Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)vsMastercard Inc (MA)
COF
Capital One Financial Corporation
$180.67
-1.38%
FINANCIAL SERVICES · Cap: $121.11B
MA
Mastercard Inc
$491.08
-0.65%
FINANCIAL SERVICES · Cap: $433.52B
Smart Verdict
WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison
Capital One Financial Corporation generates 7% more annual revenue ($36.31B vs $33.94B). MA leads profitability with a 45.9% profit margin vs 8.9%. COF appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 0.20. MA earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 70/100 (B).
COF
Buy65
out of 100
Grade: C+
MA
Strong Buy70
out of 100
Grade: B
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
Every $100 of equity generates 232 in profit
Keeps 46 of every $100 in revenue as profit
Strong operational efficiency at 60.8%
Safe zone — low bankruptcy risk
15.8% revenue growth
Areas to Watch
ROE of 2.9% — below average capital efficiency
Weak financial health signals
Premium valuation, high expectations priced in
Earnings declined 3.2%
Expensive relative to growth rate
Moderate valuation
Trading at 64.8x book value
Elevated debt levels
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 : MA
The strongest argument for MA centers on Market Cap, Return on Equity, Profit Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 45.9% and operating margin at 60.8%. Revenue growth of 15.8% demonstrates continued momentum.
Bear Case : COF
The primary concerns for COF are Return on Equity, Piotroski F-Score, P/E Ratio. A P/E of 59.9x leaves little room for execution misses.
Bear Case : MA
The primary concerns for MA are PEG Ratio, P/E Ratio, Price/Book. Debt-to-equity of 2.82 is elevated, increasing financial risk.
Key Dynamics to Monitor
COF profiles as a hypergrowth stock while MA is a growth play — different risk/reward profiles.
COF carries more volatility with a beta of 1.04 — 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
MA scores higher overall (70/100 vs 65/100), backed by strong 45.9% margins and 15.8% revenue growth. Both earn "Strong 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.
Mastercard Inc
FINANCIAL SERVICES · CREDIT SERVICES · USA
Mastercard Incorporated is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in the Mastercard International Global Headquarters in Purchase, New York. The Global Operations Headquarters is located in O'Fallon, Missouri, a municipality of St. Charles County, Missouri. Throughout the world, its principal business is to process payments between the banks of merchants and the card-issuing banks or credit unions of the purchasers who use the Mastercard brand debit, credit and prepaid cards to make purchases. Mastercard Worldwide has been a publicly traded company since 2006.
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