Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Green Dot Corporation (GDOT) vs American Express Company (AXP) 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 | GDOT | 14.8% revenue growth vs AXP's 10.1% |
| Value | GDOT | Lower P/E (7.8x vs 17.6x) |
| Quality / Margins | AXP | 13.7% net margin vs GDOT's -1.5% |
| Stability / Safety | AXP | Beta 1.35 vs GDOT's 1.36 |
| Dividends | AXP | 0.9% yield; 14-year raise streak; GDOT pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | GDOT | +51.1% vs AXP's +3.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AXP | 3.5% ROA vs GDOT's -0.8%, ROIC 12.2% vs -0.1% |
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
Green Dot is a financial technology and banking platform that provides prepaid debit cards, checking accounts, and money movement services to consumers and businesses. It generates revenue primarily through interchange fees from card transactions, monthly account maintenance fees, and service fees from its business-to-business money processing operations. The company's key advantage is its extensive retail distribution network—with cards sold at over 100,000 retail locations—which creates significant scale and brand recognition in the prepaid financial services market.
American Express is a global payments and financial services company that issues charge and credit cards to consumers and businesses. It generates revenue primarily from discount fees charged to merchants — typically 2-3% of transaction value — and cardmember fees, with additional income from interest on revolving balances and travel services. Its key competitive advantage is its premium brand positioning and closed-loop network — which allows it to control both card issuance and merchant acceptance while collecting rich transaction data.
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
AXP leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). GDOT leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AXP is the larger business by revenue, generating $74.2B annually — 43.0x GDOT's $1.7B. AXP is the more profitable business, keeping 13.7% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to GDOT's -1.5%.
| Metric | GDOTGreen Dot Corpora… | AXPAmerican Express … |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.7B | $74.2B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $139M | $15.2B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$47M | $10.5B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $97M | $18.9B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +33.6% | +81.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -0.1% | +17.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -1.5% | +13.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +0.4% | +16.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -2.7% | +18.6% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | GDOTGreen Dot Corpora… | AXPAmerican Express … |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $641M | $212.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | -$892M | $223.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -23.12x | 22.03x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 7.76x | 17.58x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.85x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | -10.74x | 15.33x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.37x | 2.87x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.71x | 7.28x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 90.29x | 17.53x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AXP delivers a 32.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $33 in annual profit, vs $-5 for GDOT. GDOT carries lower financial leverage with a 0.07x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to AXP's 1.69x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AXP scores 7/9 vs GDOT's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | GDOTGreen Dot Corpora… | AXPAmerican Express … |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -5.1% | +32.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -0.8% | +3.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -0.1% | +12.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -0.2% | +11.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.07x | 1.69x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$1.5B | $10.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.6B | $40.6B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $60M | $51.1B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 16.56x | 1.64x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AXP five years ago would be worth $23,155 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,363 for GDOT. Over the past 12 months, GDOT leads with a +51.1% total return vs AXP's +3.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AXP at 22.2% vs GDOT's -15.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | GDOTGreen Dot Corpora… | AXPAmerican Express … |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -8.3% | -16.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +51.1% | +3.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -38.9% | +82.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -76.4% | +131.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -44.0% | +491.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -15.2% | +22.2% |
Risk & Volatility
AXP is the less volatile stock with a 1.35 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than GDOT's 1.36 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. AXP currently trades 79.7% from its 52-week high vs GDOT's 75.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | GDOTGreen Dot Corpora… | AXPAmerican Express … |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.36x | 1.35x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $15.41 | $387.49 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $6.12 | $220.43 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +75.0% | +79.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 43.5 | 42.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 584K | 2.4M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates GDOT as "Hold" and AXP as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 23.3% upside for GDOT (target: $14) vs 21.3% for AXP (target: $375). AXP is the only dividend payer here at 0.91% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | GDOTGreen Dot Corpora… | AXPAmerican Express … |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $14.25 | $374.58 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 39 | 56 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.9% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 14 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $2.80 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +2.8% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Dot Corporati… (GDOT) | 100 | 35.79 | -64.2% |
| American Express Co… (AXP) | 100 | 309.85 | +209.9% |
American Express Co… (AXP) returned +132% over 5 years vs Green Dot Corporati… (GDOT)'s -76%. A $10,000 investment in AXP 5 years ago would be worth $23,155 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Dot Corporati… (GDOT) | $699M | $1.7B | +146.5% |
| American Express Co… (AXP) | $34.4B | $74.2B | +115.8% |
Green Dot Corporation's revenue grew from $699M (2015) to $1.7B (2024) — a 10.5% CAGR. American Express Company's revenue grew from $34.4B (2015) to $74.2B (2024) — a 8.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Dot Corporati… (GDOT) | 5.5% | -1.5% | -128.2% |
| American Express Co… (AXP) | 15.0% | 13.7% | -9.1% |
Green Dot Corporation's net margin went from 5% (2015) to -2% (2024). American Express Company's net margin went from 15% (2015) to 14% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Dot Corporati… (GDOT) | 37.4 | 76.2 | +103.7% |
| American Express Co… (AXP) | 33.4 | 21.2 | -36.5% |
Green Dot Corporation has traded in a 12x–133x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~-23x. American Express Company has traded in a 12x–33x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~22x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Dot Corporati… (GDOT) | 0.72 | -0.5 | -169.4% |
| American Express Co… (AXP) | 5.05 | 14.02 | +177.6% |
Green Dot Corporation's EPS grew from $0.72 (2015) to $-0.50 (2024) — a NaN% CAGR. American Express Company's EPS grew from $5.05 (2015) to $14.02 (2024) — a 12% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Green Dot Corporation generated $7M FCF in 2024 (-94% vs 2021). American Express Company generated $12B FCF in 2024 (-7% vs 2021).
GDOT vs AXP: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is GDOT or AXP a better buy right now?
American Express Company (AXP) offers the better valuation at 22.0x trailing P/E (17.6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Green Dot Corporation (GDOT) a "Hold" — based on 39 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 — GDOT or AXP?
On forward P/E, Green Dot Corporation is actually cheaper at 7.8x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — GDOT or AXP?
Over the past 5 years, American Express Company (AXP) delivered a total return of +131.5%, compared to -76.4% for Green Dot Corporation (GDOT). A $10,000 investment in AXP five years ago would be worth approximately $23K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AXP returned +491.2% versus GDOT's -44.0%. 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 — GDOT or AXP?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), American Express Company (AXP) is the lower-risk stock at 1.35β versus Green Dot Corporation's 1.36β — meaning GDOT is approximately 1% more volatile than AXP relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Green Dot Corporation (GDOT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 7% versus 169% for American Express Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — GDOT or AXP?
American Express Company (AXP) is the more profitable company, earning 13.7% net margin versus -1.5% for Green Dot Corporation — meaning it keeps 13.7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AXP leads at 17.4% versus -0.1% for GDOT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AXP leads at 81.9%, 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 GDOT or AXP more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Green Dot Corporation (GDOT) trades at 7.8x forward P/E versus 17.6x for American Express Company — 9.8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for GDOT: 23.3% to $14.25.
07Which pays a better dividend — GDOT or AXP?
In this comparison, AXP (0.9% yield) pays a dividend. GDOT does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is GDOT or AXP better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, American Express Company (AXP) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (0.9% yield, +491.2% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AXP: +491.2%, GDOT: -44.0%), 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 GDOT and AXP?
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. AXP pays a dividend while GDOT 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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