SLM vs COF

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

4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 4. 1% for SLM Corporation (SLM). SLM Corporation (SLM) offers the better valuation at 6. 5x trailing P/E (7. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate SLM Corporation (SLM) a "Buy" — based on 25 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, SLM Corporation (SLM) is the cheapest at 6.

5x versus Capital One Financial Corporation at 48. 0x. On forward P/E, SLM Corporation is actually cheaper at 7. 2x.

Over the past 5 years, Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) delivered a total return of +31.

8%, compared to +21. 4% for SLM Corporation (SLM). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SLM returned +274. 8% versus COF's +207. 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), SLM Corporation (SLM) is the lower-risk stock at 1.

13β versus Capital One Financial Corporation's 1. 58β — meaning COF is approximately 40% more volatile than SLM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 45% versus 2% for SLM Corporation — 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 4. 1% for SLM Corporation (SLM). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: SLM Corporation grew EPS 29. 1% 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.

SLM Corporation (SLM) is the more profitable company, earning 24.

0% net margin versus 3. 5% for Capital One Financial Corporation — meaning it keeps 24. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SLM leads at 31. 9% versus 3. 3% for COF. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SLM leads at 53. 1%, 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, SLM Corporation (SLM) trades at 7.

2x forward P/E versus 9. 8x for Capital One Financial Corporation — 2. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for COF: 38. 1% to $267. 18.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

SLM Corporation (SLM) offers the highest yield at 15. 0%, versus 1. 7% for Capital One Financial Corporation (COF).

For long-horizon retirement investors, SLM Corporation (SLM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.

13), 15. 0% yield, +274. 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 (SLM: +274. 8%, COF: +207. 8%), 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: SLM 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.