HSBC HOLDINGS PLC vs WELLS FARGO & COMPANY/MN, two Banks—Regional stocks. A side-by-side on valuation, growth, margins, returns, and what each price is betting.
The margin gap runs eight points in HSBC's favor, 33.9% net against 25.5%, and the return gap runs the other way, Wells Fargo earning 12% on equity against 11.3% and 0.98% on assets against 0.72%, American retail density beating global network breadth per unit of capital. The multiples sit two and a half turns apart, 15.5 against 13, HSBC dearer, with Wells paying the visible 2% dividend. Both are redemption stories fully served, one post-restructuring, one post-scandal. The pair prices two versions of scale, geographic and domestic; the domestic version currently converts capital to profit faster and costs less, which is not how these sentences usually end.
Comparison updated 2026-07-10.
| Metric | HSBC | WFC |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $93.76 | $83.88 |
| Market cap | $326.8B | $261.5B |
| Sector | Financial Services | Financial Services |
| Stage | Mature | Mature |
| P/E | 15.5 | 13.0 |
| P/B | 1.59 | 1.45 |
| P/S | 4.79 | 3.08 |
| EV/EBITDA | -3.8 | — |
| Revenue growth | +9.0% | +4.2% |
| Operating margin | 41.0% | — |
| Net margin | 33.9% | 25.5% |
| Return on equity | 11.3% | 12.0% |
| Return on assets | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Dividend yield | — | 2.0% |
| Debt / equity | 0.00 | 1.20 |
| Piotroski F (quality) | 8 / 9 | 7 / 9 |
Each week boothcheck ranks the stocks whose prices are betting on the most. Read the most stretched bets archive →
boothcheck is also on Android. Get the app on Google Play →
The stronger value is highlighted per metric where one is strictly better on that single number; it is not an overall verdict on either company. For informational and research purposes only. Not investment advice. Not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. boothcheck is not a registered investment adviser. Past performance does not guarantee future results.