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Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) is a major Virginia-based financial services firm known for its strong presence in credit cards, consumer banking, and commercial lending. Valued at $154.9 billion by market cap, the company primarily operates through three segments: Credit Card, Consumer Banking, and Commercial Banking.
The leading financial services company is expected to announce its fiscal 2026 first-quarter earnings after the market closes on Wednesday, Apr. 21. Ahead of the event, analysts expect COF to report a profit of $4.71 per share on a diluted basis, up 16% from $4.06 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has surpassed Wall Street’s EPS estimates in three of its last four quarterly reports, while missing in the last quarter.
For the current year, analysts expect COF to report EPS of $19.61, flat from $19.61 in fiscal 2025. Its EPS is expected to rise 19.4% year over year to $23.42 in fiscal 2027.
COF shares have climbed 22.3% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 30.3% gains but surpassing the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLF) 12.9% returns over the same time frame.
On Mar. 23, shares of Capital One rose 2.9% as easing U.S.-Iran tensions lifted broader market sentiment, driving a risk-on rally that benefited the stock.
Analysts’ consensus opinion on COF stock is highly bullish, with a “Strong Buy” rating overall. Out of 23 analysts covering the stock, 16 advise a “Strong Buy” rating, two suggest a “Moderate Buy,” and five give a “Hold.” COF’s average analyst price target is $275.41, indicating a potential upside of 49.5% from the current levels.
