WallStSmart

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)vsUpstart Holdings Inc (UPST)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Capital One Financial Corporation generates 2994% more annual revenue ($36.31B vs $1.17B). COF leads profitability with a 8.9% profit margin vs 4.2%. COF trades at a lower P/E of 56.6x. COF earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 65/100 (C+).

COF

Buy

65

out of 100

Grade: C+

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

UPST

Hold

50

out of 100

Grade: D+

Growth: 8.7Profit: 4.0Value: 4.0Quality: 5.0
Piotroski: 5/9Altman Z: 0.80

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
$114.40B9/10

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

UPST2 strengths · Avg: 10.0/10
Revenue GrowthGrowth
44.6%10/10

Revenue surging 44.6% year-over-year

EPS GrowthGrowth
209.1%10/10

Earnings expanding 209.1% YoY

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
56.6x2/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

EPS GrowthGrowth
-3.2%2/10

Earnings declined 3.2%

UPST4 concerns · Avg: 2.8/10
Return on EquityProfitability
6.7%3/10

ROE of 6.7% — below average capital efficiency

Profit MarginProfitability
4.2%3/10

4.2% margin — thin

Operating MarginProfitability
0.9%3/10

Operating margin of 0.9%

P/E RatioValuation
74.4x2/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

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 : UPST

The strongest argument for UPST centers on Revenue Growth, EPS Growth. Revenue growth of 44.6% 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 56.6x leaves little room for execution misses.

Bear Case : UPST

The primary concerns for UPST are Return on Equity, Profit Margin, Operating Margin. A P/E of 74.4x leaves little room for execution misses. Debt-to-equity of 2.70 is elevated, increasing financial risk.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

UPST carries more volatility with a beta of 2.28 — 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.

Monitor CREDIT SERVICES industry trends, competitive dynamics, and regulatory changes.

Bottom Line

COF scores higher overall (65/100 vs 50/100) and 46.3% revenue growth. Both earn "Buy" and "Hold" 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.

Upstart Holdings Inc

FINANCIAL SERVICES · CREDIT SERVICES · USA

Upstart Holdings, Inc. operates a cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) lending platform. The company is headquartered in San Mateo, California.

Want to dig deeper into these stocks?