Bank of America vs Barclays
BACBank of America Corporationvs
BCSBarclays PLC- Bank of America: Big US consumer + commercial bank. Closely tied to US economic cycle.
- Barclays: A major British bank with a large UK retail business and a global investment bank in London and New York. It is one of Europe's biggest dealmakers and traders.
- Over the past five years Barclays stock returned +242% versus +87% for Bank of America, in USD. Past performance is not a guide to the future.
- They compete in the same space (Finance & banks), so many investors simply own both through a broad index fund instead of picking a winner.
Shown in USD. Past performance is not a reliable guide to future results.
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Industry
- Finance & banks
- Finance & banks
- 1Y return (USD)
- +40.2%
- +48.0%
- 3Y return (USD)
- +117.4%
- +313.6%
- 5Y return (USD)
- +87.3%
- +241.7%
- Trades in
- USD
- USD
Bank of AmericaBACBig US consumer + commercial bank. Closely tied to US economic cycle.
See full Bank of America details →BarclaysBCSA major British bank with a large UK retail business and a global investment bank in London and New York. It is one of Europe's biggest dealmakers and traders.
See full Barclays details →
Available on Interactive Brokers
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Frequently asked questions
Which performed better, Bank of America or Barclays?
Over the past five years Bank of America stock returned +87% and Barclays returned +242% in US dollars, so Barclays has been the stronger performer in that window. Past performance says little about the future, which is why the chart on this page lets you check other periods too.
Can I buy both Bank of America and Barclays shares?
Yes. Nothing stops you owning both companies, and many investors do exactly that instead of trying to pick the winner. Both are available to investors worldwide through a broker such as Interactive Brokers.
Is it safer to buy an ETF instead?
A broad index fund holds hundreds of companies at once, usually including both of these, so a single bad year at one business barely dents it. Owning individual shares concentrates that risk, which is why many beginners keep single stocks to a small slice of a mostly fund-based portfolio.