Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) AI Stock Analysis
COF AI stock analysis summary
AI ResearchCapital One Financial Corporation (COF) provides credit cards, consumer banking, and commercial banking services. Revenue reached $69.25B in FY2025, supported by a 5-year revenue CAGR of 17.0%. The company maintains a net cash position of $11.37B and trades at a forward P/E of 8.5x.
- Market cap
- $123.76B
- Revenue (TTM)
- $48.11B
- P/E
- 13.0x fwd 8.5x
- 1Y return
- 0.8% S&P 500 16.8%
- Avg. target
- $252.27 25.0% vs last close
Bull case
- Free cash flow expanded to $26.14B in FY2025 while the balance sheet retained $11.37B in net cash as of June 30, 2026.
- The forward P/E of 8.5x is lower than the median of its S&P 500 Financial Services peers at 12.6x.
- Analysts maintain 14 Strong Buy and 5 Buy recommendations, supporting a mean price target of $252.27 that represents 25.0% upside over the last close.
Bear case
- Operating margin narrowed from 49.4% in FY2021 to 3.3% in FY2025 as net income decreased from $12.39B to $2.45B.
- The stock fell 15.8% year-to-date and generated a 1-year return of 0.8%, trailing the 16.8% return of the S&P 500.
- Quarterly earnings for the period ended June 30, 2026 declined 3.2% year-over-year.
What Capital One does
Capital One Financial Corporation is a financial services holding company operating Capital One Bank (USA), National Association, and Capital One, National Association. It delivers financial products across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom through three primary segments: Credit Card, Consumer Banking, and Commercial Banking. Its offerings include checking accounts, money market deposits, savings deposits, time deposits, credit card loans, auto loans, retail banking loans, and commercial lending services. Founded in 1988 and headquartered in McLean, Virginia, the company serves individuals, small businesses, and commercial clients through digital channels, traditional branch locations, and innovative cafes.
Growth and profitability
Capital One expanded annual revenue from $32.03B in FY2021 to $69.25B in FY2025, recording a 5-year revenue CAGR of 17.0%. Revenue increased 28.4% in FY2025, up from 9.0% in FY2024 and 29.0% in FY2023. However, net income decreased from $12.39B in FY2021 to $2.45B in FY2025, causing net margin to compress from 38.7% down to 3.5%. Operating margin declined from 49.4% in FY2021 to 3.3% in FY2025. Over the trailing twelve months, revenue totaled $48.11B with an operating margin of 33.6% and EPS of $15.57. For the latest quarter ended June 30, 2026, quarterly revenue grew 1111.0% year-over-year while quarterly earnings declined 3.2%.
Balance sheet and cash flow
As of June 30, 2026, Capital One reported $56.74B in cash and short-term investments alongside total debt of $45.37B, resulting in net cash of $11.37B. Total assets stood at $673.84B against shareholders' equity of $113.79B, yielding a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40 and a current ratio of 0.13. Operating cash flow reached $27.72B in FY2025, generating free cash flow of $26.14B after $1.58B in capital expenditures. During FY2025, the company deployed capital toward $4.60B in share buybacks and $1.77B in dividends paid.
Valuation and performance
Capital One trades at a market capitalization of $123.76B and an enterprise value of $126.93B. Its trailing P/E of 13.0x and forward P/E of 8.5x sit below the median of its S&P 500 Financial Services peers, which report 14.2x and 12.6x, respectively. The company carries a price-to-sales ratio of 2.6x versus the peer median of 3.1x, and a price-to-book ratio of 1.1x. Over the past year, COF shares gained 0.8%, lagging the 16.8% return for the S&P 500, while its 5-year return of 30.8% trailed the index return of 83.0%.
COF dividend
Capital One pays a forward annual dividend of $3.20 per share, delivering a dividend yield of 1.59% on a payout ratio of 16.0%. Distributed on a quarterly schedule, the dividend has been paid for 32 consecutive years. Over the trailing 5-year period, dividend distributions generated an annualized growth rate of 21.1%. The company's last ex-dividend date occurred on August 17, 2026.
What analysts expect
Wall Street coverage includes 14 Strong Buy, 5 Buy, and 5 Hold ratings, with zero Sell or Strong Sell recommendations. The mean price target of $252.27 implies 25.0% upside relative to the last close price of $201.74. For the current fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, consensus estimates project revenue of $63.97B and EPS of $20.56, representing EPS growth of 4.9%. The company has beaten EPS expectations in 2 of the last 4 quarters, with the next earnings announcement scheduled for October 20, 2026.
Key risks and what to watch
- Capital One missed EPS estimates in 2 of the last 4 quarters heading into its October 20, 2026 earnings date.
- Net margin dropped to 3.5% in FY2025 compared to 38.7% in FY2021, reflecting reduced profitability relative to top-line expansion.
- The company holds total debt of $45.37B against a current ratio of 0.13 as of June 30, 2026.
AI-generated research summary. Written with AI from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 and checked so every figure matches that data. For information only, not investment advice. Disclaimer
About this COF AI stock analysis
This page is an AI-written research summary of Capital One Financial Corporation (COF). The text was generated on October 30, 2026 from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 (company profile, annual results, latest balance sheet, valuation, price performance and analyst estimates). An automatic check rejects any draft that contains a figure not found in that data. It is not investment advice; verify figures on the linked tabs before making decisions.
Related: COF income statement, COF balance sheet, COF key metrics, COF analyst forecast, COF chart. See the COF stock overview for the latest quote and news.
COF AI stock analysis FAQ
What is Capital One's forward dividend yield?
Capital One provides a forward dividend yield of 1.59% based on an annual forward payout of $3.20 per share. Its dividend payout ratio stands at 16.0%.
When is Capital One's next earnings report?
Capital One is scheduled to report earnings on October 20, 2026. For the current fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, analysts estimate an EPS of $20.56.
What is the consensus analyst price target for COF stock?
The mean analyst price target is $252.27, representing a 25.0% premium over the last close price of $201.74. Ratings consist of 14 Strong Buy, 5 Buy, and 5 Hold recommendations.
How does Capital One's valuation compare to its sector peers?
Capital One trades at a forward P/E of 8.5x and a price-to-sales ratio of 2.6x. Both multiples trade below the S&P 500 Financial Services peer medians of 12.6x and 3.1x, respectively.