WallStSmart

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)vsSterling Construction Company Inc (STRL)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Capital One Financial Corporation generates 1159% more annual revenue ($36.31B vs $2.88B). STRL leads profitability with a 12.0% profit margin vs 8.9%. COF appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 0.20. STRL earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 69/100 (B-).

COF

Buy

65

out of 100

Grade: C+

Growth: 7.3Profit: 6.0Value: 5.7Quality: 4.0
Piotroski: 2/9Altman Z: -0.36

STRL

Strong Buy

69

out of 100

Grade: B-

Growth: 9.3Profit: 8.0Value: 4.3Quality: 7.0
Piotroski: 4/9Altman Z: 2.39

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

COF6 strengths · Avg: 9.2/10
PEG RatioValuation
0.2010/10

Growing faster than its price suggests

Price/BookValuation
1.0x10/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

Revenue GrowthGrowth
46.3%10/10

Revenue surging 46.3% year-over-year

Market CapQuality
$121.11B9/10

Large-cap with strong market position

Operating MarginProfitability
28.6%8/10

Strong operational efficiency at 28.6%

Free Cash FlowQuality
$5.47B8/10

Generating 5.5B in free cash flow

STRL4 strengths · Avg: 9.5/10
Revenue GrowthGrowth
91.6%10/10

Revenue surging 91.6% year-over-year

EPS GrowthGrowth
141.4%10/10

Earnings expanding 141.4% YoY

Return on EquityProfitability
29.1%9/10

Every $100 of equity generates 29 in profit

Debt/EquityHealth
0.299/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

Areas to Watch

COF4 concerns · Avg: 2.5/10
Return on EquityProfitability
2.9%3/10

ROE of 2.9% — below average capital efficiency

Piotroski F-ScoreQuality
2/93/10

Weak financial health signals

P/E RatioValuation
59.9x2/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

EPS GrowthGrowth
-3.2%2/10

Earnings declined 3.2%

STRL2 concerns · Avg: 2.0/10
P/E RatioValuation
76.9x2/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

Price/BookValuation
24.4x2/10

Trading at 24.4x book value

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull 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 : STRL

The strongest argument for STRL centers on Revenue Growth, EPS Growth, Return on Equity. Revenue growth of 91.6% demonstrates continued momentum. PEG of 1.47 suggests the stock is reasonably priced for its growth.

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 : STRL

The primary concerns for STRL are P/E Ratio, Price/Book. A P/E of 76.9x leaves little room for execution misses.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

COF profiles as a hypergrowth stock while STRL is a growth play — different risk/reward profiles.

STRL carries more volatility with a beta of 1.82 — expect wider price swings.

STRL is growing revenue faster at 91.6% — sustainability is the question.

COF generates stronger free cash flow (5.5B), providing more financial flexibility.

Bottom Line

STRL scores higher overall (69/100 vs 65/100) and 91.6% 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.

Sterling Construction Company Inc

INDUSTRIALS · ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION · USA

Sterling Construction Company, Inc., a construction company, engages in residential construction, specialty services, and heavy civil activities primarily in the southern United States, the Rocky Mountain states, California, and Hawaii. The company is headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas.

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