Compare Stocks › AXP vs HD
American Express Company (AXP) vs The Home Depot, Inc. (HD)
AXP
American Express Company
$294.93
VS
HD
The Home Depot, Inc.
$328.21
Rewards
AXP
- ★Gross margin of 63.5% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
- ★Return on equity has consistently exceeded 20% over 4 years, indicating efficient use of shareholder capital.
- ★Each dollar of retained earnings has created $6.18 of market value — management is an exceptional capital allocator.
HD
- ★The Home Depot, Inc. has maintained ROIC above 15% for 4 consecutive years, indicating a durable competitive advantage.
- ★The Home Depot, Inc. scores 87/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with margin stability as the strongest competitive dimension.
- ★Dividend yield of 2.84% with a consistent or growing payout over the past 4 years.
Risks
AXP
- ⚠Altman Z-Score of 0.93 places the company in the distress zone — financial patterns resemble those of companies that experienced bankruptcy.
- ⚠7 insider sales totaling $36.4M with no purchases in the past 3 months — insiders are reducing their exposure.
- ⚠Free cash flow has declined at a 5.9% CAGR over the past 4 years — a concerning trend.
HD
- ⚠FCF yield of 2.6% is below 3%, meaning the market is pricing in substantial future growth to justify the current price.
- ⚠High leverage (5.10x debt/equity) combined with thin interest coverage (-1.0x) poses financial risk.
- ⚠Insiders have sold $2.6M worth of stock in the past 3 months — significant insider liquidation.
Key Valuation Metrics
Learn more →AXP
HD
Valuation
N/A
Free Cash Flow
$8.62B
N/A
FCF Yield
2.64%
19.19
Trailing P/E
23.05
14.64
Forward P/E
20.12
Quality & Moat
9.49%
ROIC
16.77%
31.97%
ROE
110.48%
63.47%
Gross Margin
33.32%
1.16
PEG Ratio
N/A
Balance Sheet Safety
1.91
Debt / Equity
5.10
N/A
Interest Coverage
N/A
N/A
Net Debt / EBITDA
2.56
1.29%
Dividend Yield
2.84%
AXP: 4Ties: 1HD: 3
AXPHD
Historical Fundamentals
Learn more →AXP
Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.
HD
Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.
Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.
$1 Retained Earnings Test
Learn more →AXP
$6.18
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Exceptional Value Creator
Σ Retained
$23.29B
Δ Market Cap
+$144.01B
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
HD
$0.69
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Mediocre Allocator
Σ Retained
$21.95B
Δ Market Cap
+$15.12B
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis
Learn more →AXP
38.6% Margin of Safety
Price is 38.6% below estimated fair value
Current Price: $294.93
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
Fair Value: $480.21
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
HD
155.8% Overvalued
Price is 155.8% above estimated fair value
Current Price: $328.21
Strongly undervalued
Strongly overvalued
Fair Value: $128.33
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth
Learn more →AXP
Requires positive FCF to compute implied growth rate.
HD
What growth rate is the market pricing in at $328?
+18.9%
Market-Implied FCF Growth Rate
Market pricing in significantly higher growth than history — aggressive.
Economic Moat Score
Learn more →AXP
40/100
Narrow Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None
Narrow moat with revenue predictability as the key competitive advantage. Improving margin stability would strengthen the moat.
Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.
HD
87/100
Wide Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None
Wide moat with strength across all dimensions. Margin Stability is the standout factor.
Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 5 years of fundamental data.
Forensic Accounting
Learn more →AXP
-2.51
Unlikely Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone
M-Score Trend
Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
HD
-1.89
Possible Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone
M-Score Trend
Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
Ownership Breakdown
Learn more →AXP
Insiders 22.2%Institutions 64.8%Retail & Other 12.9%
No. of Institutional Holders3,749
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
HD
Insiders 0.1%Institutions 74.6%Retail & Other 25.4%
No. of Institutional Holders5,084
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
Insider Buying Activity
Learn more →AXP
0
Buys (3M)
1
Buys (12M)
Total value (12M): $4,054
JOABAR RAYMOND D
Officer
$4,054
@ $176.26 · 2025-04-09
ANGELAKIS MICHAEL J
Director
$998,593
@ $269.89 · 2025-03-07
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises
HD
0
Buys (3M)
0
Buys (12M)
BRENNEMAN GREGORY D
Director
$999,767
@ $346.66 · 2025-03-14
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises.
Insider Selling Activity
Learn more →AXP
7
Sells (3M)
20
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $152.65M
LIEBERMAN QUINN JESSICA
Officer
$909,661
@ $300.02 · 2026-03-06
JOABAR RAYMOND D
Officer
$4.77M
@ $340.67 · 2026-02-19
GROSFIELD HOWARD M
Officer
$2.82M
@ $346.73 · 2026-02-12
RADHAKRISHNAN RAVIKUMAR S
Chief Technology Officer
$5.35M
@ $356.58 · 2026-02-09
SEEGER LAUREEN E
Officer
$4.60M
@ $360.99 · 2026-02-09
MARRS ANNA
Officer
$9.60M
@ $350.01 · 2026-02-05
PICKETT DENISE
Officer
$8.35M
@ $356.91 · 2026-02-05
JOABAR RAYMOND D
Officer
$538,902
@ $384.93 · 2025-12-12
RUTLEDGE ELIZABETH
Officer
$18.01M
@ $360.21 · 2025-10-31
TABISH DOUGLAS J
Officer
$894,359
@ $355.61 · 2025-10-23
PICKETT DENISE
Officer
$1.75M
@ $350.73 · 2025-10-22
SQUERI STEPHEN J
Chief Executive Officer
$37.03M
@ $329.86 · 2025-09-04
HERENA MONIQUE
Officer
$2.83M
@ $325.88 · 2025-09-03
BUCKMINSTER DOUGLAS E
Officer
$7.67M
@ $326.37 · 2025-09-02
SEEGER LAUREEN E
Officer
$23.37M
@ $296.90 · 2025-08-06
MCNEAL GLENDA G
Officer
$15.47M
@ $309.50 · 2025-07-29
MARRS ANNA
Officer
$1.71M
@ $310.77 · 2025-07-29
MARQUEZ RAFAEL
Officer
$3.56M
@ $296.93 · 2025-05-20
GROSFIELD HOWARD M
Officer
$2.60M
@ $275.50 · 2025-05-06
MCNEAL GLENDA G
Officer
$799,009
@ $264.66 · 2025-04-29
MARRS ANNA
President
$6.32M
@ $287.88 · 2025-03-04
LIEBERMAN QUINN JESSICA
Officer
$897,590
@ $296.43 · 2025-02-26
MCNEAL GLENDA G
Officer
$2.29M
@ $309.96 · 2025-02-11
SQUERI STEPHEN J
Chief Executive Officer
$16.24M
@ $319.45 · 2025-02-06
JOABAR RAYMOND D
Officer
$3.53M
@ $317.01 · 2025-02-05
RADHAKRISHNAN RAVIKUMAR S
Chief Technology Officer
$3.03M
@ $319.17 · 2025-02-05
PICKETT DENISE
Officer
$7.25M
@ $318.69 · 2025-02-05
JOABAR RAYMOND D
Officer
$4.77M
@ $313.94 · 2025-01-28
LE CAILLEC CHRISTOPHE
Chief Financial Officer
$1.82M
@ $303.48 · 2024-11-27
SQUERI STEPHEN J
Chief Executive Officer
$48.90M
@ $286.57 · 2024-11-07
HERENA MONIQUE
Officer
$374,010
@ $287.70 · 2024-11-07
BUCKMINSTER DOUGLAS E
Officer
$3.55M
@ $270.98 · 2024-10-29
WILLIAMS ANRE D.
Officer
$21.05M
@ $270.26 · 2024-10-22
PICKETT DENISE
Officer
$666,213
@ $240.68 · 2024-05-22
SKYLER JENNIFER
Officer
$3.58M
@ $241.73 · 2024-05-10
LIEBERMAN QUINN JESSICA
Officer
$729,770
@ $232.41 · 2024-05-06
MARRS ANNA
Officer
$829,501
@ $230.93 · 2024-05-03
BUCKMINSTER DOUGLAS E
Officer
$27.27M
@ $232.44 · 2024-05-02
SQUERI STEPHEN J
Chief Executive Officer
$9.28M
@ $238.63 · 2024-04-23
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives
HD
3
Sells (3M)
14
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $29.80M
DEATON JOHN A.
Officer
$661,617
@ $369.00 · 2026-03-04
MCPHAIL RICHARD V
Chief Financial Officer
$940,670
@ $368.89 · 2026-03-04
ROSEBOROUGH TERESA WYNN
General Counsel
$1.00M
@ $348.52 · 2025-12-26
BROWN ANGIE
Chief Technology Officer
$695,948
@ $357.63 · 2025-12-12
BASTEK WILLIAM D
Officer
$974,445
@ $423.12 · 2025-09-12
ROSEBOROUGH TERESA WYNN
General Counsel
$2.27M
@ $413.23 · 2025-08-22
BASTEK WILLIAM D
Officer
$1.55M
@ $410.23 · 2025-08-22
DECKER EDWARD P.
Chief Executive Officer
$13.07M
@ $397.22 · 2025-08-21
PADILLA HECTOR A
Officer
$640,609
@ $404.17 · 2025-08-20
BROWN ANGIE
Chief Technology Officer
$404,070
@ $404.07 · 2025-08-20
MCPHAIL RICHARD V
Chief Financial Officer
$1.36M
@ $403.66 · 2025-08-20
DEATON JOHN A.
Officer
$3.29M
@ $369.99 · 2025-06-03
ROSEBOROUGH TERESA WYNN
General Counsel
$2.00M
@ $369.28 · 2025-05-28
SIDDIQUI FAHIM
Chief Technology Officer
$954,564
@ $367.14 · 2025-05-22
BASTEK WILLIAM D
Officer
$1.24M
@ $416.61 · 2024-11-22
HOURIGAN TIMOTHY A
Officer
$6.55M
@ $409.52 · 2024-11-18
ROSEBOROUGH TERESA WYNN
General Counsel
$9.03M
@ $408.91 · 2024-11-14
CAMPBELL ANN-MARIE
Officer
$12.24M
@ $408.40 · 2024-11-14
PADILLA HECTOR A
Officer
$1.48M
@ $408.96 · 2024-11-14
MCPHAIL RICHARD V
Chief Financial Officer
$2.65M
@ $408.45 · 2024-11-13
SCARDINO KIMBERLY R.
Officer
$617,100
@ $363.00 · 2024-08-19
ROSEBOROUGH TERESA WYNN
General Counsel
$1.87M
@ $359.32 · 2024-08-15
CAREY MATTHEW A
Officer
$19.33M
@ $345.18 · 2024-05-16
SIDDIQUI FAHIM
Chief Technology Officer
$1.03M
@ $343.79 · 2024-05-16
PADILLA HECTOR A
Officer
$28,619
@ $349.01 · 2024-05-15
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives.
🎭 Mr. Market's Mood
Learn more →AXP
😐Neutral(42/100)
"Market is pricing this stock without strong emotion in either direction"
Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
HD
😨Fear(35/100)
"Market is pessimistic — investigate whether fears are temporary or structural"
Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
Composite sentiment score based on market signals. Inspired by Buffett’s "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
⚖️ Buffett Signal
Learn more →AXP
⚪Awaiting DCF Data
The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.
DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Neutral (42)
HD
⚪Awaiting DCF Data
The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.
DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Fear (35)