American Express (AXP) vs Synchrony Financial (SYF)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Synchrony Financial (SYF) has outperformed American Express (AXP) over the past year, gaining 1.5% versus a loss of 7.2%. Over five years, AXP leads with a +73.1% price change compared with +43.3% for SYF. American Express is the larger company by market cap ($208.00 billion vs $23.99 billion), about 8.7 times the size.
On valuation, Synchrony Financial trades at a lower forward P/E (7.0x vs 15.3x for American Express). Synchrony Financial offers the higher dividend yield (1.63% vs 1.15%). American Express converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 26.2% versus 18.7%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | AXP | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $308.00 | $73.73 |
| Market cap | $208.00B | $23.99B |
| 1-day change | +1.23% | +2.50% |
| YTD return | -17.76% | -13.78% |
| 1-year return | -7.23% | +1.45% |
| 5-year return | +73.06% | +43.34% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 18.69 | 7.55 |
| Forward P/E | 15.28 | 7.05 |
| EPS (TTM) | $16.48 | $9.77 |
| Dividend yield | 1.15% | 1.63% |
| Annual dividend | $3.54 | $1.20 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $41.30B | $18.99B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +6.39% | -2.80% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $10.83B | $3.55B |
| Net margin | 26.23% | 18.71% |
| 52-week high | $387.49 | $88.77 |
| 52-week low | $290.97 | $63.08 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -20.51% | -16.94% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +20.57% | +20.01% |
| Average volume | 2.89M | 3.28M |
| Shares outstanding | 675.31M | 325.37M |
| Employees | 76,800 | 20,000 |
| Sector | Finance | Finance |
| Industry | Finance: Consumer Services | Finance: Consumer Services |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- American Express is about 8.7 times larger than Synchrony Financial by market value ($208.00B vs $23.99B).
- American Express trades at a higher earnings multiple (18.7x vs 7.5x trailing P/E).
- American Express is more profitable, keeping 26.2 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 18.7 cents for Synchrony Financial.
- American Express grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+6.39% vs -2.80%).
About American Express
AXP stock →American Express Company, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated payments company in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Asia Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Canada, the Caribbean, and internationally. It operates through four segments: U.S.
Finance · Finance: Consumer Services · 76,800 employees
About Synchrony Financial
SYF stock →Synchrony Financial, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a consumer financial services company in the United States. The company provides credit products, such as credit cards, commercial credit products, and consumer installment loans.
Finance · Finance: Consumer Services · 20,000 employees
AXP vs SYF FAQ
Which is bigger, American Express or Synchrony Financial?
American Express (AXP) is larger, with a market capitalization of $208.00B compared with $23.99B for Synchrony Financial (SYF).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, AXP or SYF?
SYF returned +1.45% over the past 12 months, compared with -7.23% for AXP (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, AXP or SYF?
SYF has the lower trailing P/E at 7.5, versus 18.7 for AXP. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, American Express or Synchrony Financial?
Synchrony Financial has the higher yield at 1.63%, compared with 1.15% for American Express.
Are American Express and Synchrony Financial in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Finance: Consumer Services industry within the Finance sector.