Compare Stocks › COF vs MSFT
Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) vs Microsoft Corporation (MSFT)
COF
Capital One Financial Corporation
$179.73
VS
MSFT
Microsoft Corporation
$389.02
Rewards
COF
- ★Free cash flow has grown at a 26.6% CAGR over the past 4 years, demonstrating strong earnings power growth.
- ★Each dollar of retained earnings has created $14.50 of market value — management is an exceptional capital allocator.
MSFT
- ★Microsoft Corporation has maintained ROIC above 15% for 4 consecutive years, indicating a durable competitive advantage.
- ★Gross margin of 68.6% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
- ★Microsoft Corporation scores 88/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with revenue predictability as the strongest competitive dimension.
Risks
COF
- ⚠Gross margin of 0.0% is low, suggesting a competitive or commodity-like market with limited pricing power.
- ⚠Share count has increased by 64% over the past 4 years, diluting existing shareholders.
- ⚠Buybacks have been poorly timed — 3 out of 4 years involved repurchases at relatively expensive valuations.
MSFT
- ⚠FCF yield of 2.5% is below 3%, meaning the market is pricing in substantial future growth to justify the current price.
Key Valuation Metrics
Learn more →COF
MSFT
Valuation
N/A
Free Cash Flow
$71.61B
N/A
FCF Yield
2.48%
53.49
Trailing P/E
24.33
7.31
Forward P/E
20.64
Quality & Moat
11.02%
ROIC
22.10%
N/A
ROE
26.05%
0.00%
Gross Margin
68.59%
2.41
PEG Ratio
0.41
Balance Sheet Safety
N/A
Debt / Equity
0.32
N/A
Interest Coverage
N/A
N/A
Net Debt / EBITDA
0.19
1.78%
Dividend Yield
0.94%
COF: 2Ties: 1MSFT: 4
COFMSFT
Historical Fundamentals
Learn more →COF
Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.
MSFT
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 →COF
$14.50
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Exceptional Value Creator
Σ Retained
$8.00B
Δ Market Cap
+$116.05B
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
MSFT
$9.18
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Exceptional Value Creator
Σ Retained
$196.68B
Δ Market Cap
+$1.81T
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 →COF
5.8% Margin of Safety
Price is 5.8% below estimated fair value
Current Price: $179.73
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
Fair Value: $190.88
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
MSFT
0.5% Overvalued
Price is 0.5% above estimated fair value
Current Price: $389.02
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
Fair Value: $387.10
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth
Learn more →COF
Requires positive FCF to compute implied growth rate.
MSFT
What growth rate is the market pricing in at $389?
+12.6%
Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth
Standard FCF implies +17.4%
The market implies +12.6% Owner Earnings growth, roughly in line with history — reasonably priced.
Standard FCF implies +17.4%, reflecting ongoing growth investment.
Economic Moat Score
Learn more →COF
30/100
No Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None
No durable moat detected, though reinvestment efficiency shows some competitive positioning. The business lacks consistent evidence of sustainable advantages.
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.
MSFT
88/100
Wide Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None
Wide moat driven primarily by revenue predictability. Reinvestment Efficiency is the area most vulnerable to competitive pressure.
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.
Forensic Accounting
Learn more →COF
-2.27
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.
MSFT
-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.
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 →COF
Insiders 1.9%Institutions 88.6%Retail & Other 9.6%
No. of Institutional Holders2,706
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.
MSFT
Insiders 0.1%Institutions 76.0%Retail & Other 23.9%
No. of Institutional Holders8,054
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 →COF
0
Buys (3M)
1
Buys (12M)
Total value (12M): $1,972
ZAMSKY MICHAEL
Officer
$1,972
@ $197.20 · 2025-05-16
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises
MSFT
1
Buys (3M)
2
Buys (12M)
Total value (12M): $3.44M
STANTON JOHN W.
Director
$1.99M
@ $397.35 · 2026-02-18
SMITH BRADFORD LEE
President
$1.45M
@ $377.47 · 2025-04-23
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 →COF
12
Sells (3M)
28
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $85.26M
DEAN LIA
Officer
$627,244
@ $191.00 · 2026-03-02
KARAM CELIA EDWARDS
Officer
$312,476
@ $191.00 · 2026-03-02
MOUADEB MARK DANIEL
Officer
$334,530
@ $210.00 · 2026-02-26
MOUADEB MARK DANIEL
Officer
$305,755
@ $202.62 · 2026-02-25
HANSON JASON P
Officer
$764,445
@ $205.00 · 2026-02-25
BLINDE NEAL A
Officer
$7.27M
@ $190.51 · 2026-02-24
DEAN LIA
Officer
$734,565
@ $223.68 · 2026-02-04
KARAM CELIA EDWARDS
Officer
$460,071
@ $218.25 · 2026-02-02
COOPER MATTHEW W.
General Counsel
$500,000
@ $250.00 · 2026-01-06
RAGHU RAVI
Officer
$3.36M
@ $250.00 · 2026-01-05
KARAM CELIA EDWARDS
Officer
$504,338
@ $244.35 · 2026-01-02
DEAN LIA
Officer
$772,879
@ $244.35 · 2026-01-02
COOPER MATTHEW W.
General Counsel
$443,080
@ $221.54 · 2025-12-02
KARAM CELIA EDWARDS
Officer
$640,488
@ $218.15 · 2025-12-01
DEAN LIA
Officer
$713,132
@ $218.15 · 2025-12-01
LAPRADE FRANK G. III
Officer
$3.96M
@ $222.03 · 2025-11-13
BLINDE NEAL A
Officer
$9.58M
@ $221.83 · 2025-11-06
COOPER MATTHEW W.
General Counsel
$438,820
@ $219.41 · 2025-11-04
FAIRBANK RICHARD D
Chief Executive Officer
$22.84M
@ $220.68 · 2025-11-04
FAIRBANK RICHARD D
Chief Executive Officer
$23.35M
@ $225.68 · 2025-10-27
COOPER MATTHEW W.
General Counsel
$423,980
@ $211.99 · 2025-10-02
COOPER MATTHEW W.
General Counsel
$446,800
@ $223.40 · 2025-09-02
GOLDEN TIMOTHY P.
Officer
$44,590
@ $215.41 · 2025-08-19
GOLDEN TIMOTHY P.
Officer
$727,989
@ $210.28 · 2025-08-12
ZAMSKY MICHAEL
Officer
$1.16M
@ $209.59 · 2025-08-04
ALEXANDER ROBERT M.
Chief Technology Officer
$2.30M
@ $227.86 · 2025-07-23
ZAMSKY MICHAEL
Officer
$1.91M
@ $199.40 · 2025-05-12
HACKETT ANN FRITZ
Director
$329,445
@ $198.70 · 2025-05-12
ZAMSKY MICHAEL
Officer
$2.01M
@ $190.26 · 2024-11-12
YOUNG ANDREW M
Chief Financial Officer
$1.08M
@ $183.51 · 2024-11-08
WEST KARA
Officer
$133,189
@ $184.73 · 2024-11-07
ALEXANDER ROBERT M.
Chief Technology Officer
$3.11M
@ $187.12 · 2024-11-07
RAGHU RAVI
Officer
$4.09M
@ $165.00 · 2024-11-05
MOUADEB MARK DANIEL
Officer
$323,766
@ $162.37 · 2024-11-05
LAPRADE FRANK G. III
Officer
$2.52M
@ $160.00 · 2024-10-17
BORGMANN KEVIN S
Officer
$8.18M
@ $132.86 · 2024-08-06
ALEXANDER ROBERT M.
Chief Technology Officer
$4.61M
@ $150.00 · 2024-07-17
KARAM CELIA EDWARDS
Officer
$2.42M
@ $142.88 · 2024-05-08
WEST KARA
Officer
$171,946
@ $141.87 · 2024-05-02
DEAN LIA
Officer
$2.21M
@ $143.00 · 2024-05-01
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives
MSFT
1
Sells (3M)
13
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $172.43M
HOGAN KATHLEEN T
Officer
$5.05M
@ $409.55 · 2026-03-06
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$1.36M
@ $478.72 · 2025-12-04
ALTHOFF JUDSON
Officer
$6.27M
@ $491.52 · 2025-12-02
SMITH BRADFORD LEE
President
$19.97M
@ $518.64 · 2025-11-03
NADELLA SATYA
Chief Executive Officer
$75.32M
@ $504.78 · 2025-09-03
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$2.56M
@ $527.32 · 2025-08-12
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$1.39M
@ $463.00 · 2025-06-03
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$460,008
@ $460.01 · 2025-05-30
HOGAN KATHLEEN T
Officer
$9.76M
@ $453.77 · 2025-05-21
ALTHOFF JUDSON
Officer
$7.33M
@ $458.18 · 2025-05-19
COLEMAN AMY
Officer
$5.99M
@ $452.04 · 2025-05-15
SMITH BRADFORD LEE
President
$1.68M
@ $438.44 · 2025-05-05
SMITH BRADFORD LEE
President
$35.30M
@ $435.84 · 2025-05-05
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$1.12M
@ $447.41 · 2024-12-09
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$874,634
@ $437.32 · 2024-12-04
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$1.50M
@ $428.76 · 2024-12-02
ALTHOFF JUDSON
Officer
$10.43M
@ $417.00 · 2024-11-22
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$414,720
@ $414.72 · 2024-11-22
YOUNG CHRISTOPHER DAVID
Officer
$3.05M
@ $423.66 · 2024-11-12
HOGAN KATHLEEN T
Officer
$7.16M
@ $411.86 · 2024-09-10
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$1.03M
@ $411.04 · 2024-09-10
SMITH BRADFORD LEE
President
$16.10M
@ $402.59 · 2024-09-09
HOOD AMY E
Chief Financial Officer
$15.60M
@ $410.55 · 2024-09-05
NADELLA SATYA
Chief Executive Officer
$32.02M
@ $408.63 · 2024-09-04
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$235,535
@ $416.14 · 2024-06-03
ALTHOFF JUDSON
Officer
$10.64M
@ $425.68 · 2024-05-23
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 →COF
😨Fear(34/100)
"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.
MSFT
😐Neutral(43/100)
"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.
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 →COF
⚪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 (34)
MSFT
⚪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 (43)