



Over the past three months, one of the leaders of growth in the S&P 500 index has been the banking industry (Banks) +13.2%.
Some of the largest (by market capitalization) companies in this industry: Wells Fargo ($253.5B), one of the largest banks in the United States, with assets under management of more than $1.9T, and Citigroup ($150.1B), an international financial company operating in more than 100 countries.
Based on the latest quarterly reporting data, we analyzed the profitability, strength, and efficiency criteria for each company according to the methodology of Stanford University professor Joseph Piotroski.
As you can see, in terms of fundamental data, Wells Fargo demonstrates stronger results and outperforms Citigroup in terms of profitability, strength and efficiency.
Over the past 3 months, Wells Fargo shares have risen by +19.7%, while Citigroup shares have risen by +27.2% (the S&P 500 index has increased by +2.6%). Citigroup outperformed its closest competitor and showed better results compared to the index.
So, the winner in today’s battle is Wells Fargo (WFC). Although Citigroup’s shares show a better yield, Wells Fargo’s business looks healthier in terms of leverage, operating cash flow, accumulation, and operating margin.
* This is not an investment recommendation. It is up to each individual to decide which criteria to favor when making an investment decision, taking into account their goals and individual risk tolerance.