Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) vs Synchrony Financial (SYF) 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 | SYF | 19.7% revenue growth vs COF's 9.0% |
| Value | SYF | Lower P/E (7.5x vs 9.7x), PEG 0.83 vs 10.08 |
| Quality / Margins | SYF | 16.9% net margin vs COF's 8.8% |
| Stability / Safety | COF | Beta 1.53 vs SYF's 1.58, lower leverage |
| Dividends | SYF | 1.4% yield, 3-year raise streak, vs COF's 1.2% |
| Momentum (1Y) | SYF | +15.9% vs COF's -1.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | SYF | 3.1% ROA vs COF's 0.2%, ROIC 11.0% vs 4.1% |
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
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.
Synchrony Financial is a consumer financial services company that specializes in private label credit cards and installment loans for retail partners. It generates revenue primarily from interest income on its credit products — about 80% of total revenue — along with interchange fees and merchant discount revenue. Its key competitive advantage is deep, long-term partnerships with major retailers — like Amazon, Lowe's, and Walmart — which provide a captive customer base and predictable transaction volume.
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
SYF leads in 5 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Valuation Metrics. 1 category is tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
COF is the larger business by revenue, generating $53.9B annually — 2.6x SYF's $20.8B. SYF is the more profitable business, keeping 16.9% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to COF's 8.8%.
| Metric | COFCapital One Finan… | SYFSynchrony Financi… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $53.9B | $20.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $6.1B | $5.1B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $1.4B | $3.6B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $20.8B | $9.8B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +50.8% | +45.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +11.0% | +21.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +8.8% | +16.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +31.4% | +47.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +9.5% | +47.4% |
Valuation Metrics
At 8.1x trailing earnings, SYF trades at a 52% valuation discount to COF's 16.9x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), SYF offers better value at 0.90x vs COF's 10.08x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | COFCapital One Finan… | SYFSynchrony Financi… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $124.4B | $24.9B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $126.7B | $25.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 16.88x | 8.08x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 9.67x | 7.48x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 10.08x | 0.90x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 13.85x | 5.09x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.31x | 1.20x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.23x | 1.67x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 7.34x | 2.53x |
Profitability & Efficiency
SYF delivers a 20.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $21 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 SYF's 0.93x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SYF scores 8/9 vs COF's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | COFCapital One Finan… | SYFSynchrony Financi… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +1.2% | +20.9% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +0.2% | +3.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +4.1% | +11.0% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +4.6% | +12.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.75x | 0.93x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2.3B | $751M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $43.2B | $14.7B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $45.6B | $15.5B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.11x | 1.08x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in SYF five years ago would be worth $18,520 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $16,819 for COF. Over the past 12 months, SYF leads with a +15.9% total return vs COF's -1.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors SYF at 26.5% vs COF's 23.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | COFCapital One Finan… | SYFSynchrony Financi… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -20.8% | -18.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -1.1% | +15.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +86.3% | +102.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +68.2% | +85.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +228.4% | +187.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +23.1% | +26.5% |
Risk & Volatility
COF is the less volatile stock with a 1.53 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SYF's 1.58 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | COFCapital One Finan… | SYFSynchrony Financi… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.53x | 1.58x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $259.64 | $88.77 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $143.22 | $40.55 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +75.4% | +77.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 45.1 | 49.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 4.5M | 3.8M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates COF as "Buy" and SYF as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 39.9% upside for COF (target: $274) vs 30.3% for SYF (target: $90). For income investors, SYF offers the higher dividend yield at 1.44% vs COF's 1.24%.
| Metric | COFCapital One Finan… | SYFSynchrony Financi… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $273.62 | $90.08 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 56 | 41 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +1.2% | +1.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 2 | 3 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.43 | $0.99 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.6% | +4.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | 100 | 244.54 | +144.5% |
| Synchrony Financial (SYF) | 100 | 241.92 | +141.9% |
Synchrony Financial (SYF) returned +85% over 5 years vs Capital One Financi… (COF)'s +68%. A $10,000 investment in SYF 5 years ago would be worth $18,520 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | $25.0B | $53.9B | +115.4% |
| Synchrony Financial (SYF) | $10.9B | $20.8B | +90.8% |
Capital One Financial Corporation's revenue grew from $25.0B (2015) to $53.9B (2024) — a 8.9% CAGR. Synchrony Financial's revenue grew from $10.9B (2015) to $20.8B (2024) — a 7.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | 16.2% | 8.8% | -45.6% |
| Synchrony Financial (SYF) | 20.3% | 16.9% | -17.2% |
Capital One Financial Corporation's net margin went from 16% (2015) to 9% (2024). Synchrony Financial's net margin went from 20% (2015) to 17% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | 28.5 | 15.4 | -46.0% |
| Synchrony Financial (SYF) | 16 | 7.6 | -52.5% |
Capital One Financial Corporation has traded in a 5x–29x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~17x. Synchrony Financial has traded in a 5x–16x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~8x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | 7.07 | 11.59 | +63.9% |
| Synchrony Financial (SYF) | 2.65 | 8.55 | +222.6% |
Capital One Financial Corporation's EPS grew from $7.07 (2015) to $11.59 (2024) — a 6% CAGR. Synchrony Financial's EPS grew from $2.65 (2015) to $8.55 (2024) — a 14% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Capital One Financial Corporation generated $17B FCF in 2024 (+46% vs 2021). Synchrony Financial generated $10B FCF in 2024 (+39% vs 2021).
COF vs SYF: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is COF or SYF a better buy right now?
Synchrony Financial (SYF) offers the better valuation at 8.1x trailing P/E (7.5x 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 — COF or SYF?
On trailing P/E, Synchrony Financial (SYF) is the cheapest at 8.1x versus Capital One Financial Corporation at 16.9x. On forward P/E, Synchrony Financial is actually cheaper at 7.5x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Synchrony Financial wins at 0.83x 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 — COF or SYF?
Over the past 5 years, Synchrony Financial (SYF) delivered a total return of +85.2%, compared to +68.2% for Capital One Financial Corporation (COF). A $10,000 investment in SYF five years ago would be worth approximately $19K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: COF returned +228.4% versus SYF's +187.9%. 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 — COF or SYF?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) is the lower-risk stock at 1.53β versus Synchrony Financial's 1.58β — meaning SYF is approximately 4% more volatile than COF relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 75% versus 93% for Synchrony Financial — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — COF or SYF?
Synchrony Financial (SYF) is the more profitable company, earning 16.9% net margin versus 8.8% for Capital One Financial Corporation — meaning it keeps 16.9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SYF leads at 21.9% versus 11.0% for COF. 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 COF or SYF 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, Synchrony Financial (SYF) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.83x 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, Synchrony Financial (SYF) trades at 7.5x forward P/E versus 9.7x for Capital One Financial Corporation — 2.2x 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 — COF or SYF?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Synchrony Financial (SYF) offers the highest yield at 1.4%, versus 1.2% for Capital One Financial Corporation (COF).
08Is COF or SYF 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). Synchrony Financial (SYF) carries a higher beta of 1.58 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (COF: +228.4%, SYF: +187.9%), 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 COF and SYF?
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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