Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Citigroup Inc. (C) vs JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) 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 C's 9.9% |
| Value | C | Lower P/E (10.7x vs 13.9x) |
| Quality / Margins | JPM | 21.6% net margin vs C's 7.4% |
| Stability / Safety | JPM | Beta 1.00 vs C's 1.30, lower leverage |
| Dividends | C | 2.5% yield, 3-year raise streak, vs JPM's 1.7% |
| Momentum (1Y) | C | +40.8% vs JPM's +15.7% |
| 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
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.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
JPM leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). C leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). 1 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 & … |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $170.7B | $270.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $24.1B | $81.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $14.7B | $58.0B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$76.0B | -$119.7B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +41.7% | +58.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +10.0% | +27.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +7.4% | +21.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -15.3% | -15.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +23.2% | +16.0% |
Valuation Metrics
At 15.2x trailing earnings, JPM trades at a 18% valuation discount to C's 18.5x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, JPM's 13.1x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than C's 23.7x.
| Metric | CCitigroup Inc. | JPMJPMorgan Chase & … |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $192.6B | $809.7B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $506.6B | $1.09T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 18.52x | 15.21x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 10.69x | 13.93x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.17x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 23.72x | 13.15x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.13x | 2.99x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.00x | 2.51x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
JPM delivers a 16.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $16 in annual profit, vs $7 for C. JPM carries lower financial leverage with a 2.18x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to C's 2.82x.
| Metric | CCitigroup Inc. | JPMJPMorgan Chase & … |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +6.9% | +16.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +0.6% | +1.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +1.6% | +5.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +3.0% | +8.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 2.82x | 2.18x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $314.0B | $281.8B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $276.5B | $469.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $590.6B | $751.1B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.24x | 0.74x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in JPM five years ago would be worth $21,449 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $17,396 for C. Over the past 12 months, C leads with a +40.8% total return vs JPM's +15.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors C at 32.1% vs JPM's 30.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CCitigroup Inc. | JPMJPMorgan Chase & … |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -6.6% | -7.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +40.8% | +15.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +130.6% | +119.7% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +74.0% | +114.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +230.3% | +497.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +32.1% | +30.0% |
Risk & Volatility
JPM is the less volatile stock with a 1.00 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 & … |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.30x | 1.00x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $125.16 | $337.25 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $55.51 | $202.16 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +88.1% | +89.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 51.7 | 48.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 11.9M | 9.0M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates C as "Buy" and JPM as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 19.8% upside for C (target: $132) vs 11.9% for JPM (target: $336). For income investors, C offers the higher dividend yield at 2.48% vs JPM's 1.71%.
| Metric | CCitigroup Inc. | JPMJPMorgan Chase & … |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $132.09 | $336.10 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 26 | 60 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.5% | +1.7% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 3 | 14 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.73 | $5.13 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +3.9% | +3.5% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citigroup Inc. (C) | 100 | 171.96 | +72.0% |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) | 100 | 253.57 | +153.6% |
Citigroup Inc. (C) returned +74% over 5 years vs JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM)'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 | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citigroup Inc. (C) | $88.3B | $170.7B | +93.4% |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) | $101.0B | $270.8B | +168.1% |
Citigroup Inc.'s revenue grew from $88.3B (2015) to $170.7B (2024) — a 7.6% CAGR. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s revenue grew from $101.0B (2015) to $270.8B (2024) — a 11.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citigroup Inc. (C) | 19.5% | 7.4% | -62.0% |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) | 24.2% | 21.6% | -10.8% |
Citigroup Inc.'s net margin went from 20% (2015) to 7% (2024). JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s net margin went from 24% (2015) to 22% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citigroup Inc. (C) | 7.8 | 11.8 | +51.3% |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) | 16.9 | 12.1 | -28.4% |
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 | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citigroup Inc. (C) | 5.42 | 5.95 | +9.8% |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) | 6 | 19.75 | +229.2% |
Citigroup Inc.'s EPS grew from $5.42 (2015) to $5.95 (2024) — a 1% CAGR. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s EPS grew from $6.00 (2015) to $19.75 (2024) — a 14% CAGR.
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: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is C or JPM a better buy right now?
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) offers the better valuation at 15.2x trailing P/E (13.9x 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?
On trailing P/E, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) is the cheapest at 15.2x 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.
03Which is the better long-term investment — C or JPM?
Over the past 5 years, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) delivered a total return of +114.5%, compared to +74.0% for Citigroup Inc. (C). 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?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) is the lower-risk stock at 1.00β versus Citigroup Inc.'s 1.30β — meaning C is approximately 29% more volatile than JPM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 3% for Citigroup Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — C or JPM?
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 more undervalued right now?
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 C: 19.8% to $132.09.
07Which pays a better dividend — C or JPM?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Citigroup Inc. (C) offers the highest yield at 2.5%, versus 1.7% for JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM).
08Is C or JPM 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?
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. 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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