Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Citigroup Inc. (C) 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 BAC's -1.9% |
| Value | C | Lower P/E (10.7x vs 13.9x) |
| Quality / Margins | JPM | 21.6% net margin vs C's 7.4% |
| Stability / Safety | BAC | Beta 0.99 vs C's 1.30, lower leverage |
| Dividends | BAC | 2.5% yield, 6-year raise streak, vs JPM's 1.7% |
| Momentum (1Y) | C | +40.8% vs BAC's +10.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | JPM | 1.3% ROA vs C's 0.6%, ROIC 5.4% vs 1.6% |
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
Citigroup is a global financial services giant operating through two main divisions: Global Consumer Banking serving retail customers and Institutional Clients Group serving corporations and institutions. It generates revenue primarily from interest income on loans and securities (about 60%) and non-interest income from investment banking, trading, and card fees (about 40%). The company's key advantage is its unparalleled global network spanning nearly 100 countries—particularly strong in emerging markets—which provides unique cross-border banking capabilities for multinational clients.
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
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 3 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
JPM leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). C leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
JPM is the larger business by revenue, generating $270.8B annually — 1.6x C's $170.7B. JPM is the more profitable business, keeping 21.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to C's 7.4%.
| Metric | CCitigroup Inc. | JPMJPMorgan Chase & … | BACBank of America C… |
|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $170.7B | $270.8B | $188.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $24.1B | $81.3B | $36.6B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $14.7B | $58.0B | $30.6B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$76.0B | -$119.7B | $12.6B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +41.7% | +58.6% | +55.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +10.0% | +27.7% | +18.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +7.4% | +21.6% | +16.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -15.3% | -15.5% | +6.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +23.2% | +16.0% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 13.0x trailing earnings, BAC trades at a 30% valuation discount to C's 18.5x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), BAC offers better value at 0.85x vs JPM's 1.17x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | CCitigroup Inc. | JPMJPMorgan Chase & … | BACBank of America C… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $192.6B | $809.7B | $379.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $506.6B | $1.09T | $513.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 18.52x | 15.21x | 13.04x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 10.69x | 13.93x | 11.52x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.17x | 0.85x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 23.72x | 13.15x | 14.02x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.13x | 2.99x | 2.01x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.00x | 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 $7 for C. BAC carries lower financial leverage with a 1.21x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to C's 2.82x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), BAC scores 7/9 vs JPM's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | CCitigroup Inc. | JPMJPMorgan Chase & … | BACBank of America C… |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +6.9% | +16.1% | +10.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +0.6% | +1.3% | +0.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +1.6% | +5.4% | +3.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +3.0% | +8.2% | +4.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 2.82x | 2.18x | 1.21x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $314.0B | $281.8B | $134.1B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $276.5B | $469.3B | $231.8B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $590.6B | $751.1B | $365.9B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.24x | 0.74x | 0.44x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in JPM five years ago would be worth $21,449 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $15,219 for BAC. Over the past 12 months, C leads with a +40.8% total return vs BAC's +10.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors C at 32.1% vs BAC's 15.5% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CCitigroup Inc. | JPMJPMorgan Chase & … | BACBank of America C… |
|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -6.6% | -7.3% | -10.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +40.8% | +15.7% | +10.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +130.6% | +119.7% | +54.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +74.0% | +114.5% | +52.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +230.3% | +497.7% | +355.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +32.1% | +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 C's 1.30 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | CCitigroup Inc. | JPMJPMorgan Chase & … | BACBank of America C… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.30x | 1.00x | 0.99x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $125.16 | $337.25 | $57.55 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $55.51 | $202.16 | $33.07 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +88.1% | +89.0% | +86.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 51.7 | 48.1 | 45.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 11.9M | 9.0M | 30.7M |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: C 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, BAC offers the higher dividend yield at 2.54% vs JPM's 1.71%.
| Metric | CCitigroup Inc. | JPMJPMorgan Chase & … | BACBank of America C… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $132.09 | $336.10 | $60.33 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 26 | 60 | 53 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.5% | +1.7% | +2.5% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 3 | 14 | 6 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.73 | $5.13 | $1.27 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +3.9% | +3.5% | +5.7% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citigroup Inc. (C) | 100 | 171.96 | +72.0% |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) | 100 | 253.57 | +153.6% |
| Bank of America Cor… (BAC) | 100 | 183.96 | +84.0% |
Citigroup Inc. (C) returned +74% over 5 years vs Bank of America Cor… (BAC)'s +74%. A $10,000 investment in C 5 years ago would be worth $17,396 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citigroup Inc. (C) | $83.3B | $170.7B | +104.9% |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) | $106.4B | $270.8B | +154.5% |
| Bank of America Cor… (BAC) | $93.7B | $188.8B | +101.5% |
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citigroup Inc. (C) | 17.9% | 7.4% | -58.5% |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) | 23.2% | 21.6% | -7.1% |
| Bank of America Cor… (BAC) | 19.0% | 16.2% | -14.7% |
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citigroup Inc. (C) | 7.8 | 11.8 | +51.3% |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) | 16.9 | 12.1 | -28.4% |
| Bank of America Cor… (BAC) | 18.9 | 14.4 | -23.8% |
Citigroup Inc. has traded in a 6x–13x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~19x. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citigroup Inc. (C) | 4.74 | 5.95 | +25.5% |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) | 6.19 | 19.75 | +219.1% |
| Bank of America Cor… (BAC) | 1.5 | 3.82 | +154.7% |
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Citigroup Inc. generated $-26B FCF in 2024 (-161% vs 2021). JPMorgan Chase & Co. generated $-42B FCF in 2024 (-154% vs 2021).
C vs JPM vs BAC: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is C or JPM or BAC a better buy right now?
Bank of America Corporation (BAC) offers the better valuation at 13.0x trailing P/E (11.5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Citigroup Inc. (C) a "Buy" — based on 26 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 — C or JPM or BAC?
On trailing P/E, Bank of America Corporation (BAC) is the cheapest at 13.0x versus Citigroup Inc. at 18.5x. On forward P/E, Citigroup Inc. is actually cheaper at 10.7x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Bank of America Corporation wins at 0.75x 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 — C or JPM or BAC?
Over the past 5 years, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) delivered a total return of +114.5%, compared to +52.2% for Bank of America Corporation (BAC). A $10,000 investment in JPM five years ago would be worth approximately $21K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: JPM returned +497.7% versus C's +230.3%. 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 — C 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 Citigroup Inc.'s 1.30β — meaning C is approximately 31% 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 3% for Citigroup Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — C or JPM or BAC?
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) is the more profitable company, earning 21.6% net margin versus 7.4% for Citigroup Inc. — meaning it keeps 21.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: JPM leads at 27.7% versus 10.0% for C. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — JPM leads at 58.6%, 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 C 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, Bank of America Corporation (BAC) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.75x 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, Citigroup Inc. (C) trades at 10.7x forward P/E versus 13.9x for JPMorgan Chase & Co. — 3.2x 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 — C or JPM or BAC?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Bank of America Corporation (BAC) offers the highest yield at 2.5%, versus 1.7% for JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM).
08Is C 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%, C: +230.3%), 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 C 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. In terms of investment character: C is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; JPM is a large-cap deep-value stock; BAC is a large-cap deep-value stock. 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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