Capital One Under Investigation for Securities Fraud
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 03 2026
0mins
Should l Buy COF?
Source: Globenewswire
- Earnings Miss: On January 22, 2026, Capital One reported Q4 2025 earnings of $3.86 per share, falling short of analyst expectations of $4.14, indicating a decline in profitability that could undermine investor confidence.
- Efficiency Ratio Shortfall: The company's efficiency ratio stood at 60%, also missing analyst forecasts, suggesting issues in cost management that may further impair future profitability.
- Significant Stock Drop: Following the earnings report, Capital One's stock price plummeted by $17.77, or 7.56%, to close at $217.30 on January 23, 2026, reflecting market concerns regarding the company's financial health.
- Legal Investigation Initiated: Pomerantz LLP is investigating whether Capital One and its executives engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful practices, which could expose the company to legal risks and potential liabilities, further impacting its market performance.
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Analyst Views on COF
Wall Street analysts forecast COF stock price to rise
18 Analyst Rating
16 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 206.890
Low
256.00
Averages
284.22
High
310.00
Current: 206.890
Low
256.00
Averages
284.22
High
310.00
About COF
Capital One Financial Corporation is a diversified financial services holding company with banking and non-banking subsidiaries. The Company offers a broad spectrum of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients through a variety of channels. It operates through three segments: Credit Card, Consumer Banking and Commercial Banking. The Credit Card segment consists of its domestic consumer and small business card lending, and international card businesses in the United Kingdom and Canada. The Consumer Banking segment consists of its deposit gathering and lending activities for consumers and small businesses, and national auto lending. The Commercial Banking segment consists of its lending, deposit gathering, capital markets and treasury management services to commercial real estate and commercial and industrial customers. Its principal operating subsidiary is Capital One, National Association, which offers banking products and financial services.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Overdone Sell-off Assessment: Despite the market pressure, the sell-off of certain stocks appears overdone, and analysts believe these stocks remain attractive for inclusion in investment portfolios, particularly Marvell Technology.
- Marvell Technology Growth Potential: As an AI-focused company, Marvell Technology has gone through significant ups and downs, yet its growth trajectory is still viewed positively, indicating potential for long-term investment.
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- AI Fears Hit Financial Stocks: Concerns over a new AI-driven tax planning feature led to significant declines in Wells Fargo and Capital One, with shares dropping over 7.4% and nearly 7% respectively, highlighting investor sensitivity to potential threats in the wealth management sector, although Wells Fargo's rating upgrade on Friday provided some stabilization.
- Strong Performance in Industrials: Stocks like Eaton, Honeywell, and GE have continued their strong performance in 2026, with Eaton's shares rising over 4% last week and up 22% year-to-date, reflecting market optimism about economic recovery and driving what Jim Cramer describes as an
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- Political Pressure Intensifies: Amid persistent inflation, Trump and Sanders have found common ground in seeking to lower credit card annual percentage rates, with Trump proposing a 10% cap and Sanders advocating for a permanent 15% cap, potentially reshaping the profitability of credit card companies.
- Cautious Industry Response: Major credit card issuers like Capital One are in a holding pattern amidst political rhetoric, fearing that if a cap is implemented, they will be compelled to cut credit lines, adversely affecting credit access for lower-income households.
- Profitability at Risk: Analysts predict that a long-term rate cap could reduce Capital One's earnings per share by 25% or wipe them out entirely, as credit card operations account for approximately 74% of its total revenue, primarily derived from interest on customer balances.
- Acquisition Impact Significant: Capital One's $35 billion acquisition of Discover last year will be affected by any interest rate limits, as Discover's credit card balances will also be impacted, further diminishing Capital One's competitive edge, especially without a robust payment network.
See More
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- Financials Rebound: Despite Thursday's declines where Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs fell 3% and 4% respectively, Baird upgraded Wells Fargo to neutral, citing a more reasonable valuation and optimistic growth outlook.
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- Market Size and Impact: With over $1.2 trillion in credit card debt held by Americans and current rates often between 25% and 30%, the proposal could restrict credit to only the most creditworthy borrowers, potentially affecting popular points and rewards systems.
- Legislative Hurdles and Industry Pushback: The proposal faces significant legislative hurdles and is unlikely to gain bipartisan support, compounded by the powerful lobbying efforts of the banking industry aimed at protecting their interests.
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