Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Visa Inc. (V) vs Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) 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 | V | 11.3% revenue growth vs COF's 9.0% |
| Value | V | PEG 1.57 vs 10.08 |
| Quality / Margins | V | 50.1% net margin vs COF's 8.8% |
| Stability / Safety | V | Beta 0.78 vs COF's 1.53, lower leverage |
| Dividends | V | 0.7% yield, 15-year raise streak, vs COF's 1.2% |
| Momentum (1Y) | COF | -1.1% vs V's -11.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | V | 21.5% ROA vs COF's 0.2%, ROIC 29.2% 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
Visa operates a global electronic payments network that connects consumers, merchants, and financial institutions. It generates revenue primarily from service fees on transaction processing (about 40% of revenue) and data processing fees (about 35%), with the remainder from international transaction fees and other services. The company's massive network scale — with billions of cards accepted at tens of millions of merchants worldwide — creates a powerful two-sided platform moat that's extremely difficult to replicate.
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.
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
V leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). COF leads in 1 (Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
COF and V operate at a comparable scale, with $53.9B and $40.0B in trailing revenue. V is the more profitable business, keeping 50.1% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to COF's 8.8%.
| Metric | VVisa Inc. | COFCapital One Finan… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $40.0B | $53.9B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $25.8B | $6.1B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $20.8B | $1.4B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $22.9B | $20.8B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +80.4% | +50.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +60.0% | +11.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +50.1% | +8.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +53.9% | +31.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +3.5% | +9.5% |
Valuation Metrics
At 16.9x trailing earnings, COF trades at a 46% valuation discount to V's 31.4x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), V offers better value at 1.98x vs COF's 10.08x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | VVisa Inc. | COFCapital One Finan… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.9B | $124.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $7.9B | $126.7B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 31.39x | 16.88x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 24.90x | 9.67x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 1.98x | 10.08x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 0.31x | 13.85x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.07x | 2.31x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 18.53x | 1.23x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 0.13x | 7.34x |
Profitability & Efficiency
V delivers a 53.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $54 in annual profit, vs $1 for COF. V carries lower financial leverage with a 0.66x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to COF's 0.75x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), COF scores 5/9 vs V's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | VVisa Inc. | COFCapital One Finan… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +53.6% | +1.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +21.5% | +0.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +29.2% | +4.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +36.2% | +4.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.66x | 0.75x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $5.0B | $2.3B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $20.2B | $43.2B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $25.2B | $45.6B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 41.49x | 0.11x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in COF five years ago would be worth $16,819 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $15,227 for V. Over the past 12 months, COF leads with a -1.1% total return vs V's -11.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors COF at 23.1% vs V's 14.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | VVisa Inc. | COFCapital One Finan… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -7.4% | -20.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -11.0% | -1.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +48.6% | +86.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +52.3% | +68.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +362.0% | +228.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +14.1% | +23.1% |
Risk & Volatility
V is the less volatile stock with a 0.78 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than COF's 1.53 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. V currently trades 85.3% from its 52-week high vs COF's 75.4% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | VVisa Inc. | COFCapital One Finan… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.78x | 1.53x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $375.51 | $259.64 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $299.00 | $143.22 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +85.3% | +75.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 43.9 | 45.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 6.3M | 4.5M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates V as "Buy" and COF as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 39.9% upside for COF (target: $274) vs 18.0% for V (target: $378). For income investors, COF offers the higher dividend yield at 1.24% vs V's 0.66%.
| Metric | VVisa Inc. | COFCapital One Finan… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $377.83 | $273.62 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 60 | 56 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.7% | +1.2% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 15 | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.11 | $2.43 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +100.0% | +0.6% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa Inc. (V) | 100 | 173.58 | +73.6% |
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | 100 | 244.54 | +144.5% |
Capital One Financi… (COF) returned +68% over 5 years vs Visa Inc. (V)'s +52%. A $10,000 investment in COF 5 years ago would be worth $16,819 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa Inc. (V) | $15.1B | $40.0B | +165.2% |
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | $27.5B | $53.9B | +96.0% |
Visa Inc.'s revenue grew from $15.1B (2016) to $40.0B (2025) — a 11.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa Inc. (V) | 39.7% | 50.1% | +26.2% |
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | 13.6% | 8.8% | -35.4% |
Visa Inc.'s net margin went from 40% (2016) to 50% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa Inc. (V) | 40.7 | 34.4 | -15.5% |
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | 28.5 | 15.4 | -46.0% |
Visa Inc. has traded in a 30x–45x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~31x. Capital One Financial Corporation has traded in a 5x–29x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~17x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa Inc. (V) | 2.48 | 10.2 | +311.3% |
| Capital One Financi… (COF) | 6.89 | 11.59 | +68.2% |
Visa Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.48 (2016) to $10.20 (2025) — a 17% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Visa Inc. generated $22B FCF in 2025 (+49% vs 2021). Capital One Financial Corporation generated $17B FCF in 2024 (+46% vs 2021).
V vs COF: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is V or COF a better buy right now?
Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) offers the better valuation at 16.9x trailing P/E (9.7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Visa Inc. (V) a "Buy" — based on 60 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 — V or COF?
On trailing P/E, Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) is the cheapest at 16.9x versus Visa Inc. at 31.4x. On forward P/E, Capital One Financial Corporation is actually cheaper at 9.7x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Visa Inc. wins at 1.57x versus Capital One Financial Corporation's 10.08x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.
03Which is the better long-term investment — V or COF?
Over the past 5 years, Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) delivered a total return of +68.2%, compared to +52.3% for Visa Inc. (V). A $10,000 investment in COF five years ago would be worth approximately $17K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: V returned +362.0% versus COF's +228.4%. 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 — V or COF?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Visa Inc. (V) is the lower-risk stock at 0.78β versus Capital One Financial Corporation's 1.53β — meaning COF is approximately 96% more volatile than V relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Visa Inc. (V) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 66% versus 75% for Capital One Financial Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — V or COF?
Visa Inc. (V) is the more profitable company, earning 50.1% net margin versus 8.8% for Capital One Financial Corporation — meaning it keeps 50.1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: V leads at 60.0% versus 11.0% for COF. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — V leads at 80.4%, 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 V or COF 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, Visa Inc. (V) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1.57x versus Capital One Financial Corporation's 10.08x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) trades at 9.7x forward P/E versus 24.9x for Visa Inc. — 15.2x 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 — V or COF?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) offers the highest yield at 1.2%, versus 0.7% for Visa Inc. (V).
08Is V or COF better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Visa Inc. (V) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.78), 0.7% yield, +362.0% 10Y return). Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) carries a higher beta of 1.53 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (V: +362.0%, COF: +228.4%), 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 V and COF?
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: V is a small-cap quality compounder stock; COF is a mid-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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