Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)vsCostco Wholesale Corp (COST)
COF
Capital One Financial Corporation
$189.48
-1.61%
FINANCIAL SERVICES · Cap: $122.14B
COST
Costco Wholesale Corp
$1,008.79
-0.32%
CONSUMER DEFENSIVE · Cap: $449.00B
Smart Verdict
WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison
Costco Wholesale Corp generates 688% more annual revenue ($286.27B vs $36.31B). COF leads profitability with a 8.9% profit margin vs 3.0%. COF appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 0.20. COF earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 65/100 (C+).
COF
Buy65
out of 100
Grade: C+
COST
Buy61
out of 100
Grade: C+
Intrinsic Value Comparison
Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula
Intrinsic value data unavailable for COF.
Margin of Safety
-89.1%
Fair Value
$535.26
Current Price
$1008.79
$473.53 premium
Key Strengths & Concerns
Side-by-side fundamental analysis
Key Strengths
Growing faster than its price suggests
Reasonable price relative to book value
Revenue surging 46.3% year-over-year
Large-cap with strong market position
Strong operational efficiency at 28.6%
Generating 5.5B in free cash flow
Mega-cap, among the largest globally
Safe zone — low bankruptcy risk
Every $100 of equity generates 30 in profit
Conservative balance sheet, low leverage
Revenue surging 21.5% year-over-year
Earnings expanding 45.5% YoY
Areas to Watch
ROE of 3.3% — below average capital efficiency
Premium valuation, high expectations priced in
Earnings declined 4.3%
3.0% margin — thin
Operating margin of 3.7%
Expensive relative to growth rate
Premium valuation, high expectations priced in
Comparative Analysis Report
WallStSmart ResearchBull Case : COF
The strongest argument for COF centers on PEG Ratio, Price/Book, Revenue Growth. Revenue growth of 46.3% demonstrates continued momentum. PEG of 0.20 suggests the stock is reasonably priced for its growth.
Bull Case : COST
The strongest argument for COST centers on Market Cap, Altman Z-Score, Return on Equity. Revenue growth of 21.5% demonstrates continued momentum.
Bear Case : COF
The primary concerns for COF are Return on Equity, P/E Ratio, EPS Growth. A P/E of 59.3x leaves little room for execution misses.
Bear Case : COST
The primary concerns for COST are Profit Margin, Operating Margin, PEG Ratio. A P/E of 52.6x leaves little room for execution misses. Thin 3.0% margins leave little buffer for downturns.
Key Dynamics to Monitor
COF profiles as a hypergrowth stock while COST is a growth play — different risk/reward profiles.
COF carries more volatility with a beta of 1.05 — expect wider price swings.
COF is growing revenue faster at 46.3% — sustainability is the question.
COF generates stronger free cash flow (5.5B), providing more financial flexibility.
Bottom Line
COF scores higher overall (65/100 vs 61/100) and 46.3% revenue growth. Both earn "Buy" and "Buy" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.
This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.
Capital One Financial Corporation
FINANCIAL SERVICES · CREDIT SERVICES · USA
Capital One Financial Corporation is an American bank holding company specializing in credit cards, auto loans, banking, and savings accounts, headquartered in McLean, Virginia with operations primarily in the United States.
Costco Wholesale Corp
CONSUMER DEFENSIVE · DISCOUNT STORES · USA
Costco Wholesale Corporation (doing business as Costco Wholesale and also known simply as Costco) is an American multinational corporation which operates a chain of membership-only (needing a membership to shop there) big-box retail stores. As of 2020, Costco was the fifth largest retailer in the world, and the world's largest retailer of choice and prime beef, organic foods, rotisserie chicken, and wine as of 2016.
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