American Express Company (AXP) vs Discover Financial Services (DFS)
DFS leads on 12 of 17 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of American Express Company and Discover Financial Services 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
DFS
Discover Financial Services
$200.05Financial Services
Total return — AXP vs DFS
growth of $100 · last 18yAXP +374.7%DFS +595.8%DFS compounded faster
AXP DFS
AXP vs DFS: by the numbers
- •AXP is the larger company ($222.06B vs $50.34B market cap).
- •DFS trades at the lower earnings multiple (10.67 vs 20.30 P/E).
- •DFS converts more revenue to profit (21.65% vs 13.61% net margin).
- •AXP grew revenue faster over the past five years (17.35% vs 13.84% CAGR).
- •DFS pays the higher dividend yield (1.40% vs 1.05%).
Which is better, AXP or DFS?
Metric tally: AXP 5 · DFS 12It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueDFS(lower P/E)
GrowthAXP(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeDFS(higher dividend yield)
QualityDFS(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | AXP | DFS |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 20.30 | 10.67● |
| Forward P/E | 16.15 | 12.59● |
| P/S ratio | 2.71 | 2.28● |
| P/B ratio | 6.57 | 2.66● |
| PEG ratio | 2.43 | 0.15● |
| EV / EBITDA | 12.49 | 6.75● |
| FCF yield | 6.41% | 16.78%● |
Profitability
| Metric | AXP | DFS |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 83.50%● | 65.86% |
| Operating margin | 20.70% | 34.55%● |
| Net margin | 13.61% | 21.65%● |
| ROE | 33.00%● | 25.29% |
| ROIC | 8.29% | 32.48%● |
Dividends
| Metric | AXP | DFS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.05% | 1.40%● |
| Payout ratio | 22.13% | 15.81% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | AXP | DFS |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 17.35%● | 13.84% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 32.53%● | 14.26% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 10.67%● | 9.87% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 16.01% | 42.63%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, AXP or DFS?
- It depends on your goal. value: DFS (lower P/E); growth: AXP (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: DFS (higher dividend yield); quality: DFS (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, DFS leads 12 to 5.
- Is AXP or DFS cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, DFS is cheaper: AXP trades at a 20.30 P/E and DFS at 10.67.
- Which has grown faster, AXP or DFS?
- Over the past five years, AXP grew revenue faster — AXP at a 17.35% CAGR versus DFS at 13.84%.
- Does AXP or DFS pay a bigger dividend?
- AXP yields 1.05% and DFS yields 1.40% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is AXP or DFS more profitable?
- DFS runs the higher net margin — AXP at 13.61% versus DFS at 21.65%.
- Which has been the better investment, AXP or DFS?
- Over the past 10-year, AXP delivered the higher annualized total return — AXP at 19.13% versus DFS at 15.34%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
American Express P/E ratioDiscover Financial Services P/E ratioAmerican Express dividend yieldDiscover Financial Services dividend yieldAmerican Express ROEDiscover Financial Services ROEAmerican Express operating marginDiscover Financial Services operating marginAmerican Express revenue growthDiscover Financial Services revenue growthAmerican Express free cash flowDiscover Financial Services free cash flow
American Express & Discover Financial Services 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.