Charles Schwab (SCHW): analysis in plain words
Is Charles Schwab cheap or expensive? How it makes money, whether it grows and its risks, explained in plain words and with its official accounts.
Charles Schwab (SCHW) is listed on the NYSE and we classify it in financial services and payments. Below are its key dated figures, how it makes money, how it compares with its sector, what works for and against Charles Schwab according to those figures, and the questions people ask most about the stock. No buy or sell tips.
Charles Schwab (SCHW) key figures as of November 4, 2026
| Figure | Value | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $93.37 | Last price on November 4, 2026 |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 16.0x | Price over earnings per share |
| Revenue growth | +16.9% | Latest quarter vs the same quarter a year earlier |
| Net margin (TTM) | 39.3% | Profit for every 100 of sales |
| Net debt / EBITDA | N/A | Years of operating profit to repay debt |
| Dividend yield | 1.43% | Annual dividend over price |
| Market cap | $161.5 billion | What the stock market values it at |
The Charles Schwab figures come from Yahoo Finance, the same source the Fintols analysis uses, retrieved on November 4, 2026. Any SCHW figure that is not available shows as N/A: we do not estimate it.
How Charles Schwab makes money
Charles Schwab is a brokerage and bank for individual investors and independent advisors, reported as Investor Services and Advisor Services. Net interest revenue earned on client cash is its largest source, followed by asset management fees on its funds and ETFs and trading revenue from platforms such as thinkorswim.
Over the last 12 months, Charles Schwab brought in revenue of $27.1 billion. For every 100 it sells, Charles Schwab keeps 97.5 after the direct cost of what it sells (gross margin) and 52.7 after all operating costs (operating margin).
Charles Schwab against its sector
To know whether a Charles Schwab figure is high or low you have to put it next to similar companies. This table compares Charles Schwab with the median of the 21 financial services and payments companies Fintols covers, with data as of November 4, 2026.
| Figure | Charles Schwab | financial services and payments median |
|---|---|---|
| P/E | 16.0x | 27.9x (21) |
| Revenue growth | +16.9% | +12.4% (24) |
| Net margin | 39.3% | 25.8% (24) |
| Dividend yield | 1.43% | 0.81% (24) |
In short, against the typical financial services and payments company, Charles Schwab trades on a lower P/E, grows faster and earns a wider margin. By size, Charles Schwab ranks number 5 of 22 financial services and payments companies quoted in USD on Fintols.
The bull case for Charles Schwab
These are the strengths in the Charles Schwab figures as of November 4, 2026:
- Its net margin over the last 12 months is 39.3% (sector median: 25.8%): Charles Schwab turns a large share of its sales into profit.
- Charles Schwab is selling more than a year ago: +16.9% in its latest quarter (the typical financial services and payments company grew +12.4%).
The main risk for Charles Schwab
The Charles Schwab figures as of November 4, 2026 show no clear red flag (no heavy debt, no losses, no falling sales). Its main risk is the one built into its business: a drop in the payment, investment or trading volumes it earns fees on, plus regulation.
Frequently asked questions about Charles Schwab
Is it a good time to buy Charles Schwab stock?
Fintols does not tell you whether to buy or sell Charles Schwab, and nobody knows what the price will do tomorrow. What we can show you is where it stands today. As of November 4, 2026, Charles Schwab stock trades at $93.37, 18% below its 52-week high ($114.53) and 11% above its low ($83.96). Its P/E is 16.0x against a financial services and payments median of 27.9x, and 12.0x on the earnings analysts expect over the next 12 months. With Charles Schwab, as with any stock, timing matters less than understanding the business, investing for the long run and not betting everything on a single company.
Does Charles Schwab pay a dividend?
Yes. As of November 4, 2026, Charles Schwab pays $1.28 per share a year, which at today's price is a yield of 1.43%. It uses 21% of its profit to pay it, which leaves room to keep paying it if profit dips.
Is Charles Schwab stock expensive?
It depends on what you compare it with. On P/E, Charles Schwab trades at 16.0x its last 12 months of earnings: cheaper than the financial services and payments median (27.9x). A high P/E alone does not make Charles Schwab expensive: it can be justified if earnings grow fast, and a low one can reflect a business in trouble.
Who are Charles Schwab's competitors?
On Fintols we compare Charles Schwab with Capital One, S&P Global and KKR, which are also in financial services and payments. As of November 4, 2026, Capital One is worth $126.6 billion and trades on a P/E of 12.6; S&P Global is worth $139.6 billion and trades on a P/E of 28.8; KKR is worth $93.6 billion and trades on a P/E of 32.4. Each has a side-by-side comparison with Charles Schwab below.
Charles Schwab competitors
- Capital One (COF) analysis · Charles Schwab vs Capital One comparison
- S&P Global (SPGI) analysis · Charles Schwab vs S&P Global comparison
- KKR (KKR) analysis · Charles Schwab vs KKR comparison
To understand Charles Schwab better
- Economic Moats Explained: From Warren Buffett to AI
- P/E Ratio and EPS Explained: How to Read Them Without Traps
More companies like Charles Schwab: financial services and payments stocks, S&P 500 companies and S&P 100 companies. Open the full SCHW analysis with its valuation and scenarios. Educational content about Charles Schwab, not investment advice.