Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Credit Acceptance Corporation (CACC) vs Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) 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 | CACC | 13.5% revenue growth vs COF's 9.0% |
| Value | COF | Lower P/E (9.7x vs 10.2x) |
| Quality / Margins | CACC | 11.6% net margin vs COF's 8.8% |
| Stability / Safety | CACC | Beta 1.13 vs COF's 1.53 |
| Dividends | COF | 1.2% yield; 2-year raise streak; CACC pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | COF | -1.1% vs CACC's -3.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CACC | 5.3% ROA vs COF's 0.2%, ROIC 3.3% vs 4.1% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Credit Acceptance Corporation is a specialty finance company that provides auto loan financing programs to independent and franchised car dealers across the United States. It makes money primarily through interest income from consumer auto loans — which it either purchases from dealers or services for them — and secondarily through reinsurance premiums from vehicle service contracts. The company's key advantage is its proprietary credit scoring technology and extensive dealer network, which allow it to profitably serve subprime borrowers that traditional lenders often avoid.
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
COF leads in 3 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). CACC leads in 2 (Financial Metrics, Risk & Volatility).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
COF is the larger business by revenue, generating $53.9B annually — 25.3x CACC's $2.1B. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 11.6% (CACC) to 8.8% (COF).
| Metric | CACCCredit Acceptance… | COFCapital One Finan… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $2.1B | $53.9B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $598M | $6.1B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $454M | $1.4B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $1.1B | $20.8B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +62.4% | +50.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +15.2% | +11.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +11.6% | +8.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +53.2% | +31.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +48.5% | +9.5% |
Valuation Metrics
At 16.9x trailing earnings, COF trades at a 29% valuation discount to CACC's 23.8x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, COF's 13.9x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CACC's 30.4x.
| Metric | CACCCredit Acceptance… | COFCapital One Finan… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $5.2B | $124.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $10.7B | $126.7B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 23.80x | 16.88x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 10.24x | 9.67x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 10.08x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 30.41x | 13.85x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.45x | 2.31x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.37x | 1.23x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 4.60x | 7.34x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CACC delivers a 28.7% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $29 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 CACC's 3.63x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), COF scores 5/9 vs CACC's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | CACCCredit Acceptance… | COFCapital One Finan… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +28.7% | +1.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +5.3% | +0.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +3.3% | +4.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +3.6% | +4.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 3.63x | 0.75x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $5.5B | $2.3B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $845M | $43.2B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $6.4B | $45.6B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 0.11x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in COF five years ago would be worth $16,819 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $12,502 for CACC. Over the past 12 months, COF leads with a -1.1% total return vs CACC's -3.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors COF at 23.1% vs CACC's 2.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CACCCredit Acceptance… | COFCapital One Finan… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +4.2% | -20.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -3.9% | -1.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +6.5% | +86.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +25.0% | +68.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +140.1% | +228.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +2.1% | +23.1% |
Risk & Volatility
CACC is the less volatile stock with a 1.13 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. CACC currently trades 86.1% from its 52-week high vs COF's 75.4% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CACCCredit Acceptance… | COFCapital One Finan… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.13x | 1.53x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $549.75 | $259.64 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $401.90 | $143.22 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +86.1% | +75.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 50.7 | 45.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 151K | 4.5M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CACC as "Hold" and COF as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 39.9% upside for COF (target: $274) vs 1.4% for CACC (target: $480). COF is the only dividend payer here at 1.24% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | CACCCredit Acceptance… | COFCapital One Finan… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $480.00 | $273.62 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 18 | 56 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +1.2% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $2.43 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +6.0% | +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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Acceptance C… (CACC) | 100 | 128.57 | +28.6% |
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | 100 | 244.54 | +144.5% |
Capital One Financi… (COF) returned +68% over 5 years vs Credit Acceptance C… (CACC)'s +25%. A $10,000 investment in COF 5 years ago would be worth $16,819 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Acceptance C… (CACC) | $824M | $2.1B | +159.1% |
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | $25.0B | $53.9B | +115.4% |
Credit Acceptance Corporation's revenue grew from $824M (2015) to $2.1B (2024) — a 11.2% CAGR. Capital One Financial Corporation's revenue grew from $25.0B (2015) to $53.9B (2024) — a 8.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Acceptance C… (CACC) | 36.4% | 11.6% | -68.1% |
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | 16.2% | 8.8% | -45.6% |
Credit Acceptance Corporation's net margin went from 36% (2015) to 12% (2024). Capital One Financial Corporation's net margin went from 16% (2015) to 9% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Acceptance C… (CACC) | 13.5 | 23.6 | +74.8% |
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | 28.5 | 15.4 | -46.0% |
Credit Acceptance Corporation has traded in a 12x–24x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~24x. 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 | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Acceptance C… (CACC) | 14.28 | 19.88 | +39.2% |
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | 7.07 | 11.59 | +63.9% |
Credit Acceptance Corporation's EPS grew from $14.28 (2015) to $19.88 (2024) — a 4% CAGR. Capital One Financial Corporation's EPS grew from $7.07 (2015) to $11.59 (2024) — a 6% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Credit Acceptance Corporation generated $1B FCF in 2024 (+7% vs 2021). Capital One Financial Corporation generated $17B FCF in 2024 (+46% vs 2021).
CACC vs COF: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CACC or COF a better buy right now?
Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) offers the better valuation at 16.9x trailing P/E (9.7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) a "Buy" — based on 56 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 — CACC or COF?
On trailing P/E, Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) is the cheapest at 16.9x versus Credit Acceptance Corporation at 23.8x. On forward P/E, Capital One Financial Corporation is actually cheaper at 9.7x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CACC or COF?
Over the past 5 years, Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) delivered a total return of +68.2%, compared to +25.0% for Credit Acceptance Corporation (CACC). A $10,000 investment in COF five years ago would be worth approximately $17K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: COF returned +228.4% versus CACC's +140.1%. 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 — CACC or COF?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Credit Acceptance Corporation (CACC) is the lower-risk stock at 1.13β versus Capital One Financial Corporation's 1.53β — meaning COF is approximately 35% more volatile than CACC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 75% versus 4% for Credit Acceptance Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CACC or COF?
Credit Acceptance Corporation (CACC) is the more profitable company, earning 11.6% net margin versus 8.8% for Capital One Financial Corporation — meaning it keeps 11.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CACC leads at 15.2% versus 11.0% for COF. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CACC leads at 62.4%, 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 CACC or COF more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) trades at 9.7x forward P/E versus 10.2x for Credit Acceptance Corporation — 0.6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for COF: 39.9% to $273.62.
07Which pays a better dividend — CACC or COF?
In this comparison, COF (1.2% yield) pays a dividend. CACC does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is CACC or COF better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (1.2% yield, +228.4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (COF: +228.4%, CACC: +140.1%), 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 CACC 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. In terms of investment character: CACC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; COF is a mid-cap deep-value stock. COF pays a dividend while CACC does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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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