7% | +54.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +192.0% | +114.5% | +52.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +192.5% | +497.7% | +355.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +44.6% | +30.0% | +15.5% |
Risk & Volatility
BAC is the less volatile stock with a 0.99 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than BCS's 1.15 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | BCSBarclays PLC | JPMJPMorgan Chase & … | BACBank of America C… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.15x | 1.00x | 0.99x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $27.70 | $337.25 | $57.55 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $12.14 | $202.16 | $33.07 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +87.7% | +89.0% | +86.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 45.0 | 48.1 | 45.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 4.9M | 9.0M | 30.7M |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: BCS as "Buy", JPM as "Buy", BAC as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 21.1% upside for BAC (target: $60) vs 11.9% for JPM (target: $336). For income investors, BCS offers the higher dividend yield at 3.35% vs JPM's 1.71%.
| Metric | BCSBarclays PLC | JPMJPMorgan Chase & … | BACBank of America C… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $29.00 | $336.10 | $60.33 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 24 | 60 | 53 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.4% | +1.7% | +2.5% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 5 | 14 | 6 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.61 | $5.13 | $1.27 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +9.9% | +3.5% | +5.7% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barclays PLC (BCS) | 100 | 366.31 | +266.3% |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) | 100 | 253.57 | +153.6% |
| Bank of America Cor… (BAC) | 100 | 183.96 | +84.0% |
Barclays PLC (BCS) returned +192% over 5 years vs Bank of America Cor… (BAC)'s +52%. A $10,000 investment in BCS 5 years ago would be worth $29,199 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barclays PLC (BCS) | $21.5B | $26.8B | +25.0% |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) | $106.4B | $270.8B | +154.5% |
| Bank of America Cor… (BAC) | $93.7B | $188.8B | +101.5% |
Barclays PLC's revenue grew from $21.5B (2016) to $26.8B (2025) — a 2.5% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barclays PLC (BCS) | 9.7% | 26.7% | +175.8% |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) | 23.2% | 21.6% | -7.1% |
| Bank of America Cor… (BAC) | 19.0% | 16.2% | -14.7% |
Barclays PLC's net margin went from 10% (2016) to 27% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barclays PLC (BCS) | 20.4 | 15.5 | -24.0% |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) | 16.9 | 12.1 | -28.4% |
| Bank of America Cor… (BAC) | 18.9 | 14.4 | -23.8% |
Barclays PLC has traded in a 7x–24x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~11x. JPMorgan Chase & Co. has traded in a 10x–17x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~15x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barclays PLC (BCS) | 0.4 | 1.64 | +310.0% |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) | 6.19 | 19.75 | +219.1% |
| Bank of America Cor… (BAC) | 1.5 | 3.82 | +154.7% |
Barclays PLC's EPS grew from $0.40 (2016) to $1.64 (2025) — a 17% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Barclays PLC generated $-8B FCF in 2025 (-117% vs 2021). JPMorgan Chase & Co. generated $-42B FCF in 2024 (-154% vs 2021).
BCS vs JPM vs BAC: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is BCS or JPM or BAC a better buy right now?
Barclays PLC (BCS) offers the better valuation at 11.0x trailing P/E (11.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Barclays PLC (BCS) a "Buy" — based on 24 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 — BCS or JPM or BAC?
On trailing P/E, Barclays PLC (BCS) is the cheapest at 11.0x versus JPMorgan Chase & Co. at 15.2x. On forward P/E, Barclays PLC is actually cheaper at 11.3x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Barclays PLC wins at 0.30x versus JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s 1.07x — a PEG below 1.0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — BCS or JPM or BAC?
Over the past 5 years, Barclays PLC (BCS) delivered a total return of +192.0%, compared to +52.2% for Bank of America Corporation (BAC). A $10,000 investment in BCS five years ago would be worth approximately $29K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: JPM returned +497.7% versus BCS's +192.5%. 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 — BCS or JPM or BAC?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Bank of America Corporation (BAC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.99β versus Barclays PLC's 1.15β — meaning BCS is approximately 16% more volatile than BAC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Bank of America Corporation (BAC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 121% versus 6% for Barclays PLC — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — BCS or JPM or BAC?
Barclays PLC (BCS) is the more profitable company, earning 26.7% net margin versus 16.2% for Bank of America Corporation — meaning it keeps 26.7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BCS leads at 34.7% versus 18.5% for BAC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BCS leads at 100.0%, 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 BCS or JPM or BAC 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, Barclays PLC (BCS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.30x versus JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s 1.07x. A PEG below 1.0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Barclays PLC (BCS) trades at 11.3x forward P/E versus 13.9x for JPMorgan Chase & Co. — 2.7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BAC: 21.1% to $60.33.
07Which pays a better dividend — BCS or JPM or BAC?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Barclays PLC (BCS) offers the highest yield at 3.4%, versus 1.7% for JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM).
08Is BCS or JPM or BAC better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.00), 1.7% yield, +497.7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (JPM: +497.7%, BCS: +192.5%), 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 BCS and JPM and BAC?
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.
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