American Express Company (AXP) vs Citigroup Inc. (C)
AXP leads on 9 of 16 compared metrics, though C is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of American Express Company and Citigroup Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 13, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
AXP
American Express Company
$325.44Financial Services
C
Citigroup Inc.
$139.83Financial Services
Total return — AXP vs C
growth of $100 · last 30yAXP +2356.2%C +33.6%AXP compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
AXP C
AXP vs C: by the numbers
- •C is the larger company ($238.49B vs $222.06B market cap).
- •C trades at the lower earnings multiple (17.33 vs 20.30 P/E).
- •AXP converts more revenue to profit (13.61% vs 9.34% net margin).
- •AXP grew revenue faster over the past five years (17.35% vs 15.26% CAGR).
- •C pays the higher dividend yield (1.72% vs 1.05%).
Which is better, AXP or C?
Metric tally: AXP 9 · C 7It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueC(lower P/E)
GrowthAXP(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeC(higher dividend yield)
QualityAXP(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | AXP | C |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 20.30 | 17.33● |
| Forward P/E | 16.15 | 11.19● |
| P/S ratio | 2.71 | 1.45● |
| P/B ratio | 6.57 | 1.18● |
| PEG ratio | 2.43 | 0.75● |
| EV / EBITDA | 12.49● | 40.38 |
| FCF yield | 6.41% | — |
Profitability
| Metric | AXP | C |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 83.50%● | 45.48% |
| Operating margin | 20.70%● | 12.79% |
| Net margin | 13.61%● | 9.34% |
| ROE | 33.00%● | 7.58% |
| ROIC | 8.29%● | 0.95% |
Dividends
| Metric | AXP | C |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.05% | 1.72%● |
| Payout ratio | 22.13% | 33.20% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | AXP | C |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 17.35%● | 15.26% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 32.53%● | 8.77% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 10.67%● | -5.16% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 16.01% | 16.79%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, AXP or C?
- It depends on your goal. value: C (lower P/E); growth: AXP (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: C (higher dividend yield); quality: AXP (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, AXP leads 9 to 7.
- Is AXP or C cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, C is cheaper: AXP trades at a 20.30 P/E and C at 17.33.
- Which has grown faster, AXP or C?
- Over the past five years, AXP grew revenue faster — AXP at a 17.35% CAGR versus C at 15.26%.
- Does AXP or C pay a bigger dividend?
- AXP yields 1.05% and C yields 1.72% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is AXP or C more profitable?
- AXP runs the higher net margin — AXP at 13.61% versus C at 9.34%.
- Which has been the better investment, AXP or C?
- Over the past 10-year, AXP delivered the higher annualized total return — AXP at 19.13% versus C at 15.70%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
American Express P/E ratioCitigroup P/E ratioAmerican Express dividend yieldCitigroup dividend yieldAmerican Express ROECitigroup ROEAmerican Express operating marginCitigroup operating marginAmerican Express revenue growthCitigroup revenue growthAmerican Express free cash flowCitigroup free cash flow
American Express & Citigroup appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 13, 2026.