Discover Financial Services (DFS) vs Nu Holdings Ltd. (NU)
DFS leads on 9 of 10 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Discover Financial Services and Nu Holdings Ltd. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 20, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
DFS
Discover Financial Services
$200.05Financial Services
NU
Nu Holdings Ltd.
$12.71Financial Services
Total return — DFS vs NU
growth of $100 · last 3yDFS +73.5%NU +26.3%DFS compounded faster
DFS NU
DFS vs NU: by the numbers
- •NU is the larger company ($61.56B vs $50.34B market cap).
- •DFS trades at the lower earnings multiple (10.67 vs 19.55 P/E).
- •DFS converts more revenue to profit (21.65% vs 18.15% net margin).
- •NU grew revenue faster over the past five years (98.88% vs 13.84% CAGR).
- •DFS pays a dividend (1.40% yield) while NU does not currently pay one.
Which is better, DFS or NU?
Metric tally: DFS 9 · NU 1It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueDFS(lower P/E)
GrowthNU(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
QualityDFS(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | DFS | NU |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 10.67● | 19.55 |
| Forward P/E | 12.59● | 15.03 |
| P/S ratio | 2.28● | 3.56 |
| P/B ratio | 2.66● | 4.96 |
| PEG ratio | 0.15● | 0.64 |
Profitability
| Metric | DFS | NU |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 65.86%● | 43.74% |
| Operating margin | 34.55%● | 22.96% |
| Net margin | 21.65%● | 18.15% |
| ROE | 25.29% | 25.29% |
| ROIC | 32.48%● | 16.31% |
Dividends
| Metric | DFS | NU |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.40% | — |
| Payout ratio | 15.81% | — |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | DFS | NU |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 13.84% | 98.88%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 14.26% | — |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 42.63% | — |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, DFS or NU?
- It depends on your goal. value: DFS (lower P/E); growth: NU (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); quality: DFS (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, DFS leads 9 to 1.
- Is DFS or NU cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, DFS is cheaper: DFS trades at a 10.67 P/E and NU at 19.55.
- Which has grown faster, DFS or NU?
- Over the past five years, NU grew revenue faster — DFS at a 13.84% CAGR versus NU at 98.88%.
- Does DFS or NU pay a bigger dividend?
- DFS pays a dividend (1.40% yield) while NU does not currently pay one.
- Is DFS or NU more profitable?
- DFS runs the higher net margin — DFS at 21.65% versus NU at 18.15%.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Discover Financial Services P/E ratioNu P/E ratioDiscover Financial Services dividend yieldNu dividend yieldDiscover Financial Services ROENu ROEDiscover Financial Services operating marginNu operating marginDiscover Financial Services revenue growthNu revenue growthDiscover Financial Services free cash flowNu free cash flow
Discover Financial Services & Nu 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 20, 2026.