OMF vs COF

For growth investors, Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) is the stronger pick with 28.

4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 9. 1% for OneMain Holdings, Inc. (OMF). OneMain Holdings, Inc. (OMF) offers the better valuation at 8. 4x trailing P/E (7. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate OneMain Holdings, Inc. (OMF) a "Buy" — based on 31 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.

On trailing P/E, OneMain Holdings, Inc.

(OMF) is the cheapest at 8. 4x versus Capital One Financial Corporation at 47. 1x. On forward P/E, OneMain Holdings, Inc. is actually cheaper at 7. 5x.

Over the past 5 years, OneMain Holdings, Inc.

(OMF) delivered a total return of +40. 1%, compared to +31. 8% for Capital One Financial Corporation (COF). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: COF returned +203. 6% versus OMF's +189. 8%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), OneMain Holdings, Inc.

(OMF) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 30β versus Capital One Financial Corporation's 1. 58β — meaning COF is approximately 21% more volatile than OMF relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 45% versus 7% for OneMain Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) is pulling ahead at 28.

4% versus 9. 1% for OneMain Holdings, Inc. (OMF). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: OneMain Holdings, Inc. grew EPS 54. 7% year-over-year, compared to -65. 2% for Capital One Financial Corporation. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

OneMain Holdings, Inc.

(OMF) is the more profitable company, earning 12. 5% net margin versus 3. 5% for Capital One Financial Corporation — meaning it keeps 12. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: OMF leads at 16. 0% versus 3. 3% for COF. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — OMF leads at 47. 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.

On forward earnings alone, OneMain Holdings, Inc.

(OMF) trades at 7. 5x forward P/E versus 9. 6x for Capital One Financial Corporation — 2. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for COF: 40. 9% to $267. 18.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

OneMain Holdings, Inc. (OMF) offers the highest yield at 4. 7%, versus 1. 7% for Capital One Financial Corporation (COF).

For long-horizon retirement investors, OneMain Holdings, Inc.

(OMF) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (4. 7% yield, +189. 8% 10Y return). Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) 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 (OMF: +189. 8%, COF: +203. 6%), 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.

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: OMF is a small-cap deep-value stock; COF is a mid-cap high-growth 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.