WallStSmart

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)vsU.S. Bancorp (USB)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Capital One Financial Corporation generates 36% more annual revenue ($36.31B vs $26.65B). USB leads profitability with a 29.3% profit margin vs 8.9%. COF appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 0.20. USB earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 71/100 (B).

COF

Buy

65

out of 100

Grade: C+

Growth: 7.3Profit: 6.0Value: 5.7Quality: 5.0

USB

Strong Buy

71

out of 100

Grade: B

Growth: 6.0Profit: 7.5Value: 6.3Quality: 5.3
Piotroski: 5/9Altman Z: 0.39

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
1.1x10/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

Revenue GrowthGrowth
46.3%10/10

Revenue surging 46.3% year-over-year

Market CapQuality
$122.14B9/10

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

USB6 strengths · Avg: 9.3/10
P/E RatioValuation
11.6x10/10

Attractively priced relative to earnings

Price/BookValuation
1.5x10/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

Operating MarginProfitability
37.8%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 37.8%

Market CapQuality
$85.86B9/10

Large-cap with strong market position

Profit MarginProfitability
29.3%9/10

Keeps 29 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Free Cash FlowQuality
$1.34B8/10

Generating 1.3B in free cash flow

Areas to Watch

COF3 concerns · Avg: 2.3/10
Return on EquityProfitability
3.3%3/10

ROE of 3.3% — below average capital efficiency

P/E RatioValuation
59.3x2/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

EPS GrowthGrowth
-4.3%2/10

Earnings declined 4.3%

USB3 concerns · Avg: 3.3/10
PEG RatioValuation
1.924/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Revenue GrowthGrowth
4.6%4/10

4.6% revenue growth

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
0.392/10

Distress zone — elevated risk

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 : USB

The strongest argument for USB centers on P/E Ratio, Price/Book, Operating Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 29.3% and operating margin at 37.8%.

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 : USB

The primary concerns for USB are PEG Ratio, Revenue Growth, Altman Z-Score.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

COF profiles as a hypergrowth stock while USB is a value 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

USB scores higher overall (71/100 vs 65/100), backed by strong 29.3% margins. 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.

U.S. Bancorp

FINANCIAL SERVICES · BANKS - REGIONAL · USA

U.S. Bancorp is an American bank holding company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and incorporated in Delaware. The company provides banking, investment, mortgage, trust, and payment services products to individuals, businesses, governmental entities, and other financial institutions.

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