Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL) vs Discover Financial Services (DFS)
DFS leads on 11 of 13 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Delta Air Lines, Inc. and Discover Financial Services across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 15, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
DAL
Delta Air Lines, Inc.
$83.06Industrials
DFS
Discover Financial Services
$200.05Financial Services
Total return — DAL vs DFS
growth of $100 · last 18yDAL +169.4%DFS +595.8%DFS compounded faster
DAL DFS
DAL vs DFS: by the numbers
- •DAL is the larger company ($55.48B vs $50.34B market cap).
- •DFS trades at the lower earnings multiple (10.67 vs 12.13 P/E).
- •DFS converts more revenue to profit (21.65% vs 6.87% net margin).
- •DAL grew revenue faster over the past five years (38.80% vs 13.84% CAGR).
- •DFS pays the higher dividend yield (1.40% vs 0.90%).
Which is better, DAL or DFS?
Metric tally: DAL 2 · DFS 11It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueDFS(lower P/E)
GrowthDAL(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeDFS(higher dividend yield)
QualityDFS(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | DAL | DFS |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 12.13 | 10.67● |
| Forward P/E | 15.17 | 12.59● |
| P/S ratio | 0.83● | 2.28 |
| P/B ratio | 2.66 | 2.66 |
| PEG ratio | 0.21 | 0.15● |
| EV / EBITDA | 6.95 | — |
| FCF yield | 7.24% | — |
Profitability
| Metric | DAL | DFS |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 26.19% | 65.86%● |
| Operating margin | 8.83% | 34.55%● |
| Net margin | 6.87% | 21.65%● |
| ROE | 21.97% | 25.29%● |
| ROIC | 8.30% | 32.48%● |
Dividends
| Metric | DAL | DFS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.90% | 1.40%● |
| Payout ratio | 9.72% | 15.81% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | DAL | DFS |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 38.80%● | 13.84% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 0.89% | 14.26%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 115.85% | — |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 13.90% | 42.63%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, DAL or DFS?
- It depends on your goal. value: DFS (lower P/E); growth: DAL (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: DFS (higher dividend yield); quality: DFS (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, DFS leads 11 to 2.
- Is DAL or DFS cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, DFS is cheaper: DAL trades at a 12.13 P/E and DFS at 10.67.
- Which has grown faster, DAL or DFS?
- Over the past five years, DAL grew revenue faster — DAL at a 38.80% CAGR versus DFS at 13.84%.
- Does DAL or DFS pay a bigger dividend?
- DAL yields 0.90% and DFS yields 1.40% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is DAL or DFS more profitable?
- DFS runs the higher net margin — DAL at 6.87% versus DFS at 21.65%.
- Which has been the better investment, DAL or DFS?
- Over the past 10-year, DFS delivered the higher annualized total return — DAL at 9.39% versus DFS at 15.34%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Delta Air Lines P/E ratioDiscover Financial Services P/E ratioDelta Air Lines dividend yieldDiscover Financial Services dividend yieldDelta Air Lines ROEDiscover Financial Services ROEDelta Air Lines operating marginDiscover Financial Services operating marginDelta Air Lines revenue growthDiscover Financial Services revenue growthDelta Air Lines free cash flowDiscover Financial Services free cash flow
Delta Air Lines & 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 15, 2026.