Quarterlytics / Financial Services / Financial - Credit Services / Capital One Financial

Capital One Financial

cof · NYSE Financial Services
Claim this profile
Ticker cof
Exchange NYSE
Sector Financial Services
Industry Financial - Credit Services
Employees 10,000+
← All annual reports
FY2020 Annual Report · Capital One Financial
Sign in to download
Loading PDF…
2020 Annual Report

C
A
P

I
T
A
L

O
N
E

F
I

N
A
N
C

I

A
L

C
O
R
P
O
R
A
T
I

O
N

2
0
2
0

A
N
N
U
A
L

R
E
P
O
R
T

Human  Rights  Campaign  Foundation  Best  Places  to  Work  for  LGBTQ  Equality 

Invested $50M in COVID relief and recovery • Real Simple Smart Money Awards 

Highest in Overall Customer Satisfaction among National Banks, J.D. Power 

Financed affordable housing units benefiting over 14,000 households • Great Place 

to Work® Best Workplaces for Parents™ • Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For  
G.I. Jobs®  Military  Friendly ®  Employer  •  Working  Mother  Best  Companies  for 

Multicultural Women • DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity • Working 

Mother  100  Best  Companies  •  Fast  Company  Innovation  by  Design  Honoree 

Fortune Best Workplaces for Women • Canada’s Best Diversity Employers • National  

Organization on Disability Leading Disability Employer • Working Mother Best 

Companies for Dads • Fast Company Best Workplaces for Innovators • ABA Stevie 

Award Winner for Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning • Top Companies for  

Women Technologists, AnitaB.org • Fortune World’s Most Admired Companies  

100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption  

Launched 5-year, $200M Impact Initiative to advance socioeconomic mobility 

Best for Vets: Employers, Military Times • Fortune Best Workplaces for Millennials 

Points of Light Civic 50 • $1.6B in community development loans and investments 

Created and produced by Capital One and the following:
Design: Elevation
Executive Portrait: Vedros & Associates
Printing: Allied Printing Services, Inc.

Artwork images on page 13:
Digital Print: Michael Corris, “Incident on a Page 3: Self-Help”
Aerial Sculpture: Tom Currie, “Plastic Paper Airplanes”

1680 Capital One Drive
McLean, VA 22102
(703) 720-1000

www.capitalone.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Corporate Information

Corporate Office
1680 Capital One Drive, McLean, VA 22102
Tel: (703) 720-1000
www.capitalone.com

Annual Meeting
Thursday, May 6, 2021 
10:00 a.m. Eastern Time  
Virtual meeting conducted exclusively via live webcast  
at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/COF2021

Principal Investor Contacts
Jeff Norris 
Senior Vice President, Finance 
or 
Danielle Dietz 
Managing Vice President, Investor Relations
Capital One Financial Corporation 
1680 Capital One Drive, McLean, VA 22102
Tel: (703) 720-2455

Common Stock
Listed on New York Stock Exchange®
Stock Symbol COF
Member of S&P 500®

Corporate Registrar/Transfer Agent
Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
P.O. Box 505005, Louisville, KY 40233
Tel: (888) 985-2057
Outside the U.S., Canada, & Puerto Rico 
Tel: (781) 575-2725
Hearing impaired: (800) 952-9245
Email: shareholder@computershare.com
Internet: www.computershare.com

By Overnight Courier to:
Computershare
462 South 4th Street, Suite 1600, Louisville, KY 40202

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Ernst & Young LLP 

Copies  of  Form  10-K  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  are  available  without  charge  at  www.capitalone.com.  The 
most recent certifications by our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley 
Act of 2002 are filed as exhibits to the Form 10-K. We have also filed with the New York Stock Exchange the most recent Annual CEO 
Certification as required by Section 303A.12(a) of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual.

ABOUT CAPITAL ONE

Capital One Financial Corporation (www.capitalone.com) is a financial holding company whose subsidiaries, which include Capital One, N.A., and Capital One Bank (USA), 
N.A., had $305.4 billion in deposits and $421.6 billion in total assets as of December 31, 2020. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Capital One offers a broad spectrum of 
financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients through a variety of channels. Capital One, N.A. has branches located primarily in 
New York, Louisiana, Texas, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey and the District of Columbia. A Fortune 500 company, Capital One trades on the New York Stock Exchange 
under the symbol “COF” and is included in the S&P 100 index.

Capital  One  cautions  readers  that  any  forward-looking  statement  is  not  a  guarantee  of  future  performance  and  that  actual  results  could  differ  materially  from  those 
described in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors including, among other things: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related public health 
measures on our business, financial condition and results of operations, including the increased estimation and forecast uncertainty as a result of the pandemic on our 
estimates of lifetime expected credit losses in our loan portfolios required in computing our allowance for credit losses; general economic and business conditions in the 
U.S., the U.K., Canada or Capital One’s local markets, including conditions affecting employment levels, interest rates, tariffs, collateral values, consumer income, credit 
worthiness  and  confidence,  spending  and  savings  that  may  affect  consumer  bankruptcies,  defaults,  charge-offs  and  deposit  activity;  an  increase  or  decrease  in  credit 
losses, including increases due to a worsening of general economic conditions in the credit environment, and the impact of inaccurate estimates or inadequate reserves; 
compliance  with  new  and  existing  laws,  regulations  and  regulatory  expectations  including  the  implementation  of  a  regulatory  reform  agenda;  Capital  One’s  ability  to 
manage effectively its capital and liquidity; developments, changes or actions relating to any litigation, governmental investigation or regulatory enforcement action or 
matter involving Capital One; the inability to sustain revenue and earnings growth; increases or decreases in interest rates and uncertainty with respect to the interest rate 
environment,  including  the  possibility  of  a  prolonged  low-interest  rate  environment  or  of  negative  interest  rates;  uncertainty  regarding,  and  transition  away  from,  the 
London Interbank Offering Rate; the amount and rate of deposit growth; changes in deposit costs; Capital One’s ability to execute on its strategic and operational plans; 
Capital One’s response to competitive pressures; changes in retail distribution strategies and channels, including the emergence of new technologies and product delivery 
systems; Capital One’s success in integrating acquired businesses and loan portfolios, and Capital One’s ability to realize anticipated benefits from announced transactions 
and strategic partnerships; the success of Capital One’s marketing efforts in attracting and retaining customers; changes in the reputation of, or expectations regarding, 
the  financial  services  industry  or  Capital  One  with  respect  to  practices,  products  or  financial  condition;  any  significant  disruption  in  Capital  One’s  operations  or  in  the 
technology platforms on which Capital One relies, including cybersecurity, business continuity and related operational risks, as well as other security failures or breaches 
of Capital One’s systems or those of Capital One’s partners, service providers or other third parties; increased costs, reductions in revenue, reputational damage, legal 
liability and business disruptions that can result from data protection or privacy incidents or the theft, loss or misuse of information, including as a result of a cyber-attack; 
Capital One’s ability to maintain a compliance and technology infrastructure suitable for the nature of Capital One’s business; Capital One’s ability to develop and adapt 
to  rapid  changes  in  digital  technology  to  address  the  needs  of  Capital  One’s  customers  and  comply  with  applicable  regulatory  standards,  including  compliance  with  
data protection and privacy standards; the effectiveness of Capital One’s risk management strategies; the extensive use, reliability and accuracy of the models and data 
Capital One relies on; Capital One’s ability to attract, retain and motivate talented and skilled employees; the impact from, and Capital One’s ability to respond to,  natural 
disasters and other catastrophic events; limitations on Capital One’s ability to receive dividends from its subsidiaries; fraud or misconduct by Capital One’s customers, 
employees, business partners or third parties; merchants’ increasing focus on the fees charged by credit card networks; and other risk factors identified from time to time 
in reports that Capital One files with the SEC, including, but not limited to, the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.

All Capital One trademarks are owned by Capital One Financial Corporation. All third party trademarks in this report are the property of their respective owners. © 2021.

Chairman’s Letter to 
Shareholders and Friends
This past year had a defining impact on our  
lives. A health pandemic. A global recession.  
A transformation of how we live and work. 
But adversity can be a catalyst for incredible 
ingenuity and humanity. Across the world, we 
saw both on an unprecedented scale. Scientists 
developed vaccines in record time. Teachers 
found new and creative ways to help their 
students learn. Restaurant owners rethought 
their business models. Families found creative 
ways to celebrate special occasions. 

Since our founding three decades ago,  
Capital One has focused on building a company 
that embraces change and is resilient to just 
about anything. And so when the pandemic hit, 
we were ready. We took on new roles, faced  

down new challenges, and learned new skills.  
We reimagined how and where we worked.  
We cared for our colleagues. We supported our 
customers and communities in need. The past 
year has been an opportunity for Capital One 
to lead with our values and to live our mission. 

We were founded on the belief that the banking 
industry would be revolutionized by information and 
technology. We believed that if we created a company 
that could harness data and scientific testing on a 
massive scale, we could take a one-size-fits-all 
industry and bring better, mass-customized solutions 
to customers. Our goal was to build a technology 
company that does banking, and compete against 
banks that use technology. Capital One rode the  
wave of the digital and information revolution to 
become one of the fastest-growing financial  
services companies in the United States. 

2

It didn’t come easy. We started with no money, no 
customers, and no brand. It took five lonely years 
before we had our first success. But our strategy 
worked. In the ensuing years, we refined the 
business model, attracted new customers, and 
scaled the company. We went public with our IPO 
in 1994, and we built one of the nation’s largest 
credit card businesses. Then we looked for ways  
in which technology and data would revolutionize 
other parts of financial services. We entered other 
businesses like auto finance and small business 
card. We expanded to the United Kingdom and 
Canada. We then took on the part of the industry 
that was slowest to evolve: retail banking. Today, 
we are a Fortune 100 company and one of the 
largest banks in the United States.

Looking back, I am struck by how fortunate we 
have been. But often good fortune needs some 
helping along. Our founding quest—what has made 
Capital One special—has always been our people, 
our culture, and the way we do strategy. 

Talent is Our Business
Great talent is perhaps the most talked about  
and least delivered-on thing in business. To us, it  
is the business. My line job—and the line job for  
all Capital One leaders—is to recruit and develop 
extraordinary and diverse talent. We search the 
world for star candidates to fill every open role, 
from the most junior associate to our Executive 
Committee and Board of Directors. We need 
associates who can adapt and innovate when 
there is no playbook, who have scar tissue from 
failure and who learned from it. We want people 
who are bold enough to believe they can change 
the world and have the humility to understand 
they need a lot of help to make it happen. 

Despite all the recent advances in technology, the 
power of great people continues to be the main 
driver of Capital One’s success. Today, Capital One 
is a talent beacon for highly sought-after roles like 
software engineering, data science, experience 
design, product management, and business 
analysis. We’ve earned accolades for being a  

great company to launch or accelerate technology 
careers. Our Technology Development Program  
is our largest of 10 talent programs for college 
graduates, and across the company we employ over 
8,000 software engineers. In 2020, Capital One 
welcomed over 6,000 new associates and 1,000 
interns. In response to the pandemic, we shifted 
from 10% virtual interviews to almost 100% virtual 
in two weeks, and our reimagined recruiting 
processes resulted in a 5-point increase in 
candidate net promoter scores. All along, we 
maintained an incredibly high bar for talent.  
Our people are the heart of Capital One. 

We Built an Open Culture 
Where Great People Have  
the Opportunity to Be Great
Our values guide how we build products, serve 
customers, and treat each other. We elevate 
others. We seek out the wisdom of the crowd. 
Team meetings are a meritocracy of ideas where 
we embrace dissent. We give open and candid 
feedback. And we also constantly seek feedback—
from peers, partners, clients, managers, and direct 
reports. We have high standards for ourselves and 
for each other. Growth and promotion are based not 
just on results but also on competencies and values. 

We value entrepreneurship. We encourage our 
associates to try new things and learn from failure. 
When we do fail, instead of placing blame, we take 
ownership and share our experiences with others 
so they can learn from our mistakes. Capital One  
is an incubator for innovation. In 2020, we were 
granted 747 U.S. patents, the highest among  
all financial services institutions. We were #7 
among all companies in artificial intelligence 
patents, the only bank in the top 10. Capital One 
now holds more than 1,800 patents from more than 
1,300 associate inventors. We invest in the growth 
and development of every associate through 
training and access to new roles or responsibilities. 
More than 70,000 unique users took advantage 
of our virtual learning platforms in 2020. Over 
5,500 tech engineers earned their Certified Secure 

3

Software Engineer (CSSE) certification and another 
1,000 engineers earned their Amazon Web Services 
(AWS) certification at our Tech College. Our culture, 
then and now, makes Capital One special.

Our Strategy Works 
Backwards from Where  
the World is Going
Early in my career, I was often struck by the lack  
of true strategy at most companies. Many confuse 
short-term tactics with long-term strategy. They 
work forward from where they are, with a focus 
on getting better. But better may not be the 
market’s standard. And winning is nowhere 
close to where most companies are. Winning 
is often way over there. History is littered with 
once-successful companies that were late to 
acknowledge foundational shifts in their markets 
and were slow to adapt to technological change. 
At Capital One, we do things differently. We don’t 
start by looking at where Capital One is. We know 
that the market is boss, and we start there. We 
obsessively focus on trying to figure out where 
the world is going and what winning looks 
like. And then we go build that. This approach 
has served us well. It drove our founding idea 
and every bold choice since. And as the world 
changed dramatically over the last decade, it 
informed the transformation of our company.

The beginning of the digital revolution was  
powered by a series of technology innovations  
that spanned over 50 years: the ENIAC computer  
in the 1940s, the personal computer in the 1980s, 
and the internet in the 1990s. And then almost  
all at once, there was a step change in the pace  
of disruption. Three waves of innovation—cloud 
computing, the mobile phone, and machine 
learning—arrived nearly simultaneously. They 
turned the world upside down, driving every 
company and every industry to an inexorable 
destination powered by big data and machine 
learning. It is the world of real-time, intelligent 
solutions. To you the customer, here’s what it  
means: instant solutions, customized for you. 

An explosion of start-ups rode these three waves  
to unicorn valuations and successful IPOs. And in 
financial services, FinTechs were excited to take on 
incumbents head-on and from every direction. The 
largest technology companies that ushered in these 
transformations created massive value for their 
customers and for their investors. They harnessed 
the disruption and opportunity of these three 
innovations and are now among the most valuable 
companies in the world. 

In the early 2010s, it became clear that every 
company was going to need to rethink how it 
worked. The financial services industry was no 
exception. Banking is inherently a digital product 
and ripe for innovation. Leveraging any one 
of mobile, cloud, or machine learning can be a 
transformational journey in itself. Harnessing  
all three at once was a staggering undertaking.  
And even though Capital One was a company 
built on technology and data, we knew 
that to deliver on the power and promise 
of real-time, intelligent solutions, we had 
to transform ourselves yet again. 

And so, in 2012, Capital One began a more 
comprehensive acceleration of our technology 
investments and transformation. Compared to  
our peers, we had an advantage, having been an 
original FinTech and having built our company on 
technology, information, data, and talent. But the 
world had moved so much and so quickly that 
Capital One—like much of corporate America—
was stranded with insufficient technology talent 
and antiquated foundational technology, data 
ecosystems, and methods of working. Many 
companies have tried to bolt new technology 
capabilities onto legacy operations, or quarantine 
their talent, technology, or innovation to select 
pockets of their organizations. They have 
focused their investments on the top of the 
technology stack, delivering apps or online 
features to enhance the customer experience. 

Capital One took a different approach. We  
rebuilt our infrastructure from the bottom of  
the tech stack up. We embraced agile practices 

4

We Reimagined Our Workspaces

When the pandemic hit, we were one of the first 
companies to go remote. By mid-March, 98% of 
our non-branch U.S. associates were working from 
their homes, including more than 10,000 associates 
in operations and customer contact centers.

to organize work across our teams, and we 
harnessed the power of APIs, microservices, and 
automation to build and deploy software. We 
modernized our applications. We went all-in on 
public cloud, and today we are one of the leading 
cloud companies in the world. We accelerated 
our investments in modern data environments 
that will serve as the foundation for machine 
learning capabilities and artificial intelligence. 

For years, there was little the outside world could 
see. But we continued to invest. And we have 
seen an acceleration in our ability to build and 
release software, prevent and detect fraud, and 
provide real-time and intelligent experiences 
to our customers. In 2020, we fully exited all 
of our data centers, one of the first enterprise 
companies in America to do so. Our ongoing 
transformation also enabled us to respond to the 
unique needs of our customers, businesses, and 
associates over the past 12 months. We will, no 
doubt, look back on 2020 as a time filled with 
enormous challenge and stress. But it has also 
been a time when Capital One showed its best. 

Responding to the Pandemic
When I drove to our headquarters on March 6, 2020, 
it was the final day of our annual Board of Directors 
and senior management meeting, a time to review 
and discuss Capital One’s long-term strategy. 

Five days later, on March 11, the World Health 
Organization declared COVID-19 an official  
health pandemic. The NBA suspended its season.  
Tom Hanks tested positive for the virus. The following 
day, the U.S. stock market crashed, dropping 10%, 
the largest single-day decline since 1987. Within days, 
the global economy had ground to a halt. 

That meeting on March 6 turned out to be our last 
in-person gathering in more than a year. Today,  
I am writing this letter from my dining room table.

Because the virus came so fast, every day 
mattered. We took early, aggressive measures 
to protect associates. We were one of the first 

5

Banking Reimagined

We were thrilled to be ranked by J.D. Power #1 in Customer Satisfaction among national banks. To experience banking 
reimagined you can visit a Capital One branch or Café—or take five minutes to sign up online or on your phone.

companies to mandate remote work for our 
non-essential associates. By mid-March, 98% 
of our non-branch U.S. workforce was working 
remotely, including more than 10,000 people 
in our customer contact centers. Thousands 
were re-trained to support pandemic-related 
efforts across the company. We transformed 
our kitchens into offices and our bedrooms into 
virtual conference rooms. Colleagues met each 
other’s pets, tested out virtual backgrounds, and 
reminded each other (often) to unmute. While 
40,000 of our associates transitioned to working 
from home, thousands of our branch and essential 
operations teams continued to work in roles that 
could not be performed remotely. Almost overnight, 
we reconfigured hundreds of bank branches to 
protect associates and customers. And to support 
business-critical roles, we adopted on-site safety 
measures and advanced screening solutions to 
support a safe and healthy working environment.

The March mobilization was historic, but the 
pandemic’s ongoing impact also called for a 
broad and sustained rethinking of how to 
support associates. We provided additional 
paid time off and instituted temporary pay 
premiums and bonuses for branch and customer 

service associates. We increased family care 
time, relaxed our vacation policies, and waived 
the new hire waiting periods for benefits. We 
introduced new and enhanced programs to 
help associates with childcare. We invested 
in mental health services and expanded our 
health coverage for COVID-related illnesses. 

The pandemic also prompted us to develop new 
ways to help our customers and clients, many of 
whom were suffering economic pain and stress. 
Unemployment had spiked. Stores had been shut 
down. Capital One’s long-term investments in 
infrastructure, software, and cloud capabilities 
allowed us to instantly scale to meet the needs of 
our customers. In March, we began implementing 
large-scale customer accommodations, which took 
different forms depending on the customer need or 
line of business. In our Card and Auto businesses, 
we implemented forbearance programs, which 
allowed customers to skip payments with no 
late fees. We waived fees for many Retail Bank 
customers, and we modified our money movement 
policies to provide greater customer flexibility. 
For our commercial clients, our teams worked to 
provide customized relief and support. We also 
participated in the U.S. government’s Paycheck 

6

Protection Program (PPP) to provide financial 
support to small businesses across the country, 
which have been at the center of this crisis and 
are a key driver of economic growth. Capital One 
distributed over $1.2 billion in PPP loans, funding 
more than 15,000 small businesses and supporting 
over 140,000 of their employees. 

We Were Resilient Under 
Stress and Delivered Solid 
Financial Performance
Since our founding days, our growth opportunities 
have paradoxically come because we are focused 
on risk and resilience. We seek out structurally 
attractive businesses or customer segments. Our 
underwriting assumes stress, even during good 
times. We conservatively manage our funding, 
capital, and liquidity. The extraordinary events 
of the pandemic shaped our 2020 financial 
performance. But these long-standing choices 
continued to serve us well. 

Our provision for credit losses was the dominant 
driver of our financial results. The sharp economic 
downturn at the outset of the pandemic, combined 
with significant uncertainty about future recovery, 
drove very large additions to our reserve for future 
loan losses and resulted in negative earnings per 
share (EPS) in the first and second quarters. 

Despite the significant increase in unemployment 
and loan loss allowance in the first half of 2020, 
Capital One posted strikingly strong consumer 
credit metrics as the year progressed. This resulted 
in allowance decreases, increased earnings, and 
record quarterly EPS in the second half of the 
year. Strong credit results were driven by cautious 
consumers who spent less, saved more, and paid 
down debt. Significant government stimulus and 
support combined with widespread banking industry 
forbearance also contributed to those results. 

Across many key measures of our financial 
performance, we showed only moderate changes 
compared to 2019. Total company loan balances 

declined 5%, driven by consumer deleveraging and 
slower economic growth. Revenue was essentially 
flat versus 2019, but included a $535 million 
investment gain from our stake in the software 
company Snowflake, in which Capital One was an 
early investor. Pre-provision earnings increased 
about 3% to $13.5 billion. After years of steady 
improvement, the adjusted operating efficiency 
ratio increased to 46%, largely due to the financial 
implications of the pandemic.

Full-year earnings were down significantly from 
2019 as a result of the increase in the provision 
for future expected credit losses. Adjusted EPS 
decreased $6.30 to $5.79 and our return on 
tangible common equity fell from 14.4% in 2019 

Clear Products and Compelling Rewards

Our rewards cards provide consumers and small 
businesses cash back, points, and miles on every 
purchase every day. Our consumer checking 
accounts have no fees or minimums, and come  
with unlimited access to more than 40,000 
fee-free ATMs nationwide.

7

to 6.2%. Core EPS, which excludes the changes 
in our allowance for future expected credit losses, 
increased from $11.19 in 2019 to $13.54 in 2020, 
reflecting solid business results and very low levels 
of actual credit losses in the year.* 

Despite the pandemic and massive economic 
slowdown, financial markets performed well in 
2020 across a broad range of asset classes. But 
annual gains masked an unprecedented year of 
market activity, volatility, and uncertainty. In late 
February 2020, markets plummeted in the U.S.  
and across much of the world due to fear and 
uncertainty surrounding the pandemic. After 
dropping with the broader markets in the first half 
of the year, Capital One’s stock price ended the 
year at $98.85, down slightly from year-end 2019 
but significantly outperforming the broader KBW 
bank index by 14 percentage points. Since we went 
public in 1994, Capital One’s return to shareholders 
is 2,322%, the highest of all major banks. 

We are confident in the long-term positioning of 
our businesses and the strategic opportunities that 
are being created as sweeping digital change 
continues to transform banking. In fact, the past 
year only accelerated the seismic shift towards 
digital and the technological transformation that 
we have been focused on over the last decade. Our 
sustained investments to transform our technology 

and how we work powered our response to the 
pandemic. And they position us to deliver long-
term shareholder value in the future.

We Invested in Our Businesses, 
Capabilities, and Brand
Despite the economic challenges of 2020, our 
businesses delivered solid results and we invested  
in and grew our franchises. Our Card business  
serves a broad array of consumer, small business, 
and partnership customers. Capital One offers clear 
and compelling products, great digital capabilities, 
and valuable rewards programs. Our Auto business 
is focused on enhanced digital experiences for 
dealers and car buyers, and we continue to gain 
market share. We are now one of the largest auto 
lenders in the United States. Our Retail Bank  
posted 17% deposit growth and continued to grow 
new savings and checking relationships. In 2020,  
Capital One achieved the J.D. Power #1 Ranking in 
Customer Satisfaction among National Banks in the 
United States. Our commercial business is focused 
on serving and growing with our clients while 
maintaining strong underwriting and resilience. We 
are carefully choosing attractive segments of the 
market where deep industry specialization—and our 
teams, size, and technology—allow us to compete 
and achieve sustainable competitive advantage. 

Providing Real-time and 
Intelligent Digital Tools

Our apps and tools like Eno, 
Auto Navigator, and CreditWise 
allow customers to securely 
and conveniently monitor their 
account, apply for an auto loan, 
and check their credit score. 
Anytime. Anywhere.

8

We continue to expand our servicing and 
standalone digital experiences that provide 
real-time, intelligent solutions for our customers. 
The Capital One mobile app and online banking 
services attract millions of customers who 
use our simple and intuitive digital tools to 
manage their money. Our mobile banking 
app has 4.8 stars in the App Store, and our 
online banking services continue to receive 
high net promoter scores from customers. 

Auto Navigator allows car buyers to search 
for inventory and obtain pre-approval for 
personalized financing on millions of cars, 
trucks, and SUVs across the country. All from 
the convenience of their couch. All in real time. 
Capital One’s digital assistant, Eno, watches 
out for a customer’s money even when they 
are not actively monitoring their account. 
Tens of millions of customers use CreditWise, 
which allows them to understand and improve 
their credit scores. And once the pandemic 
eases, our travel planning tools will make it 
easier for Capital One customers to find the 
best deals, book travel, and receive enhanced 
rewards on flights, hotels, and rental cars. 

In 2020, we continued to tell the Capital One  
story and market our businesses, products, and 
capabilities across a diverse set of platforms and 
channels. Our investments in digital, social media, 
video on-demand, and streaming services proved 
fortuitous given changing consumer behavior 
during the pandemic. To bring our products and 
digital experiences to life, we continued to produce 
highly rated advertising campaigns featuring 
Jennifer Garner, Samuel L. Jackson, Charles Barkley, 
Spike Lee, John Travolta, and Taylor Swift. 

We are big supporters of college athletics and 
college athletes. In 2020, we renewed our title 
sponsorship of the Capital One Orange Bowl 
for six more years, and we opportunistically 
sponsored the Rose Bowl. We are also excited 
to continue and grow our marquee sponsorship 
of the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Final 
Four. This past year we also served as the title 

Effortless Savings on Online Purchases

Capital One Shopping is a free online tool that 
instantly checks for coupons, lower prices, and 
valuable rewards at over 30,000 online retailers.  
In the last year, Capital One Shopping found users 
over $160 million in savings.

sponsor for two COVID-safe “Capital One’s 
The Match” golf events, which raised tens of 
millions for COVID relief and Historically Black 
Colleges and Universities. The Match 2.0 was 
the most watched cable golf event in history. 
And we’ve become the official sponsor of a 
popular Esports competition series, Twitch 
Rivals. Beyond sports, we sponsored COVID-
friendly virtual music and food events including 
iHeartRadio’s Music Festival, Country Fest, 
Jingle Ball, and the NYC Wine & Food Festival.

We Supported  
Our Communities 
Community engagement and philanthropy 
have always been at the core of who we are. 
We anticipated the disproportionate impact 
the pandemic and recession would have on 
entrepreneurs, communities of color, seniors, and 
lower- and middle-income individuals and families.

9

Investing in Our Brand

In 2020, we continued to feature our compelling 
products in Capital One ads starring Jennifer 
Garner and Charles Barkley. We also spotlighted 
real small business owners, like David Collado from 
Happy Howie’s, who use Capital One’s Spark Small 
Business card to succeed and grow.

We were one of the first large companies to adjust 

our grantmaking processes to allow nonprofit 

partners more discretion in how they used our 

financial support. We quickly committed $50 

million in relief to organizations positioned to help 

10

struggling communities and small businesses.  
Our associates successfully pivoted from in-person 
to virtual volunteerism, delivering high-impact pro 
bono assistance to hundreds of partners. 

We extended a number of new small business 
grants and, alongside many of our fellow 
financial institutions, contributed to Inclusiv’s 
Resilience Fund to support credit unions 
serving communities of color, many of which 
were disproportionately affected by the 
pandemic. Capital One also led a coalition of 
brands, including GoFundMe, HundredX, the 
National Urban League, and Ogilvy, to launch 
Small Unites, an advocacy program designed to 
rally consumers and communities across the 
country to champion local small businesses.

In 2020, Capital One announced our new 
$200 million multi-year Impact Initiative. This 
program will serve as an initial step in a broader 
commitment to advance socioeconomic mobility 
by closing gaps in equity and opportunity. Our 
emphasis will be on racial equity, affordable 
housing, small business support, workforce 
development, and financial well-being.

We Are Advancing Racial 
Equity Inside and Outside  
of Capital One 
As our country confronted long-simmering  
issues of racism and racial inequity, Capital One 
committed—both in voice and in action—to 
improve and ensure racial equity and inclusion in 
our workplace and communities. Our efforts are 
focused on growing the ranks of Black and Latinx 
executives at Capital One, increasing diversity 
awareness and capabilities among associates—
especially leaders—and supporting community 
partners who specialize in racial equity.

In 2020, we held virtual events on racial  
equity and social justice focused both within  
the workplace and beyond. Over 50,000 
associates met with activists, authors, and 

experts in an ongoing series we refer to as our 
All IN: Live. These events support associates 
by advancing candid dialogue and raising the 
collective diversity, inclusion, and belonging 
consciousness and capabilities of our workforce. 
We also centered our philanthropic efforts 
around nonprofits focused on social justice 
initiatives, especially those working to break 
down structural barriers to racial equity. 
Thousands of our associates donated their 
money and time to nonprofits focused on these 
issues. Donations were matched by Capital One 
in what has been the largest corporate matching 
program in our history.

Our efforts to support racial equity were not 
limited to philanthropy and programmatic 
support. In 2020, Capital One hosted 56 Year Up 
interns, our largest commitment to the workforce 
development nonprofit to date. Over 1,000 
associates volunteered thousands of hours 
across our markets in McLean, Richmond, Dallas, 
and the NYC metro area to deliver professional 
development, mentoring, targeted training, 

resumé reviews, and mock interviews. We also 

continued to invest in supplier diversity, 

successfully piloting a new mentorship and 

development program that pairs Capital One 

associates with Black-owned businesses for a 

formal training experience.

Our Business Resource Groups (BRGs) are 

voluntary, associate-led communities based 

on shared interests and backgrounds. They 

deepen our understanding of different cultures, 

people, and experiences. They enable associates 

to build connections and bridge differences. 

BRGs play a central role in advancing inclusion 

and were critical in 2020. Not only did these 

groups focus on their own members and goals, 

but we saw an increase in intersectionality 

programming and engagement, where multiple 

BRGs collaborated on issues or impact. Over 

60% of our global workforce now belongs 

to one or more of our seven BRGs. This 

year alone, we gained more than 9,500 new 

members and allies across these communities.

Giving Back through Philanthropy and Service

Over the past year, we quickly mobilized to provide grants and pro bono assistance to communities and  
organizations most impacted by COVID-19. We also announced our five-year, $200 million Impact Initiative  
to advance socioeconomic mobility.

Power of 10, Washington, D.C.

11

We Are Widely Recognized  
as a Great Place to Work  
and Grow Your Career
As you can see from the cover of this year’s report, 
Capital One continues to be recognized for our 
community impact and for being a great place to 
start, grow, or accelerate your career.

For our 9th consecutive year, we placed on  
Fortune magazine’s 100 Best Companies to  
Work For (#24), jumping 15 places from 2019.  
We also earned recognition in Fortune magazine’s 

Championing Diversity, Inclusion, & Belonging

Our diversity makes us a more innovative and
successful company. Our Business Resource
Groups help ensure that every Capital One
associate is heard, accepted, and supported.
Over 32,000 associates belong to at least one
BRG as a member or ally.

Female Associates and Allies

LGBTQ+ Associates and Allies

Black Associates and Allies

Hispanic/Latinx
Associates and Allies

Veterans, Military Families, and Allies

Asian and Pacific Islander  
Associates and Allies

Associates with a Disability,  
Caregivers, and Allies

“Best Workplaces for Women” (#12). Our efforts 
to support our associates with children were 
noted as well, as we earned a spot on several 
lists from Working Mother magazine, including 
“100 Best Companies,” “Best Companies for 
Multicultural Women,” and their inaugural  
“Best Companies for Dads.” 

We were lauded for our diversity, inclusion,  
and belonging efforts. Capital One was noted  
as a DiversityInc Top 50 “Companies for Diversity” 
and was captured on two of their specialty 
lists: “Top Companies for LGBTQ+ Employees” 
and “Top Companies for Veterans.” We were 
also designated as #14 on the list of “Best 
for Vets Employers” from the Military Times 
and were recognized as a G.I. Jobs “Military 
Friendly Employer” (Silver) & “Military Friendly 
Spouse Employer.” We received a perfect 
score of 100% on the Disability:IN Disability 
Equality Index and received a top score of 
100, and the distinction of “Best Places to 
Work for LGBTQ Equality” on the Human 
Rights Campaign (HRC) Corporate Equality 
Index, our 17th consecutive year on that list. 

Today, the vast majority of Capital One’s  
non-branch or essential operations associates 
are working remotely. We have adapted strikingly 
well to this new way of working together, and 
we have heard from our associates about the 
benefits of working from home. In the future, we 
expect associates will have increased flexibility 
and choice as to how and where they work. We 
will take the learnings from this unique moment 
to find new ways to support our associates 
and drive collaboration and innovation across 
the company. At the same time, we expect 
that in-person work environments will return 
as an important part of Capital One once the 
pandemic eases. We have vibrant campuses in 
great cities across the U.S., U.K., and Canada. 
Our spaces bring teams together, support 
associate development, and drive innovation. 
And we expect that in-person work will be 
critically important for our building connection, 
community, and culture in the future. 

12

Fueling Innovation with Inspiring Workspaces

Our campuses play an important role in fostering community, collaboration, and culture. We give associates 
flexibility in where and how they work, and we are investing to promote associate productivity, engagement,  
and well-being. Our expanding headquarters in Tysons, VA, combines modern workspaces with public  
restaurants, shops, community events, and a state-of-the-art performance hall.

Tysons, VA | Capital One Center

Plano, TX | Photo: Pascale Photography

The Moment and  
The Opportunity
This last year has been a trying time for all of 
humankind. I stood in awe of the resilience and 
ingenuity we witnessed as the world battled this 
virus together. This year also served as a test, and 
an opportunity, for Capital One. I marveled at the 
ingenuity of our associates as they reimagined 
how we work and the humanity with which they 
supported our customers and each other. We 
accomplished so much together in the most 

unusual of circumstances. Today, I look around 
and feel such a sense of possibility. I am humbled 
to have the good fortune to lead this company 
and be part of this life-changing journey to 
Change Banking for Good. 

Richard D. Fairbank
Chairman, CEO and President

*Adjusted amounts shown herein are non-GAAP measures that reflect adjustments to our 2020 and 2019 GAAP results. The adjustments in 2020 consist of (i) legal 
reserve activity of $313 million, including insurance recoveries, (ii) a U.K. PPI reserve release of $36 million, (iii) net Cybersecurity Incident remediation expenses of 
$27 million. The adjustments in 2019 consist of (i) $212 million of U.K. PPI reserve build, (ii) Walmart launch and integration expenses of $211 million, (iii) the initial 
Walmart allowance build of $84 million, (iv) net Cybersecurity Incident remediation expenses of $38 million, and (v) restructuring charges of $28 million. Core 
earnings is a measure that excludes from our GAAP results builds or releases in our allowance for credit losses and any impairment or amortization of intangible 
assets. Please refer to the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” section of our 2021 Proxy Statement for more information on this metric.

13

Financial Summary

Loans Held for Investment ($ in Billions)

$252

’94

’95

’96

’97

’98

’99

’00

’01

’02

’03

’04

’05

’06

’07

’08

’09

’10

’11

’12

’13

’14

’15

’16

’17

’18

’19

’20

Source: COF Forms 10-K published at sec.gov

Total Net Revenue ($ in Millions) 

$28,523

’94

’95

’96

’97

’98

’99

’00

’01

’02

’03

’04

’05

’06

’07

’08

’09

’10

’11

’12

’13

’14

’15

’16

’17

’18

’19

’20

Source: COF Forms 10-K published at sec.gov
Note: Figures prior to 2005 do not include the effects of securitization transactions qualifying as sales under GAAP

Diluted Earnings Per Common Share (Dollars)

$5.18

’94

’95

’96

’97

’98

’99

’00

’01

’02

’03

’04

’05

’06

’07

’08

’09

’10

’11

’12

’13

’14

’15

’16

’17

’18

’19

’20

Source: COF Forms 10-K and earnings release materials published at sec.gov
Note: 2017 net income per diluted share as reported under GAAP was $3.49 per share. The amount above has been adjusted to exclude the $1.77 billion 
($3.59 per share) non-cash impact of U.S. tax reform, which reflected our estimate as of December 31, 2017. 2008 loss as reported under GAAP was $0.21 
per share. The amount above has been adjusted to exclude an $811 million ($2.14 per share) non-cash goodwill impairment, and the associated $7 million 
tax effect of the impairment ($0.01 per share), related to our Auto Finance business.

14

Dollars in millions, except per share data and as noted
Income Statement:
Net interest income
Non-interest income
Total net revenue
Provision for credit losses
Non-interest expense
Income from continuing operations before income taxes
Income tax provision
Income from continuing operations, net of tax
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax
Net income
Dividends and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities
Preferred stock dividends
Issuance cost for redeemed preferred stock
Net income available to common stockholders
Common Share Statistics:
Basic earnings per common share:

Income from continuing operations, net of tax
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax
Net income per common share
Diluted earnings per common share:

Income from continuing operations, net of tax
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax
Net income per diluted common share

Dividends declared and paid per common share
Balance Sheet:
Loans held for investment
Interest-earning assets
Total assets
Interest-bearing deposits
Total deposits
Borrowings
Common equity
Total stockholders’ equity
Average Balances:
Loans held for investment
Interest-earning assets
Total assets
Interest-bearing deposits
Total deposits
Borrowings
Common equity
Total stockholders’ equity
Credit Quality Metrics:
Allowance for credit losses
Allowance as a % of loans held for investment
Net charge-offs
Net charge-off rate
30+ day performing delinquency rate
30+ day total delinquency rate
Performance Metrics:
Purchase volume
Total net revenue margin
Net interest margin
Return on average assets
Return on average common equity
Return on average tangible common equity
Efficiency ratio
Operating efficiency ratio
Effective income tax rate on continuing operations
Employees (period end, in thousands)
Capital Ratios:
Common equity Tier 1 capital ratio
Tier 1 capital ratio
Total capital ratio
Tier 1 leverage ratio
Tangible common equity ratio

$

$

$

$

$

$
$

$

$

$

$

$

2020

2019

$

$

$

$

$

$
$

$

$

$

$

$

22,913 
5,610
28,523
10,264
15,056
3,203
486
2,717
(3)
2,714
(20)
(280)
(39)
2,375

5.20
(0.01)
5.19

5.19
(0.01)
5.18
1.00

251,624 
388,917
421,602
274,300
305,442
40,539
55,356
60,204

253,335 
378,362
411,187
263,279
290,835
46,588
52,954
58,201

15,564 

6.19 %

5,225 
2.06 %
2.41
2.61

414,312 

7.54 %
6.06
0.66
4.49
6.24
52.79
47.14 
15.2
52.0

13.7 %
15.3
17.7
11.2
10.0

23,340 
5,253
28,593
6,236
15,483
6,874
1,341
5,533
13
5,546
(41)
(282)
(31)
5,192

11.07
0.03
11.10

11.02
0.03
11.05
1.60

265,809 
355,202
390,365
239,209
262,697
55,697
53,157
58,011

247,450 
341,510
374,924
231,609
255,065
50,965
50,960
55,690

7,208 

2.71 %

6,252 

2.53 %
3.51
3.74

 424,765 

8.37 %
6.83
1.48
10.16
14.37
54.15
46.20 
19.5
51.9

12.2 %
13.7
16.1
11.7
10.2

15

 
 
Capital One Financial Corporation 
Directors and Executive Officers

Board of Directors

Executive Officers

Richard D. Fairbank  
Chairman, CEO and President 
Capital One Financial Corporation

Ime Archibong  
Head of New Product Experimentation, Facebook

Aparna Chennapragada C, R  
Vice President and General Manager of  
Consumer Shopping, Google

Ann Fritz Hackett C, G, R  
Former Strategy Consulting Partner

Peter Thomas Killalea C, R  
Owner and President, Aoinle, LLC

Cornelis Petrus Adrianus Joseph 
“Eli” Leenaars A, C, R  
Vice Chairman, Global Wealth Management Division 
UBS Group AG

Pierre E. Leroy A, C, R  
Former Managing Partner, Aspiture, LLC

François Locoh-Donou C, G  
President, CEO and Director, F5 Networks, Inc.

Peter E. Raskind G, R   
Former Chairman, President and CEO 
National City Corporation

Eileen Serra A, R   
Former Senior Advisor, JP Morgan Chase & Co. 
Former CEO, Chase Card Services

Mayo A. Shattuck III C, G  
Chairman, Exelon Corporation

Bradford H. Warner A, R  
Former President of Premier and  
Small Business Banking  
Bank of America Corporation

Catherine G. West A, R  
Former Special Advisor, Promontory Financial Group

Craig Anthony Williams   
President, Jordan Brand, Nike, Inc.

Richard D. Fairbank   
Chairman, CEO and President

Robert M. Alexander  
Chief Information Officer

Jory A. Berson  
Chief Human Resources Officer

R. Scott Blackley*  
Chief Financial Officer

Kevin S. Borgmann  
Senior Advisor to the CEO

Matthew W. Cooper  
General Counsel

Lia N. Dean  
President, Retail Bank & Premium Card Products

John G. Finneran, Jr.  
Senior Advisor to the CEO and Corporate Secretary

Sheldon “Trip” Hall  
Chief Risk Officer

Celia S. Karam  
Chief Audit Officer

Frank G. LaPrade, III  
Chief Enterprise Services Officer and  
Chief of Staff to the CEO

Michael C. Slocum  
President, Commercial Banking

Michael J. Wassmer  
President, Card

Sanjiv Yajnik  
President, Financial Services

Andrew Young*  
Chief Financial Officer

A Audit Committee
C Compensation Committee
G Governance and Nominating Committee 
R Risk Committee

* Andrew Young became Capital One’s Chief Financial Officer 
effective March 1, 2021, at which time R. Scott Blackley 
ceased to be Chief Financial Officer.

16

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
____________________________________

 FORM 10-K 

____________________________________

☒

☐

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 

OR

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from              to             

Commission File No. 001-13300 
____________________________________

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) 
____________________________________

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

Delaware

54-1719854

1680 Capital One Drive,

McLean, Virginia
(Address of principal executive offices)

22102
(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (703) 720-1000
____________________________________

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of Each Class
Common Stock (par value $.01 per share)

Depositary Shares, Each Representing a 1/40th Interest in a Share of Fixed Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual 
Preferred Stock, Series G

Trading 
Symbol(s)
COF

COF PRG

Name of Each Exchange on Which 
Registered
New York Stock Exchange

New York Stock Exchange

Depositary Shares, Each Representing a 1/40th Interest in a Share of Fixed Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual 
Preferred Stock, Series H

COF PRH

New York Stock Exchange

Depositary Shares, Each Representing a 1/40th Interest in a Share of Fixed Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual 
Preferred Stock, Series I

COF PRI

New York Stock Exchange

Depositary Shares, Each Representing a 1/40th Interest in a Share of Fixed Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual 
Preferred Stock, Series J

COF PRJ

New York Stock Exchange

Depositary Shares, Each Representing a 1/40th Interest in a Share of Fixed Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual 
Preferred Stock, Series K

COF PRK

New York Stock Exchange

0.800% Senior Notes Due 2024

1.650% Senior Notes Due 2029

COF24

COF29

New York Stock Exchange

New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.  Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.  Yes ☐ No ☒

Securities registered pursuant to section 12(g) of the Act: None
____________________________________

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months 
(or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes ☒  No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this 
chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).  Yes ☒  No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See 
the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer

Non-accelerated filer

☒

☐

   Accelerated filer

   Smaller reporting company

Emerging growth company

  ☐
☐

☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting 
standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting 
under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C.7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.  ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).  Yes ☐  No ☒

The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of the close of business on June 30, 2020 was approximately $28.3 billion. As of January 31, 
2021, there were 459,236,740 shares of the registrant’s Common Stock outstanding.

1.

Portions of the Proxy Statement for the annual meeting of stockholders to be held on May 6, 2021, are incorporated by reference into Part III.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

 
 
 
 
 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I
Item 1.

Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Operations and Business Segments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Supervision and Regulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Human Capital Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Forward-Looking Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Item 1A. Risk Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Item 2.
Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Item 3.
Legal Proceedings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PART II
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity 

Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Item 6.
Selected Financial Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) . . .
Executive Summary and Business Outlook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Consolidated Results of Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Consolidated Balance Sheets Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Business Segment Financial Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Accounting Changes and Developments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Capital Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Risk Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Credit Risk Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Liquidity Risk Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Market Risk Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Supplemental Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Glossary and Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Item 8.
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Consolidated Statements of Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Consolidated Balance Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Page
4

4

4

7

8

8

19

21

22

23

41
41

41

41

42

42

44

47

48

50

55

57

57

66

70

70

77

83

96

100

104

109

115

115

121

122

123

124

125

1

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Note 1—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Note 2—Investment Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 3—Loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Note 4—Allowance for Credit Losses and Reserve for Unfunded Lending Commitments . . . . . . . . 

Note 5—Variable Interest Entities and Securitizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Note 6—Goodwill and Intangible Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 7—Premises, Equipment and Leases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 8—Deposits and Borrowings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 9—Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 10—Stockholders’ Equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 11—Regulatory and Capital Adequacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Note 12—Earnings Per Common Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 13—Stock-Based Compensation Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 14—Employee Benefit Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 15—Income Taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 16—Fair Value Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Note 17—Business Segments and Revenue from Contracts with Customers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Note 18—Commitments, Contingencies, Guarantees and Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 19—Capital One Financial Corporation (Parent Company Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 20—Related Party Transactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Item 9.
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Item 9B. Other Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PART III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Item 11. Executive Compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters . . . 
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Item 16. Form 10-K Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

EXHIBIT INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

SIGNATURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

127

127

143

146

154

158

162

165

167

169

178

182
184

185

187

189

193

202

207

211

213

214

214

214

215

215

215

215

215

215

216

216

216

217

221

2

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

INDEX OF MD&A AND SUPPLEMENTAL TABLES

MD&A Tables:

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
9.1
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37

Average Balances, Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rate/Volume Analysis of Net Interest Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Non-Interest Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Non-Interest Expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Investment Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Loans Held for Investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Funding Sources Composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Business Segment Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Credit Card Business Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Domestic Card Business Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Consumer Banking Business Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Commercial Banking Business Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other Category Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Capital Ratios Under Basel III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Regulatory Risk-Based Capital Components and Regulatory Capital Metrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preferred Stock Dividends Paid Per Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Portfolio Composition of Loans Held for Investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Loan Maturity Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Credit Card Portfolio by Geographic Region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Consumer Banking Portfolio by Geographic Region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Commercial Banking Portfolio by Geographic Region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Commercial Loans by Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Credit Score Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
30+ Day Delinquencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Aging and Geography of 30+ Day Delinquent Loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
90+ Day Delinquent Loans Accruing Interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Nonperforming Loans and Other Nonperforming Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net Charge-Offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Troubled Debt Restructurings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Allowance for Credit Losses and Reserve for Unfunded Lending Commitments Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Allowance Coverage Ratios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Liquidity Reserves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Deposits Composition and Average Deposits Interest Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Maturities of Large-Denomination Domestic Time Deposits—$100,000 or More . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Long-Term Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Senior Unsecured Long-Term Debt Credit Ratings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Contractual Obligations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Interest Rate Sensitivity Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Page
51
52
53
54
55
56
56
58
59
61
62
64
65
73
74
75
84
85
85
86
86
87
88
88
89
90
90
91
93
95
96
96
97
98
98
99
99
101

Supplemental Tables:

A
B
C
D
E
F
G

Loans Held for Investment Portfolio Composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Performing Delinquencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Nonperforming Loans and Other Nonperforming Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net Charge-Offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Summary of Allowance for Credit Losses and Reserve for Unfunded Lending Commitments . . . . . . . . . . . .
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selected Quarterly Financial Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

104
104
105
106
106
107
108

3

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

PART I 

Item 1. Business 

OVERVIEW

General

Capital  One  Financial  Corporation,  a  Delaware  corporation  established  in  1994  and  headquartered  in  McLean,  Virginia,  is  a 
diversified financial services holding company with banking and non-banking subsidiaries. Capital One Financial Corporation 
and  its  subsidiaries  (the  “Company”  or  “Capital  One”)  offer  a  broad  array  of  financial  products  and  services  to  consumers, 
small businesses and commercial clients through digital channels, branches, Cafés and other distribution channels. 

As of December 31, 2020, our principal subsidiaries included:

•

•

Capital One Bank (USA), National Association (“COBNA”), which offers credit and debit card products, other lending 
products and deposit products; and

Capital One, National Association (“CONA”), which offers a broad spectrum of banking products and financial services 
to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients.

The Company is hereafter collectively referred to as “we,” “us” or “our.” COBNA and CONA are collectively referred to as the 
“Banks.” References to “this Report” or our “2020 Form 10-K” or “2020 Annual Report” are to our Annual Report on Form 10-
K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020. All references to 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016, refer to our fiscal years 
ended, or the dates, as the context requires, December 31, 2020, December 31, 2019, December 31, 2018, December 31, 2017 
and December 31, 2016, respectively. Certain business terms used in this document are defined in the “MD&A—Glossary and 
Acronyms” and should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report.

As one of the nation’s largest banks based on deposits as of December 31, 2020, we service banking customer accounts through 
digital channels, as well as through branch locations, call centers, ATMs and Cafés. We also operate as one of the largest online 
direct  banks  in  the  United  States  of  America  (“U.S.”)  by  deposits.  In  addition  to  bank  lending,  treasury  management  and 
depository services, we offer credit and debit card products, auto loans and other consumer lending products in markets across 
the U.S. We were the third largest issuer of Visa® (“Visa”) and MasterCard® (“MasterCard”) credit cards in the U.S. based on 
the outstanding balance of credit card loans as of December 31, 2020.

We also offer products outside of the U.S. principally through Capital One (Europe) plc (“COEP”), an indirect subsidiary of 
COBNA organized and located in the United Kingdom (“U.K.”), and through a branch of COBNA in Canada. Both COEP and 
our Canadian branch of COBNA have the authority to provide credit card loans.

Business Developments

We regularly explore and evaluate opportunities to acquire financial products and services as well as financial assets, including 
credit  card  and  other  loan  portfolios,  and  enter  into  strategic  partnerships  as  part  of  our  growth  strategy.  We  also  explore 
opportunities to acquire technology companies and related assets to improve our information technology infrastructure and to 
deliver  on  our  digital  strategy.  We  may  issue  equity  or  debt  to  fund  our  acquisitions.  In  addition,  we  regularly  consider  the 
potential disposition of certain of our assets, branches, partnership agreements or lines of business. 

In the fourth quarter of 2020, we entered into an agreement to sell a partnership credit card loan portfolio of approximately $2.1 
billion, which had been transferred to held for sale as of September 30, 2020, resulting in an allowance release of $327 million.  

On  September  24,  2019,  we  launched  a  new  credit  card  issuance  program  with  Walmart  Inc.  (“Walmart”)  and  are  now  the 
exclusive issuer of Walmart’s cobrand and private label credit card program in the U.S.. On October 11, 2019, we completed 
the  acquisition  of  the  existing  portfolio  of  Walmart’s  cobrand  and  private  label  credit  card  receivables,  which  added 
approximately $8.1 billion to our domestic credit card loans held for investment portfolio as of the acquisition date. 

4

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic 

The  COVID-19  pandemic  has  resulted  in  a  global  public-health  crisis,  disrupting  economies  and  introducing  significant 
volatility  into  financial  markets  and  uncertainty  as  to  when  economic  and  operating  conditions  will  return  to  normalcy.  This 
crisis  continues  to  impact  individuals,  households  and  businesses  in  a  multitude  of  ways.  Companies  in  the  U.S.  and  abroad 
have  experienced  unprecedented  disruptions  to  normal  business  operations,  including  customer-facing  interactions,  supply 
chains, office closures, changes in demand for products and services, and others. Financial institutions, including us, have been 
deemed an essential service and exempted from the myriad of shutdowns across the country. We transformed how we work in 
order to protect the well-being of our associates and our customers, serve our customers, support our communities, and position 
ourselves to navigate the challenges ahead.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant majority of our associates across our workforce have transitioned to 
working remotely, relying on our technology infrastructure and systems that have been designed for resilience and security. The 
majority of our associates will continue to work remotely through at least the summer of 2021, as we continue to prioritize their 
safety  while  planning  our  return  to  the  office.  We  have  been  able  to  continue  serving  customers  by  successfully  managing 
critical functions and keeping our lines of business operating. We implemented additional paid benefits and flexible attendance 
policies that are intended to enable our associates to care for their families and loved ones, including increased pay for branch 
and  Café  associates  working  in  open  locations,  associates  that  perform  essential  and  time-sensitive  banking  activities  that 
cannot be performed remotely, and other U.S.-based associates in roles instrumental to maintaining essential customer support. 
We continue to monitor and revise our safety precautions and policies at banking locations as government authorities continue 
to implement and modify measures to contain the further spread of COVID-19. In our Retail Banking business, nearly all of our 
Cafés and branches across our network are open with increased safety precautions. We will continue to monitor local conditions 
to ensure the safety of our associates and customers while providing critical banking services.

We have offered a range of policies and programs to accommodate customer hardship across our lines of business. In our Credit 
Card and Auto businesses, our customers, who were in need and made a request, received forbearance primarily in the form of 
short-term payment deferrals or extensions and fee waivers. In our Retail Banking business, we waived select fees for impacted 
customers and offered short-term payment deferrals for our small business banking customers. We have also been working with 
our Commercial Banking customers on a more customized basis. In addition, we have participated in the Paycheck Protection 
Program  (“PPP”),  established  by  the  Coronavirus  Aid,  Relief,  and  Economic  Security  Act  (the  “CARES  Act”)  enacted  in 
March 2020 and implemented by the Small Business Administration. See “MD&A—Credit Risk Profile” for more information 
about  our  customer  assistance  programs,  including  enrollment  volumes  and  outstandings,  customer  performance  and  current 
program offerings.

We  reported  net  income  of  $2.7  billion  ($5.18  per  diluted  common  share)  for  2020,  which  reflects  $5.0  billion  in  allowance 
builds  in  the  first  and  second  quarters  of  2020  due  to  expectations  of  economic  worsening  as  a  result  of  the  COVID-19 
pandemic.  These  allowance  builds,  in  combination  with  the  adoption  impact  of  the  Current  Expected  Credit  Loss  (“CECL”) 
standard, significantly increased our allowance coverage ratio to 6.19% as of December 31, 2020 from 2.71% as of December 
31,  2019.  For  more  information,  see  “MD&A—Executive  Summary  and  Business  Outlook”  and  “MD&A—Credit  Risk 
Profile.” We have continued to evaluate the potential impact on our goodwill impairment analysis and have incorporated recent 
market  events  and  trends  into  our  valuations  of  instruments  measured  at  fair  value.  See  more  details  in  “MD&A—Critical 
Accounting  Policies  and  Estimates,”  “MD&A—Market  Risk  Profile”  and  “Note  9—Derivative  Instruments  and  Hedging 
Activities.” See “MD&A—Liquidity Risk Profile” for information relating to our liquidity reserves as of December 31, 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the demand for our products and services throughout 2020. In our Domestic Card business, 
loan balances, and revenue are down year-over-year, while purchase volume was relatively flat due to higher first and fourth 
quarter activity substantially offsetting year-over-year volume declines in the second and third quarters. In our Auto business, 
we saw an increase in origination volumes and loan growth driven by our relationship strategy and digital capabilities that we 
have  developed.  In  our  Retail  Banking  business,  we  have  seen  strong  deposit  growth  throughout  the  year  from  increased 
consumer  savings  aided  by  the  impact  of  government  stimulus.  In  our  Commercial  Banking  business,  loan  balances  were 
relatively flat year-over year, while deposit balances were up significantly, reflecting the impact of the economic environment 
and government stimulus on our customers.

We  are  actively  monitoring  and  responding  to  developments  across  the  myriad  of  landscapes  affected  by  the  COVID-19 
pandemic,  including  social,  financial,  legal,  regulatory  and  governmental.  As  guidance  is  issued  by  governments  and  our 
regulators,  we  continue  to  assess  the  impacts  on  us.  As  government  authorities  continue  to  implement,  modify  and  reinstate 
social  distancing  and  reopening  plans  and  other  measures  to  contain  the  further  spread  of  COVID-19,  including  the 

5

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

administration of vaccines, we will continue to adjust our business operations, policies and practices, keeping the best interests 
of our associates, customers and business partners at the forefront.

Cybersecurity Incident 

On  July  29,  2019,  we  announced  that  on  March  22  and  23,  2019  an  outside  individual  gained  unauthorized  access  to  our 
systems. This individual obtained certain types of personal information relating to people who had applied for our credit card 
products and to our credit card customers (the “Cybersecurity Incident”). We retained a leading independent cybersecurity firm 
that confirmed we correctly identified and fixed the specific configuration vulnerability exploited in the Cybersecurity Incident. 
We  continue  to  invest  significantly  in  cybersecurity  and  related  risk  management  activities  and  expect  to  make  additional 
investments as we continue to assess our cybersecurity program.

During the year ended December 31, 2020, we incurred $66 million of incremental expenses related to the remediation of and 
response to the Cybersecurity Incident, offset by $39 million of insurance recoveries. To date, we have incurred $138 million of 
incremental  expenses,  offset  by  $73  million  of  insurance  recoveries  pursuant  to  the  cyber  risk  insurance  coverage  we  carry. 
These  expenses  mainly  consist  of  customer  notifications,  credit  monitoring,  technology  costs,  and  professional  and  legal 
support.  We  expect  any  further  expenses,  net  of  insurance,  to  be  immaterial  in  future  periods.  We  carry  insurance  to  cover 
certain costs associated with a cyber risk event. This insurance has a total coverage limit of $400 million and is subject to a $10 
million deductible, which was met in the third quarter of 2019, as well as standard exclusions. The expenses discussed in this 
paragraph do not include any amounts related to the matters described in “Note 18—Commitments, Contingencies, Guarantees 
and Others.”

Although  the  ultimate  magnitude  and  timing  of  expenses  or  other  impacts  to  our  business  or  reputation  related  to  the 
Cybersecurity  Incident  are  uncertain,  they  may  be  significant,  and  some  of  the  costs  may  not  be  covered  by  insurance. 
However, we do not believe that this incident will materially impact our strategy or our long-term financial health. For more 
information, see “Note 18—Commitments, Contingencies, Guarantees and Others.”

Additional Information

Our  common  stock  trades  on  the  New  York  Stock  Exchange  (“NYSE”)  under  the  symbol  “COF”  and  is  included  in  the 
Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”) 100 Index. We maintain a website at www.capitalone.com. Documents available under Corporate 
Governance in the Investor Relations section of our website include:

•

•

•

our Code of Conduct;

our Corporate Governance Guidelines; and

charters for the Audit, Compensation, Governance and Nominating, and Risk Committees of the Board of Directors.

These documents also are available in print to any stockholder who requests a copy. We intend to disclose future amendments 
to certain provisions of our Code of Conduct, and waivers of our Code of Conduct granted to executive officers and directors, 
on the website within four business days following the date of the amendment or waiver.

In addition, we make available free of charge through our website all of our U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) 
filings,  including  our  Annual  Reports  on  Form  10-K,  Quarterly  Reports  on  Form  10-Q,  Current  Reports  on  Form  8-K  and 
amendments to those reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after electronically filing or furnishing such material to the SEC 
at www.sec.gov.

6

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

OPERATIONS AND BUSINESS SEGMENTS

Our consolidated total net revenues are derived primarily from lending to consumer and commercial customers net of funding 
costs  associated  with  our  deposits,  long-term  debt  and  other  borrowings.  We  also  earn  non-interest  income  which  primarily 
consists  of  interchange  income,  net  of  reward  expenses,  service  charges  and  other  customer-related  fees.  Our  expenses 
primarily consist of the provision for credit losses, operating expenses, marketing expenses and income taxes.

Our  principal  operations  are  organized  for  management  reporting  purposes  into  three  major  business  segments,  which  are 
defined  primarily  based  on  the  products  and  services  provided  or  the  types  of  customers  served:  Credit  Card,  Consumer 
Banking and Commercial Banking. The operations of acquired businesses have been integrated into or managed as a part of our 
existing business segments. Certain activities that are not part of a segment, such as management of our corporate investment 
portfolio, asset/liability management by our centralized Corporate Treasury group and residual tax expense or benefit to arrive 
at the consolidated effective tax rate that is not assessed to our primary business segments, are included in the Other category.

•

•

•

Credit Card: Consists of our domestic consumer and small business card lending, and international card businesses in 
Canada and the United Kingdom. 

Consumer  Banking:  Consists  of  our  deposit  gathering  and  lending  activities  for  consumers  and  small  businesses,  and 
national auto lending. 

Commercial Banking: Consists of our lending, deposit gathering, capital markets and treasury management services to 
commercial real estate and commercial and industrial customers. Our customers typically include companies with annual 
revenues between $20 million and $2 billion.

Customer  usage  and  payment  patterns,  credit  quality,  levels  of  marketing  expense  and  operating  efficiency  all  affect  our 
profitability.  In  our  Credit  Card  business,  we  experience  fluctuations  in  purchase  volume  and  the  level  of  outstanding  loan 
receivables due to seasonal variances in consumer spending and payment patterns which, for example, have historically been 
the  highest  around  the  winter  holiday  season.  Net  charge-off  rates  for  our  credit  card  loan  portfolio  also  have  historically 
exhibited seasonal patterns as well and generally tend to be the highest in the first quarter of the year. 

For additional information on our business segments, including the financial performance of each business, see “Part II—Item 
7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”)—Executive Summary 
and Business Outlook,” “MD&A—Business Segment Financial Performance” and “Note 17—Business Segments and Revenue 
from Contracts with Customers” of this Report.

7

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

COMPETITION

Each  of  our  business  segments  operates  in  a  highly  competitive  environment,  and  we  face  competition  in  all  aspects  of  our 
business from numerous bank and non-bank providers of financial services.

Our Credit Card business competes with international, national, regional and local issuers of Visa and MasterCard credit cards, 
as well as with American Express®, Discover Card®, private-label card brands, and, to a certain extent, issuers of debit cards. In 
general,  customers  are  attracted  to  credit  card  issuers  largely  on  the  basis  of  price,  credit  limit,  reward  programs  and  other 
product features.

Our  Consumer  Banking  and  Commercial  Banking  businesses  compete  with  national,  state  and  direct  banks  for  deposits, 
commercial  and  auto  loans,  as  well  as  with  savings  and  loan  associations  and  credit  unions  for  loans  and  deposits.  Our 
competitors also include automotive finance companies, commercial mortgage banking companies and other financial services 
providers that provide loans, deposits, and other similar services and products. In addition, we compete against non-depository 
institutions that are able to offer these products and services. 

We  also  consider  new  and  emerging  companies  in  the  digital  and  mobile  payments  space  and  other  financial  technology 
providers  among  our  competitors.  We  compete  with  many  forms  of  payment  mechanisms,  systems  and  products,  offered  by 
both bank and non-bank providers.

Our businesses generally compete on the basis of the quality and range of their products and services, transaction execution, 
innovation  and  price.  Competition  varies  based  on  the  types  of  clients,  customers,  industries  and  geographies  served.  Our 
ability to compete depends, in part, on our ability to attract and retain our associates and on our reputation as well as our ability 
to  keep  pace  with  innovation,  in  particular  in  the  development  of  new  technology  platforms.  There  can  be  no  assurance, 
however, that our ability to market products and services successfully or to obtain adequate returns on our products and services 
will  not  be  impacted  by  the  nature  of  the  competition  that  now  exists  or  may  later  develop,  or  by  the  broader  economic 
environment. For a discussion of the risks related to our competitive environment, see “Part I—Item 1A. Risk Factors.”

SUPERVISION AND REGULATION

The  regulatory  framework  applicable  to  banking  organizations  is  intended  primarily  for  the  protection  of  depositors  and  the 
stability of the U.S. financial system, rather than for the protection of shareholders and creditors. 

As a banking organization, we are subject to extensive regulation and supervision. In addition to banking laws and regulations, 
we are subject to various other laws and regulations, all of which directly or indirectly affect our operations and management 
and our ability to make distributions to shareholders. We and our subsidiaries are also subject to supervision and examination 
by  multiple  regulators.  In  addition  to  laws  and  regulations,  state  and  federal  bank  regulatory  agencies  may  issue  policy 
statements, interpretive letters and similar written guidance applicable to us and our subsidiaries. Any change in the statutes, 
regulations  or  regulatory  policies  applicable  to  us,  including  changes  in  their  interpretation  or  implementation,  could  have  a 
material effect on our business or organization. 

Both the scope of the laws and regulations and the intensity of the supervision to which we are subject have increased in recent 
years, initially in response to the financial crisis, and more recently in light of other factors such as technological, political and 
market changes. Regulatory enforcement and fines have also increased across the banking and financial services sector. 

The  descriptions  below  summarize  certain  significant  state  and  federal  laws  to  which  we  are  subject.  The  descriptions  are 
qualified in their entirety by reference to the particular statutory or regulatory provisions summarized. They do not summarize 
all possible or proposed changes in current laws or regulations and are not intended to be a substitute for the related statues or 
regulatory provisions.

Banking Regulation

Capital One Financial Corporation is a bank holding company (“BHC”) and a financial holding company (“FHC”) under the 
Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (“BHC Act”), and is subject to the requirements of the BHC Act, including 
approval requirements for investments in or acquisitions of banking organizations, capital adequacy standards and limitations 
on  non-banking  activities.  As  a  BHC  and  FHC,  we  are  subject  to  supervision,  examination  and  regulation  by  the  Board  of 
Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“Federal Reserve”). Permissible activities for a BHC include those activities that are 
so  closely  related  to  banking  as  to  be  a  proper  incident  thereto.  In  addition,  an  FHC  is  permitted  to  engage  in  activities 

8

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

considered  to  be  financial  in  nature  (including,  for  example,  securities  underwriting  and  dealing  and  merchant  banking 
activities),  incidental  to  financial  activities  or,  if  the  Federal  Reserve  determines  that  they  pose  no  risk  to  the  safety  or 
soundness of depository institutions or the financial system in general, activities complementary to financial activities.

To  become  and  remain  eligible  for  FHC  status,  a  BHC  and  its  subsidiary  depository  institutions  must  meet  certain  criteria, 
including capital, management and Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”) requirements. Failure to meet such criteria could 
result,  depending  on  which  requirements  were  not  met,  in  restrictions  on  new  financial  activities  or  acquisitions  or  being 
required to discontinue existing activities that are not generally permissible for BHCs.

The  Banks  are  national  associations  chartered  under  the  National  Bank  Act,  and  the  deposits  of  which  are  insured  by  the 
Deposit Insurance Fund (“DIF”) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) up to applicable limits. The Banks are 
subject to comprehensive regulation and periodic examination by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC”), the 
FDIC and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”).

We are also registered as a financial institution holding company under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and, as such, 
we  are  subject  to  periodic  examination  by  the  Virginia  Bureau  of  Financial  Institutions.  We  also  face  regulation  in  the 
international  jurisdictions  in  which  we  conduct  business.  See  “Regulation  of  Businesses  by  Authorities  Outside  the  United 
States” below for additional details.

Regulation of Business Activities

The business activities of the Company and the Banks are also subject to regulation and supervision under various laws and 
regulations.

Regulations of Consumer Lending Activities

The activities of the Banks as consumer lenders are subject to regulation under various federal laws, including, for example, the 
Truth in Lending Act (“TILA”), the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the CRA, the Dodd-Frank 
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (“Dodd-Frank Act”), the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and the 
Military Lending Act, as well as under various state laws. TILA, as amended, imposes a number of restrictions on credit card 
practices  impacting  rates  and  fees,  requires  that  a  consumer’s  ability  to  pay  be  taken  into  account  before  issuing  credit  or 
increasing credit limits, and imposes revised disclosures required for open-end credit.

Depending on the underlying issue and applicable law, regulators may be authorized to impose penalties for violations of these 
statutes and, in certain cases, to order banks to compensate customers. Borrowers may also have a private right of action for 
certain violations. Federal bankruptcy and state debtor relief and collection laws may also affect the ability of a bank, including 
the Banks, to collect outstanding balances owed by borrowers.

Debit Interchange Fees

The Dodd-Frank Act requires that the amount of any interchange fee received by a debit card issuer with respect to debit card 
transactions be reasonable and proportional to the cost incurred by the issuer with respect to the transaction. Rules adopted by 
the Federal Reserve to implement these requirements limit interchange fees per debit card transaction to $0.21 plus five basis 
points  of  the  transaction  amount  and  provide  for  an  additional  $0.01  fraud  prevention  adjustment  to  the  interchange  fee  for 
issuers that meet certain fraud prevention requirements.

Privacy, Data Protection and Cybersecurity

We are subject to multiple federal and state laws concerning privacy, data protection and cybersecurity, such as the Gramm-
Leach Bliley Act (“GLBA”). This area has seen an increase in legislative and regulatory activity over the past several years. For 
example, in 2018, the State of California passed the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”), which became effective on 
January 1, 2020. The CCPA and its implementing regulations, as recently amended by the California Privacy Rights Act, create 
obligations on covered companies to, among other things, share certain information they have collected about individuals who 
are California residents with those individuals, subject to some exceptions. 

In addition, in December 2020, the Federal Reserve, OCC and FDIC (collectively, the “Federal Banking Agencies”) issued a 
notice  of  proposed  rulemaking  that,  among  other  things,  would  require  a  banking  organization  to  notify  its  primary  federal 
regulators within 36 hours after identifying a "computer-security incident" that the banking organization believes in good faith 

9

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

could materially disrupt, degrade or impair its business or operations in a manner that would, among other things, jeopardize the 
viability of its operations, result in customers being unable to access their deposit and other accounts, result in a material loss of 
revenue, profit or franchise value, or pose a threat to the financial stability of the United States.

We continue to monitor data privacy and cybersecurity legal developments in the jurisdictions in which we do business. For 
further discussion of privacy, data protection and cybersecurity, and related risks for our business, see “Part I—Item 1A. Risk 
Factors” under the headings “We face risks related to our operational, technological and organizational infrastructure,” “Theft, 
loss  or  misuse  of  information  as  a  result  of  a  cyber-attack  may  result  in  increased  costs,  reductions  in  revenue,  reputational 
damage and business disruptions,” and “Potential data protection and privacy incidents, and our required compliance with laws 
and regulations related to these areas, may increase our costs, result in legal liability, reduce our revenue and limit our ability to 
pursue business opportunities.” 

Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism 

The Bank Secrecy Act and the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 (“Patriot Act”) require financial institutions, among other things, to 
implement a risk-based program reasonably designed to prevent money laundering and to combat the financing of terrorism, 
including  through  suspicious  activity  and  currency  transaction  reporting,  compliance,  record-keeping  and  customer  due 
diligence.

The Patriot Act also contains financial transparency laws and provides enhanced information collection tools and enforcement 
mechanisms  to  the  U.S.  government,  including  due  diligence  and  record-keeping  requirements  for  private  banking  and 
correspondent  accounts;  standards  for  verifying  customer  identification  at  account  opening;  rules  to  produce  certain  records 
upon  request  of  a  regulator  or  law  enforcement  agency;  and  rules  to  promote  cooperation  among  financial  institutions, 
regulators and law enforcement agencies in identifying parties that may be involved in terrorism, money laundering and other 
crimes.

The  Anti-Money  Laundering  Act  of  2020  (“AML  Act”),  enacted  on  January  1,  2021  as  part  of  the  National  Defense 
Authorization  Act,  does  not  directly  impose  new  requirements  on  banks,  but  requires  the  U.S.  Treasury  Department  to  issue 
National  Anti-Money  Laundering  and  Countering  the  Financing  of  Terrorism  Priorities,  and  conduct  studies  and  issue 
regulations  that  may,  over  the  next  few  years,  significantly  alter  some  of  the  due  diligence,  recordkeeping  and  reporting 
requirements that the Bank Secrecy Act and Patriot Act impose on banks. The AML Act also contains provisions that promote 
increased  information-sharing  and  use  of  technology,  and  increases  penalties  for  violations  of  the  Bank  Secrecy  Act  and 
includes whistleblower incentives, both of which could increase the prospect of regulatory enforcement.

Funding

Under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 (“FDICIA”), as discussed in “MD&A—Liquidity 
Risk  Profile,”  only  well  capitalized  and  adequately  capitalized  institutions  may  accept  brokered  deposits.  Adequately 
capitalized institutions, however, must obtain a waiver from the FDIC before accepting brokered deposits, and such institutions 
may not pay rates that significantly exceed the rates paid on deposits of similar maturity obtained from the institution’s normal 
market  area  or,  for  deposits  obtained  from  outside  the  institution’s  normal  market  area,  the  national  rate  on  deposits  of 
comparable maturity. In December 2020, the FDIC finalized amendments to the brokered deposit regulation that, among other 
things, generally clarify and narrow the  scope  of the "deposit  broker" definition. The  amendments become effective April 1, 
2021.

The FDIC is authorized to terminate a bank’s deposit insurance upon a finding by the FDIC that the bank’s financial condition 
is  unsafe  or  unsound  or  that  the  institution  has  engaged  in  unsafe  or  unsound  practices  or  has  violated  any  applicable  rule, 
regulation, order or condition enacted or imposed by the bank’s regulatory agency.

Broker-Dealer and Investment Advisory Activities

Certain of our non-bank subsidiaries are subject to regulation and supervision by various federal and state authorities. United 
Income, Inc. is an investment adviser registered with the SEC and primarily regulated under the Investment Advisers Act of 
1940. Capital One Securities, Inc. and KippsDeSanto & Company are registered broker-dealers regulated by the SEC and the 
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. These broker-dealer subsidiaries are subject, among other things, to net capital rules 
designed  to  measure  the  general  financial  condition  and  liquidity  of  a  broker-dealer.  Under  these  rules,  broker-dealers  are 
required to maintain the minimum net capital deemed necessary to meet their continuing commitments to customers and others, 
and to keep a substantial portion of their assets in relatively liquid form. These rules also limit the ability of a broker-dealer to 

10

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

transfer capital to its parent companies and other affiliates. Broker-dealers are also subject to regulations covering their business 
operations, including sales and trading practices, public offerings, publication of research reports, use and safekeeping of client 
funds and securities, capital structure, record-keeping and the conduct of directors, officers and employees.

Derivatives Activities

Title  VII  of  the  Dodd-Frank  Act  establishes  a  regulatory  framework  for  the  governance  of  the  over-the-counter  (“OTC”) 
derivatives  market,  including  swaps  and  security-based  swaps  and  the  registration  of  certain  market  participants  as  a  swap 
dealer. CONA provisionally registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) as a swap dealer in the 
third  quarter  of  2020.  Registration  as  a  swap  dealer  subjects  CONA  to  additional  regulatory  requirements  with  respect  to  its 
swaps  and  other  derivatives  activities.  As  a  result  of  CONA’s  swap  dealer  registration,  it  is  subject  to  the  rules  of  the  OCC 
concerning capital and margin requirements for swap dealers, including the mandatory exchange of variation margin and initial 
margin with certain counterparties. Additionally, as a provisionally registered swap dealer, CONA is subject to requirements 
under  the  CFTC’s  regulatory  regime,  including  rules  regarding  business  conduct  standards,  recordkeeping  obligations, 
regulatory reporting and procedures relating to swaps trading. CONA’s swaps and other derivatives activities do not require it 
to register with the SEC as a security-based swap dealer.

Transactions with Affiliates

There are various legal restrictions on the extent to which we and our non-bank subsidiaries may borrow or otherwise engage in 
certain types of transactions with the Banks. Under the Federal Reserve Act and Federal Reserve regulations, the Banks and 
their subsidiaries are subject to quantitative and qualitative limits on extensions of credit, purchases of assets, and certain other 
transactions  involving  its  non-bank  affiliates.  In  addition,  transactions  between  the  Banks  and  their  non-bank  affiliates  are 
required to be on arm’s length terms and must be consistent with standards of safety and soundness.

Volcker Rule

We and each of our subsidiaries, including the Banks, are subject to the “Volcker Rule,” a provision of the Dodd-Frank Act that 
contains  prohibitions  on  proprietary  trading  and  certain  investments  in,  and  relationships  with,  covered  funds  (hedge  funds, 
private equity funds and similar funds), subject to certain exemptions, in each case as the applicable terms are defined in the 
Volcker  Rule  and  the  implementing  regulations.  The  implementing  regulations  also  require  that  we  establish  and  maintain  a 
compliance program designed to ensure adherence with the requirements of the regulations.

Capital and Liquidity Regulation

The Company and the Banks are subject to capital adequacy guidelines adopted by the Federal Reserve and OCC respectively. 
For  a  further  discussion  of  the  capital  adequacy  guidelines,  see  “MD&A—Capital  Management,”  “MD&A—Liquidity  Risk 
Profile” and “Note 11—Regulatory and Capital Adequacy.”

Basel III and United States Capital Rules

The Company and the Banks are subject to the regulatory capital requirements established by the Federal Reserve and the OCC 
respectively (the “Basel III Capital Rules”). The Basel III Capital Rules implement certain capital and liquidity requirements 
published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (“Basel Committee”), along with certain Dodd-Frank Act and other 
capital provisions. Under the Basel III Capital Rules, we must maintain a minimum common equity Tier 1 (“CET1”) capital 
ratio of 4.5%, a Tier 1 capital ratio of 6.0%, and a total capital ratio of 8.0%, in each case in relation to risk-weighted assets. In 
addition, we must maintain a minimum leverage ratio of 4% and a minimum supplementary leverage ratio of 3%. We are also 
subject to the capital conservation buffer and countercyclical capital buffer requirements, as described below.

In July 2019, the Federal Banking Agencies finalized certain changes to the Basel III Capital Rules for institutions not subject 
to  the  Basel  III  Advanced  Approaches  (“Capital  Simplification  Rule”).  These  changes,  effective  January  1,  2020,  generally 
raised the threshold above which a covered institution such as the Company must deduct certain assets from its CET1 capital, 
including certain deferred tax assets, mortgage servicing assets, and investments in unconsolidated financial institutions. 

In  October  2019,  the  Federal  Banking  Agencies  amended  the  Basel  III  Capital  Rules  to  provide  for  tailored  application  of 
certain  capital  requirements  across  different  categories  of  banking  institutions  (“Tailoring  Rules”).  These  categories  are 
determined  primarily  by  an  institution’s  asset  size,  with  adjustments  to  a  more  stringent  category  possible  if  the  institution 
exceeds certain risk-based thresholds. As a BHC with total consolidated assets of at least $250 billion that does not exceed any 

11

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

of the applicable risk-based thresholds, we are a Category III institution under the Tailoring Rules. Therefore, effective January 
1,  2020,  we  were  no  longer  subject  to  the  Basel  III  “Advanced  Approaches”  framework  and  certain  associated  capital 
requirements, such as the requirement to include certain elements of accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) in our 
regulatory  capital.  We  remain  subject  to  the  countercyclical  capital  buffer  requirement  (which  is  currently  set  at  0%)  and 
supplementary leverage ratio requirement, which were previously required only for Basel III Advanced Approaches institutions. 
Effective as of the first quarter of 2020, we excluded certain elements of AOCI from our regulatory capital as permitted by the 
Tailoring Rules. The Tailoring Rules and Capital Simplification Rule have, taken together, decreased our capital requirements.

Global  systemically  important  banks  (“G-SIBs”)  that  are  based  in  the  U.S.  are  subject  to  an  additional  CET1  capital 
requirement (“G-SIB Surcharge”). We are not a G-SIB based on the most recent available data and thus we are not subject to a 
G-SIB Surcharge.

Stress Capital Buffer Rule

The  Basel  III  Capital  Rules  also  require  banking  institutions  to  maintain  a  capital  conservation  buffer,  composed  of  CET1 
capital, above the regulatory minimum ratios. The capital conservation buffer for BHCs was previously fixed at 2.5%. In March 
2020, the Federal Reserve issued a final rule to implement the stress capital buffer requirement (“Stress Capital Buffer Rule”). 
The stress capital buffer requirement is institution-specific and replaces the fixed 2.5% capital conservation buffer for BHCs. 

Pursuant to the Stress Capital Buffer Rule, the Federal Reserve will use the results of its supervisory stress test to determine the 
size of a BHC’s stress capital buffer requirement. In particular, a BHC’s stress capital buffer requirement will equal, subject to a 
floor of 2.5%, the sum of (i) the difference between the BHC’s starting CET1 capital ratio and its lowest projected CET1 capital 
ratio  under  the  severely  adverse  scenario  of  the  Federal  Reserve’s  supervisory  stress  test  plus  (ii)  the  ratio  of  the  BHC’s 
projected four quarters of common stock dividends (for the fourth to seventh quarters of the planning horizon) to the projected 
risk-weighted  assets  for  the  quarter  in  which  the  BHC’s  projected  CET1  capital  ratio  reaches  its  minimum  under  the 
supervisory stress test. 

Under  the  Stress  Capital  Buffer  Rule  framework,  the  Company’s  new  “standardized  approach  capital  conservation  buffer” 
includes its stress capital buffer requirement (which will be recalibrated every year based on the Company’s supervisory stress 
test results), any G-SIB surcharge (which is not applicable to us) and the countercyclical capital buffer requirement (which is 
currently  set  at  0%).  Any  determination  to  increase  the  countercyclical  capital  buffer  generally  would  be  effective  twelve 
months after the announcement of such an increase, unless the Federal Banking Agencies set an earlier effective date. 

The Stress Capital Buffer Rule does not apply to the Banks. The capital conservation buffer for the Banks continues to be fixed 
at 2.5%. 

If we fail to maintain our capital ratios above the minimum capital requirements plus the applicable buffer requirements, we 
will face increasingly strict automatic limitations on capital distributions and discretionary bonus payments to certain executive 
officers.

Under  the  Basel  III  Capital  Rules,  if  a  banking  institution’s  capital  ratios  fall  within  its  buffer  requirements,  the  maximum 
amount of capital distributions and discretionary bonus payments it can make is a function of its eligible retained income. In 
March 2020, the Federal Banking Agencies revised the definition of “eligible retained income” in their respective capital rules. 
Under the revised definition of “eligible retained income,” any such automatic limitations on capital distributions would apply 
in a less severe and more gradual manner than would otherwise have occurred under the previous definition of that term. This 
change was made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to support banking organizations that choose to use their capital and 
liquidity buffers to lend and undertake other actions that support economic activity in a safe and sound manner.

CECL Transition Rule

As  part  of  the  response  to  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  the  Federal  Banking  Agencies  adopted  a  final  rule  (“2020  CECL 
Transition Rule”) that provides banking institutions an optional five-year transition period to phase in the impact of the CECL 
standard on their regulatory capital (the “2020 CECL Transition Election”). 

Pursuant to the 2020 CECL Transition Rule, a banking institution may elect to delay the estimated impact of adopting CECL on 
its  regulatory  capital  through  December  31,  2021  and  then  phase  in  the  estimated  cumulative  impact  from  January  1,  2022 
through  December  31,  2024.  For  the  “day  2”  ongoing  impact  of  CECL  during  the  initial  two  years,  the  Federal  Banking 
Agencies use a uniform “scaling factor” of 25% as an approximation of the increase in the allowance under the CECL standard 

12

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

compared  to  the  prior  incurred  loss  methodology.  Accordingly,  from  January  1,  2020  through  December  31,  2021,  electing 
banking institutions are permitted to add back to their regulatory capital an amount equal to the sum of the after-tax “day 1” 
CECL adoption impact and 25% of the increase in the allowance since the adoption of the CECL standard. Beginning January 
1, 2022 through December 31, 2024, the after-tax “day 1” CECL adoption impact and the cumulative “day 2” ongoing impact 
will be phased in to regulatory capital at 25% per year. The following table summarizes the capital impact delay and phase in 
period on our regulatory capital from years 2020 to 2025.

Capital Impact Delayed

Phase In Period

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

“Day 1” CECL adoption impact

Cumulative “day 2” ongoing impact

Capital impact delayed to 
2022

  25% scaling factor as an 
approximation of the increase 
in allowance under CECL

25% Phased 
In

50% Phased 
In

75% Phased 
In

Fully Phased 
In

We adopted the CECL standard (for accounting purposes) as of January 1, 2020, and made the 2020 CECL Transition Election 
(for regulatory capital purposes) in the first quarter of 2020.

Temporary Exclusions for Supplementary Leverage Ratio

In addition, in April 2020, as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Reserve issued an interim final rule 
that  temporarily  excludes  U.S.  Treasury  securities  and  deposits  at  Federal  Reserve  Banks  from  the  calculation  of  the 
supplementary leverage ratio for BHCs. These exclusions became effective on April 1, 2020, and will remain in effect through 
March 31, 2021.

Subsequently, in May 2020, the Federal Banking Agencies issued an interim final rule that provides an option for depository 
institutions to make similar exclusions to the calculation of the supplementary leverage ratio. If a depository institution elects to 
make  such  exclusions,  it  must  request  prior  approval  from  its  primary  federal  banking  regulator  before  making  capital 
distributions, such as paying dividends to its parent company, for as long as the exclusions are in effect. Neither CONA nor 
COBNA elected to make such exclusions.

Market Risk Rule

The “Market Risk Rule” supplements the Basel III Capital Rules by requiring institutions subject to the Market Risk Rule to 
adjust their risk-based capital ratios to reflect the market risk in their trading portfolios. The Market Risk Rule generally applies 
to  institutions  with  aggregate  trading  assets  and  liabilities  equal  to  the  lesser  of  10%  or  more  of  total  assets  or  $1  billion  or 
more. The Company and CONA are subject to the Market Risk Rule. See “MD&A—Market Risk Profile” below for additional 
information.

FDICIA and Prompt Corrective Action

The FDICIA requires the Federal Banking Agencies to take “prompt corrective action” for banks that do not meet minimum 
capital  requirements.  The  FDICIA  establishes  five  capital  ratio 
levels:  well  capitalized;  adequately  capitalized; 
undercapitalized; significantly undercapitalized; and critically undercapitalized. The three undercapitalized categories are based 
upon  the  amount  by  which  a  bank  falls  below  the  ratios  applicable  to  an  adequately  capitalized  institution.  The  capital 
categories relate to the FDICIA’s prompt corrective action (“PCA”) provisions, and such capital categories may not constitute 
an accurate representation of the Banks’ overall financial condition or prospects.

The Basel III Capital Rules updated the PCA framework to reflect new, higher  regulatory capital minimums.  For an insured 
depository institution to be well capitalized, it must maintain a total risk-based capital ratio of 10% or more; a Tier 1 capital 
ratio  of  8%  or  more;  a  CET1  capital  ratio  of  6.5%  or  more;  and  a  leverage  ratio  of  5%  or  more.  An  adequately  capitalized 
depository institution must maintain a total risk-based capital ratio of 8% or more; a Tier 1 capital ratio of 6% or more; a CET1 
capital  ratio  of  4.5%  or  more;  a  leverage  ratio  of  4%  or  more;  and,  for  Category  III  and  certain  other  institutions  under  the 
Tailoring  Rules,  a  supplementary  leverage  ratio  of  3%  or  more.  The  PCA  provisions  also  authorize  the  Federal  Banking 
Agencies  to  reclassify  a  bank’s  capital  category  or  take  other  action  against  banks  that  are  determined  to  be  in  an  unsafe  or 
unsound condition or to have engaged in unsafe or unsound banking practices.

13

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

As an additional means to identify problems in the financial management of depository institutions, the FDICIA required the 
Federal Banking Agencies to establish certain non-capital safety and soundness standards. The standards adopted by the Federal 
Banking  Agencies  relate  generally  to  operations  and  management,  asset  quality,  interest  rate  exposure  and  executive 
compensation. The Federal Banking Agencies are authorized to take action against institutions that fail to meet such standards.

Basel III and United States Liquidity Rules

The  Basel  Committee  has  published  a  liquidity  framework  that  includes  two  standards  for  liquidity  risk  supervision.  One 
standard,  the  liquidity  coverage  ratio  (“LCR”),  seeks  to  promote  short-term  resilience  by  requiring  organizations  to  hold 
sufficient  high-quality  liquid  assets  (“HQLAs”)  to  survive  a  stress  scenario  lasting  for  30  days.  The  other  standard,  the  net 
stable funding ratio (“NSFR”), seeks to promote longer-term resilience by requiring sufficient stable funding over a one-year 
period based on the liquidity characteristics of the organization’s assets and activities.

The  Company  and  the  Banks  are  subject  to  the  LCR  standard  as  implemented  by  the  Federal  Reserve  and  OCC  (the  “LCR 
Rule”). The LCR Rule requires the Company and each of the Banks to hold an amount of eligible HQLA that equals or exceeds 
100%  of  its  respective  projected  adjusted  net  cash  outflows  over  a  30-day  period,  each  as  calculated  in  accordance  with  the 
LCR Rule. The LCR Rule requires us to calculate our LCR daily. In addition, the Company is required to make quarterly public 
disclosures of its LCR and certain related quantitative liquidity metrics, along with a qualitative discussion of its LCR. 

Under  the  Tailoring  Rules,  as  a  Category  III  institution  with  less  than  $75  billion  in  weighted  average  short-term  wholesale 
funding,  the  Company’s  and  the  Banks’  total  net  cash  outflows  are  multiplied  by  an  outflow  adjustment  percentage  of  85%. 
Although the Banks may hold more HQLA than they need to meet their LCR requirements, the LCR Rule restricts the amount 
of  such  excess  HQLA  held  at  the  Banks  (referred  to  as  “Trapped  Liquidity”)  that  can  be  included  in  the  Company’s  HQLA 
amount. Because we typically manage the Banks’ LCRs to levels well above 100%, the amount of Trapped Liquidity will also 
increase as the Banks’ total net cash outflows are reduced by the outflow adjustment percentage of 85%. 

In  October  2020,  the  Federal  Banking  Agencies  finalized  a  rule  to  implement  the  NSFR  in  the  United  States  (the  “NSFR 
Rule”). The NSFR Rule requires the Company and each of the Banks to maintain an amount of available stable funding, which 
is  a  weighted  measure  of  a  company’s  funding  sources  over  a  one-year  time  horizon,  calculated  by  applying  standardized 
weightings to equity and liabilities based on their expected stability, that is no less than the amount of required stable funding, 
which is calculated by applying standardized weightings to assets, derivatives exposures and certain other items based on their 
liquidity characteristics. As a Category III institution, the Company and the Banks are subject to an NSFR requirement equal to 
85% of the full NSFR requirement. The NSFR Rule will become effective as of July 1, 2021 and will apply to the Company 
and each of the Banks. The NSFR Rule includes a semi-annual disclosure requirement, with the first public disclosure required 
after June 30, 2023.

Enhanced Prudential Standards and Other Related Requirements

We  are  subject  to  certain  enhanced  prudential  standards  under  the  Dodd-Frank  Act,  as  amended  by  the  Economic  Growth, 
Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (“EGRRCPA”) and implemented by various regulations issued by the Federal 
Banking  Agencies.  The  Financial  Stability  Oversight  Council  (“FSOC”)  may  also  issue  recommendations  to  the  Federal 
Reserve  or  other  primary  financial  regulatory  agencies  to  apply  new  or  enhanced  standards  to  certain  financial  activities  or 
practices.

As part of the enhanced prudential standards, the Company is required to implement resolution planning for orderly resolution 
in the event it faces material financial distress or failure. The FDIC issued similar rules regarding resolution planning applicable 
to the Banks. In addition, the OCC has issued rules requiring banks with assets of $250 billion or more to develop recovery 
plans  detailing  the  actions  they  would  take  to  remain  a  going  concern  when  they  experience  considerable  financial  or 
operational stress, but have not deteriorated to the point that resolution is imminent.

The  enhanced  prudential  standards  also  include  supervisory  and  company-run  stress  testing  requirements  (also  known  as  the 
“DFAST stress testing requirements”). In particular, the Federal Reserve is required to conduct annual stress tests on certain 
covered  companies,  including  us,  to  ensure  that  the  covered  companies  have  sufficient  capital  to  absorb  losses  and  continue 
operations during adverse economic conditions. Under the stress capital buffer framework, the result of our supervisory stress 
test  will  be  used  to  determine  our  stress  capital  buffer  requirement.  As  a  covered  company  that  is  a  Category  III  institution 
under  the  Tailoring  Rules,  we  are  also  required  to  conduct  our  own  stress  tests  and  publish  the  results  of  such  tests  on  our 
website or other public forum. The Company must disclose the results of its company-run stress test on a biennial basis. The 

14

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

OCC has adopted a similar stress test rule requiring banks with at least $250 billion in assets, including CONA, to conduct their 
own company-run stress tests. Under that OCC rule, CONA must also disclose the results of its stress test on a biennial basis.

In addition, the Company is required to meet liquidity risk management standards, conduct internal liquidity stress tests, and 
maintain  a  30-day  buffer  of  highly  liquid  assets,  in  each  case,  consistent  with  the  requirements  of  the  enhanced  prudential 
standards.  These  requirements  are  in  addition  to  the  LCR  and  NSFR  Rules,  discussed  above  in  “Basel  III  and  United  States 
Liquidity  Rules.”  The  enhanced  prudential  standards  also  require  that  the  Company  comply  with,  and  hold  capital 
commensurate with, the requirements of, any regulations adopted by the Federal Reserve relating to capital planning and stress 
tests.  Stress  testing  and  capital  planning  regulations  are  discussed  further  below  under  “Dividends,  Stock  Repurchases  and 
Transfers  of  Funds.”  Finally,  the  Company  is  also  required  to  establish  and  maintain  an  enterprise-wide  risk  management 
framework that includes a risk committee and a chief risk officer.

Although  not  a  requirement  of  the  Dodd-Frank  Act,  the  OCC  established  regulatory  guidelines  (“Heightened  Standards 
Guidelines”) that apply heightened standards to the governance and risk management practices of large institutions subject to its 
supervision,  including  the  Banks.  The  Heightened  Standards  Guidelines  establish  standards  for  the  development  and 
implementation by the Banks of a risk governance framework.

Dividends, Stock Repurchases and Transfers of Funds

Under the Federal Reserve’s capital planning rules (commonly referred to as Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review or 
“CCAR”  requirements),  a  “covered  BHC,”  such  as  the  Company,  must  submit  a  capital  plan  to  the  Federal  Reserve  on  an 
annual  basis  that  contains  a  description  of  all  planned  capital  actions,  including  dividends  or  stock  repurchases,  over  a  nine-
quarter planning horizon beginning with the first quarter of the calendar year the capital plan is submitted (“CCAR cycle”).

The DFAST stress testing requirements, described above in “Enhanced Prudential Standards and Other Related Requirements,” 
is  a  complementary  exercise  to  CCAR.  It  is  a  forward-looking  exercise  conducted  by  the  Federal  Reserve  and  each  covered 
company  to  help  assess  whether  a  company  has  sufficient  capital  to  absorb  losses  and  continue  operations  during  adverse 
economic conditions.

Pursuant to the CCAR requirements, the Company must file its capital plan and stress testing results with the Federal Reserve 
by April 5 of each year (unless the Federal Reserve designates a later date), using data as of the end of the prior calendar year. 
The Federal Reserve will conduct its supervisory stress test in the second quarter and determine the Company’s stress capital 
buffer by June 30 of that year. The Company will have two business days from receipt of its stress capital buffer to make any 
necessary  adjustments  to  its  planned  capital  distributions.  The  Federal  Reserve  will  then  finalize  the  stress  capital  buffer 
requirement for the Company based on its adjusted planned capital distributions and confirm the Company’s planned capital 
distributions by August 31 of that year. The Company’s final stress capital buffer requirement will be effective from the fourth 
quarter of the year the capital plan is submitted through the third quarter of the following year. The Company may make the 
planned capital distributions confirmed by the Federal Reserve. In addition, under the Stress Capital Buffer Rule, the Company 
is no longer required to seek prior approval of the Federal Reserve to make capital distributions in excess of those included in 
its  capital  plan  so  long  as  the  Company  is  otherwise  in  compliance  with  the  capital  rule’s  automatic  limitations  on  capital 
distributions. 

In December 2018, the Federal Reserve announced that it would maintain its pre-CECL framework for calculating allowances 
on loans in the supervisory stress test for the 2020 and 2021 cycles until the impact of CECL is better known and understood. 
The  Federal  Reserve  stated  further  that,  although  BHCs  required  to  perform  company-run  stress  tests  will  be  required  to 
incorporate  CECL  into  those  stress  tests  starting  in  the  2020  cycle,  it  will  not  issue  supervisory  findings  on  those  BHCs’ 
allowance estimations in the CCAR exercise through 2021.

Historically, dividends from the Company’s direct and indirect subsidiaries have represented a major source of the funds we 
have used to pay dividends on our capital stock, make payments on our corporate debt securities and meet our other obligations. 
There  are  various  federal  law  limitations  on  the  extent  to  which  the  Banks  can  finance  or  otherwise  supply  funds  to  the 
Company  through  dividends  and  loans.  These  limitations  include  minimum  regulatory  capital  requirements,  federal  banking 
law requirements concerning the payment of dividends out of net profits or surplus, provisions of Sections 23A and 23B of the 
Federal Reserve Act  and Regulation W  governing transactions  between an insured depository institution and its affiliates, as 
well  as  general  federal  regulatory  oversight  to  prevent  unsafe  or  unsound  practices.  In  general,  federal  and  applicable  state 
banking  laws  prohibit  insured  depository  institutions,  such  as  the  Banks,  from  making  dividend  distributions  without  first 

15

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

obtaining regulatory approval if such distributions are not paid out of available earnings or would cause the institution to fail to 
meet applicable capital adequacy standards.

In June 2020, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Reserve required all CCAR participating BHCs, including us, to 
update and resubmit their capital plans in the fourth quarter of 2020. In addition, the Federal Reserve required all participating 
BHCs, including us, to preserve capital by suspending share repurchases and capping common stock dividend payments for the 
third and fourth quarters of 2020 to the lower of (i) the amount paid in the second quarter of 2020 and (ii) an amount equal to 
the average net income earned across the four preceding calendar quarters. Scheduled payments on additional Tier 1 and Tier 2 
capital instruments, such as preferred stock and subordinated debt, were not similarly restricted. 

We conducted a second round of stress tests and submitted our updated capital plan to the Federal Reserve on November 2, 
2020.  On  December  18,  2020,  the  Federal  Reserve  released  the  results  of  its  second  round  of  supervisory  stress  tests.  The 
Federal  Reserve  did  not  recalculate  our  stress  capital  buffer  requirement  at  that  time,  but  reserved  its  ability  to  do  so  until 
March 31, 2021. Finally, the Federal Reserve extended the capital distribution restrictions for all participating BHCs through at 
least the first quarter of 2021, with certain modifications. In particular, for the first quarter of 2021, participating BHCs may 
resume  share  repurchases,  but  the  aggregate  amount  of  common  stock  dividend  payments  and  share  repurchases  shall  not 
exceed  an  amount  equal  to  the  average  net  income  earned  across  the  four  preceding  calendar  quarters.  In  addition,  common 
stock dividend payments for the first quarter of 2021 continue to be capped at the amount paid in the second quarter of 2020.

Investment in the Company and the Banks

Certain acquisitions of our capital stock may be subject to regulatory approval or notice under federal or state law. Investors are 
responsible for ensuring that they do not, directly or indirectly, acquire shares of our capital stock in excess of the amount that 
can be acquired without regulatory approval, including under the BHC Act and the Change in Bank Control Act (“CIBC Act”).

Federal law and regulations prohibit any person or company from acquiring control of the Company or the Banks without, in 
most  cases,  prior  written  approval  of  the  Federal  Reserve  or  the  OCC,  as  applicable.  Control  under  the  BHC  Act  exists  if, 
among  other  things,  a  person  or  company  acquires  more  than  25%  of  any  class  of  our  voting  stock  or  otherwise  has  a 
controlling influence over us. A rebuttable presumption of control arises under the CIBC Act for a publicly traded BHC such as 
ourselves if a person or company acquires more than 10% of any class of our voting stock.

Additionally, COBNA and CONA are “banks” within the meaning of Chapter 13 of Title 6.1 of the Code of Virginia governing 
the  acquisition  of  interests  in  Virginia  financial  institutions  (“Financial  Institution  Holding  Company  Act”).  The  Financial 
Institution Holding Company Act prohibits any person or entity from acquiring, or making any public offer to acquire, control 
of a Virginia financial institution or its holding company without making application to, and receiving prior approval from, the 
Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions.

Deposit Insurance Assessments

Each of CONA and COBNA, as an insured depository institution, is a member of the DIF maintained by the FDIC. Through the 
DIF, the FDIC insures the deposits of insured depository institutions up to prescribed limits for each depositor. The FDIC sets a 
Designated  Reserve  Ratio  (“DRR”)  for  the  DIF.  To  maintain  the  DIF,  member  institutions  may  be  assessed  an  insurance 
premium, and the FDIC may take action to increase insurance premiums if the DRR falls below its required level.

As of June 30, 2020, the DIF reserve ratio fell to 1.30 percent. The FDIC, as required under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, 
established a plan in September 2020, to restore the DIF reserve ratio to meet or exceed 1.35 percent within eight years. The 
FDIC’s restoration plan projects the reserve ratio to exceed 1.35 percent without increasing the deposit insurance assessment 
rate, subject to ongoing monitoring over the next eight years.

Source of Strength and Liability for Commonly Controlled Institutions

Under  regulations  issued  by  the  Federal  Reserve,  a  BHC  must  serve  as  a  source  of  financial  and  managerial  strength  to  its 
subsidiary banks (the so-called “source of strength doctrine”). The Dodd-Frank Act codified this doctrine.

Under  the  “cross-guarantee”  provision  of  the  Financial  Institutions  Reform,  Recovery  and  Enforcement  Act  of  1989 
(“FIRREA”), insured depository institutions such as the Banks may be liable to the FDIC with respect to any loss incurred, or 
reasonably  anticipated  to  be  incurred,  by  the  FDIC  in  connection  with  the  default  of,  or  FDIC  assistance  to,  any  commonly 

16

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

controlled  insured  depository  institution.  The  Banks  are  commonly  controlled  within  the  meaning  of  the  FIRREA  cross-
guarantee provision.

FDIC Orderly Liquidation Authority

The Dodd-Frank Act provides the FDIC with liquidation authority that may be used to liquidate non-bank financial companies 
and  BHCs  if  the  Treasury  Secretary,  in  consultation  with  the  President  and  based  on  the  recommendation  of  the  Federal 
Reserve  and  other  appropriate  Federal  Banking  Agencies,  determines  that  doing  so  is  necessary,  among  other  criteria,  to 
mitigate serious adverse effects on U.S. financial stability. Upon such a determination, the FDIC would be appointed receiver 
and must liquidate the company in a way that mitigates significant risks to financial stability and minimizes moral hazard. The 
costs of a liquidation of the company would be borne by shareholders and unsecured creditors and then, if necessary, by risk-
based assessments on large financial companies. The FDIC has issued rules implementing certain provisions of its liquidation 
authority and may issue additional rules in the future.

COVID-19 Activities

In  response  to  disruptions  in  economic  conditions  caused  by  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  federal  and  state  governments  and 
agencies and government‑sponsored enterprises have taken a variety of actions to support people and entities affected by the 
pandemic,  including  the  passage  of  the  Coronavirus  Aid,  Relief,  and  Economic  Security  Act  (the  “CARES  Act”)  in  March 
2020.  The  CARES  Act,  among  other  provisions,  authorized  a  number  of  lending  programs  to  support  the  flow  of  credit  to 
consumers and businesses. For example, the CARES Act established several programs with the Small Business Administration, 
including the PPP, to provide loans to small businesses. 

The  Federal  Reserve  had  also  taken  extraordinary  efforts  in  response  to  the  pandemic,  including,  among  other  actions,  the 
establishment of a Main Street Lending Program that is intended to support lending to eligible small and midsize businesses. 
The  Federal  Banking  Agencies  had  also  encouraged  banking  organizations  to  take  certain  additional  actions  to  support  the 
financial  services  needs  of  their  customers  in  a  prudent  and  safe  and  sound  manner,  including  through  loan  modifications. 
Further, banking organizations had been provided with certain accounting, supervisory and regulatory relief during this period, 
including relief that is intended to allow banking organizations to enter into loan modifications without certain accounting and 
regulatory capital consequences. For example, the CARES Act gave banking organizations an option to temporarily suspend the 
determination of certain qualified loans modified as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic as being troubled debt restructurings 
(“TDRs”).  See  “MD&A—Credit  Risk  Profile—COVID-19  Customer  Assistance  Programs  and  Loan  Modifications”  for 
additional  information.  The  CARES  Act  also  amended  the  Fair  Credit  Reporting  Act  to  impose  new,  temporary  reporting 
requirements  on  furnishers  of  information  to  consumer  reporting  agencies  related  to  accounts  of  consumers  in  payment 
accommodation programs in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The  Consolidated  Appropriations  Act,  2021,  which  was  enacted  in  December  2020,  extends  certain  relief  provided  by  the 
CARES  Act  while  also  modifying  or  clarifying  certain  other  provisions.  Among  other  amendments  to  the  CARES  Act,  the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, extends the relief related to TDRs until January 1, 2022 and the PPP until March 31, 
2021.  In  addition,  the  Consolidated  Appropriations  Act,  2021,  rescinds  certain  funds  that  were  appropriated  to  the  U.S. 
Treasury  to  provide  loans,  loan  guarantees,  and  make  other  investments  in  programs  or  facilities  established  by  the  Federal 
Reserve, and prohibits the Federal Reserve from making any new investments, loans or loan guarantees, or extensions of credit 
through  those  rescinded  funds  after  December  31,  2020.  Congress  could  determine  to  reauthorize  these  programs  in  future 
legislative  packages.  Federal  Reserve  programs  and  facilities  that  were  not  established  using  CARES  Act  funding  are  not 
affected by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.

For  a  discussion  of  the  risks  associated  with  the  impact  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic  and  related  public  health  measures,  see 
“Part I—Item 1A. Risk Factors” under the heading “The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted our business, operations 
and financial results, and the extent to which the pandemic and measures taken in response to the pandemic could materially 
and  adversely  impact  our  business,  operations,  financial  condition,  liquidity,  capital  and  results  of  operations  will  depend  on 
future developments, which are highly uncertain and are difficult to predict.”

Regulation of Businesses by Authorities Outside the United States

COBNA  is  subject  to  regulation  in  foreign  jurisdictions  where  it  operates,  currently  in  the  United  Kingdom  (“U.K.”)  and 
Canada.

17

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

United Kingdom

In  the  United  Kingdom,  COBNA  operates  through  COEP,  which  was  established  in  2000  and  is  an  authorized  payment 
institution  regulated  by  the  Financial  Conduct  Authority  (“FCA”)  under  the  Payment  Services  Regulations  2017  and  the 
Financial  Services  and  Markets  Act  2000.  COEP’s  indirect  parent,  Capital  One  Global  Corporation,  is  wholly-owned  by 
COBNA  and  is  subject  to  regulation  by  the  Federal  Reserve  as  an  “agreement  corporation”  under  the  Federal  Reserve’s 
Regulation K.

Previously, the FCA set a deadline of August 29, 2019 (“the Deadline”) for the submission of complaints to firms (including 
COEP)  that  had  previously  sold  Payment  Protection  Insurance  (“PPI”)  to  its  customers.  In  order  to  ensure  complainants  are 
treated  fairly,  the  FCA  closely  supervises  all  large  lenders  (including  COEP).  COEP  has  now  finished  handling  almost  all 
complaints  it  received  prior  to  the  Deadline  and  is  in  the  process  of  finalizing  all  remaining  complaints,  through  continued 
discussions with third parties. Escalations to the Financial Ombudsman Service (“FOS”) are permitted to take place until the 
first quarter of 2021.

Canada

In Canada, COBNA operates as an authorized foreign bank pursuant to the Bank Act (Canada) (“Bank Act”) and is permitted to 
conduct  its  credit  card  business  in  Canada  through  its  Canadian  branch,  Capital  One  Bank  (Canada  Branch)  (“Capital  One 
Canada”).  The  primary  regulator  of  Capital  One  Canada  is  the  Office  of  the  Superintendent  of  Financial  Institutions.  Other 
regulators include the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (“FCAC”), the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 
and  the  Financial  Transactions  and  Reports  Analysis  Centre  of  Canada.  Capital  One  Canada  is  subject  to  regulation  under 
various  Canadian  federal  laws,  including  the  Bank  Act  and  its  regulations,  the  Proceeds  of  Crime  (Money  Laundering)  and 
Terrorist Financing Act and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.

On December 13, 2018, Bill C-86, Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 2 was passed by Parliament. Among other things, 
Bill C-86 amends the Bank Act (Canada) to consolidate and strengthen provisions that apply to banks and authorized foreign 
banks in the areas of consumer protection, corporate governance, business practices, public reporting, disclosure of information 
and access to basic banking services. Bill C-86 also amends the FCAC Act to enhance the role and powers of the FCAC by 
increasing the maximum penalty for a violation of the consumer protection provisions of the Bank Act from 50,000 Canadian 
dollars  (“CAD”)  for  natural  persons  and  500,000  CAD  in  the  case  of  financial  institutions  or  a  payment  card  network  to  1 
million CAD and 10 million CAD, respectively. We are continuing to analyze the impacts of Bill C-86 and the final regulations 
related thereto in order to determine its applicability and impact to our business.

In  August  2018,  the  Government  of  Canada  announced  new  voluntary  commitments  from  Visa  Canada  and  MasterCard 
Canada,  which  took  effect  when  the  original  commitments  ended  in  2020.  As  part  of  their  new  commitments,  Visa  and 
Mastercard  will  further  reduce  interchange  fees  for  consumer  credit  cards  by  approximately  10  basis  points  to  an  annual 
average effective rate of 1.4% for a period of five years. Visa and Mastercard will also narrow the range of interchange rates 
(lowest vs. highest fee) charged to businesses.

18

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

HUMAN CAPITAL RESOURCES

Our culture is rooted in putting people first with a focus on building and maintaining a workforce which fosters an inclusive 
environment based on diversity of our people, ideas and the merit of our work. Our workforce is our largest and one of our most 
valuable assets. We prioritize the recruitment, development, recognition, and retention of the 51,985 employees worldwide that 
we  had  as  of  December  31,  2020,  whom  we  refer  to  as  “associates.”  The  following  disclosures  provide  information  on  our 
human capital resources, including certain human capital objectives and measures that we focus on in managing our business.

Governance of Human Capital 

Our full Board of Directors oversees our human capital management, including strategies, policies and practices, and diversity, 
inclusion  and  belonging  (“DIB”),  and  is  assisted  by  our  Board’s  Compensation  Committee  and  Governance  and  Nominating 
Committee. Our Executive Committee, a committee of senior management which includes our Chief Human Resources Officer, 
advises, assists and makes recommendations to our Chief Executive Officer and Board of Directors on human capital matters 
such as human resource practices and programs, including general employee benefits and compensation programs. Our Chief 
Diversity,  Inclusion  and  Belonging  Officer  (“Chief  DIB  Officer”)  provides  an  annual  update  on  the  progress,  success  and 
challenges on workforce representation, trends and programs to the Board of Directors and Executive Committee. 

Hiring, Retention and Development

We  employ  a  comprehensive  people  strategy  that  includes  significant  investments  in  recruiting,  sourcing,  and  associate 
development  to  attract  and  retain  top  talent  from  all  backgrounds  to  help  drive  our  business’  long-term  success.  We  recruit 
through a variety of channels, including professional partnerships, job fairs, online platforms, on-campus recruiting, diversity-
related recruiting events and initiatives, and internship and rotational programs, among others. We empower our associates to 
learn new skills, meet personalized development goals, and grow their careers. Investment in associate training and professional 
development is critical to maintaining our talent competitiveness. Our internal enterprise learning and development team blends 
multiple approaches to learning to support associate development across lines of business, levels, and roles, including online 
and  live  classroom  training.  In  addition  to  formal  programming  provided  by  learning  professionals,  including  regulatory 
compliance,  role-specific  topics  and  others,  our  peer-to-peer  learning  strategy  empowers  associates  to  be  both  learners  and 
teachers,  further  enhancing  a  culture  of  learning.  We  also  focus  on  cultivating  talent  with  leadership  development  courses, 
cohort-based programs, network building, and coaching.

On  a  quarterly  basis,  we  review  our  ability  to  attract  and  retain  talent  needed  to  deliver  on  our  strategic  business  objectives. 
Each line of business and staff group reviews hiring, tenure and attrition metrics as part of this assessment, and they implement 
mitigation plans when needed. 

Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging

We  continuously  strive  to  empower  our  associates  to  do  great  work  by  creating  an  inclusive  workplace  and  a  culture  of 
belonging  that  values  diverse  perspectives,  fosters  collaboration  and  encourages  innovative  ideas.  We  aim  to  create  a  place 
where associates of all backgrounds can thrive by bringing their best, most authentic selves to work. Our diversity and inclusion 
efforts are overseen by our Chief DIB Officer. This culture of belonging rests at the heart of our DIB efforts. Central to this 
effort  are  our  business  resource  groups,  associate-led  organizations  which  deepen  our  understanding  of  different  cultures, 
people and experiences, and enable associates to build connections, invest in their professional development, and support our 
commitment  to  attract,  develop  and  retain  a  diverse  workforce.  In  addition,  our  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  the  Executive 
Committee  engage  with  leaders  of  our  business  resource  groups  to  identify  opportunities  to  further  our  DIB  agenda,  enact 
positive change and build on existing initiatives designed to nurture our culture and workplace environment.

Growing the diversity of our workforce at all levels, with an emphasis on leader and executive roles, is an important component 
of our comprehensive DIB strategy. As of December 31, 2020, key measures of our workforce representation include:

•

•

•

Of the 11 members of our Board of Directors, 4 are women and 3 are people of color;

In  the  U.S.,  of  the  associates  who  are  vice  president  level  and  above,  approximately  32%  are  women  and  21%  are 
people of color;

In the U.S., approximately 50% of associates are people of color; and

19

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

• Worldwide,  approximately  52%  of  associates  are  women,  47%  of  associates  are  men,  and  1%  of  associates  are 

undisclosed/other.

Our corporate website contains additional information regarding programs and other information integral to our philosophy of 
diversity, inclusion and belonging. We believe in the importance of transparency and will also provide on our website the 2020 
Consolidated EEO-1 Report upon submission to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Compensation and Wellness

We are committed to providing a competitive total compensation package that will attract, retain and motivate talent to help 
drive our business’ long-term success. Our benefits, including competitive parental leave, on-site health centers, flexible work 
solutions,  company  contributions  to  associates’  401(k)  plans,  educational  assistance  and  other  health,  wellness,  and  financial 
benefits, are all designed to help associates grow and develop inside and outside of the workplace and empower them in their 
lives.  Furthermore,  pay  equity  has  long  been  a  core  tenet  of  our  pay  philosophy  and  is  central  to  our  values.  We  annually 
evaluate base pay and incentive pay for all of our associates globally. This review and evaluation may occur more frequently as 
deemed necessary and prudent. We review groups of associates in similar roles, adjusting for factors that appropriately explain 
differences in pay such as job location and experience. Based on our analysis, our aggregated adjusted pay gap results show that 
we pay women 100% of what men are paid, and we pay racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. 100% of what non-minorities 
are paid. We use statistical modeling to understand what drives pay gaps, instill new practices to eliminate them in the future, 
and if we find unexplained pay gaps, we close them.

In 2020, a significant majority of our associates across our workforce have transitioned to working remotely as we prioritize the 
safety of our associates during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information on our response to the pandemic, please refer to 
Part I—Item 1.—Business—Overview—Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic.

Communication and Connection

We communicate with our associates regularly to understand their perspectives and to hear their voices. Our senior leaders and 
Chief Executive Officer also communicate directly on societal events impacting our associates. To assess and improve associate 
retention and engagement, the Company surveys associates on a periodic basis with the assistance of third-party consultants, 
and takes actions to address areas of associate concern. We encourage full participation and use the results to effect change and 
promote transparency.

20

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Technology/Systems

We leverage information and technology to achieve our business objectives and to develop and deliver products and services 
that satisfy our customers’ needs. A key part of our strategic focus is the development and use of efficient, flexible computer 
and  operational  systems,  such  as  cloud  technology,  to  support  complex  marketing  and  account  management  strategies,  the 
servicing of our customers, and the development of new and diversified products. We believe that the continued development 
and integration of these systems is an important part of our efforts to reduce costs, improve quality and security and provide 
faster, more flexible technology services. Consequently, we continuously review capabilities and develop or acquire systems, 
processes and competencies to meet our unique business requirements.

As part of our continuous efforts to review and improve our technologies, we may either develop such capabilities internally or 
rely  on  third-party  outsourcers  who  have  the  ability  to  deliver  technology  that  is  of  higher  quality,  lower  cost,  or  both.  We 
continue to rely on third-party outsourcers to help us deliver systems and operational infrastructure. These relationships include 
(but  are  not  limited  to):  Amazon  Web  Services,  Inc.  (“AWS”)  for  our  cloud  infrastructure,  Total  System  Services 
LLC  (“TSYS”)  for  consumer  and  commercial  credit  card  processing  services  for  our  North  American  and  U.K.  portfolios, 
Fidelity Information Services (“FIS”) for certain of our banking systems and International Business Machines Corporation for 
mainframe managed services.

We are committed to safeguarding our customers’ and our own information and technology, implementing backup and recovery 
systems,  and  generally  require  the  same  of  our  third-party  service  providers.  We  take  measures  that  mitigate  against  known 
attacks and use internal and external resources to scan for vulnerabilities in platforms, systems, and applications necessary for 
delivering our products and services. For a discussion of the risks associated with our use of technology systems, see “Part I—
Item  1A.  Risk  Factors”  under  the  headings  “We  face  risks  related  to  our  operational,  technological  and  organizational 
infrastructure” and “Increased costs, reductions in revenue, reputational damage and business disruptions can result from the 
theft, loss or misuse of information, including as a result of a cyber-attack.”

Intellectual Property

As part of our overall and ongoing strategy to protect and enhance our intellectual property, we rely on a variety of protections, 
including copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, patents and certain restrictions on disclosure, solicitation and competition. We 
also  undertake  other  measures  to  control  access  to,  or  distribution  of,  our  other  proprietary  information.  Despite  these 
precautions, it may be possible for a third party to copy or otherwise obtain and use certain intellectual property or proprietary 
information  without  authorization.  Our  precautions  may  not  prevent  misappropriation  or  infringement  of  our  intellectual 
property  or  proprietary  information.  In  addition,  our  competitors  and  other  third  parties  also  file  patent  applications  for 
innovations that are used in our industry. The ability of our competitors and other third parties to obtain patents may adversely 
affect our ability to compete and our financial results. Conversely, our ability to obtain patents may increase our competitive 
advantage, preserve our freedom to operate, and allow us to enter into licensing (e.g., cross-licenses) or other arrangements with 
third parties. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in such efforts, or that the ability of our competitors to obtain 
such patents may not adversely impact our financial results. For a discussion of risks associated with intellectual property, see 
“Part  I—Item  1A.  Risk  Factors”  under  the  heading  “If  we  are  not  able  to  protect  our  intellectual  property,  our  revenue  and 
profitability could be negatively affected.”

21

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

From time to time, we have made and will make forward-looking statements, including those that discuss, among other things, 
strategies,  goals,  outlook  or  other  non-historical  matters;  projections,  revenues,  income,  returns,  expenses,  capital  measures, 
capital  allocation  plans,  accruals  for  claims  in  litigation  and  for  other  claims  against  us;  earnings  per  share,  efficiency  ratio, 
operating  efficiency  ratio,  or  other  financial  measures  for  us;  future  financial  and  operating  results;  our  plans,  objectives, 
expectations and intentions; and the assumptions that underlie these matters.

To  the  extent  that  any  such  information  is  forward-looking,  it  is  intended  to  fit  within  the  safe  harbor  for  forward-looking 
information provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Forward-looking  statements  often  use  words  such  as  “will,”  “anticipate,”  “target,”  “expect,”  “estimate,”  “intend,”  “plan,” 
“goal,” “believe,” “forecast,” “outlook” or other words of similar meaning. Any forward-looking statements made by us or on 
our behalf speak only as of the date they are made or as of the date indicated, and we do not undertake any obligation to update 
forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For additional information on factors that 
could materially influence forward-looking statements included in this Report, see the risk factors set forth under “Part I—Item 
1A. Risk Factors” in this report. You should carefully consider the factors discussed above, and in our Risk Factors or other 
disclosure, in evaluating these forward-looking statements.

Numerous factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from those described in such forward-looking statements, 
including, among other things:

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

the  impact  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic  and  related  public  health  measures  on  our  business,  financial  condition  and 
results  of  operations,  including  the  increased  estimation  and  forecast  uncertainty  as  a  result  of  the  pandemic  on  our 
estimates of lifetime expected credit losses in our loan portfolios required in computing our allowance for credit losses;

general  economic  and  business  conditions  in  our  local  markets,  including  conditions  affecting  employment  levels, 
interest rates, tariffs, collateral values, consumer income, creditworthiness and confidence, spending and savings that 
may affect consumer bankruptcies, defaults, charge-offs and deposit activity;

an increase or decrease in credit losses, or increased delinquencies, including increases due to a worsening of general 
economic conditions in the credit environment, and the impact of inaccurate estimates or inadequate reserves;

compliance  with  new  and  existing  laws,  regulations  and  regulatory  expectations  including  the  implementation  of  a 
regulatory reform agenda;

our ability to manage adequate capital or liquidity levels, which could have a negative impact on our financial results 
and our ability to return capital to our stockholders;

the extensive use, reliability, disruption, and accuracy of the models and data we rely on;

increased costs, reductions in revenue, reputational damage, legal liability and business disruptions that can result from 
data protection or privacy incidents or the theft, loss or misuse of information, including as a result of a cyber-attack;

developments,  changes  or  actions  relating  to  any  litigation,  governmental  investigation  or  regulatory  enforcement 
action or matter involving us;

the amount and rate of deposit growth and changes in deposit costs;

our ability to execute on our strategic and operational plans;

our response to competitive pressures;

our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected by merchants’ increasing focus on 
the fees charged by credit card networks and by legislation and regulation impacting such fees;

our success in integrating acquired businesses and loan portfolios, and our ability to realize anticipated benefits from 
announced transactions and strategic partnerships;

22

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

our ability to maintain a compliance, operational, technology and organizational infrastructure suitable for the nature 
of our business;

the success of our marketing efforts in attracting and retaining customers;

our risk management strategies;

changes in the reputation of, or expectations regarding, the financial services industry or us with respect to practices, 
products or financial condition;

increases  or  decreases  in  interest  rates  and  uncertainty  with  respect  to  the  interest  rate  environment,  including  the 
possibility of a prolonged low-interest rate environment or of negative interest rates;

uncertainty regarding, and transition away from, the London Interbank Offering Rate;

our ability to attract, retain and motivate skilled employees;

our assumptions or estimates in our financial statements;

limitations on our ability to receive dividends from our subsidiaries;

the soundness of other financial institutions and other third parties; and 

other risk factors identified from time to time in our public disclosures, including in the reports that we file with the 
SEC.

We expect that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will heighten the risks associated with many of these factors.

Item 1A. Risk Factors 

This section highlights significant factors, events, and uncertainties that make an investment in our securities risky. The events 
and consequences discussed in these risk factors could, in circumstances we may not be able to accurately predict, recognize, or 
control,  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our  business,  growth,  reputation,  prospects,  financial  condition,  operating  results, 
cash  flows,  liquidity,  and  stock  price.  These  risk  factors  do  not  identify  all  risks  that  we  face;  our  operations  could  also  be 
affected by factors, events, or uncertainties that are not presently known to us or that we currently do not consider to present 
significant risks to our operations. In addition, the global economic and political climate may amplify many of these risks.

Summary of Risk Factors

Below is a summary of the principal factors that make an investment in our securities risky. This summary does not address all 
of the risks that we face. Additional discussion of the risks summarized in this risk factor summary, and other risks that we face, 
can be found below and should be carefully considered, together with other information in this Form 10-K and our other filings 
with the SEC, before making an investment decision regarding our common stock.

•

•

•

The  COVID-19  pandemic  has  adversely  impacted  our  business  and  financial  results,  and  the  extent  to  which  the 
pandemic and measures taken in response to the pandemic could materially and adversely impact our business, financial 
condition, liquidity, capital and results of operations will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and 
are difficult to predict.

Changes and instability in the macroeconomic environment, consumer confidence and customer behavior may adversely 
affect our business.

Financial market instability and volatility could adversely affect our business. 

• We may experience increased delinquencies, credit losses, inaccurate estimates and inadequate reserves.

• We may not be able to maintain adequate capital or liquidity levels, which could have a negative impact on our financial 

results and our ability to return capital to our stockholders.

• We face risks related to our operational, technological and organizational infrastructure.

23

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

•

•

•

•

Theft,  loss  or  misuse  of  information  as  a  result  of  a  cyber-attack  may  result  in  increased  costs,  reductions  in  revenue, 
reputational damage and business disruptions.

Potential data protection and privacy incidents, and our required compliance with regulations related to these areas, may 
increase our costs, reduce our revenue and limit our ability to pursue business opportunities.

Compliance with new and existing laws, regulations and regulatory expectations is costly and complex.

Our businesses are subject to the risk of increased litigation, government investigations and regulatory enforcement.

• We face intense competition in all of our markets.

•

•

Our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected by merchants’ increasing focus on 
the fees charged by credit card networks and by legislation and regulation impacting such fees.

If  we  are  not  able  to  invest  successfully  in  and  introduce  digital  and  other  technological  developments  across  all  our 
businesses, our financial performance may suffer.

• We may fail to realize all of the anticipated benefits of our mergers, acquisitions and strategic partnerships.

•

•

•

•

•

•

Reputational risk and social factors may impact our results and damage our brand.

If we are not able to protect our intellectual property, our revenue and profitability could be negatively affected.

Our risk management strategies may not be fully effective in mitigating our risk exposures in all market environments or 
against all types of risk.

Fluctuations in market interest rates or volatility in the capital markets could adversely affect our income and expense, 
the value of assets and obligations, our regulatory capital, cost of capital or liquidity.

Uncertainty regarding, and transition away from, LIBOR may adversely affect our business.

Our business could be negatively affected if we are unable to attract, retain and motivate skilled employees.

• We face risks from unpredictable catastrophic events.

• We face risks from the use of or changes to assumptions or estimates in our financial statements.

•

•

Limitations  on  our  ability  to  receive  dividends  from  our  subsidiaries  could  affect  our  liquidity  and  ability  to  pay 
dividends and repurchase common stock.

The soundness of other financial institutions and other third parties could adversely affect us.

General Economic and Market Risks

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted our business and financial results, and the extent to which the pandemic 
and measures taken in response to the pandemic could materially and adversely impact our business, financial condition, 
liquidity, capital and results of operations will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and are difficult 
to predict. 

Global health concerns relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and related government actions taken to reduce the spread of the 
virus  have  impacted  the  macroeconomic  environment,  significantly  increased  economic  uncertainty  and  reduced  economic 
activity. The pandemic has also caused governmental authorities to implement numerous measures to try to contain the virus, 
including  travel  bans  and  restrictions,  quarantines,  shelter-in-place  orders,  and  business  limitations  and  shutdowns.  These 
measures have negatively impacted and may further negatively impact consumer and business payment and spending patterns.

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted, and may continue to adversely impact, our business, operations, financial 
condition,  capital  and  results  of  operations.  The  extent  of  these  impacts  depends  on  future  developments,  which  are  highly 
uncertain and difficult to predict, including, but not limited to, the duration and magnitude of the pandemic, the actions taken to 
contain the virus or treat its impact, the effectiveness of economic stimulus measures in the United States, and how quickly and 

24

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

to what extent economic and operating conditions and consumer and business spending can return to their pre-pandemic levels. 
As of December 31, 2020, several vaccines have been authorized for limited distribution. The plan for larger community-based 
distribution is being developed and may begin during the second quarter of 2021. However, the timing and extent of any such 
widespread distribution of vaccines remains uncertain. As a result of this uncertainty, our purchase volume, loan growth and the 
overall  demand  for  our  products  and  services  may  be  significantly  impacted,  which  could  adversely  affect  our  revenue  and 
other  results  of  operations.  In  addition,  we  could  experience  higher  credit  losses  in  our  loan  portfolios  and  increases  in  our 
allowance for credit losses beyond current levels. For example, as a result of the significant uncertainty due to the COVID-19 
pandemic, we realized a substantial build in our allowance for credit losses for the first two quarters of 2020. We could also 
experience  impairments  of  other  financial  assets  and  other  negative  impacts  on  our  financial  position,  including  possible 
constraints on liquidity and capital, as well as higher costs of capital. Even after the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, we may 
continue  to  experience  adverse  impacts  to  our  business  and  results  of  operations,  which  could  be  material,  as  a  result  of  the 
macroeconomic impact and any recession that has occurred or may occur in the future.

The  spread  of  COVID-19  has  caused  us  to  modify  our  business  practices  and  operations,  including  providing  a  range  of 
forbearance  options  to  our  customers  in  certain  circumstances,  which  could  impact  our  credit  metrics,  financial  condition, 
capital and results of operations. We may need to further modify our practices and operations as this event unfolds. We have 
also implemented work-from-home policies for a vast majority of our employees, and social distancing plans for our employees 
who  are  working  from  Capital  One  facilities.  Nearly  all  of  our  Cafés  and  bank  branches  across  our  network  are  open  with 
increased safety precautions. We will continue to monitor local conditions to ensure the safety of our associates and customers 
while  providing  critical  banking  services.  These  measures  could  impair  our  ability  to  perform  critical  functions  and  may 
adversely impact our results of operations. In addition, these measures and other changes in consumer behavior as a result of the 
COVID-19  pandemic  may  require  changes  to  retail  distribution  strategies  and  adversely  impact  our  investments  in  our  bank 
premises and equipment and other retail distribution assets, leading to increased costs and exposure to additional risks. We may 
take  further  actions  as  required  by  government  authorities  or  that  we  otherwise  determine  are  in  the  best  interests  of  our 
customers, employees and business partners.

Federal, state, local and foreign governmental authorities have enacted, and may enact in the future, legislation, regulations and 
protocols  in  response  to  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  including  governmental  programs  intended  to  provide  economic  relief  to 
businesses and individuals. We have participated in certain of these programs, including participating as an eligible lender in 
the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program. Our participation in and execution of any such programs 
may cause operational, compliance, reputational and credit risks, which could result in litigation, governmental action or other 
forms of loss. The extent of these impacts, which may be substantial, will depend on the degree of our participation in these 
programs. There remains significant uncertainty regarding the measures that authorities will enact in the future and the ultimate 
impact of the legislation, regulations and protocols that have been and will be enacted. Moreover, we expect that the effects of 
the  COVID-19  pandemic  will  heighten  many  of  the  other  known  risks  described  herein.  See  Part  I—Item  1.—Business—
Overview—Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic.

Changes  and  instability  in  the  macroeconomic  environment,  consumer  confidence  and  customer  behavior  may  adversely 
affect our business.

We offer a broad array of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients. A prolonged 
period  of  economic  volatility,  slow  growth,  or  a  significant  deterioration  in  economic  conditions,  in  the  U.S.,  Canada  or  the 
U.K.,  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our  financial  condition  and  results  of  operations  as  customers  default  on  their 
loans, maintain lower deposit levels or, in the case of credit card accounts, carry lower balances and reduce credit card purchase 
activity.

Some  of  the  risks  we  face  in  connection  with  adverse  changes  and  instability  in  the  macroeconomic  environment,  including 
changes in consumer confidence levels and behavior, include the following:

•

•

•

Changes in payment patterns, increases in delinquencies and default rates, decreased consumer spending, lower demand 
for credit and shifts in consumer payment behavior towards avoiding late fees, finance charges and other fees;

Increases  in  our  charge-off  rate  caused  by  bankruptcies  and  reduced  ability  to  recover  debt  that  we  have  previously 
charged-off;

Decreased reliability of the process and models we use to estimate our allowance for loan and lease losses, particularly if 
unexpected variations in key inputs and assumptions cause actual losses to diverge from the projections of our models 

25

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

and  our  estimates  become  increasingly  subject  to  management’s  judgment.  See  “We  face  risks  resulting  from  the 
extensive use of models and data.”

The U.K. and the European Union agreed to a free trade deal at the end of 2020 relating to the U.K.’s exit from the European 
Union (“Brexit”). While this deal provides greater near-term stability, the on-going impact of Brexit and its full effects on the 
U.K. economy and our business related thereto remain uncertain. We continue to consider and monitor the potential impacts, 
and other factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, that could also impact U.K. economic performance. 

Financial market instability and volatility could adversely affect our business. 

Our ability to borrow from other financial institutions or to engage in funding transactions on favorable terms or at all could be 
adversely affected by disruptions in the capital markets or other events, including actions by rating agencies and deteriorating 
investor expectations, which could limit our access to funding. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates, credit spreads and other 
market factors could negatively impact our results of operations. Both shorter-term and longer-term interest rates remain below 
long-term historical averages and the yield curve has been relatively flat compared to past periods. A flat yield curve combined 
with low interest rates generally leads to lower revenue and reduced margins because it tends to limit our ability to increase the 
spread between asset yields and funding costs. Sustained periods of time with a flat yield curve coupled with low interest rates, 
or an inversion of the yield curve, could have a material adverse effect on our net interest margin and earnings.

In response to the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Reserve lowered its target for the federal 
funds rate to a range of 0% to 0.25%. Such low rates increase the risk in the U.S. of a negative interest rate environment in 
which interest rates drop below zero, either broadly or for some types of instruments. For example, yields on one-month and 
three-month Treasuries briefly dropped below zero in March 2020. Such an occurrence would likely further reduce the interest 
we  earn  on  loans  and  other  interest-earning  assets,  while  also  likely  requiring  us  to  pay  to  maintain  our  deposits  with  the 
Federal Reserve. Our systems may not be able to handle adequately a negative interest rate environment and not all variable rate 
instruments are designed for such a circumstance. We cannot predict the nature or timing of future changes in monetary policies 
in response to the COVID-19 pandemic or the precise effects that they may have on our activities and financial results.

Credit Risk

We may experience increased delinquencies, credit losses, inaccurate estimates and inadequate reserves.

Like other lenders, we face the risk that our customers will not repay their loans. A customer’s ability and willingness to repay 
us can be adversely affected by increases in their payment obligations to other lenders, whether as a result of higher debt levels 
or rising interest rates, by restricted availability of credit generally, or by the revenue and income of the borrower. We may fail 
to  quickly  identify  and  reduce  our  exposure  to  customers  that  are  likely  to  default  on  their  payment  obligations,  whether  by 
closing credit lines or restricting authorizations. Our ability to manage credit risk also is affected by legal or regulatory changes 
(such as restrictions on collections, bankruptcy laws, minimum payment regulations and re-age guidance), competitors’ actions 
and consumer behavior, and depends on the effectiveness of our collections staff, techniques and models.

Rising losses or leading indicators of rising losses (such as higher delinquencies, higher rates of nonperforming loans, higher 
bankruptcy rates, lower collateral values, elevated unemployment rates or changing market terms) may require us to increase 
our  allowance  for  credit  losses,  which  may  degrade  our  profitability  if  we  are  unable  to  raise  revenue  or  reduce  costs  to 
compensate for higher losses. In particular, we face the following risks in this area:

• Missed  Payments:  Our  customers  may  miss  payments.  Loan  charge-offs  (including  from  bankruptcies)  are  generally 
preceded  by  missed  payments  or  other  indications  of  worsening  financial  condition  for  our  customers.  Historically, 
customers  are  more  likely  to  miss  payments  during  an  economic  downturn  or  prolonged  periods  of  slow  economic 
growth.  In  addition,  we  face  the  risk  that  consumer  and  commercial  customer  behavior  may  change  (for  example,  an 
increase  in  the  unwillingness  or  inability  of  customers  to  repay  debt,  which  may  be  heightened  by  increasing  interest 
rates or levels of consumer debt), causing a long-term rise in delinquencies and charge-offs.

•

Incorrect Estimates of Expected Losses: The credit quality of our portfolio can have a significant impact on our earnings. 
We allow for and reserve against credit risks based on our assessment of expected credit losses in our loan portfolios. 
This process, which is critical to our financial condition and results of operations, requires complex judgments, including 
forecasts  of  economic  conditions.  We  may  underestimate  our  expected  losses  and  fail  to  hold  an  allowance  for  credit 
losses sufficient to account for these losses. Incorrect assumptions could lead to material underestimations of expected 
credit losses and an inadequate allowance for credit losses.

26

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

•

•

•

•

•

Inaccurate  Underwriting:  Our  ability  to  accurately  assess  the  creditworthiness  of  our  customers  may  diminish,  which 
could result in an increase in our credit losses and a deterioration of our returns. See “Our risk management strategies 
may not be fully effective in mitigating our risk exposures in all market environments or against all types of risk.”

Business Mix: We engage in a diverse mix of businesses with a broad range of potential credit exposure. Because we 
originate a relatively greater proportion of consumer loans in our loan portfolio compared to other large bank peers and 
originate both prime and subprime credit card accounts and auto loans, we may experience higher delinquencies and a 
greater  number  of  accounts  charging  off  compared  to  other  large  bank  peers,  which  could  result  in  increased  credit 
losses,  operating  costs  and  regulatory  scrutiny.  Additionally,  a  change  in  this  business  mix  over  time  to  include 
proportionally  more  consumer  loans  or  subprime  credit  card  accounts  or  auto  loans  could  adversely  affect  the  credit 
quality of our portfolio.

Increasing  Charge-off  Recognition/Allowance  for  Credit  Losses:  We  account  for  the  allowance  for  credit  losses 
according to accounting and regulatory guidelines and rules, including Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) 
standards  and  the  Federal  Financial  Institutions  Examination  Council  (“FFIEC”)  Account  Management  Guidance. 
Effective as of January 1, 2020, we adopted the CECL standard which is based on expected lifetime losses rather than 
incurred losses. Adoption of the CECL standard has resulted and may continue to result in an increase to our reserves for 
credit losses on financial instruments with a resulting adverse impact on our financial condition. The continued impact of 
CECL on our future results will depend on the characteristics of our financial instruments, economic conditions, and our 
economic and loss forecasts. The application of the CECL standard requires us to increase reserves faster and to a higher 
level  in  an  economic  downturn,  resulting  in  greater  impact  to  our  results  and  our  capital  ratios  than  we  would  have 
experienced  in  similar  circumstances  prior  to  the  adoption  of  CECL.  In  addition,  because  credit  cards  represent  a 
significant  portion  of  our  product  mix,  we  could  be  disproportionately  affected  by  use  of  the  CECL  standard,  as 
compared to our large bank peers with a different product mix. See “MD&A—Accounting Changes and Developments” 
for additional information.

Insufficient  Asset  Values:  The  collateral  we  have  on  secured  loans  could  be  insufficient  to  compensate  us  for  credit 
losses.  When  customers  default  on  their  secured  loans,  we  attempt  to  recover  collateral  where  permissible  and 
appropriate. However, the value of the collateral may not be sufficient to compensate us for the amount of the unpaid 
loan, and we may be unsuccessful in recovering the remaining balance from our customers. Decreases in real estate and 
other asset values adversely affect the collateral value for our commercial lending activities, while the auto business is 
similarly exposed to collateral risks arising from the auction markets that determine used car prices. Borrowers may be 
less likely to continue making payments on loans if the value of the property used as collateral for the loan is less than 
what  the  borrower  owes,  even  if  the  borrower  is  still  financially  able  to  make  the  payments.  In  that  circumstance,  the 
recovery of such property could be insufficient to compensate us for the value of these loans upon a default. In our auto 
business,  business  and  economic  conditions  that  negatively  affect  household  incomes,  housing  prices  and  consumer 
behavior, as well as technological advances that make older cars obsolete faster, could decrease (i) the demand for new 
and used vehicles and (ii) the value of the collateral underlying our portfolio of auto loans, which could cause the number 
of consumers who become delinquent or default on their loans to increase.

Geographic  and  Industry  Concentration:  Although  our  consumer  lending  is  geographically  diversified,  approximately 
27% of our commercial loan portfolio is concentrated in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. 
The  regional  economic  conditions  in  the  tri-state  area  affect  the  demand  for  our  commercial  products  and  services  as 
well as the ability of our customers to repay their commercial loans and the value of the collateral securing these loans. 
An economic downturn or prolonged period of slow economic growth in, or a catastrophic event that disproportionately 
affects, the tri-state area could have a material adverse effect on the performance of our commercial loan portfolio and 
our results of operations. In addition, our Commercial Banking strategy includes an industry-specific focus. If any of the 
industries that we focus on experience changes, we may experience increased credit losses and our results of operations 
could be adversely impacted. For example, as of December 31, 2020, healthcare and healthcare-related real estate loans 
represented approximately 19% of our total commercial loan portfolio. If healthcare-related industries or any of the other 
industries  that  we  focus  on  experience  adverse  changes,  we  may  experience  increased  credit  losses  and  our  results  of 
operations could be adversely impacted.

27

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Capital and Liquidity Risk

We may not be able to maintain adequate capital or liquidity levels, which could have a negative impact on our financial 
results and our ability to return capital to our stockholders.

Financial  institutions  are  subject  to  extensive  and  complex  capital  and  liquidity  requirements.  These  requirements  affect  our 
ability  to  lend,  grow  deposit  balances,  make  acquisitions  and  make  most  capital  distributions.  Failure  to  maintain  adequate 
capital or liquidity levels, whether due to adverse developments in our business or the economy or to changes in the applicable 
requirements, could subject us to a variety of remedies available to our regulators. These include limitations on the ability to 
pay  dividends,  repurchase  shares  and  the  issuance  of  a  capital  directive  to  increase  capital.  Such  limitations  could  have  a 
material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. 

We consider various factors in the management of capital, including the impact of stress on our capital levels, as determined by 
both our internal modeling and the Federal Reserve’s modeling of our capital position in supervisory stress tests and CCAR. 
There  can  be  significant  differences  between  our  modeling  and  the  Federal  Reserve’s  estimates  for  a  given  scenario  and 
between  the  capital  needs  suggested  by  our  internal  bank  holding  company  scenarios  relative  to  the  supervisory  scenarios. 
Therefore, although our estimated capital levels under stress disclosed as part of the CCAR or DFAST processes may suggest 
that  we  have  substantial  capacity  to  return  capital  to  stockholders  and  remain  well  capitalized  under  stress,  the  Federal 
Reserve’s modeling, our internal modeling of another scenario or other factors related to our capital management process may 
result in a materially lower capacity to return capital to stockholders than that indicated by the projections released in the CCAR 
or  DFAST  processes.  This  in  turn,  could  lead  to  restrictions  on  our  ability  to  pay  dividends  and  engage  in  share  repurchase 
transactions. See “Part I—Item 1. Business—Supervision and Regulation” for additional information.

In addition, the current capital and liquidity requirements are subject to change. The Federal Banking Agencies finalized the 
Tailoring  Rule  in  the  fourth  quarter  of  2019.  Under  the  Tailoring  Rule,  we  are  a  Category  III  institution,  and  are  no  longer 
subject  to  the  Basel  III  Advanced  Approaches  and  associated  capital  requirements,  but  we  continue  to  be  subject  to  the 
countercyclical  capital  buffer  and  supplementary  leverage  ratio.  In  March  2020,  the  Federal  Reserve  issued  a  final  rule  to 
implement the stress capital buffer requirement. This final rule became effective in May 2020. Pursuant to the Stress Capital 
Buffer  Rule,  the  Federal  Reserve  will  use  the  results  of  its  supervisory  stress  test  to  determine  the  size  of  a  large  banking 
institution’s stress capital buffer requirement, which replaces the previous 2.5% capital conservation buffer under the Basel III 
Standardized Approach. Our stress capital buffer requirement is 5.6% for the period from October 1, 2020 through September 
30, 2021, at which point a revised stress  capital  buffer requirement will be applicable to us based  on our 2021 stress testing 
results. In addition, on June 25, 2020 the Federal Reserve introduced measures to ensure that large BHCs maintained a high 
level  of  capital  resilience.  Specifically,  the  Federal  Reserve  required  certain  large  BHCs,  including  us,  to  suspend  share 
repurchases  and  cap  common  dividends  during  the  third  and  fourth  quarters  of  2020.  Consistent  with  the  Federal  Reserve’s 
capital  distribution  restrictions,  we  reduced  our  quarterly  dividend  on  our  common  stock  from  $0.40  per  share  to  $0.10  per 
share for the third quarter of 2020, which we maintained into the fourth quarter of 2020. The Federal Banking Agencies also 
finalized rules to implement the NSFR in October 2020. The NSFR is designed to ensure that banking organizations maintain a 
stable, long-term funding profile in relation to their asset composition and off-balance sheet activities and its requirements will 
become effective as of July 1, 2021. On December 18, 2020, the Federal Reserve extended the capital distribution restrictions 
for  all  participating  BHCs  to  the  first  quarter  of  2021,  with  certain  modifications.  In  particular,  for  the  first  quarter  of  2021, 
participating BHCs may resume share repurchases however the aggregate amount of dividend payments and share repurchases 
will be limited to an amount based on net income earned in the preceding four calendar quarters. See “Part I—Item 1. Business
—Supervision  and  Regulation”  for  additional  information.  Further  changes  to  applicable  capital  and  liquidity  requirements 
could result in unexpected or new limitations on our ability to pay dividends and engage in share repurchases.

Operational Risk

We face risks related to our operational, technological and organizational infrastructure.

Our  ability  to  retain  and  attract  customers  depends  on  our  ability  to  develop,  operate,  and  adapt  our  technology  and 
organizational infrastructure in a rapidly changing environment. In addition, we must accurately process, record and monitor an 
increasingly  large  number  of  complex  transactions.  Digital  technology,  data  and  software  development  are  deeply  embedded 
into our business model and how we work.

Similar to other large corporations, we are exposed to operational risk that can manifest itself in many ways, such as errors in 
execution, inadequate processes, inaccurate models, faulty or disabled technological infrastructure, and fraud by employees or 

28

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

persons outside of our company. In addition, we are heavily dependent on the security, capability and continuous availability of 
the  technology  systems  that  we  use  to  manage  our  internal  financial  and  other  systems,  monitor  risk  and  compliance  with 
regulatory  requirements,  provide  services  to  our  customers,  develop  and  offer  new  products  and  communicate  with 
stakeholders.  We  also  face  risk  of  adverse  customer  impacts  and  business  disruption  arising  from  the  execution  of  strategic 
initiatives we may pursue across our operations.

If  we  do  not  maintain  the  necessary  operational,  technological  and  organizational  infrastructure  to  operate  our  business, 
including to maintain the security of that infrastructure, our business and reputation could be materially adversely affected. We 
also  are  subject  to  disruptions  to  our  operating  systems  arising  from  events  that  are  wholly  or  partially  beyond  our  control, 
which  may  include  computer  viruses,  electrical  or  telecommunications  outages,  design  flaws  in  foundational  components  or 
platforms,  availability  and  quality  of  vulnerability  patches  from  key  vendors,  cyber-attacks  (including  Distributed  Denial  of 
Service (“DDOS”) and other attacks on our infrastructure as discussed below), natural disasters, other damage to property or 
physical  assets,  or  events  arising  from  local  or  larger  scale  politics,  including  terrorist  acts.  Any  failure  to  maintain  our 
infrastructure  or  disruption  of  our  operating  systems  and  applications  could  diminish  our  ability  to  operate  our  businesses, 
service customer accounts and protect customers’ information, or result in potential liability to customers, reputational damage, 
regulatory  intervention  and  customers’  loss  of  confidence  in  our  businesses,  any  of  which  could  result  in  a  material  adverse 
effect.

We also rely on the business infrastructure and systems of third parties with which we do business and to whom we outsource 
the operation, maintenance and development of our information technology and communications systems. We have migrated 
substantially  all,  and  intend  to  migrate  all,  of  our  core  information  technology  systems  and  customer-facing  applications  to 
third-party cloud infrastructure platforms, principally AWS. If we do not complete the transition or fail to administer these new 
environments in a well-managed, secure and effective manner, or if AWS platforms become unavailable or do not meet their 
service  level  agreements  for  any  reason,  we  may  experience  unplanned  service  disruption  or  unforeseen  costs  which  could 
result  in  material  harm  to  our  business  and  results  of  operations.  We  must  successfully  develop  and  maintain  information, 
financial reporting, disclosure, data-protection and other controls adapted to our reliance on outside platforms and providers. In 
addition, AWS, or other service providers, could experience system breakdowns or failures, outages, downtime, cyber-attacks, 
adverse changes to financial condition, bankruptcy, or other adverse conditions, which could have a material adverse effect on 
our  business  and  reputation.  Thus,  the  substantial  amount  of  our  infrastructure  that  we  outsource  to  AWS  or  to  other  third 
parties may increase our risk exposure.

Any disruptions, failures or inaccuracies of our operational and technology systems and models, including those associated with 
improvements or modifications to such systems and models, could cause us to be unable to market and manage our products 
and services, manage our risk, meet our regulatory obligations or report our financial results in a timely and accurate manner, 
all of which could have a negative impact on our results of operations. In addition, our ongoing investments in infrastructure, 
which are necessary to maintain a competitive business, integrate acquisitions and establish scalable operations, may increase 
our  expenses.  As  our  business  develops,  changes  or  expands,  additional  expenses  can  arise  as  a  result  of  a  reevaluation  of 
business  strategies,  management  of  outsourced  services,  asset  purchases  or  other  acquisitions,  structural  reorganization, 
compliance with new laws or regulations, or the integration of newly acquired businesses, or the prevention or occurrence of 
data security incidents. If we are unable to successfully manage our expenses, our financial results will be negatively affected. 
Changes  to  our  business,  including  as  a  result  of  our  strategic  objectives,  also  requires  robust  governance  to  ensure  that  our 
objectives are executed as intended without adversely impacting our customers, associates, operations or financial performance. 
Ineffective  change  management  oversight  and  governance  over  the  execution  of  our  strategic  objectives  could  expose  us  to 
operational, strategic and reputational risk and could negatively impact customers or our financial performance. 

Theft,  loss  or  misuse  of  information  as  a  result  of  a  cyber-attack  may  result  in  increased  costs,  reductions  in  revenue, 
reputational damage and business disruptions.

Our  products  and  services  involve  the  gathering,  authenticating,  managing,  processing,  and  the  storing  and  transmission  of 
sensitive and confidential information regarding our customers and their accounts, our employees and third parties with which 
we  do  business.  Our  ability  to  provide  such  products  and  services,  many  of  which  are  web-based,  depends  upon  the 
management  and  safeguarding  of  information,  software,  methodologies  and  business  secrets.  To  provide  these  products  and 
services to, as well as communicate with, our customers, we rely on information systems and infrastructure, including software 
and data engineering, and information security personnel, digital technologies, computer and email systems, software, networks 
and other web-based technologies. We also have arrangements in place with third parties through which we share and receive 
information about their customers who are or may become our customers.

29

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Technologies,  systems,  networks  and  devices  of  Capital  One  or  our  employees,  service  providers  or  other  third  parties  with 
whom  we  interact  may  continue  to  be  the  subject  of  attempted  unauthorized  access,  mishandling  or  misuse  of  information, 
denial-of-service  attacks,  computer  viruses,  website  defacement,  hacking,  malware,  ransomware,  phishing  or  other  forms  of 
social  engineering,  and  other  forms  of  cyber-attacks  designed  to  obtain  confidential  information,  destroy  data,  disrupt  or 
degrade service, sabotage systems or cause other damage, and other events. These threats, such as the Cybersecurity Incident, 
may  derive  from  error,  fraud  or  malice  on  the  part  of  our  employees,  insiders  or  third  parties  or  may  result  from  accidental 
technological failure. Any of these parties may also attempt to fraudulently induce employees, customers or other third-party 
users of our systems to disclose sensitive information in order to gain access to our data or that of our customers or third parties 
with whom we interact, or to unlawfully obtain monetary benefit through misdirected or otherwise improper payment. Further, 
cyber and information security risks for large financial institutions like us continue to increase due to the proliferation of new 
technologies,  the  use  of  the  internet  to  conduct  financial  transactions,  and  the  increased  sophistication  and  activities  of 
organized  crime,  perpetrators  of  fraud,  hackers,  terrorists,  activists,  formal  and  informal  instrumentalities  of  foreign 
governments  and  other  external  parties.  In  addition,  our  customers  access  our  products  and  services  using  computers, 
smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices that are beyond our security control systems.

The  methods  and  techniques  employed  by  perpetrators  of  fraud  and  others  to  attack,  disable,  degrade  or  sabotage  platforms, 
systems  and  applications  change  frequently,  are  increasingly  sophisticated  and  often  are  not  fully  recognized  or  understood 
until  after  they  have  occurred,  and  some  techniques  could  occur  and  persist  for  an  extended  period  of  time  before  being 
detected. For example, although we immediately fixed the configuration vulnerability that was exploited in the Cybersecurity 
Incident  once  we  discovered  the  unauthorized  access,  a  period  of  time  elapsed  between  the  occurrence  of  the  unauthorized 
access and the time when we discovered it. In other circumstances, we and our third-party service providers and partners may 
be unable to anticipate or identify certain attack methods in order to implement effective preventative measures or mitigate or 
remediate  the  damages  caused  in  a  timely  manner.  We  may  also  be  unable  to  hire  and  develop  talent  capable  of  detecting, 
mitigating  or  remediating  these  risks.  Although  we  seek  to  maintain  a  robust  suite  of  authentication  and  layered  information 
security controls, including our cyber threat analytics, data encryption and tokenization technologies, anti-malware defenses and 
vulnerability management program, any one or combination of these controls could fail to detect, mitigate or remediate these 
risks in a timely manner. We will likely face an increasing number of attempted cyber-attacks as we expand our mobile and 
other internet-based products and services, as well as our usage of mobile and cloud technologies and as we provide more of 
these services to a greater number of retail clients.

A disruption or breach, including as a result of a cyber-attack such as the Cybersecurity Incident, or media reports of perceived 
security  vulnerabilities  at  Capital  One  or  at  our  third-party  service  providers,  could  result  in  significant  legal  and  financial 
exposure,  regulatory  intervention,  litigation  and  remediation  costs,  card  reissuance,  supervisory  liability,  damage  to  our 
reputation or loss of confidence in the security of our systems, products and services that could adversely affect our business. 
We and other U.S. financial services providers continue to be targeted with evolving and adaptive cybersecurity threats from 
sophisticated third parties. We are continuing to assess the impact of the Cybersecurity Incident and there can be no assurance 
that  additional  unauthorized  access  or  cyber  incidents  will  not  occur  or  that  we  will  not  suffer  material  losses  in  the  future. 
Unauthorized access or cybersecurity incidents could occur more frequently and on a more significant scale. If future attacks 
like these are successful or if customers are unable to access their accounts online for other reasons, it could adversely impact 
our ability to service customer accounts or loans, complete financial transactions for our customers or otherwise operate any of 
our businesses or services. In addition, a breach or attack affecting one of our third-party service providers or partners could 
harm our business even if we do not control the service that is attacked.

In addition, the increasing prevalence and the evolution of cyber-attacks and other efforts to breach or disrupt our systems or 
those of our partners, retailers or other market participants has led, and will likely continue to lead, to increased costs to us with 
respect to preventing, mitigating and remediating these risks, as well as any related attempted fraud. In order to address ongoing 
and future risks, including from the Cybersecurity Incident, we must expend significant resources to support protective security 
measures,  investigate  and  remediate  any  vulnerabilities  of  our  information  systems  and  infrastructure  and  invest  in  new 
technology designed to mitigate security risks. The Cybersecurity Incident, or successful cyber-attacks at other large financial 
institutions or other market participants (whether or not we are impacted), could lead to a general loss of customer confidence in 
financial  institutions  that  could  negatively  affect  us,  including  harming  the  market  perception  of  the  effectiveness  of  our 
security  measures  or  the  financial  system  in  general  which  could  result  in  reduced  use  of  our  financial  products.  We  have 
insurance against some cyber-risks and attacks, including insurance that is expected to cover certain costs associated with the 
Cybersecurity Incident; nonetheless, our insurance coverage may not be sufficient to offset the impact of a material loss event, 
and such insurance may increase in cost or cease to be available on commercial terms in the future.

30

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Potential data protection and privacy incidents, and our required compliance with regulations related to these areas, may 
increase our costs, reduce our revenue and limit our ability to pursue business opportunities.

A breach, failure or other disruption of our information systems or infrastructure or data management processes, or those of our 
customers, partners, service providers or other market participants, could lead, depending on the nature of the incident, to the 
unauthorized or unintended access to and release, gathering, monitoring, misuse, loss or destruction of personal or confidential 
data about our customers, employees or other third parties in our possession. Any party that obtains this personal or confidential 
data through a breach or disruption may use this information for ransom, to be paid by us or a third-party, as part of a fraudulent 
activity  that  is  part  of  a  broader  criminal  activity,  or  for  other  illicit  purposes.  Further,  such  disruption  or  breach  could  also 
result in unauthorized access to our proprietary information, intellectual property, software, methodologies and business secrets 
and  in  unauthorized  transactions  in  Capital  One  accounts  or  unauthorized  access  to  personal  or  confidential  information 
maintained  by  those  entities.  There  has  been  a  significant  proliferation  of  consumer  information  available  on  the  internet 
resulting from breaches of third-party entities, including personal information, log-in credentials and authentication data. While 
we  were  not  directly  involved  in  these  third-party  breach  events,  the  stolen  information  can  create  a  vulnerability  for  our 
customers if their Capital One log-in credentials are the same as or similar to the credentials that have been compromised on 
other sites. This vulnerability could include the risk of unauthorized account access, data loss and fraud. The use of artificial 
intelligence, “bots” or other automation software, can increase the velocity and efficacy of these types of attacks.

We are continuing to assess the impact of the Cybersecurity Incident. The Cybersecurity Incident, other data security incidents 
we may experience in the future, or media reports of perceived security vulnerabilities at Capital One or at third-party service 
providers, could result in significant legal and financial exposure, regulatory intervention, remediation costs, card reissuance, 
supervisory liability, damage to our reputation or loss of confidence in the security of our systems, products and services that 
could adversely affect our business.

We  are  subject  to  a  variety  of  continuously  evolving  and  developing  laws  and  regulations  in  the  United  States  and  abroad 
regarding privacy, data protection and data security, including those related to the collection, storage, handling, use, disclosure, 
transfer and security of personal data. Significant uncertainty exists as privacy and data protection laws may be interpreted and 
applied differently from country to country and may create inconsistent or conflicting requirements. For example, in Canada we 
are subject to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”). In addition, the General Data 
Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) applies EU data protection law to all companies processing data of EU residents, regardless of 
the  company’s  location.  More  recently,  on  January  1,  2020,  the  CCPA  went  into  effect  for  companies  doing  business  in 
California.  These  laws  impose  strict  requirements  regarding  the  collection,  storage,  handling,  use,  disclosure,  transfer  and 
security of personal data, which may have adverse consequences, including severe monetary penalties. Our efforts to comply 
with PIPEDA, GDPR, CCPA and other privacy and data protection laws entail substantial expenses, may divert resources from 
other  initiatives  and  projects,  and  could  limit  the  services  we  are  able  to  offer.  Furthermore,  enforcement  actions  and 
investigations  by  regulatory  authorities  related  to  data  security  incidents  and  privacy  violations  continue  to  increase.  The 
enactment of more restrictive laws, rules, regulations, or future enforcement actions or investigations could impact us through 
increased costs or restrictions on our business, and noncompliance could result in monetary or other penalties and significant 
legal liability.

We face risks resulting from the extensive use of models and data.

We rely on quantitative models, and our ability to manage data and aggregate data in an accurate and timely manner, assess and 
manage our various risk exposures, estimate certain financial values and manage compliance with required regulatory capital 
requirements.  Models  may  be  used  in  such  processes  as  determining  the  pricing  of  various  products,  grading  loans  and 
extending  credit,  measuring  interest  rate  and  other  market  risks,  predicting  deposit  levels  or  loan  losses,  assessing  capital 
adequacy  and  calculating  economic  and  regulatory  capital  levels,  estimating  the  value  of  financial  instruments  and  balance 
sheet  items,  and  other  operational  functions.  Our  risk  reporting  and  management,  including  business  decisions  based  on 
information  incorporating  models,  depend  on  the  effectiveness  of  our  models  and  our  policies,  programs,  processes  and 
practices governing how data is acquired, validated, stored, protected, processed and analyzed. Any issues with the quality or 
effectiveness of our data aggregation and validation procedures, as well as the quality and integrity of data inputs, formulas or 
algorithms, could result in inaccurate forecasts, ineffective risk management practices or inaccurate risk reporting. In addition, 
models  based  on  historical  data  sets  might  not  be  accurate  predictors  of  future  outcomes  and  their  ability  to  appropriately 
predict future outcomes may degrade over time. While we continuously update our policies, programs, processes and practices, 
many  of  our  data  management,  aggregation  and  implementation  processes  are  manual  and  subject  to  human  error  or  system 
failure.  Failure  to  manage  data  effectively  and  to  aggregate  data  in  an  accurate  and  timely  manner  may  limit  our  ability  to 

31

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

manage  current  and  emerging  risk,  to  produce  accurate  financial,  regulatory  and  operational  reporting  as  well  as  to  manage 
changing  business  needs.  If  our  risk  management  framework  is  ineffective,  we  could  suffer  unexpected  losses  which  could 
materially adversely affect our results of operation or financial condition. Also, any information we provide to the public or to 
our regulators based on poorly designed or implemented models could be inaccurate or misleading. Some of the decisions that 
our regulators make, including those related to capital distribution to our stockholders, could be affected adversely due to the 
perception that the quality of the models used to generate the relevant information is insufficient.

Legal and Regulatory Risk

Compliance with new and existing laws, regulations and regulatory expectations is costly and complex.

We  are  subject  to  extensive  regulatory  oversight  by  the  federal  banking  regulators  to  ensure  that  we  build  systems  and 
processes that are commensurate with the nature of our business and that meet the risk management and prudential standards 
issued  by  our  regulators.  A  wide  array  of  banking  and  consumer  lending  laws  apply  to  almost  every  aspect  of  our  business. 
Failure  to  comply  with  these  laws  and  regulations  could  result  in  financial,  structural  and  operational  penalties,  including 
significant fines and criminal sanctions, and/or damage to our reputation with regulators, our customers or the public. Hiring, 
training and retaining qualified compliance and legal personnel, and establishing and maintaining compliance-related systems, 
infrastructure  and  processes,  is  difficult  and  these  efforts  could  limit  our  ability  to  invest  in  other  business  opportunities. 
Furthermore, applicable rules and regulations may affect us in an unforeseen manner, or may have a disproportionate impact on 
us as compared to our competitors. Over the last several years, state and federal regulators have focused on compliance with the 
Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering (“AML”) laws, data integrity and security, use of service providers, fair lending 
and  other  consumer  protection  issues.  For  example,  in  July  2015,  Capital  One  entered  into  a  consent  order  with  the  OCC  to 
address concerns about our AML program and in October 2018, Capital One paid a civil monetary penalty assessed by the OCC 
relating  to  our  AML  program.  The  OCC  lifted  the  AML  consent  order  in  November  2019.  In  addition,  in  August  2020  we 
entered  into  consent  orders  with  the  Federal  Reserve  and  the  OCC  resulting  from  regulatory  reviews  of  the  Cybersecurity 
Incident and relating to ongoing enhancements of our cybersecurity and operational risk management processes, and we paid a 
civil monetary penalty as part of the OCC agreement. In January 2021, we also paid a civil monetary penalty assessed by the 
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) against CONA in connection with our AML program. Failure to maintain 
compliance with laws and regulations could result in significant additional governmental fines or penalties.

We have a large number of customer accounts in our credit card and auto lending businesses and we have made the strategic 
choice to originate and service subprime credit card and auto loans, which typically have higher delinquencies and charge-offs 
than prime customers. As a result, we have significant involvement with credit bureau reporting and the collection and recovery 
of  delinquent  and  charged-off  debt,  primarily  through  customer  communications,  the  filing  of  litigation  against  customers  in 
default,  the  periodic  sale  of  charged-off  debt  and  vehicle  repossession.  These  activities  are  subject  to  enhanced  legal  and 
regulatory scrutiny from regulators, courts and legislators. Any future changes to our business practices in these areas, including 
our debt collection practices, whether mandated by regulators, courts, legislators or otherwise, or any legal liabilities resulting 
from  our  business  practices,  including  our  debt  collection  practices,  could  have  a  material  adverse  impact  on  our  financial 
condition.

The legislative and regulatory environment is beyond our control, may change rapidly and unpredictably and may negatively 
influence  our  revenue,  costs,  earnings,  growth,  liquidity  and  capital  levels.  In  addition,  some  rules  and  regulations  may  be 
subject  to  litigation  or  other  challenges  that  delay  or  modify  their  implementation  and  impact  on  us.  Adoption  of  new 
technologies,  such  as  distributed  ledger  technologies,  artificial  intelligence  and  machine  learning  technologies,  can  present 
unforeseen challenges in applying and relying on existing compliance systems.

Certain  laws  and  regulations,  and  any  interpretations  and  applications  with  respect  thereto,  are  generally  intended  to  protect 
consumers, borrowers, depositors, the DIF, the U.S. banking and financial system, and financial markets as a whole, but not 
stockholders. Our success depends on our ability to maintain compliance with both existing and new laws and regulations. For a 
description  of  the  material  laws  and  regulations  to  which  we  are  subject,  see  “Part  I—Item  1.  Business—Supervision  and 
Regulation.”

Our businesses are subject to the risk of increased litigation, government investigations and regulatory enforcement.

Our businesses are subject to increased litigation, government investigations and other regulatory enforcement risks as a result 
of a number of factors and from various sources, including the highly regulated nature of the financial services industry, the 
focus of state and federal prosecutors on banks and the financial services industry and the structure of the credit card industry. 

32

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Given the inherent uncertainties involved in litigation, government investigations and regulatory enforcement decisions, and the 
very large or indeterminate damages sought in some matters asserted against us, there can be significant uncertainty as to the 
ultimate  liability  we  may  incur  from  these  kinds  of  matters.  The  finding,  or  even  the  assertion,  of  substantial  legal  liability 
against us could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition and could cause significant reputational 
harm  to  us,  which  could  seriously  harm  our  business.  The  Cybersecurity  Incident  has  resulted  in  litigation,  government 
investigations and other regulatory enforcement inquiries.

In addition, financial institutions, such as ourselves, face significant regulatory scrutiny, which can lead to public enforcement 
actions  or  non-public  supervisory  actions.  We  and  our  subsidiaries  are  subject  to  comprehensive  regulation  and  periodic 
examination by, among other regulatory bodies, the Federal Reserve, the SEC, OCC, FDIC and CFPB. We have been subject to 
enforcement  actions  by  many  of  these  and  other  regulators  and  may  continue  to  be  involved  in  such  actions,  including 
governmental  inquiries,  investigations  and  enforcement  proceedings,  including  by  the  OCC,  Department  of  Justice,  FinCEN 
and state Attorneys General.

We  expect  that  regulators  and  governmental  enforcement  bodies  will  continue  taking  formal  enforcement  actions  against 
financial institutions in addition to addressing supervisory concerns through non-public supervisory actions or findings, which 
could involve restrictions on our activities, or our ability to make acquisitions or otherwise expand our business, among other 
limitations that could adversely affect our business. In addition, a violation of law or regulation by another financial institution 
is likely to give rise to an investigation by regulators and other governmental agencies of the same or similar practices by us. 
Furthermore,  a  single  event  may  give  rise  to  numerous  and  overlapping  investigations  and  proceedings.  These  and  other 
initiatives from governmental authorities and officials may subject us to further judgments, settlements, fines or penalties, or 
cause us to restructure our operations and activities or to cease offering certain products or services, all of which could harm our 
reputation or lead to higher operational costs. Litigation, government investigations and other regulatory actions could involve 
restrictions  on  our  activities,  generally  subject  us  to  significant  fines,  increased  expenses,  restrictions  on  our  activities  and 
damage to our reputation and our brand, and could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. 
For  additional  information  regarding  legal  and  regulatory  proceedings  that  we  are  subject  to,  see  “Note  18—Commitments, 
Contingencies, Guarantees and Others.”

Other Business Risks

We face intense competition in all of our markets.

We  operate  in  a  highly  competitive  environment,  whether  in  making  loans,  attracting  deposits  or  in  the  global  payments 
industry, and we expect competitive conditions to continue to intensify with respect to most of our products. We compete on the 
basis of the rates we pay on deposits and the rates and other terms we charge on the loans we originate or purchase, as well as 
the quality and range of our customer service, products, innovation and experience. This increasingly competitive environment 
is  primarily  a  result  of  changes  in  technology,  product  delivery  systems  and  regulation,  as  well  as  the  emergence  of  new  or 
significantly larger financial services providers, all of which may affect our customers’ expectations and demands. In addition 
to offering competitive products and services, we invest in and conduct marketing campaigns to attract and inform customers.

Some of our competitors, including new and emerging competitors in the digital and mobile payments space and other financial 
technology providers, are not subject to the same regulatory requirements or legislative scrutiny to which we are subject, which 
also could place us at a competitive disadvantage, in particular in the development of new technology platforms or the ability to 
rapidly innovate. We compete with many forms of payments offered by both bank and non-bank providers, including a variety 
of new and evolving alternative payment mechanisms, systems and products, such as aggregators and web-based and wireless 
payment  platforms  or  technologies,  digital  or  “crypto”  currencies,  prepaid  systems  and  payment  services  targeting  users  of 
social networks, communications platforms and online gaming. If we are unable to continue to keep pace with innovation, do 
not effectively market our products and services or are prohibited from or unwilling to enter emerging areas of competition, our 
business and results of operations could be adversely affected.

Some of our competitors are substantially larger than we are, which may give those competitors advantages, including a more 
diversified  product  and  customer  base,  the  ability  to  reach  more  customers  and  potential  customers,  operational  efficiencies, 
broad-based  local  distribution  capabilities,  lower-cost  funding  and  larger  existing  branch  networks.  Many  of  our  competitors 
are also focusing on cross-selling their products and developing new products or technologies, which could affect our ability to 
maintain or grow existing customer relationships or require us to offer lower interest rates or fees on our lending products or 
higher interest rates on deposits. Competition for loans could result in origination of fewer loans, earning less on our loans or an 
increase in loans that perform below expectations.

33

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

As of December 31, 2020, we operate as one of the largest online direct banks in the United States by deposits. While direct 
banking  provides  a  significant  opportunity  to  attract  new  customers  that  value  greater  and  more  flexible  access  to  banking 
services  at  reduced  costs,  we  face  strong  and  increasing  competition  in  the  direct  banking  market.  Aggressive  pricing 
throughout the industry may adversely affect the retention of existing balances and the cost-efficient acquisition of new deposit 
funds  and  may  affect  our  growth  and  profitability.  Customers  could  also  close  their  online  accounts  or  reduce  balances  or 
deposits in favor of products and services offered by competitors for other reasons. These shifts, which could be rapid, could 
result  from  general  dissatisfaction  with  our  products  or  services,  including  concerns  over  pricing,  online  security  or  our 
reputation. The potential consequences of this competitive environment are exacerbated by the flexibility of direct banking and 
the financial and technological sophistication of our online customer base.

In our credit card business, competition for rewards customers may result in higher rewards expenses, or we may fail to attract 
new customers or retain existing rewards  customers due to increasing competition for  these consumers.  As of December 31, 
2020, we have a number of large partnerships in our credit card loan portfolio. The market for key business partners, especially 
in the credit card business, is very competitive, and we may not be able to grow or maintain these partner relationships. We face 
the risk that we could lose partner relationships, even after we have invested significant resources into acquiring and developing 
the  relationships.  The  loss  of  any  of  our  key  business  partners  could  have  a  negative  impact  on  our  results  of  operations, 
including lower returns, excess operating expense and excess funding capacity.

We  depend  on  our  partners  to  effectively  promote  our  cobrand  and  private  label  products  and  integrate  the  use  of  our  credit 
cards into their retail operations. The failure by our partners to effectively promote and support our products as well as changes 
they may make in their business models could adversely affect card usage and our ability to achieve the growth and profitability 
objectives of our partnerships. In addition, if our partners do not adhere to the terms of our program agreements and standards, 
or otherwise diminish the value of our brand, we may suffer reputational damage and customers may be less likely to use our 
products.

Some of our competitors have developed, or may develop, substantially greater financial and other resources than we have, may 
offer richer value propositions or a wider range of programs and services than we offer or may use more effective advertising, 
marketing or cross-selling strategies to acquire and retain more customers, capture a greater share of spending and borrowings, 
attain and develop more attractive cobrand card programs and maintain greater merchant acceptance than we have. We may not 
be able to compete effectively against these threats or respond or adapt to changes in consumer spending habits as effectively as 
our competitors.

In such a competitive environment, we may lose entire accounts or may lose account balances to competing firms, or we may 
find it more costly to maintain our existing customer base. Customer attrition from any or all of our lending products, together 
with any lowering of interest rates or fees that we might implement to retain customers, could reduce our revenues and therefore 
our earnings. Similarly, unexpected customer attrition from our deposit products, in addition to an increase in rates or services 
that we may offer to retain deposits, may increase our expenses and therefore reduce our earnings.

Our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected by merchants’ increasing focus on the 
fees charged by credit card networks and by legislation and regulation impacting such fees.

Credit card interchange fees are generally one of the largest components of the costs that merchants pay in connection with the 
acceptance  of  credit  cards  and  are  a  meaningful  source  of  revenue  for  our  credit  card  businesses.  Interchange  fees  are  the 
subject  of  significant  and  intense  global  legal,  legislative  and  regulatory  focus,  and  the  resulting  decisions,  legislation  and 
regulation may have a material adverse impact on our overall business, financial condition and results of operations.

Legislative  and  regulatory  bodies  in  a  number  of  countries  are  seeking  to  reduce  credit  card  interchange  fees  through 
legislation,  competition-related  regulatory  proceedings,  central  bank  regulation  and  or  litigation.  Interchange  reimbursement 
rates in the United States are set by credit card networks such as MasterCard and Visa. In some jurisdictions, such as Canada 
and  certain  countries  in  the  EU,  interchange  fees  and  related  practices  are  subject  to  regulatory  activity  that  has  limited  the 
ability of certain networks to establish default rates, including in some cases imposing caps on permissible interchange fees. We 
have  already  experienced  these  impacts  in  our  international  card  businesses.  Legislators  and  regulators  around  the  world  are 
aware of each other’s approaches to the regulation of the payments industry. Consequently, a development in one country, state 
or region may influence regulatory approaches in another, such as our primary market, the United States.

In addition to this regulatory activity, merchants are also seeking avenues to reduce interchange fees. During the past few years, 
merchants  and  their  trade  groups  have  filed  numerous  lawsuits  against  Visa,  MasterCard,  American  Express  and  their  card-

34

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

issuing banks, claiming that their practices toward merchants, including interchange and similar fees, violate federal antitrust 
laws. In 2005, a number of entities filed antitrust lawsuits against MasterCard and Visa and several member banks, including 
our  subsidiaries  and  us,  alleging  among  other  things,  that  the  defendants  conspired  to  fix  the  level  of  interchange  fees.  In 
December  2013,  the  U.S.  District  Court  for  the  Eastern  District  of  New  York  granted  final  approval  of  the  proposed  class 
settlement. The settlement provided, among other things, that merchants would be entitled to join together to negotiate lower 
interchange fees. The settlement was appealed to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, which rejected the settlement in June 
2016; a revised settlement was reached in the second half of 2018, and the trial court issued its final approval of the settlement 
in December 2019. See “Note 18—Commitments, Contingencies, Guarantees and Others” for further details.

Some major retailers may have sufficient bargaining power to independently negotiate lower interchange fees with MasterCard 
and Visa, which could, in turn, result in lower interchange fees for us when our cardholders undertake purchase transactions 
with  these  retailers.  In  2016,  some  of  the  largest  merchants  individually  negotiated  lower  interchange  rates  with  MasterCard 
and/or Visa. These and other merchants also continue to lobby aggressively for caps and restrictions on interchange fees and 
their efforts may be successful or they may in the future bring legal proceedings against us or other credit card and debit card 
issuers and networks.

Beyond pursuing litigation, legislation and regulation, merchants may also promote forms of payment with lower fees, such as 
ACH-based payments, or seek to impose surcharges at the point of sale for use of credit or debit cards. New payment systems, 
particularly mobile-based payment technologies, could also gain widespread adoption and lead to issuer transaction fees or the 
displacement of credit card accounts as a payment method.

The heightened focus by merchants and legislative and regulatory bodies on the fees charged by credit and debit card networks, 
and the ability of certain merchants to successfully negotiate discounts to interchange fees with MasterCard and Visa or develop 
alternative payment systems, could result in a reduction of interchange fees. Any resulting loss in income to us could have a 
material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

If  we  are  not  able  to  invest  successfully  in  and  introduce  digital  and  other  technological  developments  across  all  our 
businesses, our financial performance may suffer.

Our  industry  is  subject  to  rapid  and  significant  technological  changes  and  our  ability  to  meet  our  customers’  needs  and 
expectations is key to our ability to grow revenue and earnings. We expect digital technologies to have a significant impact on 
banking  over  time.  Consumers  expect  robust  digital  experiences  from  their  financial  services  providers.  The  ability  for 
customers to access their accounts and conduct financial transactions using digital technology, including mobile applications, is 
an  important  aspect  of  the  financial  services  industry  and  financial  institutions  are  rapidly  introducing  new  digital  and  other 
technology-driven  products  and  services  that  aim  to  offer  a  better  customer  experience  and  to  reduce  costs.  We  continue  to 
invest in digital technology designed to attract new customers, facilitate the ability of existing customers to conduct financial 
transactions and enhance the customer experience related to our products and services.

Our continued success depends, in part, upon our ability to address the needs of our customers by using digital technology to 
provide products and services that meet their expectations. The development and launch of new digital products and services 
depends in large part on our capacity to invest in and build the technology platforms that can enable them, in a cost effective 
and  timely  manner.  See  “We  face  intense  competition  in  all  of  our  markets”  and  “We  face  risks  related  to  our  operational, 
technological and organizational infrastructure.”

Some of our competitors are substantially larger than we are, which may allow those competitors to invest more money into 
their  technology  infrastructure  and  digital  innovation  than  we  do.  In  addition,  we  face  intense  competition  from  smaller 
companies which experience lower cost  structures and  different regulatory requirements and scrutiny  than we do,  and which 
may allow them to innovate more rapidly than we can. See “We face intense competition in all of our markets.” Further, our 
success  depends  on  our  ability  to  attract  and  retain  strong  digital  and  technology  leaders,  engineers  and  other  specialized 
personnel.  The  competition  is  intense,  and  the  compensation  costs  continue  to  increase  for  such  talent.  If  we  are  unable  to 
attract  and  retain  digital  and  technology  talent,  our  ability  to  offer  digital  products  and  services  and  build  the  necessary 
technology  infrastructure  could  be  negatively  affected,  which  could  negatively  impact  our  business  and  financial  results.  A 
failure to maintain or enhance our competitive position with respect to digital products and services, whether because we fail to 
anticipate customer expectations or because our technological developments fail to perform as desired or are not implemented 
in a timely or successful manner, could negatively impact our business and financial results.

35

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

We may fail to realize all of the anticipated benefits of our mergers, acquisitions and strategic partnerships.

We  have  engaged  in  merger  and  acquisition  activity  and  entered  into  strategic  partnerships  over  the  past  several  years.  We 
continue to evaluate and anticipate engaging in, among other merger and acquisition activity, additional strategic partnerships 
and selected acquisitions of financial institutions and other acquisition targets, including credit card and other loan portfolios. 
We  may  not  be  able  to  identify  and  secure  future  acquisition  targets  on  terms  and  conditions  that  are  acceptable  to  us,  or 
successfully complete within the anticipated time frame and achieve the anticipated benefits of proposed mergers, acquisitions 
and strategic partnerships, which could impair our growth.

Any merger, acquisition or strategic partnership we undertake entails certain risks, which may materially and adversely affect 
our  results  of  operations.  If  we  experience  greater  than  anticipated  costs  to  integrate  acquired  businesses  into  our  existing 
operations, or are not able to achieve the anticipated benefits of any merger, acquisition or strategic partnership, including cost 
savings and other synergies, our business could be negatively affected. In addition, it is possible that the ongoing integration 
processes could result in the loss of key employees, errors or delays in systems implementation, exposure to cybersecurity risks 
associated  with  acquired  businesses,  exposure  to  additional  regulatory  oversight,  the  disruption  of  our  ongoing  businesses  or 
inconsistencies  in  standards,  controls,  procedures  and  policies  that  adversely  affect  our  ability  to  maintain  relationships  with 
partners,  clients,  customers,  depositors  and  employees  or  to  achieve  the  anticipated  benefits  of  any  merger,  acquisition  or 
strategic  partnership.  Integration  efforts  also  may  divert  management  attention  and  resources.  These  integration  matters  may 
have an adverse effect on us during any transition period.

In addition, we may face the following risks in connection with any merger, acquisition or strategic partnership:

•

•

•

•

•

New Businesses and Geographic or Other Markets: Our merger, acquisition or strategic partnership activity may involve 
our entry into new businesses and new geographic areas or other markets which present risks resulting from our relative 
inexperience in these new businesses or markets. These new businesses or markets may change the overall character of 
our consolidated portfolio of businesses and alter our exposure to economic and other external factors. We face the risk 
that we will not be successful in these new businesses or in these new markets.

Identification and Assessment of Merger and Acquisition Targets and Deployment of Acquired Assets: We may not be 
able  to  identify,  acquire  or  partner  with  suitable  targets.  Further,  our  ability  to  achieve  the  anticipated  benefits  of  any 
merger,  acquisition  or  strategic  partnership  will  depend  on  our  ability  to  assess  the  asset  quality  and  value  of  the 
particular assets or institutions we partner with, merge with or acquire. We may be unable to profitably deploy any assets 
we acquire.

Accuracy  of  Assumptions:  In  connection  with  any  merger,  acquisition  or  strategic  partnership,  we  may  make  certain 
assumptions  relating  to  the  proposed  merger,  acquisition  or  strategic  partnership  that  may  be,  or  may  prove  to  be, 
inaccurate,  including  as  a  result  of  the  failure  to  realize  the  expected  benefits  of  any  merger,  acquisition  or  strategic 
partnership. The inaccuracy of any assumptions we may make could result in unanticipated consequences that could have 
a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.

Target-specific Risk: Assets and companies that we acquire, or companies that we enter into strategic partnerships with, 
will have their own risks that are specific to a particular asset or company. These risks include, but are not limited to, 
particular  or  specific  regulatory,  accounting,  operational,  reputational  and  industry  risks,  any  of  which  could  have  a 
material  adverse  effect  on  our  results  of  operations  or  financial  condition.  For  example,  we  may  face  challenges 
associated with integrating other companies due to differences in corporate culture, compliance systems or standards of 
conduct. Indemnification rights, if any, may be insufficient to compensate us for any losses or damages resulting from 
such risks. In addition to regulatory approvals discussed below, certain of our merger, acquisition or partnership activity 
may require third-party consents in order for us to fully realize the anticipated benefits of any such transaction.

Conditions to Regulatory Approval: Certain acquisitions may not be consummated without obtaining approvals from one 
or more of our regulators.  We cannot be  certain when or if,  or on what  terms and conditions,  any required regulatory 
approvals will be granted. Consequently, we might be required to sell portions of acquired assets or our own assets as a 
condition  to  receiving  regulatory  approval  or  we  may  not  obtain  regulatory  approval  for  a  proposed  acquisition  on 
acceptable terms or at all, in which case we would not be able to complete the acquisition despite the time and expenses 
invested in pursuing it.

36

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Reputational risk and social factors may impact our results and damage our brand.

Our ability to attract and retain customers is highly dependent upon the perceptions of consumer and commercial borrowers and 
deposit holders and other external perceptions of our products, services, trustworthiness, business practices, workplace culture, 
compliance  practices  or  our  financial  health.  In  addition,  our  brand  is  very  important  to  us.  Maintaining  and  enhancing  our 
brand depends largely on our ability to continue to provide high-quality products and services. Adverse perceptions regarding 
our  reputation  in  the  consumer,  commercial  and  funding  markets  could  lead  to  difficulties  in  generating  and  maintaining 
accounts as well as in financing  them.  In  particular, negative public perceptions regarding our reputation, including negative 
perceptions regarding our ability to maintain the security of our technology systems and protect customer data, could lead to 
decreases in the levels of deposits that consumer and commercial customers and potential customers choose to maintain with us 
or  significantly  increase  the  costs  of  attracting  and  retaining  customers.  In  addition,  negative  perceptions  regarding  certain 
industries, partners or clients could also prompt us to cease business activities associated with those entities.

Negative public opinion or damage to our brand could also result from actual or alleged conduct in any number of activities or 
circumstances,  including  lending  practices,  regulatory  compliance,  security  breaches  (including  the  use  and  protection  of 
customer information, such as resulting from the Cybersecurity Incident), corporate governance and sales and marketing, and 
from actions taken by regulators or other persons in response to such conduct. Such conduct could fall short of our customers’ 
and the public’s heightened expectations of companies of our size with rigorous data, privacy and compliance practices, and 
could further harm our reputation. In addition, our cobrand and private label partners or other third parties with whom we have 
important relationships may take actions over which we have limited control that could negatively impact perceptions about us 
or  the  financial  services  industry.  The  proliferation  of  social  media  may  increase  the  likelihood  that  negative  public  opinion 
from any of the events discussed above will impact our reputation and business.

In addition, a variety of social factors may cause changes in borrowing activity, including credit card use, payment patterns and 
the rate of defaults by account holders and borrowers domestically and internationally. These social factors include changes in 
consumer confidence levels, the public’s perception regarding the banking industry and consumer debt, including credit card 
use, and changing attitudes about the stigma of bankruptcy. If consumers develop or maintain negative attitudes about incurring 
debt, or if consumption trends decline or if we fail to maintain and enhance our brand, or we incur significant expenses to do so, 
our business and financial results could be materially and negatively affected.

If we are not able to protect our intellectual property, our revenue and profitability could be negatively affected.

We  rely  on  a  variety  of  measures  to  protect  and  enhance  our  intellectual  property,  including  copyrights,  trademarks,  trade 
secrets, patents and certain restrictions on disclosure, solicitation and competition. We also undertake other measures to control 
access  to  and  distribution  of  our  other  proprietary  information.  These  measures  may  not  prevent  misappropriation  of  our 
proprietary  information  or  infringement  of  our  intellectual  property  rights  and  a  resulting  loss  of  competitive  advantage.  In 
addition,  our  competitors  or  other  third  parties  may  file  patent  applications  for  innovations  that  are  used  in  our  industry  or 
allege that our systems, processes or technologies infringe on their intellectual property rights. If our competitors or other third 
parties  are  successful  in  obtaining  such  patents  or  prevail  in  intellectual  property-related  litigation  against  us,  we  could  lose 
significant revenues, incur significant license, royalty or technology development expenses, or pay significant damages.

Our risk management strategies may not be fully effective in mitigating our risk exposures in all market environments or 
against all types of risk.

Management of market, credit, liquidity, operational and compliance risk requires, among other things, policies and procedures 
to properly record and verify a large number of transactions and events. See “MD&A—Risk Management” for further details. 
Even though we continue to devote significant resources to developing our risk management framework, our risk management 
strategies may not be fully effective in identifying and mitigating our risk exposure in all market environments or against all 
types of risk, including risks that are unidentified or unanticipated.

Some of our methods of managing these risks are based upon our use of observed historical market behavior and management’s 
judgment. These methods may not accurately predict future exposures, which could be significantly greater than the historical 
measures  indicate  and  market  conditions,  particularly  during  a  period  of  financial  market  stress,  can  involve  unprecedented 
dislocations. Credit risk is inherent in the financial services business and results from, among other things, extending credit to 
customers. Our ability to assess the creditworthiness of our customers may be impaired if the models and approaches we use to 
select, manage and underwrite our consumer and commercial customers become less predictive of future charge-offs due, for 
example, to rapid changes in the economy, including rapid changes in tariff rates and international trade relations.

37

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

While  we  employ  a  broad  and  diversified  set  of  risk  monitoring  and  risk  mitigation  techniques,  those  techniques  and  the 
judgments  that  accompany  their  application  cannot  anticipate  every  economic  and  financial  outcome  or  the  timing  of  such 
outcomes. For example, our ability to implement our risk management strategies may be hindered by adverse changes in the 
volatility or liquidity conditions in certain markets and as a result, may limit our ability to distribute such risks (for instance, 
when we seek to syndicate exposure in bridge financing transactions we have underwritten). We may, therefore, incur losses in 
the course of our risk management or investing activities.

Fluctuations in market interest rates or volatility in the capital markets could adversely affect our income and expense, the 
value of assets and obligations, our regulatory capital, cost of capital or liquidity.

Like other financial institutions, our business is sensitive to market interest rate movements and the performance of the capital 
markets. Disruptions, uncertainty or volatility across the capital markets could negatively impact market liquidity and limit our 
access to the funding required to operate and grow our business. In addition, changes in interest rates or in valuations in the debt 
or equity markets could directly impact us. For example, we borrow money from other institutions and depositors, which we 
use to make loans to customers and invest in debt securities and other interest-earning assets. We earn interest on these loans 
and  assets  and  pay  interest  on  the  money  we  borrow  from  institutions  and  depositors.  The  interest  rates  that  we  pay  on  the 
securities we have issued are also influenced by, among other things, applicable credit ratings from recognized rating agencies. 
A downgrade to any of these credit ratings could affect our ability to access the capital markets, increase our borrowing costs 
and have a negative impact on our results of operations. Increased charge-offs, rising LIBOR or other applicable reference rates 
and other events may cause our securitization transactions to amortize earlier than scheduled, which could accelerate our need 
for  additional  funding  from  other  sources.  Fluctuations  in  interest  rates,  including  changes  in  the  relationship  between  short-
term  rates  and  long-term  rates  and  in  the  relationship  between  our  funding  basis  rate  and  our  lending  basis  rate,  may  have 
negative impacts on our net interest income and therefore our earnings.

In addition, interest rate fluctuations and competitor responses to those changes may affect the rate of customer prepayments for 
auto and other term loans and may affect the balances customers carry on their credit cards. For example, increases in interest 
rates increase debt service requirements for some of our borrowers, which may adversely affect those borrowers’ ability to pay 
as  contractually  obligated.  This  could  result  in  additional  delinquencies  or  charge-offs  and  negatively  impact  our  results  of 
operations.  These  changes  can  reduce  the  overall  yield  on  our  interest-earning  asset  portfolio.  Changes  in  interest  rates  and 
competitor responses to these changes may also impact customer decisions to maintain balances in the deposit accounts they 
have  with  us.  An  inability  to  attract  or  maintain  deposits  could  materially  affect  our  ability  to  fund  our  business  and  our 
liquidity  position.  Many  other  financial  institutions  have  increased  their  reliance  on  deposit  funding  and,  as  such,  we  expect 
continued competition in the deposit markets. We cannot predict how this competition will affect our costs. If we are required 
to offer higher interest rates to attract or maintain deposits, our funding costs will be adversely impacted. Changes in valuations 
in the debt and equity markets could have a negative impact on the assets we hold in our investment portfolio. Such market 
changes could also have a negative impact on the valuation of assets for which we provide servicing.

We assess our interest rate risk by estimating the effect on our earnings, economic value and capital under various scenarios that 
differ  based  on  assumptions  about  the  direction  and  the  magnitude  of  interest  rate  changes.  We  take  risk  mitigation  actions 
based on those assessments. We face the risk that changes in interest rates could materially reduce our net interest income and 
our earnings, especially if actual conditions turn out to be materially different than those we assumed. See “MD&A—Market 
Risk Profile” for additional information.

Uncertainty regarding, and transition away from, LIBOR may adversely affect our business.

The  U.K.  FCA,  which  regulates  LIBOR,  has  announced  that  it  will  no  longer  compel  banks  to  contribute  data  for  the 
calculation of LIBOR after December 31, 2021. It is likely that banks will no longer continue to contribute submissions for the 
calculation of LIBOR after that date, which creates significant uncertainty around the publication of LIBOR beyond 2021 and 
whether  LIBOR  will  continue  to  be  viewed  as  a  reliable  market  benchmark.  In  November  2020,  the  ICE  Benchmark 
Administration (IBA), the administrator of LIBOR, announced that it will consult on its intention to cease publication of the 1-
week  and  2-month  USD  LIBOR  settings  immediately  following  the  LIBOR  publication  on  December  31,  2021,  and  the 
remaining USD LIBOR tenors (Overnight, 1, 3, 6, and 12 Months) immediately following the LIBOR publication on June 30, 
2023. The consultation closed on January 25, 2021 and we will continue to engage with industry experts to better understand 
the proposed IBA's extension announcement and its impact on the markets and our transition plans. It remains unclear what rate 
or rates may develop as accepted alternatives to LIBOR, or what the effect of such changes will be on the markets for LIBOR-
based  financial  instruments.  The  Secured  Overnight  Financing  Rate  (“SOFR”)  has  been  recommended  by  the  Alternative 

38

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Reference  Rates  Committee  as  an  alternative  for  USD  LIBOR,  but  issues  and  uncertainty  remain  with  respect  to  its 
implementation.

Given LIBOR’s extensive use across financial markets, the transition away from LIBOR presents several risks and challenges 
to the financial markets and financial institutions, including Capital One. We have loans, derivative contracts, unsecured debt, 
securitizations,  vendor  agreements  and  other  instruments  with  attributes  that  are  either  directly  or  indirectly  dependent  on 
LIBOR.  Uncertainty  as  to  the  nature  of  potential  changes,  alternative  reference  rates  such  as  SOFR,  or  other  reforms  may 
adversely affect market liquidity, the pricing of LIBOR-based instruments, and the availability and cost of associated hedging 
instruments and borrowings. If SOFR or another rate does not achieve wide acceptance as the alternative to LIBOR, there likely 
will  be  disruption  to  the  markets  relying  on  the  availability  of  a  broadly  accepted  reference  rate.  In  addition,  uncertainty 
regarding LIBOR could result in loss of market share in certain products, adverse tax or accounting impacts, compliance, legal 
or  operational  costs  and  risks  associated  with  client  disclosures,  as  well  as  systems  disruption,  model  disruption  and  other 
business continuity issues for us.

Even  if  SOFR  or  another  reference  rate  becomes  a  widely  acceptable  replacement  for  LIBOR,  risks  will  remain  for  us  with 
respect to outstanding instruments which rely on LIBOR. Those risks arise in connection with transitioning such instruments to 
a  new  reference  rate,  the  taking  of  discretionary  actions  or  the  negotiation  of  fallback  provisions  and  final  amendments  to 
existing  LIBOR  based  agreements.  Payments  under  contracts  referencing  new  reference  rates  may  significantly  differ  from 
those  referencing  LIBOR.  For  some  instruments,  the  method  of  transitioning  to  a  new  reference  rate  may  be  challenging, 
especially if parties to an instrument cannot agree as to how to effect that transition. If a contract is not transitioned to a new 
reference  rate  and  LIBOR  ceases  to  exist,  the  impact  on  our  obligations  is  likely  to  vary  by  contract.  In  addition,  prior  to 
LIBOR  cessation,  instruments  that  continue  to  refer  to  LIBOR  may  be  impacted  if  there  is  a  change  in  the  availability  or 
calculation  of  LIBOR.  The  transition  from  LIBOR  to  an  alternative  reference  rate  may  change  our  market  risk  profile  and 
require  changes  to  risk  and  pricing  models,  valuation  tools,  product  design,  information  technology  systems,  reporting 
infrastructure, operational processes and controls, and hedging strategies. In many cases, we may be dependent on third parties 
to upgrade systems, software and other critical functions that could materially disrupt our readiness if they are not done on a 
timely  basis  or  otherwise  fail.  Our  assessment  of  the  ultimate  impact  of,  and  our  planning  for,  the  transition  from  LIBOR 
remains ongoing. Failure to adequately manage the transition could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business, 
financial condition and results of operations. See “MD&A—Market Risk Profile” for additional information.

Our business could be negatively affected if we are unable to attract, retain and motivate skilled employees.

Our  success  depends,  in  large  part,  on  our  ability  to  retain  key  senior  leaders  and  to  attract  and  retain  skilled  employees, 
particularly employees with advanced expertise in credit, risk, digital and technology skills. We depend on our senior leaders 
and  skilled  employees  to  oversee  simultaneous,  transformative  initiatives  across  the  enterprise  and  execute  on  our  business 
plans in an efficient and effective manner. Competition for such senior leaders and employees, and the costs associated with 
attracting and retaining them, is high. Our ability to attract and retain qualified employees also is affected by perceptions of our 
culture  and  management,  our  profile  in  the  regions  where  we  have  offices  and  the  professional  opportunities  we  offer. 
Regulation or regulatory guidance restricting executive compensation, as well as evolving investor expectations, may limit the 
types of compensation arrangements that we may enter into with our most senior leaders and could have a negative impact on 
our ability to attract, retain and motivate such leaders in support of our long-term strategy. These laws and regulations may not 
apply in the same manner to all financial institutions, and we therefore may face more restrictions than other institutions and 
companies with which we compete for talent. These laws and regulations may also hinder our ability to compete for talent with 
other industries. We rely upon our senior leaders not only for business success, but also to lead with integrity. To the extent our 
senior leaders behave in a manner that does not comport with our values, the consequences to our brand and reputation could be 
severe  and  could  adversely  affect  our  financial  condition  and  results  of  operations.  If  we  are  unable  to  attract,  develop  and 
retain  talented  senior  leadership  and  employees,  or  to  implement  appropriate  succession  plans  for  our  senior  leadership,  our 
business could be negatively affected.

We face risks from unpredictable catastrophic events.

Despite the business contingency plans we have in place, such plans do not fully mitigate all potential business continuity risks 
to  us.  Natural  disasters  and  other  catastrophic  events  could  harm  our  business  and  infrastructure,  including  our  information 
technology systems and third-party platforms. Our ability to conduct business may be adversely affected by a disruption in the 
infrastructure  that  supports  our  business  and  the  communities  where  we  are  located,  which  are  concentrated  in  the  Northern 
Virginia  and  New  York  metropolitan  areas,  as  well  as  Richmond,  Virginia  and  Plano,  Texas.  This  may  include  a  disruption 
involving damage or loss of access to a physical site, cyber incidents, terrorist activities, the occurrence or worsening of disease 

39

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

outbreaks  or  pandemics  (including  the  COVID-19  pandemic),  natural  disasters,  extreme  weather  events,  electrical  outage, 
environmental  hazard,  technological  infrastructure,  communications  or  other  services  we  use,  our  employees  or  third  parties 
with  whom  we  conduct  business.  Our  business,  financial  condition  and  results  of  operations  may  be  impacted  by  any  such 
disruption  and  our  ability  to  implement  corresponding  response  measures,  including,  for  example,  our  ability  to  adapt  to  a 
remote  work  environment  as  a  result  of  the  ongoing  COVID-19  pandemic  and  related  response  measures.  In  addition,  if  a 
natural disaster or other catastrophic event occurs in certain regions where our business and customers are concentrated, such as 
the  mid-Atlantic,  New  York  or  Texas  metropolitan  areas,  we  could  be  disproportionately  impacted  as  compared  to  our 
competitors. The impact of such events and other catastrophes on the overall economy may also adversely affect our financial 
condition and results of operations.

We face risks from the use of or changes to assumptions or estimates in our financial statements.

Pursuant to generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S. (“U.S. GAAP”), we are required to use certain assumptions 
and  estimates  in  preparing  our  financial  statements,  including  determining  our  allowance  for  credit  losses,  the  fair  value  of 
certain  assets  and  liabilities,  and  asset  impairment,  among  other  items.  In  addition,  the  FASB,  the  SEC  and  other  regulatory 
bodies may change the financial accounting and reporting standards, including those related to assumptions and estimates we 
use to prepare our financial statements, in ways that we cannot predict and that could impact our financial statements. If actual 
results  differ  from  the  assumptions  or  estimates  underlying  our  financial  statements  or  if  financial  accounting  and  reporting 
standards  are  changed,  we  may  experience  unexpected  material  losses.  For  a  discussion  of  our  use  of  estimates  in  the 
preparation of our consolidated financial statements, see “MD&A—Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” and “Note 1—
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.”

Limitations on our ability to receive dividends from our subsidiaries could affect our liquidity and ability to pay dividends 
and repurchase common stock.

We  are  a  separate  and  distinct  legal  entity  from  our  subsidiaries,  including  the  Banks.  Dividends  to  us  from  our  direct  and 
indirect subsidiaries, including the Banks, have represented a major source of funds for us to pay dividends on our common and 
preferred stock, repurchase common stock, make payments on corporate debt securities and meet other obligations. There are 
various federal law limitations on the extent to which the Banks can finance or otherwise supply funds to us through dividends 
and  loans.  These  limitations  include  minimum  regulatory  capital  requirements,  federal  banking  law  requirements  concerning 
the payment of dividends out of net profits or surplus, Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act and Regulation W 
governing  transactions  between  an  insured  depository  institution  and  its  affiliates,  as  well  as  general  federal  regulatory 
oversight to prevent unsafe or unsound practices. If our subsidiaries’ earnings are not sufficient to make dividend payments to 
us while maintaining adequate capital levels, our liquidity may be affected and we may not be able to make dividend payments 
to  our  common  or  preferred  stockholders,  repurchase  our  common  stock,  make  payments  on  outstanding  corporate  debt 
securities or meet other obligations, each and any of which could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, 
financial position or perception of financial health. See “Part I—Item 1.Business—Supervision and Regulation” for additional 
information regarding dividend limitations applicable to us and the Banks.

The soundness of other financial institutions and other third parties could adversely affect us.

Our ability to engage in routine funding and other transactions could be adversely affected by the stability and actions of other 
financial  services  institutions.  Financial  services  institutions  are  interrelated  as  a  result  of  trading,  clearing,  servicing, 
counterparty  and  other  relationships.  We  have  exposure  to  financial  institutions,  intermediaries  and  counterparties  that  are 
exposed to risks over which we have little or no control.

In  addition,  we  routinely  execute  transactions  with  counterparties  in  the  financial  services  industry,  including  brokers  and 
dealers, commercial banks, investment banks, mutual and hedge funds and other institutional clients, resulting in a significant 
credit concentration with respect to the financial services industry overall. As a result, defaults by, or even rumors or questions 
about, one or more financial services institutions, or the financial services industry generally, have led to market-wide liquidity 
problems and could lead to losses or defaults by us or by other institutions.

Likewise, adverse developments affecting the overall strength and soundness of our competitors, the financial services industry 
as a whole and the general economic climate or sovereign debt could have a negative impact on perceptions about the strength 
and soundness of our business even if we are not subject to the same adverse developments. In addition, adverse developments 
with  respect  to  third  parties  with  whom  we  have  important  relationships  also  could  negatively  impact  perceptions  about  us. 
These perceptions about us could cause our business to be negatively affected and exacerbate the other risks that we face.

40

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments 

None.

Item 2. Properties 

Our corporate and banking real estate portfolio consists of approximately 13.5 million square feet of owned or leased office and 
retail space, which is used to support our business. Of this overall portfolio, approximately 11.3 million square feet of space is 
dedicated for various corporate office uses and approximately 2.2 million square feet of space is for bank branches and Cafés.

Our 11.3 million square feet of corporate office space consists of approximately 5.0 million square feet of leased space and 6.3 
million square feet of owned space. Our headquarters is located in McLean, Virginia, and is included in our corporate office 
space. We maintain corporate office space primarily in Virginia, Texas, Illinois, New York and Delaware.

Our  2.3  million  square  feet  of  bank  branches  and  Cafés  is  located  primarily  across  New  York,  Louisiana,  Texas,  Maryland, 
Virginia,  New  Jersey  and  California  and  consists  of  approximately  1.4  million  square  feet  of  leased  space  and  0.9  million 
square feet of owned space. See “Note 7—Premises, Equipment and Leases” for information about our premises.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings 

The information required by Item 103 of Regulation S-K is included in “Note 18—Commitments, Contingencies, Guarantees 
and Others.”

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 

Not applicable.

41

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

PART II 

Item  5.  Market  for  Registrant’s  Common  Equity,  Related  Stockholder  Matters  and  Issuer  Purchases  of  Equity 
Securities 

Market Information

Our common stock is listed on the NYSE and is traded under the symbol “COF.” As of January 31, 2021, there were 9,763 
holders of record of our common stock. 

Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans

Information  relating  to  compensation  plans  under  which  our  equity  securities  are  authorized  for  issuance  is  presented  in  this 
Report under “Part III—Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder 
Matters.”

42

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Common Stock Performance Graph

The following graph shows the cumulative total stockholder return on our common stock compared to an overall stock market 
index, the S&P Composite 500 Stock Index (“S&P 500 Index”), and a published industry index, the S&P Financial Composite 
Index (“S&P Financial Index”), over the five-year period commencing December 31, 2015 and ended December 31, 2020. The 
stock  performance  graph  assumes  that  $100  was  invested  in  our  common  stock  and  each  index  and  that  all  dividends  were 
reinvested. The stock price performance on the graph below is not necessarily indicative of future performance.

Comparison of 5-Year Cumulative Total Return
(Capital One, S&P 500 Index and S&P Financial Index)

250

$250

$200

$150

$100

$50

0

$0

2015

$184

$152
$137

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Capital One

S&P 500 Index

S&P Financial Index

Capital One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$  100.00  $  120.86  $  137.96  $  104.72  $  142.57  $  136.95 

S&P 500 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
S&P Financial Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  100.00 

  109.54 

  130.81 

  122.65 

  158.07 

  183.77 

  100.00 

  120.14 

  144.20 

  123.06 

  158.95 

  152.43 

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

December 31,

43

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

We did not have any sales of unregistered equity securities in 2020.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

We  suspended  our  2019  Stock  Repurchase  Program  in  March  2020  and  the  program  subsequently  expired  at  the  end  of  the 
second quarter of 2020. During the fourth quarter of 2020, we withheld shares of common stock to cover taxes on restricted 
stock units (“RSUs”) whose restrictions lapsed. Commission costs are excluded from the amounts presented below.

October . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

November . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

December . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Item 6. Selected Financial Data 

Total Number 
of Shares
Withheld

Average
Price
per Share

— 

39,344  $ 

53 

39,397 

— 

73.08 

92.68 

73.11 

The  following  table  presents  selected  consolidated  financial  data  and  performance  metrics  for  the  five-year  period  ended 
December 31, 2020. We also provide selected key metrics we use in evaluating our performance, including certain metrics that 
are  computed  using  non-GAAP  measures.  We  consider  these  metrics  to  be  key  financial  measures  that  management  uses  in 
assessing our operating performance, capital adequacy and the level of returns generated. We believe these non-GAAP metrics 
provide  useful  insight  to  investors  and  users  of  our  financial  information  as  they  provide  an  alternate  measurement  of  our 
performance and assist in assessing our capital adequacy and the level of return generated.

Five-Year Summary of Selected Financial Data

(Dollars in millions, except per share data and as 
noted)
Income statement

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

Change

2020 vs. 
2019

2019 vs. 
2018

Interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $  26,033 

$  28,513 

$  27,176 

$  25,222 

$  22,891 

 (9)  %

 5  %

Interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3,120 

5,173 

Net interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  22,913 

  23,340 

Non-interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

5,610 

5,253 

Total net revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  28,523 

  28,593 

Provision for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  10,264 

6,236 

Non-interest expense:

Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1,610 

2,274 

Operating expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

  13,446 

  13,209 

Total non-interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

  15,056 

  15,483 

Income from continuing operations before 
income taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Income tax provision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Income from continuing operations, net of tax

Income (loss) from discontinued operations, 
net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Dividends and undistributed earnings 
allocated to participating securities . . . . . . . . .

Preferred stock dividends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Issuance cost for redeemed preferred stock . . 
Net income available to common 
stockholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3,203 
486 

2,717 

(3) 
2,714 

(20) 
(280) 

(39) 

6,874 
1,341 

5,533 

13 
5,546 

(41) 

(282) 
(31) 

4,301 

22,875 

5,201 

28,076 

5,856 

2,174 

12,728 

14,902 

7,318 
1,293 

6,025 

(10) 
6,015 

(40) 
(265) 

— 

2,762 

22,460 

4,777 

27,237 

7,551 

1,670 

12,524 

14,194 

5,492 
3,375 

2,117 

(135) 
1,982 

(13) 
(265) 

— 

2,018 

20,873 

4,628 

25,501 

6,459 

 (40) 

 (2) 

 7 

 — 

 65 

1,811 

 (29) 

11,747 

13,558 

5,484 
1,714 

3,770 

(19) 
3,751 

(24) 
(214) 

— 

 2 

 (3) 

 (53) 
 (64) 

 (51) 

**
 (51) 

 (51) 
 (1) 

 26 

 20 

 2 

 1 

 2 

 6 

 5 

 4 

 4 

 (6) 
 4 

 (8) 

**
 (8) 

 3 
 6 

**

$  2,375 

$  5,192 

$ 

5,710 

$ 

1,704 

$ 

3,513 

 (54) 

 (9) 

44

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
88.34 
 19.27 %

5.20 
(0.01) 
5.19 

5.19 
(0.01) 
5.18 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

2020

459.0 

$ 
1.00 
  131.16 

$  98.85 
  45,372 

(Dollars in millions, except per share data and as 
noted)
Common share statistics
Basic earnings per common share:
Net income from continuing operations . . . . .
Income (loss) from discontinued operations . .
Net income per basic common share . . . . . . . 
Diluted earnings per common share:
Net income from continuing operations . . . . .
Income (loss) from discontinued operations . .
Net income per diluted common share . . . . . .
Common shares outstanding (period-end, in 
millions) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Dividends declared and paid per common 
share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Book value per common share (period-end) . .
Tangible book value per common share 
(period-end)(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Common dividend payout ratio(2) . . . . . . . . . .
Stock price per common share (period end) . .
Total market capitalization (period-end) . . . . 
Balance sheet (average balances)
Loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 253,335 
  378,362 
Interest-earning assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  411,187 
Total assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
  263,279 
Interest-bearing deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  290,835 
Total deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
  46,588 
Borrowings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
  52,954 
Common equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  58,201 
Total stockholders’ equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selected performance metrics
Purchase volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total net revenue margin(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net interest margin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Return on average assets(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Return on average tangible assets(5) . . . . . . . . 
Return on average common equity(6) . . . . . . . 
Return on average tangible common equity(7) 
Equity-to-assets ratio(8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Non-interest expense as a percentage of 
average loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . .
Efficiency ratio(9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operating efficiency ratio(10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Effective income tax rate from continuing 
operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
 15.2 
Net charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $  5,225 
Net charge-off rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 5.94 
 52.79 
 47.14 

$ 414,312 

 7.54 %
 6.06 
 0.66 
 0.69 
 4.49 
 6.24 
 14.15 

Year Ended December 31,

2019

2018

2017

2016

Change

2020 vs. 
2019

2019 vs. 
2018

$  11.07 
0.03 
$  11.10 

$  11.92 
(0.02) 
$  11.90 

$  11.02 
0.03 
$  11.05 

$  11.84 
(0.02) 
$  11.82 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

3.80 
(0.28) 
3.52 

3.76 
(0.27) 
3.49 

456.6 

467.7 

485.5 

$ 
1.60 
  127.05 

$ 
1.60 
  110.47 

$ 
1.60 
  100.37 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

7.00 
(0.04) 
6.96 

6.93 
(0.04) 
6.89 

 (53)  %
**
 (53) 

 (53)  %
**
 (53) 

 (7)  %
**
 (7) 

 (7)  %
**
 (7) 

480.2 

 1 

 (2) 

1.60 
98.95 

 (38) 
 3 

83.72 
 14.41 %

69.20 
 13.45 %

60.28 
 45.45 %

57.76 
 22.99 %

$  102.91 
  46,989 

$  75.59 
  35,353 

$  99.58 
  48,346 

$  87.24 
  41,893 

$ 247,450 
  341,510 
  374,924 
  231,609 
  255,065 
  50,965 
  50,960 
  55,690 

$ 242,118 
  332,738 
  363,036 
  221,760 
  247,117 
  53,144 
  45,831 
  50,192 

$ 245,565 
  322,330 
  354,924 
  213,949 
  239,882 
  53,659 
  45,170 
  49,530 

$ 233,272 
  307,796 
  339,974 
  198,304 
  223,714 
  56,878 
  45,162 
  48,753 

$ 424,765 

$ 387,102 

$ 336,440 

$ 307,138 

 6 
 5 
 (4) 
 (3) 

 2  %

 11 
 10 
 14 
 14 
 (9) 
 4 
 5 

 8.37 %
 6.83 
 1.48 
 1.54 
 10.16 
 14.37 
 14.85 

 6.26 
 54.15 
 46.20 

 8.44 %
 6.87 
 1.66 
 1.73 
 12.48 
 18.56 
 13.83 

 6.15 
 53.08 
 45.33 

 8.45 %
 6.97 
 0.60 
 0.62 
 4.07 
 6.16 
 13.96 

 5.78 
 52.11 
 45.98 

 8.29 %   (83) bps
 6.78 
 1.11 
 1.16 
 7.82 
 11.93 
 14.34 

 (2)  %  10  %
(7) bps
(4) 
  (18) 
  (19) 
 (6)  %  (232) 
 (419) 
 (8) 
 102 
  (70) bps

  (77) 
  (82) 
  (85) 

 5.81 
 53.17 
 46.06 

  (32) 
 (136) 
  94 

  11 
 107 
  87 

 — 
 15 

 21 
 1 
 36 
 33 

 2  %
 3 
 3 
 4 
 3 
 (4) 
 11 
 11 

 19.5 
$  6,252 

 17.7 
$  6,112 

 61.5 
$  6,562 

 31.3 
$  5,062 

 (4)  %  180 
 (16) 

 2.06 %

 2.53 %

 2.52 %

 2.67 %

 2.17 %   (47) bps

 2  %
1 bps

45

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2020

(Dollars in millions, except as noted)
Balance sheet (period-end)
Loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $ 251,624 
  388,917 
Interest-earning assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
  421,602 
Total assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  274,300 
Interest-bearing deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
  305,442 
Total deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  40,539 
Borrowings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  55,356 
Common equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
  60,204 
Total stockholders’ equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Credit quality metrics
Allowance for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Allowance as a percentage of loans held for 
investment (“allowance coverage ratio”) . . .
30+ day performing delinquency rate . . . . . 
30+ day delinquency rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Capital ratios
Common equity Tier 1 capital(11) . . . . . . . . .
Tier 1 capital(11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total capital(11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tier 1 leverage(11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tangible common equity(12) . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Supplementary leverage(11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other
Employees (period end, in thousands) . . . . .
__________
(1)

$  15,564 

52.0 

 6.19 %
 2.41 
 2.61 

 13.7 %
 15.3 
 17.7 
 11.2 
 10.0 
 10.7 

December 31,

2019

2018

2017

2016

$ 265,809 
  355,202 
  390,365 
  239,209 
  262,697 
  55,697 
  53,157 
  58,011 

$ 245,899 
  341,293 
  372,538 
  226,281 
  249,764 
  58,905 
  47,307 
  51,668 

$ 254,473 
  334,124 
  365,693 
  217,298 
  243,702 
  60,281 
  44,370 
  48,730 

$ 245,586 
  321,807 
  357,033 
  211,266 
  236,768 
  60,460 
  43,154 
  47,514 

Change

2020 vs. 
2019

2019 vs. 
2018

 (5)  %
 9 
 8 
 15 
 16 
 (27) 
 4 
 4 

 8  %
 4 
 5 
 6 
 5 
 (5) 
 12 
 12 

$  7,208 

$  7,220 

$  7,502 

$  6,503 

 116  %

 — 

 2.71 %
 3.51 
 3.74 

 12.2 %
 13.7 
 16.1 
 11.7 
 10.2 
 9.9 

 2.94 %
 3.62 
 3.84 

 11.2 %
 12.7 
 15.1 
 10.7 
 9.1 
 9.0 

 2.95 %
 3.23 
 3.48 

 10.3 %
 11.8 
 14.4 
 9.9 
 8.3 
 8.4 

 2.65 %   348 bps
 2.93 
 3.27 

 (110) 
 (113) 

  (23) bps
  (11) 
  (10) 

 10.1 %   150 bps
 11.6 
 14.3 
 9.9 
 8.1 
 8.6 

  160 
  160 
  (50) 
  (20) 
  80 

  100 bps
  100 
  100 
  100 
  110 
  90 

51.9 

47.6 

49.3 

47.3 

 — 

 9  %

Tangible book value per common share is a non-GAAP measure calculated based on tangible common equity divided by common shares outstanding. See 
“MD&A—Table F —Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures” for additional information on non-GAAP measures.

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

Common dividend payout ratio is calculated based on dividends per common share for the period divided by basic earnings per common share for the 
period.

Total net revenue margin is calculated based on total net revenue for the period divided by average interest-earning assets for the period.

Return on average assets is calculated based on income from continuing operations, net of tax, for the period divided by average total assets for the period.

Return on average tangible assets is a non-GAAP measure calculated based on income from continuing operations, net of tax, for the period divided by 
average  tangible  assets  for  the  period.  See  “MD&A—Table  F—Reconciliation  of  Non-GAAP  Measures”  for  additional  information  on  non-GAAP 
measures.

Return on average common equity is calculated based on net income available to common stockholders less income (loss) from discontinued operations, 
net of tax, for the period, divided by average common equity. Our calculation of return on average common equity may not be comparable to similarly-
titled measures reported by other companies.

Return  on  average  tangible  common  equity  (“TCE”)  is  a  non-GAAP  measure  calculated  based  on  net  income  available  to  common  stockholders  less 
income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax, for the period, divided by average tangible common equity. Our calculation of return on average 
TCE may not be comparable to similarly-titled measures reported by other companies. See “MD&A—Table F—Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures” 
for additional information on non-GAAP measures.

Equity-to-assets ratio is calculated based on average stockholders’ equity for the period divided by average total assets for the period.

(9)

Efficiency ratio is calculated based on total non-interest expense for the period divided by total net revenue for the period.
(10) Operating efficiency ratio is calculated based on operating expense for the period divided by total net revenue for the period.
(11) Capital ratios are calculated based on the Basel III Standardized Approach framework, see “MD&A—Capital Management” for additional information.
(12) Tangible common equity ratio is a non-GAAP measure calculated based on TCE divided by tangible assets. See “MD&A—Table F—Reconciliation of 

Non-GAAP Measures” for the calculation of this measure and reconciliation to the comparative U.S. GAAP measure.

**  Not meaningful

46

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) 

This discussion contains forward-looking statements that are based upon management’s current expectations and are subject to 
significant  uncertainties  and  changes  in  circumstances.  Please  review  “Part  I—Item  1.  Business—Forward-Looking 
Statements” for more information on the forward-looking statements in this 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K (“this Report”). 
All statements that address operating performance, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future, 
including  those  relating  to  operating  results  and  the  Cybersecurity  Incident  described  in  “Part  I—Item  1.—Business—
Overview—Cybersecurity  Incident”  and  “Note  18—Commitments,  Contingencies,  Guarantees  and  Others”  as  well  as  the 
potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic described in “Part I—Item 1.—Business—Overview—Coronavirus Disease 2019 
(COVID-19) Pandemic” are forward-looking statements. Our actual results may differ materially from those included in these 
forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors including, but not limited to, those described in “Part I—Item 1A. Risk 
Factors”  in  this  Report.  Unless  otherwise  specified,  references  to  notes  to  our  consolidated  financial  statements  refer  to  the 
notes to our consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2020 included in this Report.

Management  monitors  a  variety  of  key  indicators  to  evaluate  our  business  results  and  financial  condition.  The  following 
MD&A is intended to provide the reader with an understanding of our results of operations, financial condition and liquidity by 
focusing  on  changes  from  year  to  year  in  certain  key  measures  used  by  management  to  evaluate  performance,  such  as 
profitability, growth and credit quality metrics. MD&A is provided as a supplement to, and should be read in conjunction with, 
our audited consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2020 and accompanying notes. MD&A 
is organized in the following sections:

•   Executive Summary and Business Outlook

•   Consolidated Results of Operations

•   Consolidated Balance Sheets Analysis

•   Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

•   Business Segment Financial Performance

•   Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

  •   Capital Management

  •   Risk Management

  •   Credit Risk Profile

  •   Liquidity Risk Profile

  •   Market Risk Profile

  •   Supplemental Tables

•   Accounting Changes and Developments

  •   Glossary and Acronyms

47

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND BUSINESS OUTLOOK

Financial Highlights

We  reported  net  income  of  $2.7  billion  ($5.18  per  diluted  common  share)  on  total  net  revenue  of  $28.5  billion  for  2020.  In 
comparison, we reported net income of $5.5 billion ($11.05 per diluted common share) on total net revenue of $28.6 billion for 
2019, and net income of $6.0 billion ($11.82 per diluted common share) on total net revenue of $28.1 billion for 2018.

Our common equity Tier 1 capital ratio as calculated under the Basel III Standardized Approach was 13.7% and 12.2% as of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. See “MD&A—Capital Management” for additional information.

On June 27, 2019, we announced that our Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $2.2 billion of shares of our 
common stock (“2019 Stock Repurchase Program”) beginning in the third quarter of 2019 through the end of the second quarter 
of 2020. During the first quarter of 2020, we repurchased approximately $312 million of shares of our common stock under the 
2019  Stock  Repurchase  Program  before  suspending  further  repurchases  on  March  13,  2020  in  response  to  the  COVID-19 
pandemic  through  the  program's  expiration  at  the  end  of  the  second  quarter  of  2020.  On  January  25,  2021,  our  Board  of 
Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $7.5 billion of shares of our common stock. See “MD&A—Capital Management—
Dividend Policy and Stock Purchases” for additional information.

Below are additional highlights of our performance in 2020. These highlights are based on a comparison between the results of 
2020 and 2019, except as otherwise noted. The changes in our financial condition and credit performance are generally based 
on  our  financial  condition  and  credit  performance  as  of  December  31,  2020  compared  to  December  31,  2019.  We  provide  a 
more  detailed  discussion  of  our  financial  performance  in  the  sections  following  this  “Executive  Summary  and  Business 
Outlook.”

Discussions  of  our  performance  in  2018  and  comparisons  between  2019  and  2018  can  be  found  in  “Part  II—Item  7. 
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”)” of our Annual Report 
on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.

Total Company Performance

•

Earnings: Our net income decreased by $2.8 billion to $2.7 billion in 2020 compared to 2019 primarily driven by: 

◦

◦

◦

higher  provision  for  credit  losses  driven  by  allowance  builds  in  the  first  and  second  quarters  of  2020  due  to 
expectations of economic worsening as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; 

lower  net  interest  income  due  to  lower  yields  on  average  earning  assets  and  lower  outstanding  balances  in 
Domestic Card, as well as higher interest-bearing deposit balances, partially offset by the lower interest rate paid 
on interest-bearing liabilities; and

higher operating expenses driven by an increase in salaries and associate benefits due to continued investment in 
technology and legal reserve builds.

These drivers were partially offset by:

◦

◦

lower marketing expense driven by our decision to decrease marketing spend due to the economic environment 
created by the COVID-19 pandemic

higher  non-interest  income  due  to  an  unrealized  valuation  gain  of  $535  million  on  our  equity  investment  in 
Snowflake Inc.

•

Loans Held for Investment:

◦

Period-end loans held for investment decreased by $14.2 billion to $251.6 billion as of December 31, 2020 from 
December  31,  2019  primarily  due  to  a  decline  in  purchase  volume  and  higher  payment  rates  in  Domestic  Card 
driven by the customer response to the COVID-19 pandemic and our decision to decrease marketing spend due to 
the economic environment, partially offset by growth in our auto and commercial loan portfolios.

48

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

◦

Average loans held for investment increased by $5.9 billion to $253.3 billion in 2020 compared to 2019 primarily 
driven by growth in our auto and commercial loan portfolios and the Walmart portfolio acquired during the fourth 
quarter of 2019, partially offset by a decline in purchase volume and higher payments in Domestic Card.

•

•

Net  Charge-Off  and  Delinquency  Metrics:  Our  net  charge-off  rate  decreased  by  47  basis  points  to  2.06%  in  2020 
compared to 2019, primarily driven by strong credit performance in Domestic Card due to consumer payment behavior 
and the related impacts from government stimulus and the impact of short-term payment extensions offered to affected 
auto borrowers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our 30+ day delinquency rate decreased by 113 basis points to 2.61% as of December 31, 2020 from December 31, 2019 
driven by strong credit performance in Domestic Card due to consumer payment behavior and the related impact from 
government  stimulus,  and  short-term  payment  extensions  offered  to  affected  auto  borrowers  in  response  to  the 
COVID-19 pandemic. 

Allowance  for  Credit  Losses:  Our  allowance  for  credit  losses  increased  by  $8.4  billion  to  $15.6  billion,  and  our 
allowance  coverage  ratio  increased  by  348  basis  points  to  6.19%  as  of  December  31,  2020  from  December  31,  2019, 
driven by the allowance builds in the first and second quarters of 2020 from expectations of economic worsening as a 
result of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the adoption of the CECL standard in the first quarter of 2020.

Business Outlook 

We discuss in this Report our expectations as of the time this Report was filed regarding our total company performance and 
the performance of our business segments based on market conditions, the regulatory environment and our business strategies. 
The statements contained in this Report are based on our current expectations regarding our outlook for our financial results and 
business  strategies.  Our  expectations  take  into  account,  and  should  be  read  in  conjunction  with,  our  expectations  regarding 
economic trends and analysis of our business as discussed in “Part I—Item 1. Business” and “Part II—Item 7. MD&A” in this 
Report. Certain statements are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act 
of  1995.  Actual  results  could  differ  materially  from  those  in  our  forward-looking  statements.  Except  as  otherwise  disclosed, 
forward-looking statements do not reflect:

•

•

•

•

any change in current dividend or repurchase strategies;

the effect of any acquisitions, divestitures or similar transactions that have not been previously disclosed;

any changes in laws, regulations or regulatory interpretations, in each case after the date as of which such statements are 
made; or

the potential impact on our business, operations and reputation from, and expenses and uncertainties associated with, the 
Cybersecurity Incident, other than the incremental costs related to the incident we expect to incur in 2021 which will be 
separately reported as an adjusting item as it relates to the Company’s financial results.

The  extent  to  which  the  COVID-19  pandemic  ultimately  impacts  our  business,  results  of  operations,  and  financial  condition 
will  depend  on  future  developments  that  are  still  uncertain  and  cannot  be  predicted,  including  the  scope  and  duration  of  the 
COVID-19  pandemic  and  actions  taken  by  governmental  authorities  and  other  third  parties  in  response  to  the  COVID-19 
pandemic. 

See “MD&A—Forward-Looking Statements” in this Report for more information on the forward-looking statements and “Part 
I—Item 1A. Risk Factors” in this Report for factors that could materially influence our results.

Business Segment Expectations

We expect that the Auto 30+ day delinquency rate and net charge-off rate will increase as used car auction prices decrease from 
elevated levels and the temporary favorable impact of our COVID-19 customer assistance program diminishes. 

49

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CONSOLIDATED RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The section below provides a comparative discussion of our consolidated financial performance for 2020 and 2019. We provide 
a  discussion  of  our  business  segment  results  in  the  following  section,  “MD&A—Business  Segment  Financial  Performance.” 
This section should be read together with our “MD&A—Executive Summary and Business Outlook,” where we discuss trends 
and other factors that we expect will affect our future results of operations.

Net Interest Income

Net  interest  income  represents  the  difference  between  interest  income,  including  certain  fees,  earned  on  our  interest-earning 
assets and the interest expense incurred on our interest-bearing liabilities. Our interest-earning assets include loans, investment 
securities  and  other  interest-earning  assets,  while  our  interest-bearing  liabilities  include  interest-bearing  deposits,  securitized 
debt obligations, senior and subordinated notes, other borrowings and other interest-bearing liabilities. Generally, we include in 
interest income any past due fees on loans that we deem collectible. Our net interest margin, based on our consolidated results, 
represents  the  difference  between  the  yield  on  our  interest-earning  assets  and  the  cost  of  our  interest-bearing  liabilities, 
including  the  notional  impact  of  non-interest-bearing  funding.  We  expect  net  interest  income  and  our  net  interest  margin  to 
fluctuate  based  on  changes  in  interest  rates  and  changes  in  the  amount  and  composition  of  our  interest-earning  assets  and 
interest-bearing liabilities. 

50

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Table 1 below presents the average outstanding balance, interest income earned, interest expense incurred and average yield for 
2020, 2019 and 2018 for each major category of our interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities. Nonperforming loans 
are included in the average loan balances below. 

Table 1: Average Balances, Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin

Year Ended December 31,

2020
Interest 
Income/
Expense

Average
Balance

Average 
Yield/
Rate

Average
Balance

2019
Interest 
Income/
Expense

Average 
Yield/
Rate

Average
Balance

2018
Interest 
Income/
Expense

Average 
Yield/
Rate

(Dollars in millions)

Assets:

Interest-earning assets:
Loans:(1)

Credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 110,634  $  15,575 

 14.08 % $ 114,256  $  17,688 

 15.48 % $ 109,820  $  16,948 

 15.43 %

Consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Commercial banking(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total loans, including loans held for sale . .

  66,299 

  77,968 

— 

5,551 

2,438 

510 

  254,901 

  24,074 

Investment securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

  87,222 

1,877 

Cash equivalents and other interest-earning 
assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  36,239 

82 

Total interest-earning assets . . . . . . . . . . . .

  378,362 

  26,033 

 8.37 

 3.13 

**

 9.44 

 2.15 

 0.23 

 6.88 

  60,708 

  73,572 

5,082 

3,306 

 8.37 

 4.49 

  65,146 

  68,221 

4,904 

3,033 

 7.53 

 4.45 

16 

(214) 

**

184 

(157) 

**

  248,552 

  25,862 

 10.41 

  243,371 

  24,728 

 10.16 

  81,467 

2,411 

 2.96 

  79,224 

2,211 

 2.79 

  11,491 

240 

  341,510 

  28,513 

 2.08 

 8.35 

  10,143 

237 

  332,738 

  27,176 

 2.33 

 8.17 

Cash and due from banks . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4,839 

Allowance for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . 

  (14,382) 

Premises and equipment, net . . . . . . . . . . . 

4,334 

Other assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

  38,034 

Total assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 411,187 

Liabilities and stockholders’ equity:

Interest-bearing liabilities:

4,300 

(7,176) 

4,289 

  32,001 

$ 374,924 

3,877 

(7,404) 

4,163 

  29,662 

$ 363,036 

Interest-bearing deposits . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 263,279  $  2,165 

 0.82 % $ 231,609  $  3,420 

 1.48 % $ 221,760  $  2,598 

 1.17 %

Securitized debt obligations . . . . . . . . . 

  15,533 

Senior and subordinated notes . . . . . . . 

  29,621 

Other borrowings and liabilities . . . . . .

2,882 

232 

679 

44 

Total interest-bearing liabilities . . . . . . . . .

  311,315 

3,120 

 1.49 

 2.29 

 1.55 

 1.00 

Non-interest-bearing deposits . . . . . . . . . . 

  27,556 

Other liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  14,115 

Total liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

  352,986 

Stockholders’ equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  58,201 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity . .

$ 411,187 

Net interest income/spread . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$  22,913 

Impact of non-interest-bearing funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net interest margin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
__________
(1)

496 

1,125 

82 

4,301 

 2.61 

 3.60 

 2.04 

 1.56 

  18,020 

  30,821 

3,369 

  283,819 

  23,456 

  11,959 

  319,234 

  55,690 

$ 374,924 

523 

1,159 

71 

5,173 

 2.90 

 3.76 

 2.12 

 1.82 

  19,014 

  31,295 

4,028 

  276,097 

  25,357 

  11,390 

  312,844 

  50,192 

$ 363,036 

 5.88 

 0.18 

 6.06 %

$  23,340 

 6.53 

 0.30 

 6.83 %

$  22,875 

 6.61 

 0.26 

 6.87 %

Past due fees included in interest income totaled approximately $1.3 billion for 2020 and $1.7 billion for 2019 and 2018.

(2)

(3)

Some of our commercial loans generate tax-exempt income. Accordingly, we present our Commercial Banking interest income and yields on a taxable-
equivalent basis, calculated using the federal statutory rate (21% for all periods presented) and state taxes where applicable, with offsetting reductions to 
the  Other  category.  Taxable-equivalent  adjustments  included  in  the  interest  income  and  yield  computations  for  our  commercial  loans  totaled 
approximately $81 million for 2020 and $82 million for 2019 and 2018, with corresponding reductions to the Other category.

Interest income/expense of Other represents the impact of hedge accounting on our loan portfolios and the offsetting reduction of the taxable-equivalent 
adjustments of our commercial loans as described above. 

**  Not meaningful.

51

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net interest income decreased by $427 million to $22.9 billion in 2020 compared to 2019 primarily driven by lower yields on 
average earning assets and lower outstanding balances in Domestic Card, as well as higher interest-bearing deposit balances, 
partially offset by the lower interest rate paid on interest-bearing liabilities.

Net interest margin decreased by 77 basis points to 6.06% in 2020 compared to 2019 primarily driven by a shift in our asset mix 
with cash balances representing a greater proportion of total average interest-earning assets, and lower interest rates received on 
interest-earning assets, partially offset by the lower interest rate paid on interest-bearing deposits. 

Table 2 displays the change in our net interest income between periods and the extent to which the variance is attributable to:

•

•

changes in the volume of our interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities; or

changes in the interest rates related to these assets and liabilities.

Table 2: Rate/Volume Analysis of Net Interest Income(1) 

(Dollars in millions)
Interest income:

Loans:

2020 vs. 2019

2019 vs. 2018

Total 
Variance

Volume

Rate

Total 
Variance

Volume

Rate

Credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$  (2,113)  $ 

(547)  $  (1,566)  $ 

740  $ 

687  $ 

Consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Commercial banking(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total loans, including loans held for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Investment securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cash equivalents and other interest-earning assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

469 

(868) 

724 

(1,788) 

(534) 

(158) 

Total interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(2,480) 

468 

137 

— 

58 

124 

56 

238 

1 

(1,005) 

724 

178 

273 

(57) 

(1,846) 

1,134 

(658) 

(214) 

200 

3 

(2,718) 

1,337 

Interest expense:

Interest-bearing deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

(1,255) 

259 

(1,514) 

Securitized debt obligations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Senior and subordinated notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other borrowings and liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(291) 

(480) 

(27) 

(63) 

(43) 

(9) 

(228) 

(437) 

(18) 

Total interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

(2,053) 

144 

(2,197) 

822 

27 

34 

(11) 

872 

(334) 

240 

50 

643 

64 

28 

735 

120 

(26) 

(17) 

(14) 

63 

53 

512 

33 

(107) 

491 

136 

(25) 

602 

702 

53 

51 

3 

809 

Net interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

(427)  $ 

94  $ 

(521)  $ 

465  $ 

672  $ 

(207) 

__________
(1) We calculate the change in interest income and interest expense separately for each item. The portion of interest income or interest expense attributable to 
both volume and rate is allocated proportionately when the calculation results in a positive value. When the portion of interest income or interest expense 
attributable to both volume and rate results in a negative value, the total amount is allocated to volume or rate, depending on which amount is positive.

(2)

(3)

Some of our commercial loans generate tax-exempt income. Accordingly, we present our Commercial Banking interest income and yields on a taxable-
equivalent basis, calculated using the federal statutory rate (21% for all periods presented) and state taxes where applicable, with offsetting reductions to 
the Other category.

Interest income/expense of Other represents the impact of hedge accounting on our loan portfolios and the offsetting reduction of the taxable-equivalent 
adjustments of our commercial loans as described above.

52

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Non-Interest Income

Table 3 displays the components of non-interest income for 2020, 2019 and 2018.

Table 3: Non-Interest Income

(Dollars in millions)

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

Interchange fees, net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

Service charges and other customer-related fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net securities gains (losses) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other non-interest income:(1)

Mortgage banking revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Treasury and other investment income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total other non-interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

3,017  $ 
1,243 

25 

249 

701 

375 

1,325 

3,179  $ 

1,330 

26 

165 

193 

360 

718 

Total non-interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

5,610  $ 

5,253  $ 

2,823 

1,585 

(209) 

661 

49 

292 

1,002 

5,201 

________
(1)

Includes gains of $45 million, $61 million and losses of $15 million on deferred compensation plan investments in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Non-interest income increased by $357 million to $5.6 billion in 2020 compared to 2019 primarily driven by a gain of $535 
million on our equity investment in Snowflake Inc., partially offset by lower net interchange fees from a decline in purchase 
volume. 

Provision for Credit Losses

Our provision for credit losses in each period is driven by changes to the allowance for credit losses including the impact of net 
charge-offs and changes to the reserve for unfunded lending commitments. Beginning in the first quarter of 2020, our allowance 
for  credit  losses  and  reserve  for  unfunded  lending  commitments  are  measured  under  the  CECL  standard.  We  recorded  a 
provision for credit losses of $10.3 billion, $6.2 billion and $5.9 billion in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The provision for 
credit losses as a percentage of net interest income was 44.8%, 26.7% and 25.6% in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Our  provision  for  credit  losses  increased  by  $4.0  billion  to  $10.3  billion  in  2020  compared  to  2019  primarily  driven  by 
allowance  builds  in  the  first  and  second  quarters  of  2020  due  to  expectations  of  economic  worsening  as  a  result  of  the 
COVID-19 pandemic.

We  provide  additional  information  on  the  provision  for  credit  losses  and  changes  in  the  allowance  for  credit  losses  within 
“MD&A—Credit Risk Profile” and “Note 4—Allowance for Credit Losses and Reserve for Unfunded Lending Commitments.” 
For  information  on  the  allowance  methodology  for  each  of  our  loan  categories,  see  “Note  1—Summary  of  Significant 
Accounting Policies.”

53

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Non-Interest Expense

Table 4 displays the components of non-interest expense for 2020, 2019 and 2018. 

Table 4: Non-Interest Expense

(Dollars in millions)
Salaries and associate benefits(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Occupancy and equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Professional services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Communications and data processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Amortization of intangibles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Other non-interest expense:

Bankcard, regulatory and other fee assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Collections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Fraud losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total other non-interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

$ 

6,805  $ 

6,388  $ 

2,118 

1,610 

1,312 

1,215 

60 

267 

323 

261 

1,085 

1,936 

2,098 

2,274 

1,237 

1,290 

112 

362 

400 

383 

939 

2,084 

5,727 

2,118 

2,174 

1,145 

1,260 

174 

490 

413 

364 

1,037 

2,304 

Total non-interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

15,056  $ 

15,483  $ 

14,902 

_________
(1)

Includes  expenses  of  $45  million,  $61  million  and  a  benefit  of  $15  million  related  to  our  deferred  compensation  plan  in  2020,  2019,  and  2018, 
respectively. These amounts have corresponding offsets in other non-interest income.

(2)

Includes legal reserve builds of $313 million and net Cybersecurity Incident expenses of $27 million in 2020.

Non-interest expense decreased by $427 million to $15.1 billion in 2020 compared to 2019 primarily driven by lower marketing 
expense, partly offset by increases in salaries and associate benefits due to continued investment in technology.

Income Taxes

We recorded income tax provisions of $486 million (15.2% effective income tax rate), $1.3 billion (19.5% effective income tax 
rate) and $1.3 billion (17.7% effective income tax rate) in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Our effective tax rate on income 
from continuing operations varies between periods due, in part, to the impact of changes in pre-tax income and changes in tax 
credits, tax-exempt income and non-deductible expenses relative to our pre-tax earnings.

We recorded discrete tax benefits of $22 million in 2020, $19 million in 2019 and $318 million in 2018 primarily driven by a 
benefit of $284 million related to a tax methodology change on rewards costs.

The decrease in our effective tax rate in 2020 compared to 2019 was primarily due to a decrease in our pre-tax earnings and the 
proportional impact of credits from tax advantaged investments.

We provide additional information on items affecting our income taxes and effective tax rate in “Note 15—Income Taxes.”

54

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS ANALYSIS

Total assets increased by $31.2 billion to $421.6 billion as of December 31, 2020 from December 31, 2019 primarily driven by 
an increase in our cash balances from deposit growth due to increased consumer savings aided by the impact of government 
stimulus as well as growth in our investment securities portfolio due to our elevated cash position, partially offset by a decline 
in loan balances.

Total liabilities increased by $29.0 billion to $361.4 billion as of December 31, 2020 from December 31, 2019 primarily driven 
by deposit growth from increased consumer savings aided by the impact of government stimulus.

Stockholders’ equity increased by $2.2 billion to $60.2 billion as of December 31, 2020 from December 31, 2019 primarily due 
to  our  net  income  of  $2.7  billion  and  changes  in  accumulated  other  comprehensive  income  of  $2.3  billion  from  investment 
valuation gains, partially offset by the cumulative effect from the adoption of the CECL standard and dividend payments to our 
stockholders. 

The following is a discussion of material changes in the major components of our assets and liabilities during 2020. Period-end 
balance sheet amounts may vary from average balance sheet amounts due to liquidity and balance sheet management activities 
that are intended to support the adequacy of capital while managing our liquidity requirements, our customers and our market 
risk exposure in accordance with our risk appetite.

Investment Securities 

Our investment securities portfolio consists of the following: U.S. government-sponsored enterprise or agency (“Agency”) and 
non-agency  residential  mortgage-backed  securities  (“RMBS”),  Agency  commercial  mortgage-backed  securities  (“CMBS”), 
U.S. Treasury securities and other securities. Agency securities include Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie 
Mae”)  guaranteed  securities,  Federal  National  Mortgage  Association  (“Fannie  Mae”)  and  Federal  Home  Loan  Mortgage 
Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) issued securities. The carrying value of our investments in Agency and U.S. Treasury securities 
represented 96% of our total investment securities portfolio, as of both December 31, 2020 and 2019.

The fair value of our available for sale securities portfolio increased by $21.2 billion to $100.4 billion as of December 31, 2020 
from December 31, 2019, primarily driven by net purchases. See “Note 2—Investment Securities” for more information. 

Table 5 presents the amortized cost and fair value for the major security types in our available for sale securities portfolio as of 
December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018. 

Table 5: Investment Securities

(Dollars in millions)
Investment securities available for sale:

2020

December 31,
2019

2018

Amortized
Cost

Fair
Value

Amortized
Cost

Fair
Value

Amortized
Cost 

Fair
Value

U.S. Treasury securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

9,302  $ 

9,318  $ 

4,122  $ 

4,124  $ 

6,146  $ 

6,144 

RMBS:

Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Non-agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total RMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Agency CMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other securities(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total investment securities available for sale . . . . . . .

73,248 

1,035 

74,283 

11,298 

2,686 

75,466 

1,237 

76,703 

11,735 

2,689 

62,003 

1,235 

63,238 

9,303 

1,321 

62,839 

1,499 

64,338 

9,426 

1,325 

32,710 

1,440 

34,150 

4,806 

1,626 

31,903 

1,742 

33,645 

4,739 

1,622 

$ 

97,569  $  100,445  $ 

77,984  $ 

79,213  $ 

46,728  $ 

46,150 

__________
(1)

Includes $1.8 billion, $117 million and $260 million of asset-backed securities as of December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The remaining 
amount is primarily comprised of supranational bonds and foreign government bonds. 

55

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Loans Held for Investment

Total  loans  held  for  investment  consist  of  both  unsecuritized  loans  and  loans  held  in  our  consolidated  trusts.  Table  6 
summarizes the carrying value of our loans held for investment by portfolio segment, the allowance for credit losses and net 
loan balance as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Table 6: Loans Held for Investment 

(Dollars in millions)
Credit Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Consumer Banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Commercial Banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Loans

Loans

Allowance Net Loans

Allowance Net Loans
$ 106,956  $  11,191  $  95,765  $ 128,236  $  5,395  $ 122,841 
  68,888 
  62,027 
  75,780 
  73,733 
$ 251,624  $  15,564  $ 236,060  $ 265,809  $  7,208  $ 258,601 

  63,065 
  74,508 

  66,173 
  74,122 

2,715 
1,658 

1,038 
775 

Loans  held  for  investment  decreased  by  $14.2  billion  to  $251.6  billion  as  of  December  31,  2020  from  December  31,  2019 
primarily due to a decline in purchase volume and higher payment rates in Domestic Card driven by the customer response to 
the COVID-19 pandemic and our decision to decrease marketing spend due to the economic environment, partially offset by 
growth in our auto and commercial loan portfolios.

We provide additional information on the composition of our loan portfolio and credit quality below in “MD&A—Credit Risk 
Profile,” “MD&A—Consolidated Results of Operations” and “Note 3—Loans.”

Funding Sources

Our primary source of funding comes from deposits, as they are a stable and relatively low cost source of funding. In addition 
to deposits, we raise funding through the issuance of senior and subordinated notes, securitized debt obligations, federal funds 
purchased,  securities  loaned  or  sold  under  agreements  to  repurchase,  and  Federal  Home  Loan  Banks  (“FHLB”)  advances 
secured by certain portions of our loan and securities portfolios. 

Table 7 provides the composition of our primary sources of funding as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Table 7: Funding Sources Composition 

(Dollars in millions)
Deposits:

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Amount

% of Total

Amount

% of Total

Consumer Banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$  249,815 

 72 % $  213,099 

 67 %

Commercial Banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Securitized debt obligations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

39,590 

16,037 

305,442 

12,414 

28,125 

 11 

 5 

 88 

 4 

 8 

32,134 

17,464 

262,697 

17,808 

37,889 

 10 

 5 

 82 

 6 

 12 

Total funding sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
__________
(1)

Includes brokered deposits of $15.0 billion and $16.7 billion as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

$  345,981 

 100 % $  318,394 

 100 %

Total deposits increased by $42.7 billion to $305.4 billion as of December 31, 2020 from December 31, 2019 primarily driven 
by deposit growth from increased consumer savings aided by the impact of government stimulus.

Securitized  debt  obligations  decreased  by  $5.4  billion  to  $12.4  billion  as  of  December  31,  2020  from  December  31,  2019 
primarily driven by net maturities in our credit card securitization program.

56

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other debt decreased by $9.8 billion to $28.1 billion as of December 31, 2020 from December 31, 2019 primarily driven by 
maturities of our short-term FHLB advances and the repurchase of a portion of our senior unsecured debt.

We  provide  additional  information  on  our  funding  sources  in  “MD&A—Liquidity  Risk  Profile”  and  “Note  8—Deposits  and 
Borrowings.”

Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities

Deferred tax assets and liabilities represent decreases or increases in taxes expected to be paid in the future because of future 
reversals  of  temporary  differences  between  the  financial  reporting  and  tax  bases  of  assets  and  liabilities,  as  well  as  from  net 
operating  loss  and  tax  credit  carryforwards.  Deferred  tax  assets  are  recognized  subject  to  management’s  judgment  that  these 
future  deductions  are  more  likely  than  not  to  be  realized.  We  evaluate  the  recoverability  of  these  future  tax  deductions  by 
assessing the adequacy of expected taxable income from all sources, including taxable income in carryback years, reversal of 
taxable temporary differences, forecasted operating earnings and available tax planning strategies. These sources of income rely 
heavily on estimates. We use our historical experience and our short and long-range business forecasts to provide insight.

Deferred tax assets, net of deferred tax liabilities and valuation allowances, were approximately $3.3 billion as of December 31, 
2020, an increase of $1.6 billion from December 31, 2019. The increase in our net deferred tax assets was primarily driven by 
the  increase  in  the  allowance  for  credit  losses  due  to  expectations  of  economic  worsening  as  a  result  of  the  COVID-19 
pandemic as well as the adoption of the CECL standard in the first quarter of 2020.

We  recorded  valuation  allowances  of  $296  million  and  $223  million  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  respectively.  If 
changes in circumstances lead us to change our judgment about our ability to realize deferred tax assets in future years, we will 
adjust our valuation allowances in the period that our change in judgment occurs and record a corresponding increase or charge 
to income.

We provide additional information on income taxes in “MD&A—Consolidated Results of Operations” and “Note 15—Income 
Taxes.”

OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS 

In  the  ordinary  course  of  business,  we  engage  in  certain  activities  that  are  not  reflected  on  our  consolidated  balance  sheets, 
generally  referred  to  as  off-balance  sheet  arrangements.  These  activities  typically  involve  transactions  with  unconsolidated 
variable interest entities (“VIEs”) as well as other arrangements, such as letters of credit, loan commitments and guarantees, to 
meet the financing needs of our customers and support their ongoing operations. We provide additional information regarding 
these  types  of  activities  in  “Note  5—Variable  Interest  Entities  and  Securitizations”  and  “Note  18—Commitments, 
Contingencies, Guarantees and Others.”

BUSINESS SEGMENT FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

Our  principal  operations  are  organized  for  management  reporting  purposes  into  three  major  business  segments,  which  are 
defined primarily based on the products and services provided or the types of customer served: Credit Card, Consumer Banking 
and Commercial Banking. The operations of acquired businesses have been integrated into or managed as a part of our existing 
business  segments.  Certain  activities  are  not  part  of  a  segment,  such  as  management  of  our  corporate  investment  portfolio, 
asset/liability management by our centralized Corporate Treasury group and calculation of our residual tax expense or benefit to 
arrive  at  the  consolidated  effective  tax  rate  that  is  not  assessed  to  our  primary  business  segments,  are  included  in  the  Other 
category.

The  results  of  our  individual  businesses,  which  we  report  on  a  continuing  operations  basis,  reflect  the  manner  in  which 
management  evaluates  performance  and  makes  decisions  about  funding  our  operations  and  allocating  resources.  We  may 
periodically  change  our  business  segments  or  reclassify  business  segment  results  based  on  modifications  to  our  management 
reporting  methodologies  and  changes  in  organizational  alignment.  Our  business  segment  results  are  intended  to  reflect  each 
segment  as  if  it  were  a  stand-alone  business.  We  use  an  internal  management  and  reporting  process  to  derive  our  business 
segment  results.  Our  internal  management  and  reporting  process  employs  various  allocation  methodologies,  including  funds 
transfer  pricing,  to  assign  certain  balance  sheet  assets,  deposits  and  other  liabilities  and  their  related  revenue  and  expenses 
directly  or  indirectly  attributable  to  each  business  segment.  Total  interest  income  and  non-interest  income  are  directly 
attributable to the segment in which they are reported. The net interest income of each segment reflects the results of our funds 

57

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

transfer pricing process, which is primarily based on a matched funding concept that takes into consideration market interest 
rates.  Our  funds  transfer  pricing  process  provides  a  funds  credit  for  sources  of  funds,  such  as  deposits  generated  by  our 
Consumer  Banking  and  Commercial  Banking  businesses,  and  a  charge  for  the  use  of  funds  by  each  segment.  The  allocation 
process  is  unique  to  each  business  segment  and  acquired  business.  We  regularly  assess  the  assumptions,  methodologies  and 
reporting classifications used for segment reporting, which may result in the implementation of refinements or changes in future 
periods.

We  refer  to  the  business  segment  results  derived  from  our  internal  management  accounting  and  reporting  process  as  our 
“managed”  presentation,  which  differs  in  some  cases  from  our  reported  results  prepared  based  on  U.S.  GAAP.  There  is  no 
comprehensive authoritative body of guidance for management accounting equivalent to U.S. GAAP; therefore, the managed 
presentation of our business segment results may not be comparable to similar information provided by other financial services 
companies.  In  addition,  our  individual  business  segment  results  should  not  be  used  as  a  substitute  for  comparable  results 
determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

We summarize our business segment results for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 and provide a comparative 
discussion of these results for 2020 and 2019, as well as changes in our financial condition and credit performance metrics as of 
December 31, 2020 compared to December 31, 2019. We provide a reconciliation of our total business segment results to our 
reported consolidated results in “Note 17—Business Segments and Revenue from Contracts with Customers.”

Business Segment Financial Performance

Table  8  summarizes  our  business  segment  results,  which  we  report  based  on  revenue  and  income  (loss)  from  continuing 
operations, for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018. We provide information on the allocation methodologies 
used to derive our business segment results in “Note 17—Business Segments and Revenue from Contracts with Customers.”

Table 8: Business Segment Results 

2020

Year Ended December 31,

2019

2018

Total Net
Revenue(1)

Net Income
(Loss)(2)

Total Net
Revenue(1)

Net Income
(Loss)(2)

Total Net
Revenue(1)

Net Income(2)

(Dollars in millions)
Credit Card . . . . . . . . . . 

Amount
$  17,599 

% of
Total
Amount
 62 % $  1,361 

Consumer Banking . . . . 
Commercial Banking(3) . 
Other(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7,704 

2,971 

249 

 27 

 10 

 1 

1,367 

65 

(76) 

% of
Total
Amount
 50 % $  18,349 
 51 
7,375 

 2 

 (3) 

2,814 

55 

% of
Total
Amount
 64 % $  3,127 

% of
Total
 57 % $  17,687 

Amount

% of
Total
Amount
 63 % $  3,191 

% of
Total
 53 %

 26 

 10 

 — 

1,799 

621 

(14) 

 32 

 11 

 — 

7,212 

2,788 

389 

 26 

 10 

 1 

1,800 

806 

228 

 30 

 13 

 4 

$  28,523 

 100 % $  2,717 

 100 % $  28,593 

 100 % $  5,533 

 100 % $  28,076 

 100 % $  6,025 

 100 %

__________
(1)

Total net revenue consists of net interest income and non-interest income.

(2)

(3)

Net income (loss) for our business segments and the Other category is based on income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax.

Some of our commercial investments generate tax-exempt income, tax credits or other tax benefits. Accordingly, we present our Commercial Banking 
revenue and yields on a taxable-equivalent basis, calculated using the federal statutory tax rate of (21% for all periods presented) and state taxes where 
applicable, with offsetting reductions to the Other category. 

58

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Credit Card Business

The primary sources of revenue for our Credit Card business are net interest income, net interchange income and fees collected 
from customers. Expenses primarily consist of the provision for credit losses, operating costs and marketing expenses.

Our Credit Card business generated net income from continuing operations of $1.4 billion, $3.1 billion and $3.2 billion in 2020, 
2019 and 2018, respectively.

Table 9 summarizes the financial results of our Credit Card business and displays selected key metrics for the periods indicated.

Table 9: Credit Card Business Results

(Dollars in millions, except as noted)
Selected income statement data:
Net interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Non-interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total net revenue(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Provision for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Non-interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Income from continuing operations before income taxes . . . . . . .
Income tax provision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Income from continuing operations, net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selected performance metrics:
Average loans held for investment(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Average yield on loans(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total net revenue margin(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net charge-off rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Purchase volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Year Ended December 31,

Change

2020

2019

2018

2020 vs. 
2019

2019 vs. 
2018

$  13,776 
3,823 
17,599 
7,327 
8,491 
1,781 
420 

$  14,461 
3,888 
18,349 
4,992 
9,271 
4,086 
959 

$  14,167 
3,520 
  17,687 
4,984 
8,542 
4,161 
970 

$ 

1,361 

$ 

3,127 

$  3,191 

 (5)  %
 (2) 
 (4) 
 47 
 (8) 
 (56) 
 (56) 

 (56) 

$  110,082 

$  114,202 

$ 109,820 

 14.08 %
 15.91 
4,270 

 3.88 %

$ 

 15.49 %
 16.07 
5,149 

 4.51 %

 15.43  %  
 16.11 
$  5,069 

 4.62  %  

$ 

$  414,312 

$  424,765 

$ 387,102 

 (4) 
(141) bps
(16) 
 (17)  %
(63) bps
 (2)  %

 2  %
 10 
 4 
 — 
 9 
 (2) 
 (1) 

 (2) 

 4 
6bps 
(4) 
 2  %
(11) bps
 10  %

(Dollars in millions, except as noted)
Selected period-end data:
Loans held for investment(2)(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
30+ day performing delinquency rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
30+ day delinquency rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Nonperforming loan rate(6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Allowance for credit losses(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Allowance coverage ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019

Change

$  106,956 

$  128,236 

 2.44 %
 2.45 
 0.02 
$  11,191 

 10.46 %

$ 

 3.89 %  
 3.91 
 0.02 
5,395 
 4.21 %  

 (17)  %
(145) bps
(146) 
— 
 107  %
625 bps

__________
(1) We recognize finance charges and fee income on open-ended loans in accordance with the contractual provisions of the credit arrangements and charge-
off  uncollectible  amounts.  Total  net  revenue  was  reduced  by  $1.1  billion  in  2020  for  finance  charges  and  fees  charged-off  as  uncollectible  and  by 
$1.4 billion and $1.3 billion in 2019 and 2018, respectively, for the estimated uncollectible amount of billed finance charges and fees and related losses.

(2)

(3)

(4)

Period-end loans held for investment and average loans held for investment include billed finance charges and fees. Concurrent with our adoption of the 
CECL standard in the first quarter of 2020, we reclassified our finance charge and fee reserve to our allowance for credit losses, with a corresponding 
increase to credit card loans held for investment.

Average yield is calculated based on interest income for the period divided by average loans during the period and does not include any allocations, such 
as funds transfer pricing.

Total net revenue margin is calculated based on total net revenue for the period divided by average loans during the period.

(5) We reclassified $2.1 billion in partnership loans to held for sale as of September 30, 2020.
(6) Within  our  credit  card  loan  portfolio,  only  certain  loans  in  our  international  card  businesses  are  classified  as  nonperforming.  See  “MD&A—

Nonperforming Loans and Other Nonperforming Assets” for additional information.

59

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Key factors affecting the results of our Credit Card business for 2020 compared to 2019, and changes in financial condition and 
credit performance between December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 include the following:

•

•

•

•

•

•

Net Interest Income: Net interest income decreased by $685 million to $13.8 billion in 2020 primarily driven by lower 
average  loan  balances  from  customer  behavior  in  response  to  the  COVID-19  pandemic  and  lower  margins,  partially 
offset by an increase in average loan balances from the Walmart portfolio acquired during the fourth quarter of 2019. 

Non-Interest Income: Non-interest income decreased by $65 million to $3.8 billion in 2020 primarily driven by lower net 
interchange  fees  from  a  decline  in  purchase  volume,  partially  offset  by  higher  revenues  from  card  partnership 
arrangements.

Provision  for  Credit  Losses:  Provision  for  credit  losses  increased  by  $2.3  billion  to  $7.3  billion  in  2020  driven  by 
allowance builds in the first and second quarters of 2020 due to expectations of economic worsening as a result of the 
COVID-19 pandemic.

Non-Interest Expense: Non-interest expense decreased by $780 million to $8.5 billion in 2020 primarily driven by our 
decision to decrease marketing spend due to the economic environment created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Loans  Held  for  Investment:  Period-end  loans  held  for  investment  decreased  by  $21.3  billion  to  $107.0  billion  as  of 
December 31, 2020 from December 31, 2019, and average loans held for investment decreased by $4.1 billion to $110.1 
billion in 2020 compared to 2019 primarily due to a decline in purchase volume and higher payments in response to the 
COVID-19  pandemic,  as  well  as  the  transfer  of  a  $2.1  billion  partnership  loan  portfolio  to  held  for  sale  in  the  third 
quarter  of  2020.  The  decline  in  average  balances  was  partially  offset  by  the  impact  of  the  Walmart  portfolio  acquired 
during the fourth quarter of 2019.

Net  Charge-Off  and  Delinquency  Metrics:  The  net  charge-off  rate  decreased  by  63  basis  points  to  3.88%  in  2020 
compared to 2019 primarily driven by strong credit performance in Domestic Card due to consumer payment behavior 
and the impact of the government stimulus.

The 30+ day delinquency rate decreased by 146 basis points to 2.45% as of December 31, 2020 from December 31, 2019 
due to lower delinquency inventories in our domestic credit card loan portfolio primarily driven by consumer payment 
behavior and the impact of government stimulus, partially offset by lower outstanding balances. 

60

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Domestic Card Business

The Domestic Card business generated net income from continuing operations of $1.2 billion in 2020 and $3.0 billion in both  
2019 and 2018. In 2020, 2019 and 2018, the Domestic Card business accounted for greater than 90% of total net revenue of our 
Credit Card business.

Table  9.1  summarizes  the  financial  results  for  Domestic  Card  business  and  displays  selected  key  metrics  for  the  periods 
indicated.

Table 9.1: Domestic Card Business Results

(Dollars in millions, except as noted)
Selected income statement data:
Net interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Non-interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total net revenue(1)(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Provision for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Non-interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Income from continuing operations before income taxes . . . . . . .
Income tax provision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Income from continuing operations, net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selected performance metrics:
Average loans held for investment(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Average yield on loans(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total net revenue margin(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net charge-off rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Purchase volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Year Ended December 31,

Change

2020

2019

2018

2020 vs. 
2019

2019 vs. 
2018

$  12,599 
3,583 
16,182 
6,979 
7,625 
1,578 
374 
1,204 

$ 

$  13,265 
3,684 
16,949 
4,671 
8,308 
3,970 
925 
3,045 

$ 

$  12,926 
3,239 
  16,165 
4,653 
7,621 
3,891 
907 
$  2,984 

 (5)  %
 (3) 
 (5) 
 49 
 (8) 
 (60) 
 (60) 
 (60) 

$  101,837 

$  105,270 

$ 100,832 

 13.88 %
 15.80 
4,002 

 3.93 %

$ 

 15.47 %
 16.10 
4,818 

 4.58 %

 15.36  %  
 16.03 
$  4,782 

 4.74  %  

$ 

$  380,787 

$  390,032 

$ 354,158 

 (3) 
(159) bps
(30) 
 (17)  %
(65) bps
 (2)  %

 3  %
 14 
 5 
 — 
 9 
 2 
 2 
 2 

 4 
11 bps
7 
 1  %
(16) bps
 10  %

(Dollars in millions, except as noted)
Selected period-end data:
Loans held for investment(3)(6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
30+ day performing delinquency rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Allowance for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Allowance coverage ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019

Change

$  98,504 

$  118,606 

 2.42 %

$  10,650 

$ 

 10.81 %

 3.93 %  

4,997 
 4.21 %  

 (17)  %
(151) bps
 113  %
660 bps

__________
(1) We recognize finance charges and fee income on open-ended loans in accordance with the contractual provisions of the credit arrangements and charge-

off uncollectible amounts. Finance charges and fees charged-off as uncollectible are reflected as a reduction in total net revenue.

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

Total  net  revenue  was  reduced  by  $434  million,  $471  million  and  $278  million  in  2020,  2019  and  2018,  respectively,  due  to  the  amortization  of  loan 
origination bounties. As of December 31, 2020, approximately $45 million of deferred bounty payments remained to be amortized as an offset to revenue 
in future periods. 

Period-end loans held for investment and average loans held for investment include billed finance charges and fees. Concurrent with our adoption of the 
CECL standard in the first quarter of 2020, we reclassified our finance charge and fee reserve to our allowance for credit losses, with a corresponding 
increase to credit card loans held for investment.

Average yield is calculated based on interest income for the period divided by average loans during the period and does not include any allocations, such 
as funds transfer pricing.

Total net revenue margin is calculated based on total net revenue for the period divided by average loans during the period.

(6) We reclassified $2.1 billion in partnership loans to held for sale as of September 30, 2020. 

61

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Because our Domestic Card business accounts for the substantial majority of our Credit Card business, the key factors driving 
the results are similar to the key factors affecting our total Credit Card business. Net Income for our Domestic Card business 
decreased in 2020 compared to 2019 primarily driven by: 

•

•

•

•

higher provision for credit losses due to allowance builds in the first and second quarters of 2020 due to expectations of 
economic worsening as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic;

lower net interest income due to lower average outstanding balances and lower margins; and

lower non-interest income due to lower net interchange fees from a decline in purchase volume, partially offset by higher 
revenues from card partnership arrangements,

partially  offset  by  lower  non-interest  expense  from  our  decision  to  decrease  marketing  spend  due  to  the  economic 
environment created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Consumer Banking Business

The primary sources of revenue for our Consumer Banking business are net interest income from loans and deposits as well as 
service  charges  and  customer-related  fees.  Expenses  primarily  consist  of  the  provision  for  credit  losses,  operating  costs  and 
marketing expenses.

Our Consumer Banking business generated net income from continuing operations of $1.4 billion in 2020 and $1.8 billion in 
both 2019 and 2018. 

Table 10 summarizes the financial results of our Consumer Banking business and displays selected key metrics for the periods 
indicated.

Table 10: Consumer Banking Business Results 

(Dollars in millions, except as noted)
Selected income statement data:
Net interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Non-interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total net revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Provision for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Non-interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Income from continuing operations before income taxes . . . . . . .
Income tax provision  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Income from continuing operations, net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selected performance metrics:
Average loans held for investment:

Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Home loan(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Retail banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Average yield on loans held for investment(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Average deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Average deposits interest rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net charge-off rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Auto loan originations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Year Ended December 31,

Change

2020

2019

2018

2020 vs. 
2019

2019 vs. 
2018

$ 

$ 

7,238 
466 
7,704 
1,753 
4,159 
1,792 
425 
1,367 

$ 

$ 

6,732 
643 
7,375 
938 
4,091 
2,346 
547 
1,799 

$  6,549 
663 
7,212 
838 
4,027 
2,347 
547 
$  1,800 

 8  %

 (28) 
 4 
 87 
 2 
 (24) 
 (22) 
 (24) 

$  63,227 
— 
3,072 
$  66,299 

$  57,938 
— 
2,770 
$  60,708 

 8.37 %

 8.37 %

$  55,610 
6,266 
3,075 
$  64,951 

 9 
 — 
 11 
 9 
 7.54  %   — 

$  236,369 

$  205,012 

$ 193,053 

$ 

 0.76 %
578 
 0.87 %

$ 

 1.24 %
947 
 1.56 %

$ 

 0.95  %  
981 
 1.51  %  

$  32,282 

$  29,251 

$  26,276 

 15  %
(48) bps
 (39)  %
(69) bps
 10  %

 3  %
 (3) 
 2 
 12 
 2 
 — 
 — 
 — 

 4 
**
 (10) 
 (7) 
83 bps
 6  %
29 bps
 (3)  %
5 bps
 11  %

62

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(Dollars in millions, except as noted)
Selected period-end data:
Loans held for investment:

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019

Change

Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Retail banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
30+ day performing delinquency rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
30+ day delinquency rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Nonperforming loan rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Nonperforming asset rate(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Allowance for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Allowance coverage ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$  65,762 
3,126 
$  68,888 

$  60,362 
2,703 
$  63,065 

 4.62 %
 5.00 
 0.47 
 0.54 
2,715 
 3.94 %

$ 

 6.63 %  
 7.34 
 0.81 
 0.91 
1,038 
 1.65 %  

$ 

$  249,815 

$  213,099 

 9  %
 16 
 9 
(201) bps
(234) 
(34) 
(37) 
 162  %
229 bps
 17  %

__________
(1)

(2)

(3)

In 2018, we sold all of our consumer home loan portfolio and the related servicing. The impact of this sale is reflected in the Other category.
Average yield is calculated based on interest income for the period divided by average loans during the period and does not include any allocations, such 
as funds transfer pricing.

Nonperforming assets primarily consist of nonperforming loans and repossessed assets. The total nonperforming asset rate is calculated based on total 
nonperforming assets divided by the combined period-end total loans held for investment and repossessed assets. 

**  Not meaningful.

Key  factors  affecting  the  results  of  our  Consumer  Banking  business  for  2020  compared  to  2019,  and  changes  in  financial 
condition and credit performance between December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 include the following:

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Net Interest Income: Net interest income increased by $506 million to $7.2 billion in 2020 primarily driven by growth in 
our auto loan portfolio.

Non-Interest Income: Non-interest income decreased by $177 million to $466 million in 2020 primarily driven by lower 
service charges and fees on deposit accounts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Provision  for  Credit  Losses:  Provision  for  credit  losses  increased  by  $815  million  to  $1.8  billion  in  2020  driven  by 
allowance builds in the first and second quarters of 2020 due to expectations of economic worsening as a result of the 
COVID-19 pandemic.

Non-Interest Expense: Non-interest expense increased by $68 million to $4.2 billion in 2020 primarily driven by growth 
in our auto loan portfolio.

Loans  Held  for  Investment:  Period-end  loans  held  for  investment  increased  by  $5.8  billion  to  $68.9  billion  as  of 
December 31, 2020 from December 31, 2019, and average loans held for investment increased by $5.6 billion to $66.3 
billion in 2020 compared to 2019 primarily due to growth in our auto loan portfolio.

Deposits: Period-end deposits increased by $36.7 billion to $249.8 billion as of December 31, 2020 from December 31, 
2019 primarily driven by deposit growth from increased consumer savings aided by the impact of government stimulus. 

Net  Charge-Off  and  Delinquency  Metrics:  The  net  charge-off  rate  decreased  by  69  basis  points  to  0.87%  in  2020 
compared to 2019 primarily driven by the impact of short-term payment extensions offered to affected auto borrowers in 
response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 30+ day delinquency rate decreased by 234 basis points to 5.00% as of December 31, 2020 from December 31, 2019 
driven by lower auto delinquency inventories resulting from the short-term payment extensions offered to affected auto 
borrowers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

63

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
Commercial Banking Business

The primary sources of revenue for our Commercial Banking business are net interest income from loans and deposits and non-
interest income earned from products and services provided to our clients such as capital markets and treasury management. 
Because our Commercial Banking business has loans and investments that generate tax-exempt income, tax credits or other tax 
benefits, we present the revenues on a taxable-equivalent basis. Expenses primarily consist of the provision for credit losses and 
operating costs.

Our  Commercial  Banking  business  generated  net  income  from  continuing  operations  of  $65  million,  $621  million  and  $806 
million in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. 

Table  11  summarizes  the  financial  results  of  our  Commercial  Banking  business  and  displays  selected  key  metrics  for  the 
periods indicated.

Table 11: Commercial Banking Business Results

(Dollars in millions, except as noted)
Selected income statement data:
Net interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Non-interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total net revenue(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Provision for credit losses(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Non-interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Income from continuing operations before income taxes . . . . . . .
Income tax provision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Income from continuing operations, net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selected performance metrics:
Average loans held for investment:

Commercial and multifamily real estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Commercial and industrial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total commercial lending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Small-ticket commercial real estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Average yield on loans held for investment(1)(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Average deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Average deposits interest rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net charge-off rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

(Dollars in millions, except as noted)
Selected period-end data:
Loans held for investment:

Year Ended December 31,

Change

2020

2019

2018

2020 vs. 
2019

2019 vs. 
2018

$ 

$ 

2,048 
923 
2,971 
1,181 
1,706 
84 
19 
65 

$ 

$ 

1,983 
831 
2,814 
306 
1,699 
809 
188 
621 

$  2,044 
744 
2,788 
83 
1,654 
1,051 
245 
806 

$ 

$  31,135 
45,819 
76,954 
— 
$  76,954 

$  29,608 
42,863 
72,471 
69 
$  72,540 

$  27,771 
  39,188 
  66,959 
371 
$  67,330 

 3.13 %

 4.51 %

 4.46  %  

$  35,468 

$  31,229 

$  32,175 

$ 

 0.40 %
377 
 0.49 %

$ 

 1.18 %
156 
 0.22 %

 0.72  %  

$ 

56 

 0.08  %  

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019

Change

 3  %
 11 
 6 
 286 
 — 
 (90) 
 (90) 
 (90) 

 5 
 7 
 6 
**
 6 
(138) bps
 14  %
(78) bps
 142  %
27 bps

 (3)  %
 12 
 1 
**
 3 
 (23) 
 (23) 
 (23) 

 7 
 9 
 8 
 (81) 
 8 
5 bps
 (3)  %
46 bps
 179  %
14 bps

Commercial and multifamily real estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Commercial and industrial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Nonperforming loan rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Nonperforming asset rate(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Allowance for credit losses(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Allowance coverage ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Loans serviced for others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$  30,681 
45,099 
$  75,780 

$  30,245 
44,263 
$  74,508 

 0.86 %
 0.86 
1,658 
 2.19 %

$ 

$ 

 0.60 %  
 0.60 
775 
 1.04 %  

$  39,590 
44,162 

$  32,134 
38,481 

 1  %
 2 
 2 
26 bps
26 
 114  %
115 bps
 23  %
 15 

__________

64

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Some of our commercial investments generate tax-exempt income, tax credits or other tax benefits. Accordingly, we present our Commercial Banking 
revenue and yields on a taxable-equivalent basis, calculated using the federal statutory tax rate of (21% for all periods presented) and state taxes where 
applicable, with offsetting reductions to the Other category.

The provision for losses on unfunded lending commitments is included in the provision for credit losses in our consolidated statements of income and the 
related reserve is included in other liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets. Our reserve for unfunded lending commitments totaled $195 million, 
$130 million and $118 million as of December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Average yield is calculated based on interest income for the period divided by average loans during the period and does not include any allocations, such 
as funds transfer pricing.

Nonperforming  assets  consist  of  nonperforming  loans  and  other  foreclosed  assets.  The  total  nonperforming  asset  rate  is  calculated  based  on  total 
nonperforming assets divided by the combined period-end total loans held for investment and other foreclosed assets.

**  Not meaningful.

Key  factors  affecting  the  results  of  our  Commercial  Banking  business  for  2020  compared  to  2019,  and  changes  in  financial 
condition and credit performance between December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 include the following:

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Net Interest Income: Net interest income increased by $65 million to $2.0 billion in 2020 as higher average loans and 
deposits were partially offset by slightly lower margins.

Non-Interest Income: Non-interest income increased by $92 million to $923 million in 2020 primarily driven by higher 
revenue from our agency and capital markets businesses.

Provision  for  Credit  Losses:  Provision  for  credit  losses  increased  by  $875  million  to  $1.2  billion  in  2020  driven  by 
allowance builds in the first and second quarters of 2020 due to expectations of economic worsening as a result of the 
COVID-19 pandemic as well as credit deterioration in our energy loan portfolio primarily in the first quarter of 2020. 

Non-Interest Expense: Non-interest expense remained substantially flat at $1.7 billion in 2020.

Loans  Held  for  Investment:  Period-end  loans  held  for  investment  increased  by  $1.3  billion  to  $75.8  billion  as  of 
December 31, 2020 from December 31, 2019, and average loans held for investment increased by $4.4 billion to $77.0 
billion in 2020 compared to 2019 driven by growth across our commercial loan portfolio. 

Deposits:  Period-end  deposits  increased  by  $7.5  billion  to  $39.6  billion  as  of  December  31,  2020  from  December  31, 
2019 primarily driven by elevated client liquidity.

Net  Charge-Off  and  Nonperforming  Metrics:  The  net  charge-off  rate  increased  by  27  basis  points  to  0.49%  in  2020 
primarily driven by elevated charge-offs in our energy loan portfolio.

The nonperforming loan rate increased by 26 basis points to 0.86% as of December 31, 2020 from December 31, 2019 
driven by credit downgrades in industries that are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other Category

Other includes unallocated amounts related to our centralized Corporate Treasury group activities, such as management of our 
corporate  investment  securities  portfolio,  asset/liability  management  and  certain  capital  management  activities.  Other  also 
includes:

•

•

•

•

unallocated corporate revenue and expenses that do not directly support the operations of the business segments or for 
which the business segments are not considered financially accountable in evaluating their performance, such as certain 
restructuring charges;

offsets related to certain line-item reclassifications;

residual tax expense or benefit to arrive at the consolidated effective tax rate that is not assessed to our primary business 
segments; and

foreign exchange-rate fluctuations on foreign currency-denominated balances.

65

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Table 12 summarizes the financial results of our Other category for the periods indicated.

Table 12: Other Category Results

(Dollars in millions)
Selected income statement data:
Net interest income (loss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Non-interest income (loss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total net revenue(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Provision (benefit) for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Non-interest expense(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes . . . . . . . . . 
Income tax benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

$ 

Year Ended December 31,

Change

2020

2019

2018

2020 vs. 
2019

2019 vs. 
2018

(149)  $ 
398 
249 
3 
700 
(454) 
(378) 
(76)  $ 

164  $ 
(109) 
55 
— 
422 
(367) 
(353) 
(14)  $ 

115 
274 
389 
(49) 
679 
(241) 
(469) 
228 

**
**
**
**
 66 %
 24 
 7 
**

 43 %
**
 (86) 
**
 (38) 
 52 
 (25) 
**

__________
(1)

Some of our commercial investments generate tax-exempt income, tax credits or other tax benefits. Accordingly, we present our Commercial Banking 
revenue and yields on a taxable-equivalent basis, calculated using the federal statutory tax rate of (21% for all periods presented) and state taxes where 
applicable, with offsetting reductions to the Other category.

(2)

Includes legal reserve builds of $313 million and net Cybersecurity Incident expenses of $27 million in 2020.

**  Not meaningful.

Net loss from continuing operations was $76 million and $14 million in 2020 and 2019, respectively, primarily driven by lower 
net interest income due to the decline in market interest rates and funding demands by our segments and increased non-interest 
expense resulting from legal reserve builds, partially offset by a gain of $535 million on our equity investment in Snowflake 
Inc.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make a number of judgments, 
estimates  and  assumptions  that  affect  the  amount  of  assets,  liabilities,  income  and  expenses  on  the  consolidated  financial 
statements.  Understanding  our  accounting  policies  and  the  extent  to  which  we  use  management  judgment  and  estimates  in 
applying  these  policies  is  integral  to  understanding  our  financial  statements.  We  provide  a  summary  of  our  significant 
accounting policies under “Note 1—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies”.

We have identified the following accounting estimates as critical because they require significant judgments and assumptions 
about  highly  complex  and  inherently  uncertain  matters  and  the  use  of  reasonably  different  estimates  and  assumptions  could 
have a material impact on our results of operations or financial condition. Our critical accounting policies and estimates are as 
follows:

•

•

•

•

Loan loss reserves

Asset impairment

Fair value of financial instruments

Customer rewards reserve

We  evaluate  our  critical  accounting  estimates  and  judgments  on  an  ongoing  basis  and  update  them  as  necessary,  based  on 
changing conditions.

66

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Loan Loss Reserves

In the first quarter of 2020, we adopted the CECL standard and updated our critical accounting policy and estimate for loan loss 
reserves. We maintain an allowance for credit losses that represents management’s current estimate of expected credit losses 
inherent in our credit card, consumer banking and commercial banking loans held for investment portfolios as of each balance 
sheet date. We also separately reserve for unfunded lending commitments that are not unconditionally cancellable. For all such 
loans and unfunded lending commitments, our estimate of expected credit losses includes a reasonable and supportable forecast 
period of one year and then reverts over a one-year period to historical losses at each relevant loss component of the estimate. 
We build our allowance for credit losses and reserve for unfunded lending commitments through the provision for credit losses, 
which  is  driven  by  charge-offs,  changes  in  the  allowance  for  credit  losses  and  changes  in  the  reserve  for  unfunded  lending 
commitments.  The  allowance  for  credit  losses  was  $15.6  billion  as  of  December  31,  2020,  compared  to  $7.2  billion  as  of 
December  31,  2019.  In  periods  prior  to  2020,  the  allowance  for  loan  and  lease  losses  represented  management’s  estimate  of 
incurred  loan  and  lease  losses  as  fully  described  in  “Note  1—Summary  of  Significant  Accounting  Policies”  in  our  Annual 
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. 

We have an established process, using analytical tools and management judgment, to determine our allowance for credit losses. 
Establishing the allowance on a quarterly basis involves evaluating many factors including, but not limited to, historical loss 
and recovery experience, recent trends in delinquencies and charge-offs, risk ratings, the impact of bankruptcy filings, the value 
of  collateral  underlying  secured  loans,  account  seasoning,  changes  in  our  credit  evaluation,  underwriting  and  collection 
management  policies,  seasonality,  credit  bureau  scores,  current  general  economic  conditions,  our  reasonable  and  supportable 
forecasts of future economic conditions, changes in the legal and regulatory environment and uncertainties in forecasting and 
modeling  techniques  used  in  estimating  our  allowance  for  credit  losses.  Key  factors  that  have  a  significant  impact  on  our 
allowance  for  credit  losses  include  assumptions  about  employment  levels,  home  prices  and  the  valuation  of  commercial 
properties, automobiles and other collateral.

We have a governance  framework intended to  ensure that our estimate  of  the allowance  for credit losses is appropriate. Our 
governance framework provides for oversight of methods, models, qualitative adjustments, process controls and results. At least 
quarterly,  representatives  from  the  Finance  and  Risk  Management  organizations  review  and  assess  our  allowance 
methodologies, key assumptions and the appropriateness of the allowance for credit losses.

Groups  independent  of  our  estimation  functions  participate  in  the  review  and  validation  process.  Tasks  performed  by  these 
groups include periodic review of the rationale  for and quantification  of  inputs  requiring judgment as well  as adjustments to 
results.

We have a model policy, established by an independent Model Risk Office, which governs the validation of models and related 
supporting documentation to ensure the appropriate use of models for estimating credit losses. The Model Risk Office validates 
all models and requires ongoing monitoring of their performance.

In addition to the allowance for credit losses, on a quarterly basis, we review and assess our estimate of expected losses related 
to  unfunded  lending  commitments  that  are  not  unconditionally  cancellable.  The  factors  impacting  our  assessment  generally 
align with those considered in our evaluation of the allowance for credit losses for the Commercial Banking business. Changes 
to  the  reserve  for  losses  on  unfunded  lending  commitments  are  recorded  through  the  provision  for  credit  losses  in  the 
consolidated statements of income and to other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets.

Although  we  examine  a  variety  of  externally  available  data,  as  well  as  our  internal  loan  performance  data,  to  determine  our 
allowance  for  credit  losses  and  reserve  for  unfunded  lending  commitments,  our  estimation  process  is  subject  to  risks  and 
uncertainties, including a reliance on historical loss and trend information that may not be representative of current conditions 
and indicative of future performance as well as economic forecasts that may not align with actual future economic conditions. 
Accordingly, our actual credit loss experience may not be in line with our expectations. We provide additional information on 
the  methodologies  and  key  assumptions  used  in  determining  our  allowance  for  credit  losses  for  each  of  our  loan  portfolio 
segments  in  “Note  1—Summary  of  Significant  Accounting  Policies.”  We  provide  information  on  the  components  of  our 
allowance, disaggregated by impairment methodology, and changes in our allowance in “Note 4—Allowance for Credit Losses 
and Reserve for Unfunded Lending Commitments.”

Finance Charge and Fee Reserves

Finance charges and fees on credit card loans are recorded in revenue when earned. Billed finance charges and fees on credit 
card loans are included in loans held for investment while unbilled finance charges and fees are included in interest receivable. 

67

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

We  continue  to  accrue  finance  charges  and  fees  on  credit  card  loans  until  the  account  is  charged  off.  We  estimate  the 
uncollectible portion of finance charges and fees in our finance charge and fee reserve. Billed finance charges and fees that are 
ultimately charged-off as uncollectible are reflected as a reduction to revenue.

Concurrent  with  our  adoption  of  the  CECL  standard  in  the  first  quarter  of  2020,  we  reclassified  our  finance  charge  and  fee 
reserve  of  $462  million  to  our  allowance  for  credit  losses,  with  a  corresponding  increase  to  credit  card  loans  held  for 
investment.  We  review  and  assess  the  appropriateness  of  our  finance  charge  and  fee  reserve  on  a  quarterly  basis.  Our 
methodology for estimating the uncollectible portion of finance charges and fees is consistent with the methodology we use to 
estimate the allowance for credit losses on the principal portion of our credit card loan receivables.

Asset Impairment

In  addition  to  our  loan  portfolio,  we  review  other  assets  for  impairment  on  a  regular  basis  in  accordance  with  applicable 
accounting guidance. This process requires significant management judgment and involves various estimates and assumptions.

Goodwill 

Goodwill  represents  the  excess  of  the  fair  value  of  the  consideration  transferred,  plus  the  fair  value  of  any  non-controlling 
interests in the acquiree, over the fair value of the net assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the acquisition date. 

Goodwill totaled $14.7 billion as of both December 31, 2020 and 2019. We did not recognize any goodwill impairment in 2020 
and 2019. See “Note 6—Goodwill and Intangible Assets” for additional information.

We perform our goodwill impairment test annually on October 1 at a reporting unit level. We are also required to test goodwill 
for impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate it is more-likely-than-not that an impairment may have occurred. We 
have four reporting units: Credit Card, Auto Finance, Other Consumer Banking and Commercial Banking. 

In the first quarter of 2020, we adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2017-04, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other 
(Topic  350):  Simplifying  the  Test  for  Goodwill  Impairment.  Under  the  new  guidance,  an  impairment  of  a  reporting  unit’s 
goodwill is determined based on the amount by which the reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, limited to the 
amount of goodwill allocated to the reporting unit.

For  the  purpose  of  our  goodwill  impairment  testing,  we  calculate  the  carrying  amount  of  a  reporting  unit  using  an  allocated 
capital  approach  based  on  each  reporting  unit’s  specific  regulatory  capital  requirements,  economic  capital  requirements  and 
underlying  risks.  The  carrying  amount  for  a  reporting  unit  is  the  sum  of  its  respective  capital  requirements,  goodwill  and 
intangibles balances. Consolidated stockholder’s equity in excess of the sum of all reporting unit’s capital requirements that is 
not  identified  for  future  capital  needs,  such  as  dividends,  share  buybacks  or  other  strategic  initiatives,  is  allocated  to  the 
reporting units and the Other category and assumed distributed to equity holders in future periods.

Determining  the  fair  value  of  a  reporting  unit  is  a  subjective  process  that  requires  the  use  of  estimates  and  the  exercise  of 
significant  judgment.  We  calculate  the  fair  value  of  our  reporting  units  using  a  discounted  cash  flow  (“DCF”)  calculation,  a 
form of the income approach. This DCF calculation uses projected cash flows based on each reporting unit’s internal forecast 
and the perpetuity growth method to calculate terminal values. Our DCF calculation requires management to make estimates 
about future loan, deposit and revenue growth, as well as credit losses and capital rates. These cash flows and terminal values 
are  then  discounted  using  discount  rates  based  on  our  external  cost  of  capital  with  adjustments  for  the  risk  inherent  in  each 
reporting unit. Discount rates used for our reporting units ranged from 8.1% to 14.3%, and we applied a terminal year long-term 
growth rate of 3.97% to all reporting units. The reasonableness of our DCF calculation is assessed by reference to a market-
based  approach  using  comparable  market  multiples  and  recent  market  transactions  where  available.  The  results  of  the  2020 
annual impairment test for the reporting units indicated that the estimated fair values of the Commercial Banking, Credit Card, 
Auto Finance, and Other Consumer Banking reporting units exceeded their carrying amounts by between 11% and 273%.

Assumptions  used  in  estimating  the  fair  value  of  a  reporting  unit  are  judgmental  and  inherently  uncertain.  A  change  in  the 
economic conditions of a reporting unit, such as declines in business performance from industry or macroeconomic trends or 
from  changes  in  our  strategy,  adverse  impacts  to  loan  or  deposit  growth  trends,  decreases  in  revenue,  increases  in  expenses, 
increases  in  credit  losses,  increases  in  capital  requirements,  deterioration  of  market  conditions,  declines  in  long-term  growth 
expectations, adverse impacts of regulatory or legislative changes or increases in the estimated cost of capital, including if these 
conditions  are  merely  forecasted  to  occur  in  future  periods,  could  cause  the  estimated  fair  values  of  our  reporting  units  to 
decline in the future, and increase the risk of a goodwill impairment in a future period.

68

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Fair Value

Fair  value,  also  referred  to  as  an  exit  price,  is  defined  as  the  price  that  would  be  received  for  an  asset  or  paid  to  transfer  a 
liability  in  an  orderly  transaction  between  market  participants  on  the  measurement  date.  The  fair  value  accounting  guidance 
provides a three-level fair value hierarchy for classifying financial instruments. This hierarchy is based on the markets in which 
the  assets  or  liabilities  trade  and  whether  the  inputs  to  the  valuation  techniques  used  to  measure  fair  value  are  observable  or 
unobservable. The fair value measurement of a financial asset or liability is assigned a level based on the lowest level of any 
input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described 
below:

Level 1: Valuation is based on quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. 

Level 2: Valuation is based on observable market-based inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar 
assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated 
by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities. 

Level 3: Valuation is generated from techniques that use significant assumptions not observable in the market. Valuation 
techniques include pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies or similar techniques. 

The  degree  of  management  judgment  involved  in  determining  the  fair  value  of  a  financial  instrument  is  dependent  upon  the 
availability  of  quoted  prices  in  active  markets  or  observable  market  parameters.  When  quoted  prices  and  observable  data  in 
active markets are not fully available, management judgment is necessary to estimate fair value. Changes in market conditions, 
such  as  reduced  liquidity  in  the  capital  markets  or  changes  in  secondary  market  activities,  may  reduce  the  availability  and 
reliability of quoted prices or observable data used to determine fair value.

We have developed policies and procedures to determine when markets for our financial assets and liabilities are inactive if the 
level and volume of activity has declined significantly relative to normal conditions. If markets are determined to be inactive, it 
may be appropriate to adjust price quotes received. When significant adjustments are required to price quotes or inputs, it may 
be appropriate to utilize an estimate based primarily on unobservable inputs.

Significant judgment may be required to determine whether certain financial instruments measured at fair value are classified as 
Level 2 or Level 3. In making this determination, we consider all available information that market participants use to measure 
the fair value of the financial instrument, including observable market data, indications of market liquidity and orderliness, and 
our understanding of the valuation techniques and significant inputs used. Based upon the specific facts and circumstances of 
each instrument or instrument category, judgments are made regarding the significance of the Level 3 inputs to the instruments’ 
fair value measurement in its entirety. If Level 3 inputs are considered significant, the instrument is classified as Level 3. The 
process  for  determining  fair  value  using  unobservable  inputs  is  generally  more  subjective  and  involves  a  high  degree  of 
management judgment and assumptions. We discuss changes in the valuation inputs and assumptions used in determining the 
fair  value  of  our  financial  instruments,  including  the  extent  to  which  we  have  relied  on  significant  unobservable  inputs  to 
estimate fair value and our process for corroborating these inputs, in “Note 16—Fair Value Measurement.”

We have a governance framework and a number of key controls that are intended to ensure that our fair value measurements are 
appropriate and reliable. Our governance framework provides for independent oversight and segregation of duties. Our control 
processes include review and approval of new transaction types, price verification, and review of valuation judgments, methods, 
models, process controls and results.

Groups independent of our trading and investing functions participate in the review and validation process. Tasks performed by 
these  groups  include  periodic  verification  of  fair  value  measurements  to  determine  if  assigned  fair  values  are  reasonable, 
including comparing prices from vendor pricing services to other available market information.

Our  Fair  Value  Committee  (“FVC”),  which  includes  representation  from  business  areas,  Risk  Management  and  Finance, 
provides  guidance  and  oversight  to  ensure  an  appropriate  valuation  control  environment.  The  FVC  regularly  reviews  and 
approves  our  fair  valuations  to  ensure  that  our  valuation  practices  are  consistent  with  industry  standards  and  adhere  to 
regulatory and accounting guidance.

We have a model policy, established by an independent Model Risk Office, which governs the validation of models and related 
supporting documentation to ensure the appropriate use of models for pricing and fair value measurements. The Model Risk 
Office validates all models and requires ongoing monitoring of their performance.

69

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

The fair value governance process is set up in a manner that allows the Chairperson of the FVC to escalate valuation disputes 
that  cannot  be  resolved  by  the  FVC  to  a  more  senior  committee  called  the  Valuations  Advisory  Committee  (“VAC”)  for 
resolution. The VAC is chaired by the Chief Financial Officer and includes other members of senior management. The VAC 
convenes to review escalated valuation disputes. There were no disputes for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Customer Rewards Reserve

We  offer  products,  primarily  credit  cards,  which  include  programs  that  allow  members  to  earn  rewards  based  on  account 
activity  that  can  be  redeemed  for  cash  (primarily  in  the  form  of  statement  credits),  gift  cards,  travel,  or  covering  eligible 
charges. The amount of rewards that a customer earns varies based on the terms and conditions of the rewards program and 
product. The majority of our rewards do not expire and there is no limit on the amount of rewards an eligible card member can 
earn. Customer rewards costs, which we generally record as an offset to interchange income, are driven by various factors such 
as card member purchase volume, the terms and conditions of the rewards program and rewards redemption cost. We establish 
a customer rewards reserve that reflects management’s judgment regarding rewards earned that are expected to be redeemed 
and the estimated redemption cost.

We  use  financial  models  to  estimate  ultimate  redemption  rates  of  rewards  earned  to  date  by  current  card  members  based  on 
historical redemption trends, current enrollee redemption behavior, card product type, year of program enrollment, enrollment 
tenure  and  card  spend  levels.  Our  current  assumption  is  that  the  vast  majority  of  all  rewards  earned  will  eventually  be 
redeemed. We use the weighted-average redemption cost during the previous twelve months, adjusted as appropriate for recent 
changes in redemption costs, including changes related to the mix of rewards redeemed, to estimate future redemption costs. 
We continually evaluate our reserve and assumptions based on developments in redemption patterns, changes to the terms and 
conditions of the rewards program and other factors. We recognized customer rewards expense of $4.9 billion in both 2020 and 
2019 and $4.4 billion in 2018. Our customer rewards reserve, which is included in other liabilities on our consolidated balance 
sheets, totaled $5.4 billion and $4.7 billion as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

ACCOUNTING CHANGES AND DEVELOPMENTS

Accounting Standards Issued but Not Adopted as of December 31, 2020 

Standard

Income Tax Accounting Simplification

ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 
740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income 
Taxes

Issued December 2019

Guidance
Simplifies various aspects of the guidance 
on accounting for income taxes.

Adoption Timing and Financial Statement 
Impacts
We adopted this guidance in the first quarter 
of 2021 using the modified retrospective and 
prospective methods of adoption. 

Our adoption of this standard did not have a 
material impact on our consolidated 
financial statements.

See “Note 1—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” for information on the accounting standards we adopted in 2020.

CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

The  level  and  composition  of  our  capital  are  determined  by  multiple  factors,  including  our  consolidated  regulatory  capital 
requirements  and  internal  risk-based  capital  assessments  such  as  internal  stress  testing  and  economic  capital.  The  level  and 
composition  of  our  capital  may  also  be  influenced  by  rating  agency  guidelines,  subsidiary  capital  requirements,  business 
environment,  conditions  in  the  financial  markets  and  assessments  of  potential  future  losses  due  to  adverse  changes  in  our 
business and market environments.

Capital Standards and Prompt Corrective Action

The  Company  and  the  Banks  are  subject  to  the  Basel  III  Capital  Rules  established  by  the  Federal  Reserve  and  the  OCC 
respectively.  The  Basel  III  Capital  Rules  implement  certain  capital  and  liquidity  requirements  published  by  the  Basel 
Committee,  along  with  certain  Dodd-Frank  Act  and  other  capital  provisions.  Moreover,  the  Banks,  as  insured  depository 
institutions, are subject to PCA capital regulations.

70

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Basel III and United States Capital Rules

Under the Basel III Capital Rules, we must maintain a minimum CET1 capital ratio of 4.5%, a Tier 1 capital ratio of 6.0%, and 
a Total capital ratio of 8.0%, in each case in relation to risk-weighted assets. In addition, we must maintain a minimum leverage 
ratio of 4.0% and a minimum supplementary leverage ratio of 3.0%. We are also subject to the capital conservation buffer and 
countercyclical capital buffer requirements, as described below.

In July 2019, the Federal Banking Agencies issued the Capital Simplification Rule, which finalized certain changes to the Basel 
III Capital Rules for institutions not subject to the Basel III Advanced Approaches. These changes, effective January 1, 2020, 
generally raised the threshold above which a covered institution such as the Company must deduct certain assets from its CET1 
capital, including certain deferred tax assets, mortgage servicing assets, and investments in unconsolidated financial institutions. 

In October  2019, the Federal  Banking Agencies finalized the Tailoring Rules,  which amended the  Basel  III Capital Rules to 
provide  for  tailored  application  of  certain  capital  requirements  across  different  categories  of  banking  institutions.  These 
categories are determined primarily by an institution’s asset size, with adjustments to a more stringent category possible if the 
institution exceeds certain risk-based thresholds. As a BHC with total consolidated assets of at least $250 billion that does not 
exceed  any  of  the  applicable  risk-based  thresholds,  we  are  a  Category  III  institution  under  the  Tailoring  Rules.  Therefore, 
effective January 1, 2020, we are no longer subject to the Basel III “Advanced Approaches” framework and certain associated 
capital requirements, such as the requirement to include certain elements of AOCI in our regulatory capital. We remain subject 
to the countercyclical capital buffer requirement (which is currently set at 0%) and supplementary leverage ratio requirement, 
which were previously required only for Basel III Advanced Approaches institutions. Effective as of the first quarter of 2020, 
we excluded certain elements of AOCI from our regulatory capital as permitted by the Tailoring Rules. The Tailoring Rules and 
Capital Simplification Rule have, taken together, decreased our capital requirements.

G-SIBs that are based in the U.S. are subject to an additional CET1 capital requirement known as the G-SIB Surcharge. We are 
not a G-SIB based on the most recent available data and thus we are not subject to a G-SIB Surcharge.

Stress Capital Buffer Rule

The Basel III Capital Rules require banking institutions to maintain a capital conservation buffer, composed of CET1 capital, 
above the regulatory minimum ratios. The capital conservation buffer for BHCs was previously fixed at 2.5%. In March 2020, 
the Federal Reserve issued a final rule to implement the stress capital buffer requirement. The stress capital buffer requirement 
is institution-specific and replaces the fixed 2.5% capital conservation buffer for BHCs.

Pursuant to the Stress Capital Buffer Rule, the Federal Reserve will use the results of its supervisory stress test to determine the 
size of a BHC’s stress capital buffer requirement. In particular, a BHC’s stress capital buffer requirement will equal, subject to a 
floor of 2.5%, the sum of (i) the difference between the BHC’s starting CET1 capital ratio and its lowest projected CET1 capital 
ratio  under  the  severely  adverse  scenario  of  the  Federal  Reserve’s  supervisory  stress  test  plus  (ii)  the  ratio  of  the  BHC’s 
projected four quarters of common stock dividends (for the fourth to seventh quarters of the planning horizon) to the projected 
risk-weighted  assets  for  the  quarter  in  which  the  BHC’s  projected  CET1  capital  ratio  reaches  its  minimum  under  the 
supervisory stress test.

Under  the  Stress  Capital  Buffer  Rule  framework,  the  Company’s  new  “standardized  approach  capital  conservation  buffer” 
includes its stress capital buffer requirement (which will be recalibrated every year based on the Company’s supervisory stress 
test results), any G-SIB surcharge (which is not applicable to us) and the countercyclical capital buffer requirement (which is 
currently  set  at  0%).  Any  determination  to  increase  the  countercyclical  capital  buffer  generally  would  be  effective  twelve 
months after the announcement of such an increase, unless the Federal Banking Agencies set an earlier effective date.

The Company’s stress capital buffer requirement is 5.6% for the period from October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021, at 
which point a revised stress capital buffer requirement will be applicable to the Company based on the Company’s 2021 stress 
testing  results.  Therefore,  the  Company’s  minimum  capital  requirements  plus  the  standardized  approach  capital  conservation 
buffer for CET1 capital, Tier 1 capital and total capital ratios under the stress capital buffer framework are 10.1%, 11.6% and 
13.6%, respectively, for the period from October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021. 

The Stress Capital Buffer Rule does not apply to the Banks. The capital conservation buffer for the Banks continues to be fixed 
at 2.5%. Accordingly, each Bank’s minimum capital requirements plus its capital conservation buffer for CET1 capital, Tier 1 
capital and total capital ratios remain at 7.0%, 8.5% and 10.5% respectively.

71

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

If we fail to maintain our capital ratios above the minimum capital requirements plus the applicable buffer requirements, we 
will face increasingly strict automatic limitations on capital distributions and discretionary bonus payments to certain executive 
officers.

As  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  respectively,  each  of  the  Company  and  the  Banks  exceeded  the  minimum  capital 
requirements  and  the  buffer  requirements  applicable  to  them,  and  each  of  the  Banks  was  “well  capitalized”  under  PCA 
requirements.

Market Risk Rule

The Market Risk Rule requires institutions subject to the rule to adjust their risk-based capital ratios to reflect the market risk in 
their trading portfolios. As of December 31, 2020, the Company and CONA are subject to the Market Risk Rule. See “MD&A
—Market Risk Profile” below for additional information. 

CECL Transition Rule

As part of their response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Banking Agencies adopted the 2020 CECL Transition Rule 
which provides banking institutions an optional five-year transition period to phase in the impact of the CECL standard on their 
regulatory capital. 

Pursuant to the 2020 CECL Transition Rule, a banking institution may elect to delay the estimated impact of adopting CECL on 
its  regulatory  capital  through  December  31,  2021  and  then  phase  in  the  estimated  cumulative  impact  from  January  1,  2022 
through  December  31,  2024.  For  the  “day  2”  ongoing  impact  of  CECL  during  the  initial  two  years,  the  Federal  Banking 
Agencies use a uniform “scaling factor” of 25% as an approximation of the increase in the allowance under the CECL standard 
compared  to  the  prior  incurred  loss  methodology.  Accordingly,  from  January  1,  2020  through  December  31,  2021,  electing 
banking institutions are permitted to add back to their regulatory capital an amount equal to the sum of the after-tax “day 1” 
CECL adoption impact and 25% of the increase in the allowance since the adoption of the CECL standard. Beginning January 
1, 2022 through December 31, 2024, the after-tax “day 1” CECL adoption impact and the cumulative “day 2” ongoing impact 
will be phased in to regulatory capital at 25% per year. The following table summarizes the capital impact delay and phase in 
period on our regulatory capital from years 2020 to 2025.

Capital Impact Delayed

Phase In Period

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

“Day 1” CECL adoption impact

Cumulative “day 2” ongoing impact

Capital impact delayed to 
2022

 25% scaling factor as an 
approximation of the increase 
in allowance under CECL

25% Phased 
In

50% Phased 
In

75% Phased 
In

Fully Phased 
In

We adopted the CECL standard (for accounting purposes) as of January 1, 2020, and made the 2020 CECL Transition Election 
(for regulatory capital purposes) in the first quarter of 2020. Therefore, the applicable amounts presented in this Report reflect 
such election. 

Temporary Exclusions for Supplementary Leverage Ratio

In addition, in April 2020, as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Reserve issued an interim final rule 
that  temporarily  excludes  U.S.  Treasury  securities  and  deposits  at  Federal  Reserve  Banks  from  the  calculation  of  the 
supplementary leverage ratio for BHCs. These exclusions became effective on April 1, 2020, and will remain in effect through 
March 31, 2021.

Subsequently, in May 2020, the Federal Banking Agencies issued an interim final rule that provides an option for depository 
institutions to make similar exclusions to the calculation of the supplementary leverage ratio. If a depository institution elects to 
make  such  exclusions,  it  must  request  prior  approval  from  its  primary  federal  banking  regulator  before  making  capital 
distributions, such as paying dividends to its parent company, for as long as the exclusions are in effect. Neither CONA nor 
COBNA elected to make such exclusions.

For  the  description  of  the  regulatory  capital  rules  we  are  subject  to,  see  “Part  I—Item  1.  Business—Supervision  and 
Regulation.”

72

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Table  13  provides  a  comparison  of  our  regulatory  capital  ratios  under  the  Basel  III  Standardized  Approach,  the  regulatory 
minimum capital adequacy ratios and the PCA well-capitalized level for each ratio, where applicable, as of December 31, 2020 
and 2019.

Table 13: Capital Ratios Under Basel III(1)

Capital One Financial Corp:
Common equity Tier 1 capital(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tier 1 capital(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total capital(4)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Tier 1 leverage(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Supplementary leverage(6)(7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

COBNA:
Common equity Tier 1 capital(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tier 1 capital(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total capital(4)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Tier 1 leverage(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Supplementary leverage(6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

CONA:
Common equity Tier 1 capital(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tier 1 capital(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total capital(4)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Tier 1 leverage(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Supplementary leverage(6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

__________
(1)

Capital requirements that are not applicable are denoted by “N/A.”

December 31, 2020
Minimum
Capital
Adequacy

Well-
Capitalized

Ratio

December 31, 2019
Minimum
Capital
Adequacy

Well-
Capitalized

Ratio

 13.7 %

 4.5 %

N/A

 12.2 %

 4.5% 

N/A

 15.3 

 17.7 

 11.2 

 10.7 

 21.5 

 21.5 

 23.4 

 18.3 

 14.7 

 12.4 

 12.4 

 13.7 

 7.6 

 6.9 

 6.0 

 8.0 

 4.0 

 3.0 

 4.5 

 6.0 

 8.0 

 4.0 

 3.0 

 4.5 

 6.0 

 8.0 

 4.0 

 3.0 

 6.0 %

 10.0 

N/A

N/A

 6.5 

 8.0 

 10.0 

 5.0 

N/A

 6.5 

 8.0 

 10.0 

 5.0 

N/A

 13.7 

 16.1 

 11.7 

 9.9 

 16.1 

 16.1 

 18.1 

 14.8 

 12.1 

 13.4 

 13.4 

 14.5 

 9.2 

 8.2 

 6.0 

 8.0 

 4.0 

 3.0 

 4.5 

 6.0 

 8.0 

 4.0 

 3.0 

 4.5 

 6.0 

 8.0 

 4.0 

 3.0 

 6.0 %

 10.0 

N/A

N/A

 6.5 

 8.0 

 10.0 

 5.0 

N/A

 6.5 

 8.0 

 10.0 

 5.0 

N/A

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

Common equity Tier 1 capital ratio is a regulatory capital measure calculated based on common equity Tier 1 capital divided by risk-weighted assets.

Tier 1 capital ratio is a regulatory capital measure calculated based on Tier 1 capital divided by risk-weighted assets.

Total capital ratio is a regulatory capital measure calculated based on total capital divided by risk-weighted assets.

Tier 1 leverage ratio is a regulatory capital measure calculated based on Tier 1 capital divided by adjusted average assets.

Supplementary leverage ratio is a regulatory capital measure calculated based on Tier 1 capital divided by total leverage exposure. 

Supplementary leverage ratio for the Company as of December 31, 2020 excludes U.S. Treasury securities and deposits with the Federal Reserve Banks 
pursuant to an interim final rule issued by the Federal Reserve, see “Part I—Item 1. Business—Supervision and Regulation” for more information. 

73

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
Table 14 presents regulatory capital under the Basel III Standardized Approach and regulatory capital metrics as of December 
31, 2020 and 2019. 

Table 14: Regulatory Risk-Based Capital Components and Regulatory Capital Metrics

(Dollars in millions)

Regulatory Capital Under Basel III Standardized Approach

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Common equity excluding AOCI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

55,299  $ 

52,001 

Adjustments:

AOCI, net of tax(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Goodwill, net of related deferred tax liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Intangible assets, net of related deferred tax liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Common equity Tier 1 capital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tier 1 capital instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Tier 1 capital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Tier 2 capital instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Qualifying allowance for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Tier 2 capital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total capital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Regulatory Capital Metrics

Risk-weighted assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Adjusted average assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total leverage exposure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
__________
(1)

(29) 

(14,448) 

(86) 

— 

40,736 

4,847 

45,583 

3,385 

3,820 

7,205 

1,156 

(14,465) 

(170) 

(360) 

38,162 

4,853 

43,015 

3,377 

3,956 

7,333 

$ 

$ 

52,788  $ 

50,348 

297,903  $ 

406,762 

427,522 

313,155 

368,511 

435,976 

In the first quarter of 2020, we elected to exclude from our regulatory capital ratios certain components of AOCI as permitted under the Tailoring Rules. 
As such, we revised our presentation herein to only include those components of AOCI that impact our regulatory capital ratios.

Capital Planning and Regulatory Stress Testing

On  June  25,  2020,  the  Federal  Reserve  released  the  stress  testing  results  for  the  2020  CCAR  cycle,  including  additional 
sensitivity analyses conducted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and notified all participating BHCs, including us, of their stress 
capital buffer requirements. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Reserve required all participating BHCs, including 
us,  to  update  and  resubmit  their  capital  plans  in  the  fourth  quarter  of  2020,  and  to  preserve  capital  by  suspending  share 
repurchases  and  capping  common  stock  dividend  payments  for  the  third  and  fourth  quarters  of  2020  to  the  lower  of  (i)  the 
amount paid in the second quarter of 2020 and (ii) an amount equal to the average net income earned across the four preceding 
calendar  quarters.  Scheduled  payments  on  additional  Tier  1  and  Tier  2  capital  instruments,  such  as  preferred  stock  and 
subordinated debt, were not similarly restricted. 

We conducted a second round of stress tests and submitted our updated capital plan to the Federal Reserve on November 2, 
2020.  On  December  18,  2020,  the  Federal  Reserve  released  the  results  of  its  second  round  of  supervisory  stress  tests.  The 
Federal Reserve did not recalculate our stress capital buffer requirement at this time but reserved its ability to do so until March 
31, 2021. Finally, the Federal Reserve extended the capital distribution restrictions for all participating BHCs through at least 
the first quarter of 2021 with certain modifications. In particular, for the first quarter of 2021, participating BHCs may resume 
share  repurchases  but  the  aggregate  amount  of  common  stock  dividend  payments  and  share  repurchases  shall  not  exceed  an 
amount equal to the average net income earned across the four preceding calendar quarters. In addition, common stock dividend 
payments for the first quarter of 2021 continue to be capped at the amount paid in the second quarter of 2020. 

We suspended our 2019 Stock Repurchase Program on March 13, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic through the 
program’s expiration at the end of the second quarter of 2020. As described above, for the third and fourth quarters of 2020, we 
were restricted from engaging in share repurchases. On January 25, 2021, our Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of 
up to $7.5 billion of shares of our common stock.

74

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We distributed dividends of $0.40 per share on our common stock in the first and second quarters of 2020. Consistent with the 
Federal  Reserve’s  capital  distribution  restrictions  described  above,  we  reduced  our  quarterly  dividend  on  our  common  stock 
from $0.40 per share to $0.10 per share for the third quarter of 2020. For the fourth quarter of 2020, while our third quarter 
results would have permitted us to increase our common stock dividend pursuant to the Federal Reserve’s limitations described 
above, we maintained our quarterly dividend at $0.10 per share as the process surrounding our resubmitted capital plan had not 
been completed at that time. 

On February 4, 2021, our Board of Directors approved returning our quarterly common stock dividend to $0.40 per share for 
the first quarter of 2021.

For the description of the regulatory capital planning rules we are subject to, see “Part I—Item 1. Business—Supervision and 
Regulation.”

Equity Offerings and Transactions

On January 31, 2020, we issued 50,000,000 depositary shares, each representing a 1/40th interest in a share of Fixed Rate Non-
Cumulative  Perpetual  Preferred  Stock,  Series  J,  $0.01  par  value,  with  a  liquidation  preference  of  $25  per  depositary  share 
(“Series J Preferred Stock”). The net proceeds of the offering of Series J Preferred Stock were approximately $1.2 billion after 
deducting underwriting commissions and offering expenses. Dividends on the Series J Preferred Stock are payable quarterly in 
arrears at a rate of 4.80% per annum.

On March 2, 2020, we redeemed all outstanding shares of our Fixed Rate 6.00% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock 
Series  B.  The  redemption  resulted  in  the  recognition  of  deferred  issuance  costs,  which  reduced  our  net  income  available  to 
common shareholders by $22 million for the year ended December 31, 2020.

On  September  17,  2020,  we  issued  5,000,000  depositary  shares,  each  representing  a  1/40th  interest  in  a  share  of  Fixed  Rate 
Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series K, $0.01 par value, with a liquidation preference of $25 per depositary share 
(“Series K Preferred Stock”). The net proceeds of the offering of Series K Preferred Stock were approximately $122 million 
after  deducting  underwriting  commissions  and  offering  expenses.  Dividends  on  the  Series  K  Preferred  Stock  are  payable 
quarterly in arrears at a rate of 4.625% per annum.

On December 1, 2020, we redeemed all outstanding shares of our Fixed Rate 6.20% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock 
Series  F.  The  redemption  resulted  in  the  recognition  of  deferred  issuance  costs,  which  reduced  our  net  income  available  to 
common shareholders by $17 million for the year ended December 31, 2020.

75

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Dividend Policy and Stock Purchases 

For the year ended December 31, 2020, we declared and paid common stock dividends of $463 million, or $1.00 per share, 
and preferred stock dividends of $280 million. The following table summarizes the dividends paid per share on our various 
preferred stock series in each quarter of 2020.

Table 15: Preferred Stock Dividends Paid Per Share 

Series
Series B(1)

Series E

Description
6.000% 
Non-Cumulative
Fixed-to-
Floating Rate
Non-Cumulative

Issuance Date
August 20, 2012

May 14, 2015

Series F(2)

Series G

Series H

Series I

Series J

Series K

6.200% 
Non-Cumulative
5.200%
Non-Cumulative
6.000% 
Non-Cumulative
5.000% 
Non-Cumulative
4.800% 
Non-Cumulative
4.625%
Non-Cumulative

August 24, 2015

July 29, 2016

November 29, 
2016
September 11, 
2019
January 31, 2020

September 17, 
2020

Per Annum 
Dividend Rate
6.000%

Dividend 
Frequency
Quarterly

2020

Q4
—

Q3
—

Q1

Q2
— $15.00

5.550% through 
5/31/2020; 
3-mo. LIBOR + 
380 bps thereafter

6.200

5.200

6.000

5.000

4.800

4.625

Semi-Annually 
through 
5/31/2020; 
Quarterly 
thereafter
Quarterly

$10.23 $10.61 $27.75 —

15.50

15.50

15.50

15.50

Quarterly

13.00

13.00

13.00

13.00

Quarterly

15.00

15.00

15.00

15.00

Quarterly

12.50

12.50

12.50

12.50

Quarterly

12.00

12.00

16.13 —

Quarterly

9.51

—

—

—

__________
(1)

On March 2, 2020, we redeemed all outstanding shares of our preferred stock Series B.

(2)

On December 1, 2020, we redeemed all outstanding shares of our preferred stock Series F. 

The declaration and payment of dividends to our stockholders, as well as the amount thereof, are subject to the discretion of our 
Board  of  Directors  and  depend  upon  our  results  of  operations,  financial  condition,  capital  levels,  cash  requirements,  future 
prospects, regulatory requirements and other factors deemed relevant by the Board of Directors. As a BHC, our ability to pay 
dividends is largely dependent upon the receipt of dividends or other payments from our subsidiaries. The Banks are subject to 
regulatory  restrictions  that  limit  their  ability  to  transfer  funds  to  our  BHC.  As  of  December  31,  2020,  funds  available  for 
dividend payments from COBNA and CONA were $4.0 billion and $1.8 billion, respectively. There can be no assurance that 
we will declare and pay any dividends to stockholders. 

Consistent  with  our  2019  Stock  Repurchase  Program  which  was  announced  on  June  27,  2019,  our  Board  of  Directors 
authorized the repurchase of up to $2.2 billion of shares of common stock beginning in the third quarter of 2019 through the 
end of the second quarter of 2020. During the first quarter of 2020, we repurchased approximately $312 million of shares of our 
common  stock  under  the  2019  Stock  Repurchase  Program  before  suspending  further  repurchases  on  March  13,  2020  in 
response  to  the  COVID-19  pandemic  through  the  program's  expiration  at  the  end  of  the  second  quarter  of  2020.  As  noted 
above, for the third and fourth quarters of 2020, the Federal Reserve required all participating banking organizations, including 
us, to suspend share repurchases as a measure of capital preservation. On January 25, 2021, our Board of Directors authorized 
the repurchase of up to $7.5 billion of shares of our common stock.

The  timing  and  exact  amount  of  any  future  common  stock  repurchases  will  depend  on  various  factors,  including  regulatory 
approval,  market  conditions,  opportunities  for  growth,  our  capital  position  and  the  amount  of  retained  earnings.  Our  stock 
repurchase  program  does  not  include  specific  price  targets,  may  be  executed  through  open  market  purchases  or  privately 
negotiated  transactions,  including  utilizing  Rule  10b5-1  programs,  and  may  be  suspended  at  any  time.  For  additional 
information on dividends and stock repurchases, see “MD&A—Capital Management—Capital Planning and Regulatory Stress 
Testing” and “Part I—Item 1. Business—Supervision and Regulation—Dividends, Stock Repurchases and Transfers of Funds”.

76

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

RISK MANAGEMENT

Risk Management Framework

Our Risk Management Framework (the “Framework”) sets consistent expectations for risk management across the Company. It 
also sets expectations for our “Three Lines of Defense” model, which defines the roles, responsibilities and accountabilities for 
taking and managing risk across the Company. Accountability for overseeing an effective Framework resides with our Board of 
Directors either directly or through its committees. 

The “First Line of Defense” consists of any line of business or function that is accountable for risk taking and is responsible for: 
(i) engaging in activities designed to generate revenue or reduce expenses; (ii) providing operational support or servicing to any 
business function for the delivery of products or services to customers; or (iii) providing technology services in direct support 
of first line business areas. Each line of business or first line function must manage the risks associated with their activities, 
including  identifying,  assessing,  measuring,  monitoring,  controlling  and  reporting  the  risks  within  its  business  activities, 
consistent  with  the  risk  framework.  The  “Second  Line  of  Defense”  consists  of  two  types  of  functions:  Independent  Risk 
Management  (“IRM”)  and  Support  Functions.  IRM  oversees  risk-taking  activities  and  assesses  risks  and  issues  independent 
from  the  first  line  of  defense.  Support  Functions  are  centers  of  specialized  expertise  (e.g.,  Human  Resources,  Accounting, 
Legal)  that  provide  support  services  to  the  Company.  The  “Third  Line  of  Defense”  is  comprised  of  the  Internal  Audit  and 
Credit Review functions. The third line provides independent and objective assurance to senior management and to the Board 
of  Directors  that  the  first  and  second  lines  of  defense  have  systems  and  governance  processes  which  are  well-designed  and 
working as intended, and that the Framework is appropriate for our size, complexity and risk profile. 

Our Framework consists of the following nine elements: 

 Governance and Accountability

Strategy and Risk Alignment

Risk Identification

Assessment, Measurement
and Response

Monitoring and Testing

Aggregation, Reporting and 
Escalation

Capital and Liquidity Management (including Stress Testing)

Risk Data and Enabling Technology

Culture and Talent Management

Governance and Accountability

Governance  and  accountability  sets  the  foundation  for  the  methods  for  governing  risk  taking  and  the  interactions  within  and 
among our three lines of defense.

We established a risk governance structure and accountabilities to effectively and consistently oversee the management of risks 
across the Company. Our Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer and management establish the tone at the top regarding 
the  culture  of  the  Company,  including  management  of  risk.  Management  reinforces  expectations  at  the  various  levels  of  the 
organization. 

77

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Strategy and Risk Alignment

Our  strategy  is  informed  by  and  aligned  with  risk  appetite,  from  development  to  execution.  The  Chief  Executive  Officer 
develops  the  strategy  with  input  from  the  first,  second,  and  third  lines  of  defense,  as  well  as  the  Board  of  Directors.  The 
strategic planning process should consider relevant changes to the Company’s overall risk profile. 

Our Board of Directors approves a Risk Appetite Statement for the Company to set forth the high-level principles that govern 
risk taking at the Company. The Risk Appetite Statement defines the Board of Directors’ tolerance for certain risk outcomes at 
an enterprise level and enables senior management to manage and report within these boundaries. This Risk Appetite Statement 
is also supported by risk category specific risk appetite statements as well as metrics and, where appropriate, Board Limits and 
Board Notification Thresholds.

Risk Identification

The first line of defense and certain Support Functions shall identify new and emerging risks across the relevant risk categories 
associated with their business activities and objectives, in consultation with IRM. Risk identification also must be informed by 
major  changes  in  infrastructure  or  organization,  introduction  of  new  products  and  services,  acquisitions  of  businesses,  or 
substantial changes in the internal or external environment.

IRM  and  certain  Support  Functions,  where  appropriate,  provide  effective  challenge  in  the  risk  identification  process.  IRM  is 
also responsible for identifying our material aggregate risks on an ongoing basis.

Assessment, Measurement and Response

Management shall assess risks associated with our activities. Risks identified should be assessed to understand the severity of 
each risk and likelihood of occurrence under both normal and stressful conditions. Risk severity is measured through modeling 
and other quantitative estimation approaches, as well as qualitative approaches, based on management judgment. As part of the 
risk assessment process, the first and second lines of defense also evaluate the effectiveness of the existing control environment 
and mitigation strategies.

Management shall determine the appropriate risk response. Risks may be mitigated, accepted, transferred, or avoided. Actions 
taken to respond to the risk include implementing new controls, enhancing existing controls, developing additional mitigation 
strategies to reduce the impact of the risk, and/or monitoring the risk. 

Monitoring and Testing

Management periodically monitors risks to evaluate and measure how the risk is affecting our strategy and business objectives, 
in  alignment  with  management’s  risk  appetite,  including  established  concentration  risk  limits.  The  scope  and  frequency  of 
monitoring  activities  depend  on  the  results  of  relevant  risk  assessments,  as  well  as  specific  business  risk  operations  and 
activities.

The first line of defense is required to evaluate the effectiveness of risk management practices and controls through testing and 
other activities. IRM and Support Functions, as appropriate, assess the first line of defense’s evaluation of risk management, 
which  may  include  conducting  effective  challenge,  performing  independent  monitoring,  or  conducting  risk  or  control 
validations. The third line of defense provides independent assurance for first and second line risk management practices and 
controls. 

Aggregation, Reporting and Escalation

Risk aggregation supports strategic decision making and risk management practices through collectively reporting risks across 
different levels of the Company and providing a comprehensive view of performance against risk appetite. Capital One’s risk 
aggregation processes are designed to aggregate risk information from lower levels of the business hierarchy to high levels and 
to aggregate risk information to determine material risk themes.

Material risks, new or emerging risks, aggregate risks, risk appetite metrics and other measures across all risk categories are 
reported to the appropriate governance forum no less than quarterly. Material risks are reported to the Board of Directors and 
senior management committees no less than quarterly.

78

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Capital and Liquidity Management (including Stress Testing)

Our  capital  management  processes  are  linked  to  our  risk  management  practices,  including  the  enterprise-wide  identification, 
assessment  and  measurement  of  risks  to  ensure  that  all  relevant  risks  are  incorporated  in  the  assessment  of  the  Company's 
capital adequacy. We use identified risks to inform key aspects of the Company’s capital planning, including the development 
of  stress  scenarios,  the  assessment  of  the  adequacy  of  post-stress  capital  levels,  and  the  appropriateness  of  potential  capital 
actions  considering  the  Company’s  capital  objectives.  We  quantify  capital  needs  through  stress  testing,  regulatory  capital, 
economic capital and assessments of market considerations. In assessing our capital adequacy, we identify how and where our 
material risks are accounted for within the capital planning process. Monitoring and escalation processes exist for key capital 
thresholds and metrics to continuously monitor capital adequacy. 

Capital One identifies and manages funding and liquidity risks that could affect its earnings, balance sheet strength and investor 
confidence. The Company also manages its liquidity position to satisfy regulatory requirements. The Company implements its 
liquidity  management  philosophy  through  the  Liquidity  Adequacy  Framework  ("Liquidity  Framework").  The  Liquidity 
Framework  enables  Capital  One  to  meet  its  liquidity  goal  of  maintaining  a  fortified  balance  sheet  that  is  resilient  to 
uncertainties that may arise because of systemic or idiosyncratic liquidity events. 

Risk Data and Enabling Technology

Risk  data  and  technology  provides  the  basis  for  risk  reporting  and  is  used  in  decision  making  and  to  monitor  and  review 
changes to our risk profile. There is a core Governance, Risk Management and Compliance system which is used as the system 
of  record  for  risks,  controls,  issues  and  events  for  our  risk  categories  and  supports  the  analysis,  aggregation  and  reporting 
capabilities across the categories.

Culture and Talent Management

The  Framework  must  be  supported  with  the  right  culture,  talent  and  skills  to  enable  effective  risk  management  across  the 
Company. 

Every associate at the Company is responsible for risk management; however, associates with specific risk management skills 
and expertise within the first, second and third lines of defense are critical to executing appropriate risk management across the 
enterprise.

79

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Risk Categories

We apply our Framework to protect the Company from the major categories of risk that we are exposed to through our business 
activities. Our seven major categories of risk are: 

Major Categories of Risk

Compliance

The  risk  to  current  or  anticipated  earnings  or  capital  arising  from  violations  of  laws,  rules  or  regulations. 
Compliance  risk  can  also  arise  from  nonconformance  with  prescribed  practices,  internal  policies  and  procedures, 
contractual obligations or ethical standards that reinforce those laws, rules or regulations

Credit

The risk to current or projected financial condition and resilience arising from an obligor’s failure to meet the terms 
of any contract with the Company or otherwise perform as agreed

Liquidity

The risk that the Company will not be able to meet its future financial obligations as they come due, or invest in 
future asset growth because of an inability to obtain funds at a reasonable price within a reasonable time

Market

The risk that an institution’s earnings or the economic value of equity could be adversely impacted by changes in 
interest rates, foreign exchange rates or other market factors

Operational

The risk of loss, capital impairment,  adverse  customer experience  or reputational impact resulting  from failure  to 
comply with policies and procedures, failed internal processes or systems, or from external events

Reputation

The risk to market value, recruitment and retention of talented associates and maintenance of a loyal customer base 
due  to  the  negative  perceptions  of  our  internal  and  external  constituents  regarding  our  business  strategies  and 
activities

Strategic

The risk of a material impact on current or anticipated earnings, capital, franchise or enterprise value arising from 
the  Company’s  competitive  and  market  position  and  evolving  forces  in  the  industry  that  can  affect  that  position; 
lack  of  responsiveness  to  these  conditions;  strategic  decisions  to  change  the  Company’s  scale,  market  position  or 
operating model; or, failure to appropriately consider implementation risks inherent in the Company’s strategy

We provide an overview of how we manage our seven major categories of risk below.

Compliance Risk Management

We  recognize  that  compliance  requirements  for  financial  institutions  are  increasingly  complex  and  that  there  are  heightened 
expectations  from  our  regulators  and  our  customers.  In  response,  we  continuously  evaluate  the  regulatory  environment  and 
proactively adjust our compliance program to fully address these expectations.

Our Compliance Management Program establishes expectations for determining compliance requirements, assessing the risk of 
new product offerings, creating appropriate controls and training to address requirements, monitoring for control performance 
and independently testing for adherence to compliance requirements. The program also establishes regular compliance reporting 
to senior business leaders, the executive committee and the Board of Directors.

80

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

The Chief Compliance Officer is responsible for establishing and overseeing our Compliance Management Program. Business 
areas incorporate compliance requirements and controls into their business policies, standards, processes and procedures. They 
regularly  monitor  and  report  on  the  efficacy  of  their  compliance  controls  and  our  Corporate  Compliance  team  periodically 
independently tests to validate the effectiveness of business controls.

Credit Risk Management

We recognize that we are exposed to cyclical changes in credit quality. Consequently, we try to ensure our credit portfolio is 
resilient to economic downturns. Our most important tool in this endeavor is sound underwriting. In unsecured consumer loan 
underwriting, we generally assume that loans will be subject to an environment in which losses are higher than those prevailing 
at the time of underwriting. In commercial underwriting, we generally require strong cash flow, collateral, covenants, structural 
enhancements,  or  and  guarantees.  In  addition  to  sound  underwriting,  we  continually  monitor  our  portfolio  and  take  steps  to 
collect or work out distressed loans. 

The  Chief  Risk  Officer,  in  conjunction  with  the  Consumer  and  Commercial  Chief  Credit  Officers,  is  responsible  for 
establishing credit risk policies and procedures, including underwriting and hold guidelines and credit approval authority, and 
monitoring credit exposure and performance of our lending related transactions. Our Consumer and Commercial Chief Credit 
Officers are responsible for evaluating the risk implications of credit strategy and the oversight of credit for both the existing 
portfolio  and  any  new  credit  investments.  They  also  have  formal  approval  authority  for  various  types  and  levels  of  credit 
decisions,  including  individual  commercial  loan  transactions.  Division  Presidents  within  each  segment  are  responsible  for 
managing the credit risk within their divisions and maintaining processes to control credit risk and comply with credit policies 
and guidelines. In addition, the Chief Risk Officer establishes policies, delegates approval authority and monitors performance 
for non-loan credit exposure entered into with financial counterparties or through the purchase of credit sensitive securities in 
our investment portfolio. 

Our  credit  policies  establish  standards  in  five  areas:  customer  selection,  underwriting,  monitoring,  remediation  and  portfolio 
management.  The  standards  in  each  area  provide  a  framework  comprising  specific  objectives  and  control  processes.  These 
standards are supported by detailed policies and procedures for each component of the credit process. Starting with customer 
selection, our goal is to generally provide credit on terms that generate above hurdle returns. We use a number of quantitative 
and qualitative factors to manage credit risk, including setting credit risk limits and guidelines for each of our lines of business. 
We monitor performance relative to these guidelines and report results and any required mitigating actions to appropriate senior 
management committees and our Board of Directors. 

Liquidity Risk Management

We manage liquidity risk by applying our Liquidity Framework. The Liquidity Framework uses internal and regulatory stress 
testing and the evaluation of other balance sheet metrics to confirm that we maintain a fortified balance sheet that is resilient to 
uncertainties that may arise as a consequence of systemic, idiosyncratic, or combined liquidity events. We continuously monitor 
market and economic conditions to evaluate emerging stress conditions and to develop appropriate action plans in accordance 
with our Contingency Funding Plan and our Recovery Plan, which include the Company’s policies, procedures and action plans 
for  managing  liquidity  stress  events.  The  Liquidity  Framework  enables  us  to  manage  our  liquidity  risk  in  accordance  with 
regulatory requirements. 

Additionally, the Liquidity Framework establishes governing principles that apply to the management of liquidity risk. We use 
these  principles  to  monitor,  measure  and  report  liquidity  risk;  to  develop  funding  and  investment  strategies  that  enable  us  to 
maintain an adequate level of liquidity to support our businesses and satisfy regulatory requirements; and to protect us from a 
broad range of liquidity events should they arise.

The Chief Risk Officer, in conjunction with the Chief Market and Liquidity Risk Officer, is responsible for the establishment of 
liquidity risk management policies and standards for governance and monitoring of liquidity risk at a corporate level. We assess 
liquidity strength by evaluating several different balance sheet metrics under severe stress scenarios to ensure we can withstand 
significant funding degradation through idiosyncratic, systemic, and combined liquidity stress scenarios. Management reports 
liquidity metrics to appropriate senior management committees and our Board of Directors no less than quarterly. 

We seek to mitigate liquidity risk strategically and tactically. From a strategic perspective, we have acquired and built deposit 
gathering  businesses  and  actively  monitor  our  funding  concentration.  From  a  tactical  perspective,  we  have  accumulated  a 
sizable  liquidity  reserve  comprised  of  cash  and  cash  equivalents,  high-quality,  unencumbered  securities  and  committed 

81

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

collateralized credit lines. We also continue to maintain access to secured and unsecured debt markets through regular issuance. 
This  combination  of  stable  and  diversified  funding  sources  and  our  stockpile  of  liquidity  reserves  enable  us  to  maintain 
confidence in our liquidity position.

Market Risk Management

The  Chief  Financial  Officer  and  the  Chief  Risk  Officer  are  responsible  for  the  establishment  of  market  risk  management 
policies and standards for the governance and monitoring of market risk at a corporate level. Market risk is inherent from the 
financial  instruments  associated  with  our  business  operations  and  activities  including  loans,  deposits,  securities,  short-term 
borrowings,  long-term  debt  and  derivatives.  We  manage  market  risk  exposure,  which  is  principally  driven  by  balance  sheet 
interest rate risk, centrally and establish quantitative risk limits to monitor and control our exposure. 

We recognize that interest rate and foreign exchange risk is present in our business due to the nature of our assets and liabilities. 
Banks typically manage the trade-off between near-term earnings volatility and market value volatility by targeting moderate 
levels of each. In addition to using industry accepted techniques to analyze and measure interest rate and foreign exchange risk, 
we  perform  sensitivity  analyses  to  identify  our  risk  exposures  under  a  broad  range  of  scenarios.  Investment  securities  and 
derivatives  are  the  main  levers  for  the  management  of  interest  rate  risk.  In  addition,  we  also  use  derivatives  to  manage  our 
foreign exchange risk.

The  market  risk  positions  for  the  Company  and  each  of  the  Banks  are  calculated  separately  and  in  aggregate,  and  analyzed 
against pre-established limits. Results are reported to the Asset Liability Committee monthly and to the Risk Committee of the 
Board of Directors no less than quarterly. Management is authorized to utilize financial instruments as outlined in our policy to 
actively manage market risk exposure.

Operational Risk Management

We recognize the criticality of managing operational risk on both a strategic and day-to-day basis and that there are heightened 
expectations from our regulators and our customers. We have implemented appropriate operational risk management policies, 
standards,  processes  and  controls  to  enable  the  delivery  of  high  quality  and  consistent  customer  experiences  and  to  achieve 
business objectives in a controlled manner.

The Chief Operational Risk Officer is responsible for establishing and overseeing our Operational Risk Management Program. 
In  accordance  with  Basel  III  requirements,  the  program  establishes  practices  for  assessing  the  operational  risk  profile  and 
executing key control processes for operational risks. These risks include topics such as internal and external fraud, cyber and 
technology risk, data management, model risk, third party management and business continuity. Operational Risk Management 
enforces  these  practices  and  delivers  reporting  of  operational  risk  results  to  senior  business  leaders,  the  executive  committee 
and the Board of Directors.

Reputation Risk Management

We recognize that reputation risk is of particular concern for financial institutions and, increasingly, technology companies, in 
the  current  environment.  Areas  of  concern  have  expanded  to  include  company  policies,  practices  and  values  and,  with  the 
growing  use  of  social  and  digital  platforms,  public  corporations  face  a  new  level  of  scrutiny  and  channels  for  activism  and 
advocacy. The heightened expectations of internal and external stakeholders have made corporate culture, values and conduct 
pressure  points  for  individuals  and  advocates  voicing  concerns  or  seeking  change.  We  manage  both  strategic  and  tactical 
reputation issues and build our relationships with government officials, media, community and consumer advocates, customers 
and  other  constituencies  to  help  strengthen  the  reputations  of  both  our  Company  and  industry.  Our  actions  include 
implementing  pro-customer  practices  in  our  business  and  serving  low  to  moderate  income  communities  in  our  market  area 
consistent  with  a  quality  bank  and  an  innovative  technology  leader.  The  Executive  Vice  President  of  External  Affairs  is 
responsible for managing our overall reputation risk program. Day-to-day activities are controlled by the frameworks set forth 
in our Reputation Risk Management Policy and other risk management policies.

Strategic Risk Management

We monitor external market and industry developments to identify potential areas of strategic opportunity or risk. These items 
provide  input  for  development  of  the  Company’s  strategy  led  by  the  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  other  senior  executives. 
Through  the  ongoing  development  and  vetting  of  the  corporate  strategy,  the  Chief  Risk  Officer  identifies  and  assesses  risks 
associated with the strategy across all risk categories and monitors them throughout the year.

82

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CREDIT RISK PROFILE

Our loan portfolio accounts for the substantial majority of our credit risk exposure. Our lending activities are governed under 
our credit policy and are subject to independent review and approval. Below we provide information about the composition of 
our loan portfolio, key concentrations and credit performance metrics.

We also engage in certain non-lending activities that may give rise to ongoing credit and counterparty settlement risk, including 
purchasing  securities  for  our  investment  securities  portfolio,  entering  into  derivative  transactions  to  manage  our  market  risk 
exposure  and  to  accommodate  customers,  extending  short-term  advances  on  syndication  activity  including  bridge  financing 
transactions we have underwritten, depositing certain operational cash balances in other financial institutions, executing certain 
foreign exchange transactions and extending customer overdrafts. We provide additional information related to our investment 
securities portfolio under “MD&A—Consolidated Balance Sheets Analysis—Investment Securities” and credit risk related to 
derivative transactions in “Note 9—Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities.”

Primary Loan Products 

We provide a variety of lending products. Our primary loan products include credit cards, auto loans and commercial lending 
products. We sold all of our consumer home loan portfolio and the related servicing during 2018. 

•

•

•

Credit  cards:  We  originate  both  prime  and  subprime  credit  cards  through  a  variety  of  channels.  Our  credit  cards 
generally have variable interest rates. Credit card accounts are primarily underwritten using an automated underwriting 
system  based  on  predictive  models  that  we  have  developed.  The  underwriting  criteria,  which  are  customized  for 
individual products and marketing programs, are established based on an analysis of the net present value of expected 
revenues, expenses and losses, subject to further analysis using a variety of stress conditions. Underwriting decisions are 
generally based on credit bureau information, including payment history, debt burden and credit scores, such as FICO 
scores, and on other factors, such as applicant income. We maintain a credit card securitization program and selectively 
sell charged-off credit card loans.

Auto: We originate both prime and subprime auto loans through a network of auto dealers and direct marketing. Our auto 
loans generally have fixed interest rates and loan terms of 75 months or less, but can go up to 84 months. Loan size limits 
are customized by program and are generally less than $75,000. Similar to credit card accounts, the underwriting criteria 
are customized for individual products and marketing programs and based on analysis of net present value of expected 
revenues,  expenses  and  losses,  and  are  subject  to  maintaining  resilience  under  a  variety  of  stress  conditions. 
Underwriting decisions are generally based on an applicant’s income, estimated net disposable income, and credit bureau 
information  including  FICO  scores,  along  with  collateral  characteristics  such  as  loan-to-value  (“LTV”)  ratio.  We 
maintain an auto securitization program.

Commercial: We offer a range of commercial lending products, including loans secured by commercial real estate and 
loans  to  middle  market  commercial  and  industrial  companies.  Our  commercial  loans  may  have  a  fixed  or  variable 
interest rate; however, the majority of our commercial loans have variable rates. Our underwriting standards require an 
analysis  of  the  borrower’s  financial  condition  and  prospects,  as  well  as  an  assessment  of  the  industry  in  which  the 
borrower  operates.  Where  relevant,  we  evaluate  and  appraise  underlying  collateral  and  guarantees.  We  maintain 
underwriting  guidelines  and  limits  for  major  types  of  borrowers  and  loan  products  that  specify,  where  applicable, 
guidelines for debt service coverage, leverage, LTV ratio and standard covenants and conditions. We assign a risk rating 
and  establish  a  monitoring  schedule  for  loans  based  on  the  risk  profile  of  the  borrower,  industry  segment,  source  of 
repayment, the underlying collateral and guarantees, if any, and current market conditions. Although we generally retain 
the commercial loans we underwrite, we may syndicate positions for risk mitigation purposes, including bridge financing 
transactions we have underwritten. In addition, we originate and service multifamily commercial real estate loans which 
are sold to government-sponsored enterprises.

83

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Portfolio Composition and Maturity Profile of Loans Held for Investment

Our loan portfolio consists of loans held for investment, including loans held in our consolidated trusts, and loans held for sale. 
The  information  presented  in  this  section  excludes  loans  held  for  sale,  which  totaled  $2.7  billion  and  $400  million  as  of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Concurrent with our adoption of the CECL standard in the first quarter of 2020, we 
reclassified our finance charge and fee reserve to our allowance for credit losses, with a corresponding increase to credit card 
loans held for investment.

Table 16 presents the composition of our portfolio of loans held for investment by portfolio segment as of December 31, 2020 
and 2019. 

Table 16: Portfolio Composition of Loans Held for Investment 

(Dollars in millions)
Credit Card:

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Loans

% of Total

Loans

% of Total

Domestic credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

98,504 

 39.1 % $  118,606 

 44.6 %

International card businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8,452 

Total credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

106,956 

Consumer Banking:

Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Retail banking(1)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Commercial Banking:(1)

Commercial and multifamily real estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Commercial and industrial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

65,762 

3,126 

68,888 

30,681 

45,099 

75,780 

 3.4 

 42.5 

 26.2 

 1.2 

 27.4 

 12.2 

 17.9 

 30.1 

9,630 

128,236 

60,362 

2,703 

63,065 

30,245 

44,263 

74,508 

 3.6 

 48.2 

 22.7 

 1.0 

 23.7 

 11.4 

 16.7 

 28.1 

Total loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$  251,624 

 100.0 % $  265,809 

 100.0 %

__________
(1)

Includes PPP loans of $919 million and $238 million in our retail and commercial loan portfolios, respectively, as of December 31, 2020. See “MD&A—
Credit Risk Profile—COVID-19 Customer Assistance Programs and Loan Modifications” for more information.

84

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 17 presents the maturities of our loans held for investment portfolio as of December 31, 2020.

Table 17: Loan Maturity Schedule

(Dollars in millions)
Fixed rate:

December 31, 2020

Due Up to
1 Year

> 1 Year
to 5 Years

> 5 Years

Total

Credit card(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total fixed-rate loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

646  $  11,294 

—  $  11,940 

711 

1,370 

2,727 

40,176  $  27,263 

5,414 

56,884 

8,444 

35,707 

68,150 

15,228 

95,318 

Variable rate:

Credit card(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

95,015 

711 

Commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

14,006 

Total variable-rate loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

  109,732 

1 

22 

38,299 

38,322 

— 

5 

95,016 

738 

8,247 

60,552 

8,252 

  156,306 

Total loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$  112,459  $  95,206  $  43,959  $  251,624 

__________
(1)

Due to the revolving nature of credit card loans, we report the majority of our variable-rate credit card loans as due in one year or less. We report fixed-
rate credit card loans with introductory rates that expire after a certain period of time as due in one year or less. We assume that the rest of our remaining 
fixed-rate credit card loans will mature within one to three years.

Geographic Composition

We  market  our  credit  card  products  throughout  the  United  States,  Canada  and  the  United  Kingdom.  Our  credit  card  loan 
portfolio  is  geographically  diversified  due  to  our  product  and  marketing  approach.  The  table  below  presents  the  geographic 
profile of our credit card loan portfolio as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Table 18: Credit Card Portfolio by Geographic Region 

(Dollars in millions)
Domestic credit card:

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Amount

% of Total

Amount

% of Total

California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Illinois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ohio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

New Jersey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total domestic credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

International card businesses:

Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

United Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total international card businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

9,943 

8,090 

6,910 

6,327 

4,158 

4,149 

3,645 

3,179 

3,046 

3,010 

46,047 

98,504 

5,728 

2,724 

8,452 

 9.3 % $ 

12,538 

 9.8 %

 7.6 

 6.5 

 5.9 

 3.9 

 3.9 

 3.4 

 3.0 

 2.8 

 2.8 

 43.0 

 92.1 

 5.4 

 2.5 

 7.9 

9,353 

8,093 

7,941 

4,979 

5,195 

4,388 

3,915 

3,553 

3,811 

54,840 

118,606 

6,493 

3,137 

9,630 

 7.3 

 6.3 

 6.2 

 3.9 

 4.1 

 3.4 

 3.1 

 2.8 

 3.0 

 42.6 

 92.5 

 5.1 

 2.4 

 7.5 

Total credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$  106,956 

 100.0 % $  128,236 

 100.0 %

85

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Our  auto  loan  portfolio  is  geographically  diversified  in  the  United  States  due  to  our  product  and  marketing  approach.  Retail 
banking includes small business loans and other consumer lending products originated through our branch network. The table 
below presents the geographic profile of our auto loan and retail banking portfolios as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Table 19: Consumer Banking Portfolio by Geographic Region 

(Dollars in millions)
Auto:

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Amount

% of Total

Amount

% of Total

Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Ohio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Illinois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

North Carolina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Retail banking:

8,207 

7,573 

5,544 

2,989 

2,770 

2,569 

2,431 

2,280 

31,399 

65,762 

New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

1,081 

Louisiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Maryland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

New Jersey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

634 

576 

224 

222 

179 

210 

Total retail banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3,126 

 11.9 % $ 

 11.0 

 8.1 

 4.3 

 4.0 

 3.7 

 3.5 

 3.3 

 45.7 

 95.5 

 1.6 

 0.9 

 0.8 

 0.3 

 0.3 

 0.3 

 0.3 

 4.5 

7,675 

6,918 

5,013 

2,757 

2,652 

2,334 

2,239 

2,060 

28,714 

60,362 

793 

708 

595 

155 

194 

125 

133 

2,703 

 12.2 %

 11.0 

 7.9 

 4.4 

 4.2 

 3.7 

 3.6 

 3.3 

 45.4 

 95.7 

 1.3 

 1.1 

 1.0 

 0.2 

 0.3 

 0.2 

 0.2 

 4.3 

Total consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

68,888 

 100.0 % $ 

63,065 

 100.0 %

We  originate  commercial  loans  in  most  regions  of  the  United  States.  The  table  below  presents  the  geographic  profile  of  our 
commercial loan portfolio by segment as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Table 20: Commercial Banking Portfolio by Geographic Region 

Commercial
and
Multifamily
Real Estate

% of
Total

Commercial
and
Industrial

% of
Total

Total
Commercial
Banking

% of
Total 

December 31, 2020

(Dollars in millions)
Geographic concentration:(1)

Northeast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

17,306 

 56.4 % $ 

Mid-Atlantic . . . . . . . . . . . . .

South . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3,006 

4,134 

6,235 

 9.8 

 13.5 

 20.3 

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

30,681 

 100.0 % $ 

8,995 

6,228 

14,974 

14,902 

45,099 

 20.0 % $ 

 13.8 

 33.2 

 33.0 

 100.0 % $ 

26,301 

9,234 

19,108 

21,137 

75,780 

 34.7 %

 12.2 

 25.2 

 27.9 

 100.0 %

86

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Commercial
and
Multifamily
Real Estate

$ 

$ 

17,139 
3,024 
4,087 
5,995 
30,245 

December 31, 2019

% of
Total

Commercial
and
Industrial

% of
Total

Total
Commercial
Banking

% of
Total 

 56.7 % $ 
 10.0 
 13.5 
 19.8 
 100.0 % $ 

7,899 
5,927 
16,403 
14,034 
44,263 

 17.8 % $ 
 13.4 
 37.1 
 31.7 
 100.0 % $ 

25,038 
8,951 
20,490 
20,029 
74,508 

 33.6 %
 12.0 
 27.5 
 26.9 
 100.0 %

(Dollars in millions)
Geographic concentration:(1)

Northeast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Mid-Atlantic . . . . . . . . . . . . .
South . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
__________
(1)

Geographic  concentration  is  generally  determined  by  the  location  of  the  borrower’s  business  or  the  location  of  the  collateral  associated  with  the  loan. 
Northeast consists of CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA and VT. Mid-Atlantic consists of DC, DE, MD, VA and WV. South consists of AL, AR, FL, GA, 
KY, LA, MO, MS, NC, SC, TN and TX.

Commercial Loans by Industry

Table 21 summarizes our commercial loans held for investment portfolio by industry classification as of December 31, 2020 
and 2019. Industry classifications below are based on our interpretation of the North American Industry Classification System 
codes as they pertain to each individual loan. 

Table 21: Commercial Loans by Industry

(Percentage of portfolio)
Real estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Healthcare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Business services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Educational services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Public administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Oil and gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Retail trade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Construction and land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019

 39 %

 17 

 11 

 6 

 5 

 4 

 3 

 3 

 3 

 9 

 39 %

 16 

 12 

 6 

 4 

 4 

 5 

 4 

 2 

 8 

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 100 %

 100 %

87

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Credit Risk Measurement

We closely monitor economic conditions and loan performance trends to assess and manage our exposure to credit risk. Trends 
in  delinquency  rates  are  the  key  credit  quality  indicator  for  our  credit  card  and  retail  banking  loan  portfolios  as  changes  in 
delinquency rates can provide an early warning of changes in potential future credit losses. The key indicator we monitor when 
assessing the credit quality and risk of our auto loan portfolio is borrower credit scores as they provide insight into borrower 
risk profiles, which give indications of potential future credit losses. The key credit quality indicator for our commercial loan 
portfolios is our internal risk ratings as we generally classify loans that have been delinquent for an extended period of time and 
other  loans  with  significant  risk  of  loss  as  nonperforming.  In  addition  to  these  credit  quality  indicators,  we  also  manage  and 
monitor other credit quality metrics such as level of nonperforming loans and net charge-off rates. 

We  underwrite  most  consumer  loans  using  proprietary  models,  which  typically  include  credit  bureau  data,  such  as  borrower 
credit  scores,  application  information  and,  where  applicable,  collateral  and  deal  structure  data.  We  continuously  adjust  our 
management of credit lines and collection strategies based on customer behavior and risk profile changes. We also use borrower 
credit  scores  for  subprime  classification,  for  competitive  benchmarking  and,  in  some  cases,  to  drive  product  segmentation 
decisions. 

Table 22 provides details on the credit scores of our domestic credit card and auto loan portfolios as of December 31, 2020 and 
2019.

Table 22: Credit Score Distribution

(Percentage of portfolio)
Domestic credit card—Refreshed FICO scores:(1)

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019

Greater than 660 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

660 or below . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Auto—At origination FICO scores:(2)

Greater than 660 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

621 - 660 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

620 or below . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 69 %

 31 

 100 %

 46 %

 20 

 34 

 100 %

 67 %

 33 

 100 %

 48 %

 20 

 32 

 100 %

__________
(1)

Percentages represent period-end loans held for investment in each credit score category. Domestic card credit scores generally represent FICO scores. 
These  scores  are  obtained  from  one  of  the  major  credit  bureaus  at  origination  and  are  refreshed  monthly  thereafter.  We  approximate  non-FICO  credit 
scores to comparable FICO scores for consistency purposes. Balances for which no credit score is available or the credit score is invalid are included in 
the 660 or below category.

(2)

Percentages  represent  period-end  loans  held  for  investment  in  each  credit  score  category.  Auto  credit  scores  generally  represent  average  FICO  scores 
obtained from three credit bureaus at the time of application and are not refreshed thereafter. Balances for which no credit score is available or the credit 
score is invalid are included in the 620 or below category.

We present information in the section below on the credit performance of our loan portfolio, including the key metrics we use 
in tracking changes in the credit quality of our loan portfolio. See “Note 3—Loans” for additional credit quality information and 
see  “Note  1—Summary  of  Significant  Accounting  Policies”  for  information  on  our  accounting  policies  for  delinquent  and 
nonperforming loans, charge-offs and TDRs for each of our loan categories.

Delinquency Rates

We  consider  the  entire  balance  of  an  account  to  be  delinquent  if  the  minimum  required  payment  is  not  received  by  the 
customer’s  due  date,  measured  at  each  balance  sheet  date.  Our  30+  day  delinquency  metrics  include  all  loans  held  for 
investment that are 30 or more days past due, whereas our 30+ day performing delinquency metrics include loans that are 30 or 
more  days  past  due  but  are  currently  classified  as  performing  and  accruing  interest.  The  30+  day  delinquency  and  30+  day 
performing  delinquency  metrics  are  the  same  for  domestic  credit  card  loans,  as  we  continue  to  classify  these  loans  as 
performing  until  the  account  is  charged  off,  typically  when  the  account  is  180  days  past  due.  See  “Note  1—Summary  of 
Significant  Accounting  Policies”  for  information  on  our  policies  for  classifying  loans  as  nonperforming  for  each  of  our  loan 
categories.  We  provide  additional  information  on  our  credit  quality  metrics  in  “MD&A—Business  Segment  Financial 

88

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Performance.”  Amounts  as  of  December  31,  2020  include  the  impacts  of  COVID-19  customer  assistance  programs  where 
applicable. See “MD&A—Credit Risk Profile—COVID-19 Customer Assistance Programs and Loan Modifications” for more 
information.

Table 23 presents our 30+ day performing delinquency rates and 30+ day delinquency rates of our portfolio of loans held for 
investment, by portfolio segment, as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Table 23: 30+ Day Delinquencies

(Dollars in millions)
Credit Card:

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

30+ Day Performing 
Delinquencies

30+ Day 
Delinquencies

30+ Day Performing 
Delinquencies

30+ Day 
Delinquencies

Amount

Rate(1)

Amount

Rate(1)

Amount

Rate(1)

Amount

Rate(1)

Domestic credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$  2,388 

 2.42 % $  2,388 

 2.42 % $  4,656 

 3.93 % $  4,656 

 3.93 %

International card businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

221 

Total credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  2,609 

Consumer Banking:

Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  3,140 

Retail banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

41 

Total consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  3,181 

Commercial Banking:

Commercial and multifamily real estate . . . . . . .

Commercial and industrial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

202 

84 

286 

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$  6,076 

 2.61 

 2.44 

 4.78 

 1.32 

 4.62 

 0.66 

 0.19 

 0.38 

 2.41 

234 

  2,622 

 2.77 

 2.45 

335 

  4,991 

 3.47 

 3.89 

353 

  5,009 

 3.66 

 3.91 

  3,381 

62 

  3,443 

341 

158 

499 

$  6,564 

 5.14 

 1.99 

 5.00 

 1.11 

 0.35 

 0.66 

 2.61 

  4,154 

28 

  4,182 

63 

101 

164 

$  9,337 

 6.88 

 1.02 

 6.63 

 0.21 

 0.23 

 0.22 

 3.51 

  4,584 

43 

  4,627 

67 

244 

311 

$  9,947 

 7.59 

 1.59 

 7.34 

 0.22 

 0.55 

 0.42 

 3.74 

__________
(1)

Delinquency rates are calculated by dividing delinquency amounts by period-end loans held for investment for each specified loan category.

Table 24 presents our 30+ day delinquent loans, by aging and geography, as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Table 24: Aging and Geography of 30+ Day Delinquent Loans 

(Dollars in millions)
Delinquency status:

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Amount

Rate(1)

Amount

Rate(1)

30 – 59 days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

60 – 89 days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

> 90 days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

Geographic region:

Domestic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

3,330 

1,485 

1,749 

6,564 

6,330 

234 

6,564 

 1.32 % $ 

 0.59 

 0.70 

 2.61 % $ 

 2.52 % $ 

 0.09 

 2.61 % $ 

4,444 

2,537 

2,966 

9,947 

9,594 

353 

9,947 

 1.67 %

 0.95 

 1.12 

 3.74 %

 3.61 %

 0.13 

 3.74 %

__________
(1)

Delinquency rates are calculated by dividing delinquency amounts by total period-end loans held for investment.

89

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 25 summarizes loans that were 90+ days delinquent as to interest or principal, and still accruing interest as of December 
31, 2020 and 2019. These loans consist primarily of credit card accounts between 90 days and 179 days past due. As permitted 
by  regulatory  guidance  issued  by  the  Federal  Financial  Institutions  Examination  Council,  we  continue  to  accrue  interest  and 
fees on domestic credit card loans through the date of charge off, which is typically in the period the account becomes 180 days 
past due.

Table 25: 90+ Day Delinquent Loans Accruing Interest 

(Dollars in millions)
Loan category:

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Amount

Rate(1)

Amount

Rate(1)

Credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

1,251 

 1.17 % $ 

2,407 

 1.88 %

Commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

51 

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

1,302 

 0.07 

 0.52 

— 

$ 

2,407 

Geographic region:

Domestic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

1,220 
82 

1,302 

 0.50 % $ 

 0.97 

 0.52 

$ 

2,277 

130 

2,407 

 — 

 0.91 

 0.89 %

 1.34 

 0.91 

__________
(1)

Delinquency rates are calculated by dividing delinquency amounts by period-end loans held for investment for each specified loan category.

Nonperforming Loans and Nonperforming Assets

Nonperforming  assets  consist  of  nonperforming  loans,  repossessed  assets  and  other  foreclosed  assets.  Nonperforming  loans 
include  loans  that  have  been  placed  on  nonaccrual  status.  See  “Note  1—Summary  of  Significant  Accounting  Policies”  for 
information on our policies for classifying loans as nonperforming for each of our loan categories.

Table 26 presents our nonperforming loans, by portfolio segment, and other nonperforming assets as of December 31, 2020 and 
2019. We do not classify loans held for sale as nonperforming. We provide additional information on our credit quality metrics 
in “MD&A—Business Segment Financial Performance.”

Table 26: Nonperforming Loans and Other Nonperforming Assets(1)

(Dollars in millions)
Nonperforming loans held for investment:(2)
Credit Card:

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Amount

Rate

Amount

Rate

International card businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

Total credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Consumer Banking:

Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Retail banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Commercial Banking:

Commercial and multifamily real estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Commercial and industrial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total nonperforming loans held for investment(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other nonperforming assets(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total nonperforming assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

$ 

21 

21 

294 

30 

324 

200 

450 

650 

995 

45 

1,040 

 0.24 % $ 

 0.02 

 0.45 

 0.96 

 0.47 

 0.65 

 1.00 

 0.86 

 0.40 

 0.01 

 0.41 

$ 

$ 

25 

25 

487 

23 

510 

38 

410 

448 

983 

63 

1,046 

 0.26 %

 0.02 

 0.81 

 0.87 

 0.81 

 0.12 

 0.93 

 0.60 

 0.37 

 0.02 

 0.39 

__________
(1) We  recognized  interest  income  for  loans  classified  as  nonperforming  of  $39  million  and  $63  million  in  2020  and  2019,  respectively.  Interest  income 
foregone related to nonperforming loans was $49 million and $60 million in 2020 and 2019, respectively. Foregone interest income represents the amount 

90

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
of interest income in excess of recognized interest income that would have been recorded during the period for nonperforming loans as of the end of the 
period had the loans performed according to their contractual terms.

Nonperforming loan rates are calculated based on nonperforming loans for each category divided by period-end total loans held for investment for each 
respective category.

Excluding the impact of domestic credit card loans, nonperforming loans as a percentage of total loans held for investment was 0.65% and 0.67% as of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

The denominators used in calculating nonperforming asset rates consist of total loans held for investment and other nonperforming assets. 

(2)

(3)

(4)

Net Charge-Offs

Net charge-offs consist of the amortized cost basis, excluding accrued interest, of loans held for investment that we determine to 
be  uncollectible,  net  of  recovered  amounts.  We  charge  off  loans  as  a  reduction  to  the  allowance  for  credit  losses  when  we 
determine  the  loan  is  uncollectible  and  record  subsequent  recoveries  of  previously  charged  off  amounts  as  increases  to  the 
allowance  for  credit  losses.  Uncollectible  finance  charges  and  fees  are  reversed  through  revenue  and  certain  fraud  losses  are 
recorded  in  other  non-interest  expense.  Generally,  costs  to  recover  charged-off  loans  are  recorded  as  collection  expenses  as 
incurred and included in our consolidated statements of income as a component of other non-interest expense. Our charge-off 
policy for loans varies based on the loan type. See “Note 1—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” for information on 
our charge-off policy for each of our loan categories.

Table 27 presents our net charge-off amounts and rates, by portfolio segment, in 2020, 2019 and 2018.

Table 27: Net Charge-Offs (Recoveries)

(Dollars in millions)
Credit Card:

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

Amount

Rate(1)

Amount

Rate(1)

Amount

Rate(1)

Domestic credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$  4,002 

 3.93 % $  4,818 

 4.58 % $  4,782 

 4.74 %

International card businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Consumer Banking:

Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Retail banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Home Loan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

268 

4,270 

522 

56 

— 

 3.26 

 3.88 

 0.83 

 1.82 

 — 

Total consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

578 

 0.87 

Commercial Banking:

Commercial and multifamily real estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Commercial and industrial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

41 

336 

377 

— 

 0.13 

 0.73 

 0.49 

 — 

331 

5,149 

876 

71 

— 

947 

1 

155 

156 

— 

 3.71 

 4.51 

 1.51 

 2.57 

 — 

 1.56 

 — 

 0.36 

 0.22 

 — 

287 

5,069 

912 

70 

 3.19 

 4.62 

 1.64 

 2.26 

(1) 

 (0.02) 

981 

 1.51 

2 

54 

56 

6 

 0.01 

 0.14 

 0.08 

 34.09 

Total net charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$  5,225 

 2.06 

$  6,252 

 2.53 

$  6,112 

 2.52 

Average loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 253,335 

$ 247,450 

$ 242,118 

__________
(1)

Net charge-off (recovery) rates are calculated by dividing net charge-offs (recoveries) by average loans held for investment for the period for each loan 
category.

91

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COVID-19 Customer Assistance Programs and Loan Modifications 

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Banking Agencies supported banking organizations that are taking actions 
to assist customers in a prudent, safe and sound manner, including through loan modifications. As part of our response to the 
COVID-19 pandemic, we began offering programs to accommodate customer hardship across our lines of business in the first 
quarter of 2020, with the largest programs offered to our Auto and Domestic Card customers. Our COVID-19 programs were 
designed to be short-term accommodations so that we could provide our customers with prompt relief. Information about the 
customer  accommodation  programs  we  offered  during  2020  is  below,  along  with  the  impacts  of  enrollment  on  accrual  and 
delinquency status. 

Additional guidance issued by the Federal Banking Agencies and contained in the CARES Act provides banking organizations 
with TDR relief for modifications of current borrowers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In adherence with the guidance, 
we assessed all loan modifications introduced to current borrowers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic through December 
31, 2020, that would have been designated as TDRs under our existing policies, and followed guidance that any such eligible 
loan  modifications  made  on  a  temporary  and  good  faith  basis  are  not  considered  TDRs.  Through  December  31,  2020, 
approximately  80%  of  enrollments  in  our  customer  accommodation  programs  have  been  for  only  1-2  months,  which  would 
generally not have resulted in TDR classification under our existing policies as the concession granted was insignificant.

We consider the impact of all loan modifications, including those offered via our COVID-19 programs, when estimating the 
credit quality of our loan portfolio and establishing allowance levels. For our Commercial Banking customers, enrollment in a 
customer assistance program is also considered in the assignment of an internal risk rating.

Auto Customer Assistance Program

Within  our  auto  business,  we  generally  offered  customers  a  1-2  month  payment  extension,  with  an  option  to  renew,  and  fee 
waivers. Auto loans enrolled in short-term payment extensions continue to accrue interest. The contractual term of the loan is 
extended by the length of the short-term payment extension and the delinquency status is updated to reflect the revised terms of 
the loan. For customers that were delinquent at the time of enrollment, their delinquency status is reduced commensurate with 
the length of the short-term payment extension. For most of 2020, relief was limited to a maximum of six monthly payments. In 
December 2020, the limit was reduced to a maximum of four monthly payments when temporary payment reduction programs 
were made available to customers. 

Through December 31, 2020, a total of 17.8% of accounts representing $12.3 billion of loans outstanding have received a short-
term payment extension at any time through this program (including those who are no longer enrolled). Approximately 73% of 
these customers were current at the time of their first enrollment. As of December 31, 2020, approximately 0.6% of accounts, 
representing  $437  million  of  loans  outstanding,  were  enrolled  and  had  been  approved  to  skip  their  upcoming  payment. 
Approximately  81%  of  total  cumulative  enrollments,  representing  $10.3  billion  of  loans  outstanding,  were  current  as  of 
December 31, 2020.

Domestic Card Customer Assistance Program

Within our domestic credit card business, customers were offered a one-month payment deferral, with the option to renew, and 
fee  waivers.  Card  loans  enrolled  in  the  deferral  program  continue  to  accrue  interest.  Their  delinquency  status  was  generally 
frozen at the time of enrollment and, upon exiting the program, resumed the delinquency status at the time of enrollment. 

Through December 31, 2020, excluding certain retail partnership portfolios, a total of 2.9% of active accounts representing $3.9 
billion  of  loans  outstanding  have  received  a  payment  deferral  at  any  time  through  this  program  (including  those  who  are  no 
longer  enrolled  as  of  December  31,  2020).  Approximately  91%  of  these  customers  were  current  at  the  time  of  their  first 
enrollment. As of December 31, 2020, approximately 0.1% of active accounts, representing $135 million of loans outstanding, 
were  enrolled  and  had  been  approved  to  skip  their  upcoming  payment.  Approximately  83%  of  total  cumulative  enrollments, 
representing $3.1 billion of loans outstanding, were current as of December 31, 2020. 

Temporary Payment Reduction Programs

As the COVID-19 pandemic has progressed, we have continued to work with customers to understand their needs. In response 
to those efforts, temporary payment reduction programs, ranging from 6-9 months, were made available to auto and domestic 
card  customers  in  the  fourth  quarter  of  2020.  As  of  December  31,  2020,  less  than  0.1%  of  accounts  were  enrolled  in  these 
programs. 

92

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Other Customer Assistance Programs

While the vast majority of enrollments were in our auto and domestic card business, hardship accommodations were also made 
available  to  our  international  credit  card,  small  business  banking,  and  commercial  banking  customers.  For  our  commercial 
banking  customers,  our  offerings  are  more  customized,  but  generally  include  short-term  payment  deferrals.  We  also  offered 
PPP loans to our eligible small business banking and commercial banking clients. 

Troubled Debt Restructurings

As part of our loss mitigation efforts, we may provide short-term (three to twelve months) or long-term (greater than twelve 
months)  modifications  to  a  borrower  experiencing  financial  difficulty  to  improve  long-term  collectability  of  the  loan  and  to 
avoid the need for repossession or foreclosure of collateral.

Table  28  presents  our  amortized  cost  of  loans  modified  in  TDRs  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  which  excludes  loan 
modifications that do not meet the definition of a TDR and loans that received relief under the guidance issued by the Federal 
Banking Agencies and contained in the CARES Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Table 28: Troubled Debt Restructurings

(Dollars in millions)

Credit Card:

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Amount

% of Total 
Modifications

Amount

% of Total 
Modifications

Domestic credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

International card businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Consumer banking:

Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Retail banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

511 

217 

728 

615 

18 

633 

723 

 24.5 % $ 

 10.4 

 34.9 

 29.5 

 0.9 

 30.4 

 34.7 

630 

201 

831 

346 

24 

370 

451 

 38.1 %

 12.2 

 50.3 

 20.9 

 1.5 

 22.4 

 27.3 

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

2,084 

 100.0 % $ 

1,652 

 100.0 %

Status of TDRs:

Performing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

Nonperforming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

1,718 

366 

2,084 

 82.4 % $ 

 17.6 

 100.0 % $ 

1,347 

305 

1,652 

 81.5 %

 18.5 

 100.0 %

In our Credit Card business, the majority of our credit card loans modified in TDRs involve reducing the interest rate on the 
account  and  placing  the  customer  on  a  fixed  payment  plan  not  exceeding  60  months.  The  effective  interest  rate  in  effect 
immediately prior to the loan modification is used as the effective interest rate for purposes of measuring impairment using the 
present value of expected cash flows. If the customer does not comply with the modified payment terms, then the credit card 
loan agreement may revert to its original payment terms, generally resulting in any loan outstanding reflected in the appropriate 
delinquency category and charged off in accordance with our standard charge-off policy.

In our Consumer Banking business, the majority of our loans modified in TDRs receive an extension, an interest rate reduction 
or principal reduction, or a combination of these concessions. In addition, TDRs also occur in connection with bankruptcy of 
the borrower. In certain bankruptcy discharges, the loan is written down to the collateral value and the charged off amount is 
reported  as  principal  reduction.  Impairment  is  determined  using  the  present  value  of  expected  cash  flows  or  a  collateral 
evaluation for certain auto loans where the collateral value is lower than the amortized cost.

In  our  Commercial  Banking  business,  the  majority  of  loans  modified  in  TDRs  receive  an  extension,  with  a  portion  of  these 
loans  receiving  an  interest  rate  reduction  or  a  gross  balance  reduction.  The  impairment  on  modified  commercial  loans  is 
generally determined based on the underlying collateral value.

We  provide  additional  information  on  modified  loans  accounted  for  as  TDRs,  including  the  performance  of  those  loans 

93

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
subsequent to modification, in “Note 3—Loans.”

Allowance for Credit Losses and Reserve for Unfunded Lending Commitments

Our allowance for credit losses represents management’s current estimate of expected credit losses over the contractual terms of 
our loans held for investment as of each balance sheet date. Expected recoveries of amounts previously charged off or expected 
to  be  charged  off  are  recognized  within  the  allowance.  We  also  estimate  expected  credit  losses  related  to  unfunded  lending 
commitments that are not unconditionally cancellable. The provision for losses on unfunded lending commitments is included 
in  the  provision  for  credit  losses  in  our  consolidated  statements  of  income  and  the  related  reserve  for  unfunded  lending 
commitments  is  included  in  other  liabilities  on  our  consolidated  balance  sheets.  We  provide  additional  information  on  the 
methodologies and key assumptions used in determining our allowance for credit losses in “Note 1—Summary of Significant 
Accounting Policies.” 

Table 29 presents changes in our allowance for credit losses and reserve for unfunded lending commitments for 2020 and 2019, 
and details by portfolio segment for the provision for credit losses, charge-offs and recoveries. The cumulative effects from the 
adoption of the CECL standard and the change to include our finance charge and fee reserve in the allowance for credit losses 
are included in Table 29 and Table 30 below.

94

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Table 29: Allowance for Credit Losses and Reserve for Unfunded Lending Commitments Activity

(Dollars in millions)

Allowance for loan and lease losses:

Credit Card

Consumer Banking

Domestic 
Card

International 
Card 
Businesses

Total 
Credit 
Card

Auto

Retail 
Banking

Total 
Consumer 
Banking

Commercial 
Banking

Total

Balance as of December 31, 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$  5,144  $ 

391  $ 5,535  $  990  $ 

58  $ 

1,048  $ 

637  $  7,220 

Charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recoveries(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Provision for loan and lease losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Allowance build (release) for loan and lease losses . . . . . . . . .
Other changes(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Balance as of December 31, 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Reserve for unfunded lending commitments:

  (6,189) 

  1,371 

  (4,818) 

  4,671 

(147) 

— 

(522) 

  (6,711) 

 (1,829) 

191 

  1,562 

  953 

(331) 

  (5,149) 

  (876) 

321 

  4,992 

  870 

(157) 

(6) 

(10) 

17 

(88) 

17 

(71) 

67 

(4) 

(1,917) 

(181) 

  (8,809) 

970 

(947) 

937 

(10) 

— 

25 

  2,557 

(156) 

  (6,252) 

294 

138 

— 

  6,223 

(29) 

17 

17 

  — 

  — 

  4,997 

398 

  5,395 

  984 

54 

1,038 

775 

  7,208 

Balance as of December 31, 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Provision for losses on unfunded lending commitments . . . . . 

Balance as of December 31, 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

  — 

  — 

  — 

  — 

  — 

  — 

4 

1 

5 

4 

1 

5 

118 

12 

130 

122 

13 

135 

Combined allowance and reserve as of December 31, 2019 

$  4,997  $ 

398  $ 5,395  $  984  $ 

59  $ 

1,043  $ 

905  $  7,343 

Allowance for credit losses:

Balance as of December 31, 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cumulative effects from adoption of the CECL standard . . . . .
Finance charge and fee reserve reclassification(3) . . . . . . . . . . .
Balance as of January 1, 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recoveries(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Provision for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Allowance build for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other changes(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Balance as of December 31, 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Reserve for unfunded lending commitments:

Balance as of December 31, 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cumulative effects from adoption of the CECL standard . . . . .

Balance as of January 1, 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Provision for losses on unfunded lending commitments . . . . . 

Balance as of December 31, 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Combined allowance and reserve as of December 31, 2020 
__________
(1)

$  4,997  $ 
  2,237 
439 

  7,673 

  (5,318) 

  1,316 

  (4,002) 

  6,979 

  2,977 

— 

54  $ 
25 
  — 

398  $ 5,395  $  984  $ 

4 
23 

  2,241 
462 

  477 
  — 

425 

  8,098 

  1,461 

(431) 

  (5,749) 

 (1,464) 

163 

  1,479 

  942 

(268) 

  (4,270) 

  (522) 

348 

  7,327 

  1,676 

  3,057 

  1,154 

80 

36 

79 

(70) 

14 

(56) 

77 

21 

36 

  — 

  — 

  10,650 

541 

 11,191 

  2,615 

100 

— 
— 

— 

— 

— 

— 
— 

— 

— 

— 

$ 10,650  $ 

541 

  — 
  — 

  — 
  — 

5 
(5) 

  — 

  — 

  — 

  — 

  — 

  — 

  — 

  — 
$ 11,191  $ 2,615  $  100  $ 

  — 

1,038  $ 
502 
— 

1,540 

(1,534) 

956 

(578) 

1,753 

1,175 

— 

2,715 

5 
(5) 

— 

— 

775  $  7,208 
  2,845 
102 
462 
— 

877 

  10,515 

(394) 

  (7,677) 

17 

  2,452 

(377) 

  (5,225) 

1,158 

  10,238 

781 

  5,013 

— 

36 

1,658 

  15,564 

130 
42 

172 

23 

135 
37 

172 

23 

— 
2,715  $ 

195 

195 
1,853  $ 15,759 

The amount and timing of recoveries are impacted by our collection strategies, which are based on customer behavior and risk profile and include direct 
customer communications, repossession of collateral, the periodic sale of charged off loans as well as additional strategies, such as litigation.

(2)

(3)

Represents foreign currency translation adjustments.

Concurrent with our adoption of the CECL standard in the first quarter of 2020, we reclassified our finance charge and fee reserve to our allowance for 
credit losses, with a corresponding increase to credit card loans held for investment.

95

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Allowance coverage ratios are calculated based on the allowance for credit losses for each specified portfolio segment divided 
by period-end loans held for investment within the specified loan category, as defined below. Table 30 presents the allowance 
coverage ratios as of December 31, 2020 and 2019. 

Table 30: Allowance Coverage Ratios

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

(Dollars in millions)
Credit Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Consumer Banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Commercial Banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Allowance 
for Credit 
Losses

Amount(1)
2,622 

Allowance 
Coverage 
Ratio

Allowance 
for Loan 
and Lease 
Losses

$  11,191  $ 

 426.80 % $ 

5,395  $ 

Amount(1)
5,009 

Allowance 
Coverage 
Ratio
 107.70 %

2,715 

1,658 

3,443 

 78.85 

650 

 254.97 

1,038 

775 

4,627 

 22.42 

448 

 173.20 

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$  15,564 

  251,624 

 6.19 

$ 

7,208 

  265,809 

 2.71 

__________
(1)

Represents  period-end  30+  day  delinquent  loans  for  our  credit  card  and  consumer  banking  loan  portfolios,  nonperforming  loans  for  our  commercial 
banking loan portfolio and total loans held for investment for the total ratio.

Our allowance for credit losses increased by $8.4 billion to $15.6 billion, and our allowance coverage ratio increased by 348 
basis points to 6.19% as of December 31, 2020 from 2019, driven by the allowance builds in the first and second quarters of 
2020 from expectations of economic worsening as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the adoption of the CECL 
standard in the first quarter of 2020.

LIQUIDITY RISK PROFILE

We  have  established  liquidity  practices  that  are  intended  to  ensure  that  we  have  sufficient  asset-based  liquidity  to  cover  our 
funding  requirements  and  maintain  adequate  reserves  to  withstand  the  potential  impact  of  deposit  attrition  or  diminished 
liquidity in the funding markets. In addition to our cash and cash equivalents, we maintain reserves in the form of investment 
securities and certain loans that are either readily-marketable or pledgeable. 

Table 31 below presents the composition of our liquidity reserves as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Table 31: Liquidity Reserves

(Dollars in millions)
Cash and cash equivalents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Investment securities available for sale, at fair value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

FHLB borrowing capacity secured by loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Outstanding FHLB advances and letters of credit secured by loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Investment securities encumbered for Public Funds and others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

40,509  $ 

100,445 

10,162 

(72) 

(7,052) 

Total liquidity reserves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

143,992  $ 

13,407 

79,213 

10,835 

(7,210) 

(5,688) 

90,557 

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Our liquidity reserves increased by $53.4 billion to $144.0 billion as of December 31, 2020 from December 31, 2019 primarily 
driven  by  increases  in  our  cash  balances  from  deposit  growth  and  in  our  investment  securities.  See  “MD&A—Risk 
Management” for additional information on our management of liquidity risk.

Liquidity Coverage Ratio

We are subject to the LCR Rule as implemented by the Federal Reserve and OCC. The LCR Rule requires us to calculate our 
LCR daily. It also requires the Company to publicly disclose, on a quarterly basis, its LCR, certain related quantitative liquidity 
metrics, and a qualitative discussion of its LCR. Our average LCR during the fourth quarter of 2020 was 145%, which exceeded 
the  LCR  Rule  requirement  of  100%.  The  calculation  and  the  underlying  components  are  based  on  our  interpretations, 
expectations and assumptions of relevant regulations, as well as interpretations provided by our regulators, and are subject to 
change based on changes to future regulations and interpretations. See “Part I—Item 1. Business—Supervision and Regulation” 
for additional information.

96

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Borrowing Capacity

We maintain a shelf registration with the SEC so that we may periodically offer and sell an indeterminate aggregate amount of 
senior or subordinated debt securities, preferred stock, depositary shares, common stock, purchase contracts, warrants and units. 
There is no limit under this shelf registration to the amount or number of such securities that we may offer and sell, subject to 
market conditions. In addition, we also maintain a shelf registration that allows us to periodically offer and sell up to $25 billion 
of securitized debt obligations from our credit card loan securitization trust and a shelf registration that allows us to periodically 
offer and sell up to $20 billion from our auto loan securitization trusts.

In  addition  to  our  issuance  capacity  under  the  shelf  registration  statements,  we  also  have  access  to  FHLB  advances  and  the 
Federal Reserve Discount Window. The ability to borrow utilizing these sources is based on membership status and the amount 
is dependent upon the Banks’ ability to post collateral. As of December 31, 2020, we pledged both loans and securities to the 
FHLB to secure a maximum borrowing capacity of $19.6 billion, of which only $72 million was used. Our FHLB membership 
is  supported  by  our  investment  in  FHLB  stock  of  $30  million  and  $328  million  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019, 
respectively, which was determined in part based on our outstanding advances. As of December 31, 2020, we pledged loans to 
secure a borrowing capacity of $20.0 billion under the Federal Reserve Discount Window. Our membership with the Federal 
Reserve is supported by our investment in Federal Reserve stock, which totaled $1.3 billion as of both December 31, 2020 and 
2019.

Funding

Our primary source of funding comes from deposits, as they are a stable and relatively low cost source of funding. In addition 
to  deposits,  we  raise  funding  through  the  issuance  of  senior  and  subordinated  notes  and  securitized  debt  obligations,  federal 
funds purchased, securities loaned or sold under agreements to repurchase and FHLB advances secured by certain portions of 
our  loan  and  securities  portfolios.  A  key  objective  in  our  use  of  these  markets  is  to  maintain  access  to  a  diversified  mix  of 
wholesale  funding  sources.  See  “MD&A—Consolidated  Balance  Sheets  Analysis—Funding  Sources  Composition”  for 
additional information on our primary sources of funding.

Deposits

Table  32  provides  a  comparison  of  average  balances,  interest  expense  and  average  deposit  interest  rates  for  the  years  ended 
December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018.

Table 32: Deposits Composition and Average Deposit Interest Rates

2020

2019

2018

Year Ended December 31,

(Dollars in millions)
Interest-bearing checking accounts(1) 
Saving deposits(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Time deposits less than $100,000 . . .

Average
Interest
Balance
Expense
$  37,136  $  129 

  184,466 

  1,278 

  26,253 

522 

Total interest-bearing core deposits

  247,855 

  1,929 

Time deposits of $100,000 or more . 

  15,424 

236 

Foreign deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

— 

  — 

Average
Deposit
Interest 
Average
Interest
Rate
Balance
Expense
 0.35%  $  34,343  $  289 
 0.69 

  154,910 

  2,048 

 1.99 

 0.78 

 1.53 

 — 

  27,202 

746 

  216,455 

  3,083 

  15,154 

337 

— 

  — 

Total interest-bearing deposits . . . . . 
__________
(1)

Includes negotiable order of withdrawal accounts.

$ 263,279  $  2,165 

 0.82 

$ 231,609  $  3,420 

Average
Deposit
Interest 
Average
Interest
Rate
Balance
Expense
 0.84%  $  38,843  $  245 
 1.32 

  149,443 

  1,603 

 2.74 

 1.42 

 2.22 

 — 

 1.48 

  25,535 

606 

  213,821 

  2,454 

7,672 

267 

143 

1 

$ 221,760  $  2,598 

Average
Deposit
Interest 
Rate
 0.63% 

 1.07 

 2.37 

 1.15 

 1.87 

 0.41 

 1.17 

(2)

Includes money market deposit accounts.

97

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The FDIC limits the acceptance of brokered deposits to well-capitalized insured depository institutions and, with a waiver from 
the  FDIC,  to  adequately-capitalized  institutions.  COBNA  and  CONA  were  well-capitalized,  as  defined  under  the  federal 
banking regulatory guidelines, as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. See “Part I—Item 1. Business—Supervision 
and Regulation” for additional information. We provide additional information on the composition of deposits in “MD&A—
Consolidated Balance Sheets Analysis—Funding Sources Composition” and in “Note 8—Deposits and Borrowings.”

Table 33 presents the contractual maturities of large-denomination domestic time deposits of $100,000 or more as of December 
31, 2020 and 2019. Our funding and liquidity management activities factor into the expected maturities of these deposits. 

Table 33: Maturities of Large-Denomination Domestic Time Deposits—$100,000 or More

(Dollars in millions)

December 31,

2020

2019

Amount % of Total

Amount % of Total

Up to three months . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

4,285 

 37.3 % $ 

3,801 

 21.8 %

> 3 months to 6 months . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

> 6 months to 12 months . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

> 12 months . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2,924 

2,106 

2,167 

 25.5 

 18.3 

 18.9 

3,953 

6,139 

3,564 

 22.6 

 35.2 

 20.4 

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$  11,482 

 100.0 % $  17,457 

 100.0 %

Short-Term Borrowings and Long-Term Debt

We access the capital markets to meet our funding needs through the issuance of senior and subordinated notes, securitized debt 
obligations  and  federal  funds  purchased  and  securities  loaned  or  sold  under  agreements  to  repurchase.  In  addition,  we  may 
utilize short-term and long-term FHLB advances secured by certain of our investment securities, multifamily real estate loans 
and commercial real estate loans. 

Our short-term borrowings include those borrowings with an original contractual maturity of one year or less and do not include 
the  current  portion  of  long-term  debt.  The  short-term  borrowings,  which  consist  of  short-term  FHLB  advances  and  federal 
funds  purchased,  securities  loaned  or  sold  under  agreements  to  repurchase,  decreased  by  $6.6  billion  to  $668  million  as  of 
December 31, 2020 from December 31, 2019 driven by maturities of our short-term FHLB advances.

Our long-term debt, which primarily consists of securitized debt obligations and senior and subordinated notes, decreased by 
$8.5 billion to $39.9 billion as of December 31, 2020 from December 31, 2019 primarily due to the repurchase of a portion of 
our  senior  unsecured  debt  and  net  maturities  in  our  credit  card  securitization  program.  We  provide  more  information  on  our 
securitization activity in “Note 5—Variable Interest Entities and Securitizations.”

The following table summarizes issuances of securitized debt obligations, senior and subordinated notes and FHLB advances 
and their respective maturities or redemptions for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018.

Table 34: Long-Term Funding

(Dollars in millions)
Securitized debt obligations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Issuances

Year Ended December 31,

Maturities/Redemptions

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

2020

2019

2018

$ 

1,250  $ 

6,673  $ 

1,000  $ 

6,868  $ 

7,285  $ 

Senior and subordinated notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

FHLB advances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

4,000 

— 

4,161 

— 

5,250 

750 

8,092 

— 

5,344 

251 

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

5,250  $ 

10,834  $ 

7,000  $ 

14,960  $ 

12,880  $ 

16,836 

98

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

2,673 

5,055 

9,108 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Credit Ratings

Our credit ratings impact our ability to access capital markets and our borrowing costs. Rating agencies base their ratings on 
numerous  factors,  including  liquidity,  capital  adequacy,  asset  quality,  quality  of  earnings  and  the  probability  of  systemic 
support. Significant changes in these factors could result in different ratings.

Table  35  provides  a  summary  of  the  credit  ratings  for  the  senior  unsecured  long-term  debt  of  Capital  One  Financial 
Corporation, COBNA and CONA as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Table 35: Senior Unsecured Long-Term Debt Credit Ratings

Moody’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

S&P . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Fitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Capital One
Financial
Corporation
Baa1

BBB

A-

COBNA

CONA

Baa1

BBB+

A-

Baa1

BBB+

A-

Capital One
Financial
Corporation
Baa1

BBB

A-

COBNA

CONA

Baa1

BBB+

A-

Baa1

BBB+

A-

As  of  February  18,  2021,  Moody’s  Investors  Service  (“Moody’s”),  Standard  &  Poor’s  (“S&P”),  and  Fitch  Ratings  (“Fitch”) 
have our credit ratings on a negative outlook.

Contractual Obligations

In the normal course of business, we enter into various contractual obligations that may require future cash payments that affect 
our  short-term  and  long-term  liquidity  and  capital  resource  needs.  Our  future  cash  outflows  primarily  relate  to  deposits, 
borrowings  and  operating  leases.  Table  36  summarizes,  by  remaining  contractual  maturity,  our  significant  contractual  cash 
obligations  as  of  December  31,  2020.  The  actual  timing  and  amounts  of  future  cash  payments  may  differ  from  the  amounts 
presented below due to a number of factors, such as discretionary debt repurchases. Table 36 excludes short-term obligations 
such  as  trade  payables,  commitments  to  fund  certain  equity  investments,  obligations  for  pension  and  post-retirement  benefit 
plans, and representation and warranty reserves, which are discussed in more detail in “Note 5—Variable Interest Entities and 
Securitizations,” “Note 14—Employee Benefit Plans” and “Note 18—Commitments, Contingencies, Guarantees and Others.”

Table 36: Contractual Obligations

(Dollars in millions)
Interest-bearing time deposits(1)(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Securitized debt obligations(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other debt:

Federal funds purchased and securities loaned or sold under agreements 
to repurchase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Senior and subordinated notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Other borrowings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total other debt(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operating leases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Purchase obligations(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

__________
(1)

Includes only those interest-bearing deposits which have a contractual maturity date.

December 31, 2020

Up to 
1 Year

> 1 Years
to 3 Years

> 3 Years
to 5 Years

> 5 Years

Total

$  21,381  $  8,659  $  2,581  $ 

126  $  32,747 

2,331 

6,722 

1,858 

1,503 

  12,414 

668 

3,878 

20 

— 

— 

— 

668 

8,520 

8,149 

6,835 

  27,382 

38 

8 

9 

75 

4,566 

8,558 

8,157 

6,844 

  28,125 

296 

498 

522 

760 

396 

278 

721 

104 

1,935 

1,640 

$  29,072  $  25,221  $  13,270  $  9,298  $  76,861 

(2)

(3)

These  amounts  represent  the  carrying  value  of  the  obligations  and  do  not  include  amounts  related  to  contractual  interest  obligations.  Total  contractual 
interest obligations were approximately $2.8 billion as of December 31, 2020, and represent forecasted net interest payments based on interest rates as of 
December 31, 2020. These forecasts use the contractual maturity date of each liability and include the impact of hedges where applicable.

Represents  substantial  agreements  to  purchase  goods  or  services  that  are  enforceable  and  legally  binding  and  specify  all  significant  terms.  Purchase 
obligations are included through the termination date of the agreements even if the contract is renewable.

99

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MARKET RISK PROFILE

Market risk is the risk of economic loss in the value of our financial instruments due to changes in market factors. Our primary 
market risk exposures include interest rate risk, foreign exchange risk and commodity pricing risk. We are exposed to market 
risk primarily from the following operations and activities:

•

•

•

•

Traditional banking activities of deposit gathering and lending;

Asset/liability  management  activities  including  the  management  of  investment  securities,  short-term  and  long-term 
borrowings and derivatives;

Foreign operations in the U.K. and Canada within our Credit Card business; and

Customer accommodation activities within our Commercial Banking business.

We have enterprise-wide risk management policies and limits, approved by our Board of Directors, which govern our market 
risk management activities. Our objective is to manage our exposure to market risk in accordance with these policies and limits 
based on prevailing market conditions and long-term expectations. We provide additional information below about our primary 
sources of market risk, our market risk management strategies and the measures that we use to evaluate these exposures.

Interest Rate Risk

Interest rate risk represents exposure to financial instruments whose values vary with the level or volatility of interest rates. We 
are exposed to interest rate risk primarily from the differences in the timing between the maturities or re-pricing of assets and 
liabilities.  We  manage  our  interest  rate  risk  primarily  by  entering  into  interest  rate  swaps  and  other  derivative  instruments, 
including caps, floors, options, futures and forward contracts. 

We use various industry standard market risk measurement techniques and analyses to measure, assess and manage the impact 
of changes in interest rates on our net interest income and our economic value of equity and changes in foreign exchange rates 
on our non-dollar-denominated funding and non-dollar equity investments in foreign operations.

Net Interest Income Sensitivity

Our  net  interest  income  sensitivity  measure  estimates  the  impact  on  our  projected  12-month  baseline  interest  rate-sensitive 
revenue resulting from movements in interest rates. Interest rate-sensitive revenue consists of net interest income and certain 
components of other non-interest income significantly impacted by movements in interest rates, including changes in the fair 
value of freestanding interest rate derivatives. In addition to our existing assets and liabilities, we incorporate expected future 
business growth assumptions, such as loan and deposit growth and pricing, and plans for projected changes in our funding mix 
in our baseline forecast. In measuring the sensitivity of interest rate movements on our projected interest rate-sensitive revenue, 
we  assume  a  hypothetical  instantaneous  parallel  shift  in  the  level  of  interest  rates  detailed  in  Table  37  below.  At  the  current 
level of interest rates, our interest rate sensitive revenue is expected to increase in higher rate scenarios and decrease modestly 
in lower rate scenarios. Our current sensitivity to upward shocks has increased as compared to December 31, 2019 mainly due 
to the decline in interest rates and the growth in deposits and cash. 

Economic Value of Equity

Our  economic  value  of  equity  sensitivity  measure  estimates  the  impact  on  the  net  present  value  of  our  assets  and  liabilities, 
including derivative exposures, resulting from movements in interest rates. Our economic value of equity sensitivity measure is 
calculated  based  on  our  existing  assets  and  liabilities,  including  derivatives,  and  does  not  incorporate  business  growth 
assumptions  or  projected  balance  sheet  changes.  Key  assumptions  used  in  the  calculation  include  projecting  rate  sensitive 
prepayments  for  mortgage  securities,  loans  and  other  assets,  term  structure  modeling  of  interest  rates,  discount  spreads,  and 
deposit  volume  and  pricing  assumptions.  In  measuring  the  sensitivity  of  interest  rate  movements  on  our  economic  value  of 
equity,  we  assume  a  hypothetical  instantaneous  parallel  shift  in  the  level  of  interest  rates  detailed  in  Table  37  below.  Our 
current  economic  value  of  equity  sensitivity  profile  demonstrates  that  our  economic  value  of  equity  increases  in  higher  rate 
scenarios  and decreases  in  lower  interest rate scenarios. Similar to the  changes in net interest  income sensitivity, our current 
economic value of equity sensitivity to upward shocks has also increased as compared to December 31, 2019 mainly due to the 
decline in interest rates and the growth in deposits and cash. 

100

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Table 37 shows the estimated percentage impact on our projected baseline net interest income and economic value of equity 
calculated under the methodology described above as of December 31, 2020 and 2019. In instances where a declining interest 
rate scenario would result in a rate less than 0%, we assume a rate of 0% for that scenario.

Table 37: Interest Rate Sensitivity Analysis

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019

Estimated impact on projected baseline net interest income:

+200 basis points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 5.6% 

+100 basis points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

+50 basis points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

–50 basis points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Estimated impact on economic value of equity:

+200 basis points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

+100 basis points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

+50 basis points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

–50 basis points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 4.3 

 2.4 

 (0.9) 

 4.2 

 6.0 

 4.0 

 (7.0) 

 1.8% 

 1.3 

 1.1 

 (0.5) 

 (3.6) 

 0.5 

 0.8 

 (2.4) 

In addition to these industry standard measures, we also consider the potential impact of alternative interest rate scenarios, such 
as stressed rate shocks as well as steepening and flattening yield curve scenarios in our internal interest rate risk management 
decisions.

Limitations of Market Risk Measures

The interest rate risk models that we use in deriving these measures incorporate contractual information, internally-developed 
assumptions  and  proprietary  modeling  methodologies,  which  project  borrower  and  depositor  behavior  patterns  in  certain 
interest rate environments. Other market inputs, such as interest rates, market prices and interest rate volatility, are also critical 
components  of  our  interest  rate  risk  measures.  We  regularly  evaluate,  update  and  enhance  these  assumptions,  models  and 
analytical tools as we believe appropriate to reflect our best assessment of the market environment and the expected behavior 
patterns of our existing assets and liabilities.

There  are  inherent  limitations  in  any  methodology  used  to  estimate  the  exposure  to  changes  in  market  interest  rates.  The 
sensitivity analysis described above contemplates only certain movements in interest rates and is performed at a particular point 
in time based on the existing balance sheet and, in some cases, expected future business growth and funding mix assumptions. 
The  strategic  actions  that  management  may  take  to  manage  our  balance  sheet  may  differ  significantly  from  our  projections, 
which  could  cause  our  actual  earnings  and  economic  value  of  equity  sensitivities  to  differ  substantially  from  the  above 
sensitivity analysis.

For further information on our interest rate exposures, see “Note 9—Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities.” 

Foreign Exchange Risk

Foreign exchange risk represents exposure to changes in the values of current holdings and future cash flows denominated in 
other  currencies.  We  are  exposed  to  foreign  exchange  risk  primarily  from  the  intercompany  funding  denominated  in  pound 
sterling (“GBP”) and the Canadian dollar (“CAD”) that we provide to our businesses in the U.K. and Canada and net equity 
investments in those businesses. We are also exposed to foreign exchange risk due to changes in the dollar-denominated value 
of future earnings and cash flows from our foreign operations and from our Euro (“EUR”)-denominated borrowings.

Our non-dollar denominated intercompany funding and EUR-denominated borrowings expose our earnings to foreign exchange 
transaction risk. We manage these transaction risks by using forward foreign currency derivatives and cross-currency swaps to 
hedge our exposures. We measure our foreign exchange transaction risk exposures by applying a 1% U.S. dollar appreciation 
shock  against  the  value  of  the  non-dollar  denominated  intercompany  funding  and  EUR-denominated  borrowings  and  their 
related hedges, which shows the impact to our earnings from foreign exchange risk. Our intercompany funding outstanding was 
320 million GBP and 761 million GBP as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and 5.3 billion CAD and 6.6 billion 
CAD as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Our EUR-denominated borrowings outstanding were 1.3 billion EUR 
and 1.2 billion EUR as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

101

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Our non-dollar equity investments in foreign operations expose our balance sheet to translation risk in AOCI and our capital 
ratios. We manage our AOCI exposure by entering into foreign currency derivatives designated as net investment hedges. We 
measure  these  exposures  by  applying  a  30%  U.S.  dollar  appreciation  shock,  which  we  believe  approximates  a  significant 
adverse shock over a one-year time horizon, against the value of the equity invested in our foreign operations net of related net 
investment hedges where applicable. Our gross equity exposures in our U.K. and Canadian operations were 1.7 billion GBP and 
1.6 billion GBP as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and 1.5 billion CAD and 1.4 billion CAD as of December 31, 
2020 and 2019, respectively.

As a result of our derivative management activities, we believe our net exposure to foreign exchange risk is minimal.

Risk related to Customer Accommodation Derivatives 

We  offer  interest  rate,  commodity  and  foreign  currency  derivatives  as  an  accommodation  to  our  customers  within  our 
Commercial  Banking  business.  We  offset  the  majority  of  the  market  risk  of  these  customer  accommodation  derivatives  by 
entering into offsetting derivatives transactions with other counterparties. We use value-at-risk (“VaR”) as the primary method 
to  measure  the  market  risk  in  our  customer  accommodation  derivative  activities  on  a  daily  basis.  VaR  is  a  statistical  risk 
measure  used  to  estimate  the  potential  loss  from  movements  observed  in  the  recent  market  environment.  We  employ  an 
historical  simulation  approach  using  the  most  recent  500  business  days  and  use  a  99  percent  confidence  level  and  a  holding 
period of one business day. As a result of offsetting our customer exposures with other counterparties, we believe that our net 
exposure to market risk in our customer accommodation derivatives is minimal. For further information on our risk related to 
customer accommodation derivatives, see “Note 9—Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities.”

London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) Transition

On July 27, 2017, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority, the regulator for the administration of LIBOR, announced that LIBOR 
would be transitioned as an interest rate benchmark and that it will no longer compel banks to contribute LIBOR data beyond 
December  31,  2021.  In  the  U.S.,  the  Federal  Reserve  Board  and  the  Federal  Reserve  Bank  of  New  York  established  the 
Alternative Reference Rates Committee (“ARRC”), a group of private market participants and ex-officio members representing 
banking and financial sector regulators. The ARRC has recommended SOFR as the preferred alternative rate for certain U.S. 
dollar derivative and cash instruments. While the ARRC has recommended SOFR as the replacement rate for LIBOR, there is 
acknowledgment  that  the  development  of  a  credit-sensitive  element  could  be  a  complement  to  SOFR.  It  is  unclear  as  to  the 
likelihood and timing, but such a development would have impacts to our transition efforts. 

On  November  30,  2020,  the  ICE  Benchmark  Administration  (“IBA”),  the  administrator  of  LIBOR,  announced  that  it  will 
consult on its intention to cease publication of the 1-week and 2-month USD LIBOR settings immediately following the LIBOR 
publication  on  December  31,  2021,  and  the  remaining  USD  LIBOR  tenors  (Overnight  1,  3,  6,  and  12  months)  immediately 
following the LIBOR publication on June 30, 2023. The continuation of USD LIBOR as a representative rate into mid-2023 
allows many legacy USD LIBOR contracts to mature prior to cessation and should support customers’ and financial services 
firms’  building  operational  readiness  to  support  new  products  and  additional  market  developments.  Responses  were  due  on 
January 25, 2021 with a final decision thereafter.

We  have  exposures  to  LIBOR,  including  loans,  derivative  contracts,  unsecured  debt,  securitizations,  vendor  agreements  and 
other instruments with attributes that are either directly or indirectly dependent on LIBOR. To facilitate an orderly transition 
from LIBOR, we have established a company-wide, cross-functional initiative to oversee and manage our transition away from 
LIBOR and other Interbank Offered Rates (“IBORs”) to alternative reference rates. We have made progress on our transition 
efforts as we:

•

•

•

•

•

implemented a robust governance framework and transition planning;

completed an assessment of exposures and are developing exposure reporting for products, legal contracts, systems, 
models and processes; 

included LIBOR transition language (“fallback language”) for certain new legal contracts and agreements;

started issuing securities and originating agency multifamily loans with SOFR-based features in 2020 to align with 
GSE new-issue requirements, and

officially adhered to the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (“ISDA”) fallback protocol in January 2021.

102

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

We also continue to focus our transition efforts on:

• monitoring market developments for the application of hardwired language from the ARRC; 

•

•

engaging with industry experts to better understand the proposed IBA’s extension announcement and its impact on the 
markets and our transition plans;

reviewing existing legal contracts and agreements and assessing fallback language impacts;

• monitoring and reducing our LIBOR exposure;

•

•

•

building internal operational readiness and risk management processes;

implementing necessary updates to our infrastructure including systems, models, valuation tools and processes;

engaging with our clients, industry working groups, and regulators; and 

• monitoring developments associated with LIBOR alternatives and industry practices related to LIBOR-indexed 

instruments.

For a further discussion of the various risks we face in connection with the expected replacement of LIBOR on our operations, 
see  “Part  I—Item  1A.  Risk  Factors—Uncertainty  regarding,  and  transition  away  from,  LIBOR  may  adversely  affect  our 
business.”

103

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

SUPPLEMENTAL TABLES

Table A—Loans Held for Investment Portfolio Composition 

(Dollars in millions)

Credit Card:

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

December 31,

Domestic credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$  98,504  $  118,606  $  107,350  $  105,293  $  97,120 

International card businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

8,452 

9,630 

9,011 

9,469 

8,432 

Total credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  106,956 

  128,236 

  116,361 

  114,762 

  105,552 

Consumer Banking:

Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

65,762 

60,362 

56,341 

Home loan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Retail banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Commercial Banking:

Commercial and multifamily real estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Commercial and industrial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total commercial lending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Small-ticket commercial real estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

— 

3,126 

68,888 

30,681 

45,099 

75,780 

— 

— 

— 

2,703 

2,864 

53,991 

17,633 

3,454 

47,916 

21,584 

3,554 

63,065 

59,205 

75,078 

73,054 

30,245 

44,263 

74,508 

— 

28,899 

41,091 

69,990 

343 

26,150 

38,025 

64,175 

400 

26,609 

39,824 

66,433 

483 

Total commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

75,780 

74,508 

70,333 

64,575 

66,916 

Other loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

— 

— 

— 

58 

64 

Total loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$  251,624  $  265,809  $  245,899  $  254,473  $  245,586 

Table B—Performing Delinquencies 

(Dollars in millions)

Delinquent loans:

2020

2019

December 31,

2018

2017

2016

Loans(1)(2)

Rate(3)

Loans(2)

Rate(3)

Loans(2)

Rate(3)

Loans(2)

Rate(3)

Loans(2)

Rate(3)

30 – 59 days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$  3,307 

1.31 % $  4,417 

 1.66 % $  4,255 

 1.73 % $  3,908 

 1.53 % $  3,416 

 1.39 %

60 – 89 days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1,467 

90 – 119 days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

120 – 149 days . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

150 or more days . . . . . . . . . . . . 

552 

407 

343 

 0.58 

 0.22 

 0.16 

 0.14 

2,513 

975 

813 

619 

 0.94 

 0.37 

 0.31 

 0.23 

2,406 

866 

736 

632 

 0.98 

 0.35 

 0.30 

 0.26 

2,086 

862 

734 

637 

 0.82 

 0.34 

 0.29 

 0.25 

1,833 

771 

628 

537 

 0.75 

 0.31 

 0.26 

 0.22 

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$  6,076 

2.41 % $  9,337 

 3.51 % $  8,895 

 3.62 % $  8,227 

 3.23 % $  7,185 

 2.93 %

By geographic area:

Domestic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$  5,855 

 2.32 % $  9,002 

 3.38 % $  8,578 

 3.49 % $  7,883 

 3.10 % $  6,902 

 2.81 %

International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

221 
$  6,076 

 0.09 

335 

 0.13 

317 

 0.13 

344 

 0.13 

283 

 0.12 

2.41 % $  9,337 

 3.51 % $  8,895 

 3.62 % $  8,227 

 3.23 % $  7,185 

 2.93 %

Total loans held for investment . . . .

$ 251,624 

$ 265,809 

$ 245,899 

$ 254,473 

$ 245,586 

__________ 
(1)

Concurrent with our adoption of the CECL standard in the first quarter of 2020, we reclassified our finance charge and fee reserve to our allowance for 
credit losses, with a corresponding increase to credit card loans held for investment. 

(2)

(3)

Performing  TDRs  totaled  $1.7  billion,  $1.3  billion,  $1.4  billion,  $1.9  billion  and  $1.6  billion  as  of  December  31,  2020,  2019,  2018,  2017  and  2016, 
respectively.

Delinquency rates are calculated by dividing loans in each delinquency status category and geographic region as of the end of the period by the total loan 
portfolio.

104

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table C—Nonperforming Loans and Other Nonperforming Assets 

(Dollars in millions)
Nonperforming loans held for investment:

Credit Card:

December 31,

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

International card businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

Total credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

21 

21 

$ 

25 

25 

$ 

22 

22 

$ 

24 

24 

$ 

42 

42 

Consumer Banking:

Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

294 

487 

449 

  — 

  — 

  — 

Home loan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Retail banking  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Commercial Banking:

Commercial and multifamily real estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Commercial and industrial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total commercial lending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

30 

324 

200 

450 

650 

23 

510 

38 

410 

448 

Small-ticket commercial real estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

  — 

  — 

Total commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

650 

448 

30 

479 

83 

223 

306 

6 

312 

376 

176 

35 

587 

38 

239 

277 

7 

223 

273 

31 

527 

30 

988 

  1,018 

4 

284 

  1,022 

Other loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  — 

  — 

  — 

4 

8 

Total nonperforming loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$  995 

$  983 

$  813 

$  899 

$  1,599 

Other nonperforming assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

45 

63 

59 

153 

280 

Total nonperforming assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total nonperforming loans(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total nonperforming assets(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 1,040 

$  1,046 

$  872 

$  1,052 

$  1,879 

 0.40 %

 0.37 %

 0.33 %

 0.35 %

 0.65 %

 0.41 

 0.39 

 0.35 

 0.41 

 0.76 

__________
(1)

Nonperforming loan rate is calculated based on total nonperforming loans divided by period-end total loans held for investment.

(2)

The denominator used in calculating the total nonperforming assets ratio consists of total loans held for investment and total other nonperforming assets.

105

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table D—Net Charge-Offs

(Dollars in millions)
Average loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2020
$ 253,335 

2019
$  247,450 

2018
$ 242,118 

2017
$ 245,565 

2016
$ 233,272 

Net charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

5,225 

Net charge-off rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 2.06 %

6,252 

 2.53 %

6,112 

6,562 

5,062 

 2.52 %

 2.67 %

 2.17 %

Year Ended December 31,

Table E—Summary of Allowance for Credit Losses and Reserve for Unfunded Lending Commitments 

(Dollars in millions)
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance at beginning of period(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Charge-offs:

Credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Recoveries:

Credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total recoveries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Provision for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Allowance build (release) for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Balance at end of period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Reserve for unfunded lending commitments:
Balance at beginning of period(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Provision (benefit) for losses on unfunded lending commitments .

Balance at end of period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

December 31,

$  10,515 

$ 

7,220 

$ 

7,502 

$ 

6,503 

$ 

5,130 

(5,749) 
(1,534) 
(394) 
— 

(7,677) 

1,479 
956 
17 
— 
2,452 
(5,225) 
  10,238 
5,013 
36 
$  15,564 

$ 

172 

23 

195 

(6,711) 
(1,917) 
(181) 
— 

(8,809) 

1,562 
970 
25 
— 
2,557 
(6,252) 
6,223 
(29) 
17 
7,208 

122 

13 

135 

$ 

$ 

(6,657) 
(1,832) 
(119) 
(7) 

(8,615) 

1,588 
851 
63 
1 
2,503 
(6,112) 
5,858 
(254) 
(28) 
7,220 

124 

(2) 

122 

$ 

$ 

(6,321) 
(1,677) 
(481) 
(34) 

(8,513) 

1,267 
639 
16 
29 
1,951 
(6,562) 
7,563 
1,001 
(2) 
7,502 

136 

(12) 

124 

$ 

$ 

(5,019) 
(1,226) 
(307) 
(3) 

(6,555) 

1,066 
406 
15 
6 
1,493 
(5,062) 
6,491 
1,429 
(56) 
6,503 

168 

(32) 

136 

$ 

$ 

Combined allowance and reserve at end of period . . . . . . . . . . 

$  15,759 

$ 

7,343 

$ 

7,342 

$ 

7,626 

$ 

6,639 

Allowance for credit losses as a percentage of loans held for 
investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Combined allowance and reserve by geographic distribution:

 6.19 %

 2.71 %

 2.94 %

 2.95 %

 2.65 %

Domestic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Combined allowance and reserve by portfolio segment:

$  15,218 
541 
$  15,759 

Credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$  11,191 
2,715 
1,853 
— 
$  15,759 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

6,945 
398 
7,343 

5,395 
1,043 
905 
— 
7,343 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

6,951 
391 
7,342 

5,535 
1,052 
755 
— 
7,342 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

7,251 
375 
7,626 

5,648 
1,249 
728 
1 
7,626 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

6,262 
377 
6,639 

4,606 
1,109 
922 
2 
6,639 

__________
(1)

Includes both the cumulative effects from adoption of the CECL standard of $2.8 billion and the reclassification of our finance charge and fee reserve of 
$462 million to our allowance for credit losses in the first quarter of 2020. 

(2)

Includes cumulative effects from adoption of the CECL standard of $37 million in the first quarter of 2020.

106

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures

The following non-GAAP measures consist of TCE, tangible assets and metrics computed using these amounts, which include 
tangible book value per common share, return on average tangible assets, return on average TCE and TCE ratio. We consider 
these metrics to be key financial performance measures that management uses in assessing capital adequacy and the level of 
returns  generated.  While  these  non-GAAP  measures  are  widely  used  by  investors,  analysts  and  bank  regulatory  agencies  to 
assess the capital position of financial services companies, they may not be comparable to similarly-titled measures reported by 
other  companies.  The  following  table  presents  reconciliations  of  these  non-GAAP  measures  to  the  applicable  amounts 
measured in accordance with GAAP.

Table F—Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures

(Dollars in millions, except as noted)
Tangible Common Equity (Period-End):

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

December 31,

Stockholders’ equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Goodwill and intangible assets(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Noncumulative perpetual preferred stock . . . . . . . 

$ 

60,204 

$ 

58,011 

$ 

51,668 

$ 

48,730 

$ 

47,514 

(14,809) 

(4,847) 

(14,932) 

(4,853) 

(14,941) 

(4,360) 

(15,106) 

(4,360) 

(15,420) 

(4,360) 

Tangible common equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

40,548 

$ 

38,226 

$ 

32,367 

$ 

29,264 

$ 

27,734 

Tangible Common Equity (Average):

Stockholders’ equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Goodwill and intangible assets(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Noncumulative perpetual preferred stock . . . . . . . 

$ 

58,201 

$ 

55,690 

$ 

50,192 

$ 

49,530 

$ 

48,753 

(14,875) 

(5,247) 

(14,927) 

(4,729) 

(15,017) 

(4,360) 

(15,308) 

(4,360) 

(15,550) 

(3,591) 

Tangible common equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

38,079 

$ 

36,034 

$ 

30,815 

$ 

29,862 

$ 

29,612 

Tangible Assets (Period-End):

Total assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Goodwill and intangible assets(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Tangible assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$  421,602 

$  390,365 

$  372,538 

$  365,693 

$  357,033 

(14,809) 

(14,932) 

(14,941) 

(15,106) 

(15,420) 

$  406,793 

$  375,433 

$  357,597 

$  350,587 

$  341,613 

Tangible Assets (Average):

Total assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Goodwill and intangible assets(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Tangible assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Non-GAAP Ratio:
Tangible common equity (“TCE”)(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

__________
(1)

Includes impact of related deferred taxes.

$  411,187 

$  374,924 

$  363,036 

$  354,924 

$  339,974 

(14,875) 

(14,927) 

(15,017) 

(15,308) 

(15,550) 

$  396,312 

$  359,997 

$  348,019 

$  339,616 

$  324,424 

 10.0 %

 10.2 %

 9.1 %

 8.3 %

 8.1 %

(2)

TCE ratio is a non-GAAP measure calculated based on TCE divided by tangible assets.

107

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table G—Selected Quarterly Financial Information 

(Dollars in millions, except per share data and as noted) 
(unaudited)
Summarized results of operations:

Interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Provision for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net interest income after provision for credit losses . . . . . .

Non-interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Non-interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income 
taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Income tax provision (benefit) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax . . . . . 

Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax . . . .

Net income (loss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dividends and undistributed earnings allocated to 
participating securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preferred stock dividends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Issuance cost for redeemed preferred stock . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Net income (loss) available to common stockholders . . . . .
Common share statistics:

Basic earnings per common share:

Net income (loss) from continuing operations . . . . . . . . . . 

Income from discontinued operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net income (loss) per basic common share . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Diluted earnings per common share:

Net income (loss) from continuing operations . . . . . . . . . . 

Income from discontinued operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net income (loss) per diluted common share . . . . . . . . . . . 
Weighted-average common shares outstanding
(in millions):
Basic common shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Diluted common shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Balance sheet (average balances):

Loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Interest-earning assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

5,873 

264 

5,609 

1,464 

4,009 

3,064 

496 

2,568 

(2) 

2,566 

(19) 
(68) 

2020

2019

Q4

Q3

Q2

Q1

Q4

Q3

Q2

Q1

$  6,391  $  6,215  $  6,318  $  7,109  $  7,270  $  7,075  $  7,076  $  7,092 
1,301 

1,084 

1,204 

1,338 

1,330 

518 

660 

858 

5,555 

331 

5,224 

1,826 

3,548 

5,460 

4,246 

1,214 

1,096 

3,770 

6,025 

5,423 

602 

1,224 

3,729 

6,066 

1,818 

4,248 

1,361 

4,161 

3,502 

(1,460) 

(1,903) 

1,448 

1,096 

2,406 

— 

2,406 

(543) 

(917) 

(1) 

(563) 

(1,340) 

— 

270 

1,178 

(2) 

5,737 

1,383 

4,354 

1,222 

3,872 

1,704 

375 

1,329 

4 

5,746 

1,342 

4,404 

1,378 

3,779 

2,003 

387 

1,616 

9 

5,791 

1,693 

4,098 

1,292 

3,671 

1,719 

309 

1,410 

2 

(918) 

(1,340) 

1,176 

1,333 

1,625 

1,412 

(20) 
(67) 

(1) 
(90) 

(3) 
(55) 

(7) 
(97) 

(10) 
(53) 

(12) 
(80) 

(12) 
(52) 

(17) 

— 
$  2,462  $  2,319  $  (1,009)  $  (1,420)  $  1,041  $  1,270  $  1,533  $  1,348 

(22) 

(31) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

5.36  $ 
— 
5.36  $ 

5.35  $ 
— 
5.35  $ 

5.07  $ 

(2.21)  $ 

(3.10)  $ 

2.26  $ 

2.70  $ 

3.24  $ 

2.87 

— 

— 

— 

— 

0.01 

0.02 

— 

5.07  $ 

(2.21)  $ 

(3.10)  $ 

2.26  $ 

2.71  $ 

3.26  $ 

2.87 

5.06  $ 

(2.21)  $ 

(3.10)  $ 

2.25  $ 

2.68  $ 

3.22  $ 

2.86 

— 

— 

— 

— 

0.01 

0.02 

— 

5.06  $ 

(2.21)  $ 

(3.10)  $ 

2.25  $ 

2.69  $ 

3.24  $ 

2.86 

459.1 

460.2 

457.8 

458.5 

456.7 

456.7 

457.6 

457.6 

460.9 

463.4 

469.5 

471.8 

470.8 

473.0 

469.4 

471.6 

$ 247,689  $ 249,511  $ 253,358  $ 262,889  $ 258,870  $ 246,147  $ 242,653  $ 241,959 
  388,252 
  337,793 

  378,145 

  391,451 

  355,347 

  349,150 

  340,949 

  338,026 

Total assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  420,011 

  422,854 

  411,075 

  390,380 

  383,162 

  374,905 

  371,095 

  370,394 

Interest-bearing deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

  274,142 

  276,339 

  261,256 

  241,115 

  236,250 

  232,063 

  230,452 

  227,572 

Total deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  304,513 

  305,516 

  288,344 

  264,653 

  260,040 

  255,082 

  253,634 

  251,410 

Borrowings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

  40,662 

  44,161 

  49,827 

  51,795 

  51,442 

  49,413 

  49,982 

  53,055 

Common equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  54,220 

  51,995 

  52,413 

  53,186 

  52,641 

  52,566 

  50,209 

  48,359 

Total stockholders’ equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  59,389 

  57,223 

  57,623 

  58,568 

  58,148 

  57,245 

  54,570 

  52,720 

108

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Glossary and Acronyms

2019 Stock Repurchase Program: On June 27, 2019, we announced that our Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of 
up to $2.2 billion of shares of our common stock from the third quarter of 2019 through the end of the second quarter of 2020.

Amortized cost: The amount at which a financing receivable or investment is originated or acquired, adjusted for applicable 
accrued interest, accretion, or amortization of premium, discount, and net deferred fees or costs, collection of cash, write-offs, 
foreign exchange and fair value hedge accounting adjustments.

Annual Report: References to our “2020 Form 10-K” or “2020 Annual Report” are to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for 
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020. 

Banks: Refers to COBNA and CONA.

Basel Committee: The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.

Basel  III  Advanced  Approaches:  Following  the  Tailoring  Rule,  the  Basel  III  Advanced  Approaches  was  mandatory  for 
Category I and II institutions. Category III institutions, such as us, are no longer subject to the Basel III Advanced Approaches 
framework effective January 1, 2020.

Basel  III  Capital  Rules:  The  regulatory  capital  requirements  established  by  the  Federal  Banking  Agencies  in  July  2013  to 
implement  the  Basel  III  capital  framework  developed  by  the  Basel  Committee  as  well  as  certain  Dodd-Frank  Act  and  other 
capital provisions.

Basel  III  Standardized  Approach:  The  Basel  III  Capital  Rules  modified  Basel  I  to  create  the  Basel  III  Standardized 
Approach.

Capital One or the Company: Capital One Financial Corporation and its subsidiaries.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”): Legislation signed into laws on March 27, 2020. 
This  law,  among  other  things,  authorized  a  number  of  lending  programs  to  support  the  flow  of  credit  to  consumers  and 
businesses  and  gave  the  banking  organizations  an  option  to  temporarily  suspend  the  determination  of  certain  qualified  loans 
modified as a result of COVID-19 as being TDRs, which was extended by the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021.

Carrying value (with respect to loans): The amount at which a loan is recorded on the consolidated balance sheets. For loans 
recorded at amortized cost, carrying value is the unpaid principal balance net of unamortized deferred loan origination fees and 
costs, and unamortized purchase premium or discount. For loans that are or have been on nonaccrual status, the carrying value 
is also reduced by any net charge-offs that have been recorded and the amount of interest payments applied as a reduction of 
principal under the cost recovery method. For credit card loans, the carrying value also includes interest that has been billed to 
the customer, net of any related reserves. Loans held for sale are recorded at either fair value (if we elect the fair value option) 
or at the lower of cost or fair value.

CECL: In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 
2016-13,  Financial  Instruments—Credit  Losses  (Topic  326):  Measurement  of  Credit  Losses  on  Financial  Instruments.  This 
ASU  requires  an  impairment  model  (known  as  the  current  expected  credit  loss  (“CECL”)  model)  that  is  based  on  expected 
rather  than  incurred  losses,  with  an  anticipated  result  of  more  timely  loss  recognition.  This  guidance  was  effective  for  us  on 
January 1, 2020. 

COBNA: Capital One Bank (USA), National Association, one of our fully owned subsidiaries, which offers credit and debit 
card products, other lending products and deposit products.

Common equity Tier 1 (“CET1”) capital: Calculated as the sum of common equity, related surplus and retained earnings, and 
accumulated other comprehensive income net of applicable phase-ins, less goodwill and intangibles net of associated deferred 
tax liabilities and applicable phase-ins, less other deductions, as defined by regulators.

CONA:  Capital  One,  National  Association,  one  of  our  fully  owned  subsidiaries,  which  offers  a  broad  spectrum  of  banking 
products and financial services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients.

Credit risk: The risk of loss from an obligor’s failure to meet the terms of any contract or otherwise fail to perform as agreed.

109

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Cybersecurity Incident: The unauthorized access by an outside individual who obtained certain types of personal information 
relating to people who had applied for our credit card products and to our credit card customers that we announced on July 29, 
2019. 

Derivative: A contract or agreement whose value is derived from changes in interest rates, foreign exchange rates, prices of 
securities or commodities, credit worthiness for credit default swaps or financial or commodity indices.

Discontinued operations: The operating results of a component of an entity, as defined by Accounting Standards Codification 
(“ASC”) 205, that are removed from continuing operations when that component has been disposed of or it is management’s 
intention to sell the component.

Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank Act”): Regulatory reform legislation signed 
into law on July 21, 2010. This law broadly affects the financial services industry and contains numerous provisions aimed at 
strengthening the sound operation of the financial services sector.

Eligible retained income: The greater of (a) a banking organization's net income for the four preceding calendar quarters, net 
of any distributions and associated tax effects not already reflected in net income, or (b) the average of a banking organization's 
net income over the preceding four quarters.

Exchange Act: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

eXtensible Business Reporting Language (“XBRL”): A language for the electronic communication of business and financial 
data.

Federal Banking Agencies: The Federal Reserve, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and  Federal Deposit Insurance 
Corporation.

Federal Reserve: The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

FICO  score:  A  measure  of  consumer  credit  risk  provided  by  credit  bureaus,  typically  produced  from  statistical  modeling 
software created by FICO (formerly known as “Fair Isaac Corporation”) utilizing data collected by the credit bureaus.

Foreign currency derivative contracts: An agreement to exchange contractual amounts of one currency for another currency 
at one or more future dates.

Foreign exchange contracts: Contracts that provide for the future receipt or delivery of foreign currency at previously agreed-
upon terms.

GSE or Agency: A government-sponsored enterprise or agency is a financial services corporation created by the United States 
Congress.  Examples  of  U.S.  government  agencies  include  Federal  National  Mortgage  Association  (“Fannie  Mae”),  Federal 
Home  Loan  Mortgage  Corporation  (“Freddie  Mac”),  Government  National  Mortgage  Association  (“Ginnie  Mae”)  and  the 
Federal Home Loan Banks (“FHLB”).

Interest rate sensitivity: The exposure to interest rate movements.

Interest  rate  swaps:  Contracts  in  which  a  series  of  interest  rate  flows  in  a  single  currency  are  exchanged  over  a  prescribed 
period.  Interest  rate  swaps  are  the  most  common  type  of  derivative  contract  that  we  use  in  our  asset/liability  management 
activities.

Investment  grade:  Represents  Moody’s  long-term  rating  of  Baa3  or  better;  and/or  a  Standard  &  Poor’s  long-term  rating  of 
BBB- or better; or if unrated, an equivalent rating using our internal risk ratings. Instruments that fall below these levels are 
considered to be non-investment grade.

Investor entities: Entities that invest in community development entities (“CDE”) that provide debt financing to businesses and 
non-profit entities in low-income and rural communities.

LCR Rule: In September 2014, the Federal Banking Agencies issued final rules implementing the Basel III Liquidity Coverage 
Ratio  (“LCR”)  in  the  United  States.  The  LCR  is  calculated  by  dividing  the  amount  of  an  institution’s  high  quality, 
unencumbered liquid assets by its estimated net cash outflow, as defined and calculated in accordance with the LCR Rule. 

110

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Leverage ratio: Tier 1 capital divided by average assets after certain adjustments, as defined by the regulators. 

Liquidity risk: The risk that the Company will not be able to meet its future financial obligations as they come due, or invest in 
future asset growth because of an inability to obtain funds at a reasonable price within a reasonable time period.

Loan-to-value  (“LTV”)  ratio:  The  relationship,  expressed  as  a  percentage,  between  the  principal  amount  of  a  loan  and  the 
appraised value of the collateral securing the loan.

Managed  presentation:  A  non-GAAP  presentation  of  business  segment  results  derived  from  our  internal  management 
accounting and reporting process, which employs various allocation methodologies, including funds transfer pricing, to assign 
certain  balance  sheet  assets,  deposits  and  other  liabilities  and  their  related  revenue  and  expenses  directly  or  indirectly 
attributable  to  each  business  segment.  The  results  of  our  individual  businesses  reflect  the  manner  in  which  management 
evaluates performance and makes decisions about funding our operations and allocating resources and are intended to reflect 
each segment as if it were a stand-alone business. 

Market risk: The risk that an institution’s earnings or the economic value of equity could be adversely impacted by changes in 
interest rates, foreign exchange rates or other market factors.

Master  netting  arrangements:  An  agreement  between  two  counterparties  that  have  multiple  contracts  with  each  other  that 
provides  for  the  net  settlement  of  all  contracts  through  a  single  payment  in  the  event  of  default  or  termination  of  any  one 
contract.

Mortgage-backed  security  (“MBS”):  An  asset-backed  security  whose  cash  flows  are  backed  by  the  principal  and  interest 
payments of a set of mortgage loans.

Mortgage servicing rights (“MSRs”): The right to service a mortgage loan when the underlying loan is sold or securitized. 
Servicing  includes  collections  for  principal,  interest  and  escrow  payments  from  borrowers  and  accounting  for  and  remitting 
principal and interest payments to investors.

Net charge-off rate: Represents (annualized) net charge-offs divided by average loans held for investment for the period.

Net interest margin: Represents (annualized) net interest income divided by average interest-earning assets for the period.

NSFR Rule: The Federal Banking Agencies issued a rule in October 2020 implementing the net stable funding ratio (“NSFR”). 
The  NSFR  measures  the  stability  of  our  funding  profile  and  requires  us  to  maintain  minimum  amounts  of  stable  funding  to 
support our assets, commitments and derivatives exposures over a one-year period.

Nonperforming loans: Generally include loans that have been placed on nonaccrual status. We do not report loans classified as 
held for sale as nonperforming.

Option-ARM  loans:  The  option-ARM  real  estate  loan  product  is  an  adjustable-rate  mortgage  (“ARM”)  loan  that  initially 
provides the borrower with the monthly option to make a fully-amortizing, interest-only or minimum fixed payment. After the 
initial payment option period, usually five years, the recalculated minimum payment represents a fully-amortizing principal and 
interest payment that would effectively repay the loan by the end of its contractual term.

Public  Funds  deposits:  Deposits  that  are  derived  from  a  variety  of  political  subdivisions  such  as  school  districts  and 
municipalities. 

Purchase  volume:  Consists  of  purchase  transactions,  net  of  returns,  for  the  period,  and  excludes  cash  advance  and  balance 
transfer transactions.

Purchased credit-impaired (“PCI”) loans: Loans acquired in a business combination or asset acquisition that were recorded 
at  fair  value  at  acquisition  and  subsequently  accounted  for  based  on  cash  flows  expected  to  be  collected  in  accordance  with 
ASC 310-30, Loans and Debt Securities Acquired with Deteriorated Credit Quality.

Rating  agency:  An  independent  agency  that  assesses  the  credit  quality  and  likelihood  of  default  of  an  issue  or  issuer  and 
assigns a rating to that issue or issuer.

111

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Repurchase agreement: An instrument used to raise short-term funds whereby securities are sold with an agreement for the 
seller to buy back the securities at a later date. 

Restructuring  charges:  Charges  associated  with  the  realignment  of  resources  supporting  various  businesses,  primarily 
consisting of severance and related benefits pursuant to our ongoing benefit programs and impairment of certain assets related 
to business locations and activities being exited.

Risk-weighted assets: On- and off-balance sheet assets that are assigned to one of several broad risk categories and weighted 
by factors representing their risk and potential for default. 

Securitized  debt  obligations:  A  type  of  asset-backed  security  and  structured  credit  product  constructed  from  a  portfolio  of 
fixed-income assets.

Stress capital buffer: A component of our new standardized approach capital conservation buffer, which will be recalibrated 
annually based on the results of our supervisory stress tests. 

Subprime: For purposes of lending in our Credit Card business, we generally consider FICO scores of 660 or below, or other 
equivalent risk scores, to be subprime. For purposes of auto lending in our Consumer Banking business, we generally consider 
FICO scores of 620 or below to be subprime.

Tailoring Rules: In October 2019, the Federal Banking Agencies released final rules that provide for tailored application of 
certain capital, liquidity and stress-testing requirements across different categories of banking institutions. As a bank holding 
company with total consolidated assets of at least $250 billion that does not exceed any of the applicable risk-based thresholds, 
we are a Category III institution under the Tailoring Rules.

Tangible common equity: A non-GAAP financial measure. Common equity less goodwill and intangible assets adjusted for 
deferred tax liabilities associated with non-tax deductible intangible assets and tax deductible goodwill.

Tax Act: The Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal 
year 2018 enacted on December 22, 2017.

Troubled  debt  restructuring  (“TDR”):  A  TDR  is  deemed  to  occur  when  the  contractual  terms  of  a  loan  agreement  are 
modified by granting a concession to a borrower that is experiencing financial difficulty.

Unfunded commitments: Legally binding agreements to provide a defined level of financing until a specified future date.

U.K. PPI Reserve: U.K. payment protection insurance customer refund reserve.

U.S.  GAAP:  Accounting  principles  generally  accepted  in  the  United  States  of  America.  Accounting  rules  and  conventions 
defining acceptable practices in preparing financial statements in the U.S.

Variable interest entity (“VIE”): An entity that (i) lacks enough equity investment at risk to permit the entity to finance its 
activities without additional financial support from other parties; (ii) has equity owners that lack the right to make significant 
decisions affecting the entity’s operations; and/or (iii) has equity owners that do not have an obligation to absorb or the right to 
receive the entity’s losses or return.

112

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Acronyms

AML: Anti-money laundering

AOCI: Accumulated other comprehensive income

ARM: Adjustable rate mortgage
ARRC: Alternative Reference Rates Committee

ASU: Accounting Standards Update

ASC: Accounting Standards Codification

BHC: Bank holding company

bps: Basis points

CAD: Canadian dollar

CCAR: Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review

CCP: Central Counterparty Clearinghouse, or Central Clearinghouse

CDE: Community development entities 

CECL: Current expected credit loss

CFTC: Commodity Futures Trading Commission

CMBS: Commercial mortgage-backed securities

CME: Chicago Mercantile Exchange

COEP: Capital One (Europe) plc

COF: Capital One Financial Corporation

CVA: Credit valuation adjustment

DIF: Deposit Insurance Fund

DVA: Debit valuation adjustment

EUR: Euro

Fannie Mae: Federal National Mortgage Association

FASB: Financial Accounting Standards Board

FCA: U.K. Financial Conduct Authority

FCM: Futures commission merchant

FDIC: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

FFIEC: Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council

FHLB: Federal Home Loan Banks

FinCEN: Financial Crimes Enforcement Network

Fitch: Fitch Ratings

FOS: Financial Ombudsman Service

Freddie Mac: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
GAAP: Generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S.

GBP: Pound sterling

Ginnie Mae: Government National Mortgage Association
GSE or Agency: Government-sponsored enterprise

IBOR: Interbank Offered Rate

IRM: Independent Risk Management

LCH: LCH Group

LCR: Liquidity coverage ratio

LIBOR: London Interbank Offered Rate
MDL: Multi-district litigation

113

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Moody’s: Moody’s Investors Service

MSRs: Mortgage servicing rights

NSFR: Net stable funding ratio

OCC: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency 

OTC: Over-the-counter 

PCA: Prompt corrective action
PCD: Purchased credit-deteriorated

PCI: Purchased credit-impaired

PCCR: Purchased credit card relationship

PPI: Payment protection insurance

PPP: Paycheck Protection Program

RMBS: Residential mortgage-backed securities

RSU: Restricted stock unit

S&P: Standard & Poor’s
SEC: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

SCB: Stress Capital Buffer

SOFR: Secured Overnight Financing Rate

TCE: Tangible common equity

TDR: Troubled debt restructuring

U.K.: United Kingdom

U.S.: United States of America

114

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk 

For a discussion of the quantitative and qualitative disclosures about market risk, see “MD&A—Market Risk Profile.”

Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Consolidated Financial Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Consolidated Statements of Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Consolidated Balance Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 1—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Note 2—Investment Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 3—Loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Note 4—Allowance for Credit Losses and Reserve for Unfunded Lending Commitments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Note 5—Variable Interest Entities and Securitizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Note 6—Goodwill and Intangible Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 7—Premises, Equipment and Leases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 8—Deposits and Borrowings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 9—Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 10—Stockholders’ Equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Note 11—Regulatory and Capital Adequacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 12—Earnings Per Common Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 13—Stock-Based Compensation Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 14—Employee Benefit Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 15—Income Taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 16—Fair Value Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Note 17—Business Segments and Revenue from Contracts with Customers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Note 18—Commitments, Contingencies, Guarantees and Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Note 19—Capital One Financial Corporation (Parent Company Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note 20—Related Party Transactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Page
121

121

122

123

124

125

127

127

143

146

154

158

162

165

167

169

178

182

184

185

187

189

193

202

207

211

213

115

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

MANAGEMENT’S REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING

The management of Capital One Financial Corporation (the “Company” or “Capital One”) is responsible for establishing and 
maintaining  adequate  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  and  for  the  assessment  of  the  effectiveness  of  internal  control 
over  financial  reporting.  Internal  control  over  financial  reporting  is  a  process  designed  by,  or  under  the  supervision  of,  the 
Company’s  principal  executive  and  principal  financial  officers,  or  persons  performing  similar  functions,  and  effected  by  the 
Company’s Board of Directors, management and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of 
financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external reporting purposes in accordance with U.S. generally 
accepted accounting principles.

Capital One’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance 
of  records  that,  in  reasonable  detail,  accurately  and  fairly  reflect  the  transactions  and  dispositions  of  the  Company’s  assets; 
(ii)  provide  reasonable  assurance  that  transactions  are  recorded  as  necessary  to  permit  preparation  of  financial  statements  in 
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that the Company’s receipts and expenditures are being made 
only  in  accordance  with  authorizations  of  the  Company’s  management  and  directors;  and  (iii)  provide  reasonable  assurance 
regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have 
a material effect on its financial statements.

Because  of  its  inherent  limitations,  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  may  not  prevent  or  detect  misstatements.  Also, 
projections  of  any  evaluation  of  effectiveness  to  future  periods  are  subject  to  the  risk  that  controls  may  become  inadequate 
because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Management  conducted  an  assessment  of  the  effectiveness  of  the  Company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  as  of 
December 31, 2020, based on the framework in “2013 Internal Control—Integrated Framework” issued by the Committee of 
Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”), commonly referred to as the “2013 Framework.”

Based on this assessment, management concluded that, as of December 31, 2020, the Company’s internal control over financial 
reporting  was  effective  based  on  the  criteria  established  by  COSO  in  the  2013  Framework.  Additionally,  based  upon 
management’s  assessment,  the  Company  determined  that  there  were  no  material  weaknesses  in  its  internal  control  over 
financial reporting as of December 31, 2020.

The  effectiveness  of  the  Company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  as  of  December  31,  2020,  has  been  audited  by 
Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their accompanying report, which expresses 
an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020.

/s/ RICHARD D. FAIRBANK

Richard D. Fairbank

Chair, Chief Executive Officer and President

/s/ R. SCOTT BLACKLEY

R. Scott Blackley

Chief Financial Officer

February 25, 2021

116

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Capital One Financial Corporation:

Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

We have audited Capital One Financial Corporation’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, based 
on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the 
Treadway  Commission  (2013  framework)  (the  COSO  criteria).  In  our  opinion,  Capital  One  Financial  Corporation  (the 
“Company”) maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, 
based on the COSO criteria.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) 
(PCAOB), the consolidated balance sheets of Capital One Financial Corporation as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the related 
consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three 
years  in  the  period  ended  December  31,  2020,  and  the  related  notes  and  our  report  dated  February  25,  2021  expressed  an 
unqualified opinion thereon.

Basis for Opinion

The  Company’s  management  is  responsible  for  maintaining  effective  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  and  for  its 
assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management’s Report 
on  Internal  Control  Over  Financial  Reporting.  Our  responsibility  is  to  express  an  opinion  on  the  Company’s  internal  control 
over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be 
independent  with  respect  to  the  Company  in  accordance  with  the  U.S.  federal  securities  laws  and  the  applicable  rules  and 
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the 
audit  to  obtain  reasonable  assurance  about  whether  effective  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  was  maintained  in  all 
material respects.

Our  audit  included  obtaining  an  understanding  of  internal  control  over  financial  reporting,  assessing  the  risk  that  a  material 
weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and 
performing  such  other  procedures  as  we  considered  necessary  in  the  circumstances.  We  believe  that  our  audit  provides  a 
reasonable basis for our opinion.

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

A  company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  is  a  process  designed  to  provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding  the 
reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally 
accepted  accounting  principles.  A  company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  includes  those  policies  and  procedures 
that  (1)  pertain  to  the  maintenance  of  records  that,  in  reasonable  detail,  accurately  and  fairly  reflect  the  transactions  and 
dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit 
preparation  of  financial  statements  in  accordance  with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles,  and  that  receipts  and 
expenditures  of  the  company  are  being  made  only  in  accordance  with  authorizations  of  management  and  directors  of  the 
company;  and  (3)  provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding  prevention  or  timely  detection  of  unauthorized  acquisition,  use,  or 
disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. 

Because  of  its  inherent  limitations,  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  may  not  prevent  or  detect  misstatements.  Also, 
projections  of  any  evaluation  of  effectiveness  to  future  periods  are  subject  to  the  risk  that  controls  may  become  inadequate 
because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Tysons, Virginia

February 25, 2021

117

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Capital One Financial Corporation: 

Opinion on the Financial Statements 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Capital One Financial Corporation (the “Company”) as of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, changes in stockholders’ 
equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2020, and the related notes (collectively 
referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all 
material respects, the financial position of the Company at December 31, 2020 and 2019, and the results of its operations and its 
cash  flows  for  each  of  the  three  years  in  the  period  ended  December  31,  2020,  in  conformity  with  U.S.  generally  accepted 
accounting principles. 

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) 
(PCAOB),  the  Company's  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  as  of  December  31,  2020,  based  on  criteria  established  in 
Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission 
(2013 framework) and our report dated February 25, 2021 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon. 

Adoption of New Accounting Standard

As discussed in Note 1 and Note 4 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company changed its method for accounting for 
credit losses in 2020. As explained below, auditing the Company’s allowance for credit losses, including adoption of the change 
in method of accounting for credit losses, was a critical audit matter.

Basis for Opinion 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on 
the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are 
required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable 
rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB. 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the 
audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to 
error  or  fraud.  Our  audits  included  performing  procedures  to  assess  the  risks  of  material  misstatement  of  the  financial 
statements,  whether  due  to  error  or  fraud,  and  performing  procedures  that  respond  to  those  risks.  Such  procedures  included 
examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included 
evaluating  the  accounting  principles  used  and  significant  estimates  made  by  management,  as  well  as  evaluating  the  overall 
presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion. 

Critical Audit Matters

The critical audit matters communicated below are matters arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that 
were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that 
are  material  to  the  financial  statements  and  (2)  involved  our  especially  challenging,  subjective  or  complex  judgments.  The 
communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as 
a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matters below, providing separate opinions on the critical audit 
matters or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate.

118

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Description of the 
Matter

How We Addressed 
the Matter in Our 
Audit

Allowance for credit losses—Credit Card and Consumer Banking

As discussed above and in Note 1 and Note 4 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company 
changed  its  method  of  accounting  for  credit  losses.  On  January  1,  2020,  the  Company  adopted  the 
Financial  Accounting  Standards  Board  Accounting  Standards  Update  No.  2016-13,  Financial 
Instruments—Credit  Losses  (Topic  326):  Measurement  of  Credit  Losses  on  Financial  Instruments 
which resulted in an increase to the allowance for credit losses (ACL or allowance) for the credit card 
and consumer banking portfolios of $2.2 billion and $0.5 billion, respectively. At December 31, 2020, 
the Company’s allowance for the credit card and consumer banking portfolios was $11.2 billion and 
$2.7 billion, respectively. As more fully described in Note 1 and Note 4 of the consolidated financial 
statements,  the  ACL  represents  management’s  current  estimate  of  expected  credit  losses  over  the 
contractual terms of the Company’s held for investment (HFI) loan portfolios as of the balance sheet 
date  and  is  comprised  of  two  elements.  The  first  is  ‘quantitative’  and  involves  the  use  of  complex 
econometric statistical loss forecasting models tailored to each portfolio based on, among other things, 
expected economic conditions; historical loss, recovery, and paydown experience; account seasoning; 
and the value of collateral underlying secured loans. The second is ‘qualitative’ and involves factors 
that  represent  management’s  judgment  of  the  imprecision  and  risks  inherent  in  the  processes  and 
assumptions used in establishing the allowance for credit losses.

Auditing the allowance for the credit card and consumer banking portfolios was especially challenging 
and  highly  judgmental  due  to  the  significant  complexity  of  the  loss  forecasting  models  used  in  the 
quantitative element and the significant judgment required in establishing the qualitative element. The 
qualitative  element  requires  management  to  make  significant  judgments  regarding  current  and 
forward-looking  conditions,  internal  and  external  factors,  and  uncertainty  as  it  relates  to  economic, 
model, or forecasts risks, where not already captured in the modeled results.

We  obtained  an  understanding,  evaluated  the  design  and  tested  the  operating  effectiveness  of  the 
internal  controls  over  the  ACL  process,  including,  among  others,  controls  over  the  development, 
operation,  and  monitoring  of  loss  forecasting  models  and  management  review  controls  over  key 
assumptions and qualitative judgments used in reviewing the final credit card and consumer banking 
allowance  results,  including  the  economic  forecast.  Our  tests  of  controls  included  observation  of 
certain of management’s quarterly ACL governance meetings, at which key management judgments, 
qualitative  adjustments,  and  final  ACL  results  are  subjected  to  critical  challenge  by  management 
groups independent of the group responsible for producing the ACL estimate.

We involved EY specialists in testing management’s credit card and consumer banking econometric 
statistical loss forecasting models including evaluating model methodology, model performance and 
testing key modeling assumptions as well as model governance and the economic forecast used by the 
ACL models. We compared actual loss history with prior forecasts at a disaggregated loan portfolio 
level to evaluate the reasonableness of management’s consumer forecasts (e.g., look-back analysis). 

We performed sensitivity analysis on the ACL, charge-off and delinquency rates, and coverage ratios 
used within each segment of the credit card and consumer banking allowance. Our audit response also 
included  specific  substantive  tests  of  management’s  process  to  measure  credit  card  and  consumer 
banking qualitative factors, including those related to the significant judgments made by management 
outlined above. We compared calculations to alternative model scenarios and industry peer data and 
compared  qualitative  factors  to  prior  periods  and  prior  economic  cycles.  We  also  evaluated  if  credit 
card  and  consumer  banking  allowance  qualitative  factors  were  applied  based  on  a  comprehensive 
framework  and  that  all  available  information  was  considered,  well-documented,  and  consistently 
applied.

119

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Goodwill Impairment Assessment

Description of the 
Matter

At  December  31,  2020,  the  Company’s  goodwill  was  $14.7  billion  recorded  across  four  reporting 
units. As discussed in Note 1 and Note 6 of the consolidated financial statements, goodwill is tested 
for impairment at least annually at the reporting unit level by comparing the fair value of the reporting 
unit to its carrying value. Management uses a discounted cash flow analysis (DCF) to calculate the 
fair value of its reporting units. 

Auditing  of  the  annual  goodwill  impairment  test  was  especially  challenging,  complex,  and  highly 
judgmental  due  to  the  significant  estimation  required  in  determining  the  fair  value  of  the  reporting 
units.  The  fair  value  estimate  is  sensitive  to  significant  assumptions  including  prospective  financial 
information  (PFI)  and  market  discount  rates.  These  PFI  assumptions  require  management  to  make 
judgments  about  future  loan  and  deposit  growth,  revenue  and  expenses,  and  credit  losses. 
Management utilizes a financial forecasting process to estimate the PFI and an estimation process to 
determine the appropriate discount rates.

How We Addressed 
the Matter in Our 
Audit

Our audit procedures related to the goodwill impairment assessment included, among others, testing 
the  design  and  operating  effectiveness  of  controls  over  the  Company’s  PFI  forecasting  process  and 
management’s  impairment  assessment  process,  including  controls  over  the  estimation  of  discount 
rates. 

To  test  the  appropriateness  of  management’s  assessment  process,  we  assessed  the  goodwill 
impairment  methodology  and  involved  EY  valuation  specialists  to  assist  in  the  testing  of  the 
significant  assumptions,  including  testing  the  Company’s  estimate  of  discount  rates,  and  evaluating 
the reasonableness of total fair value through comparison to the Company’s market capitalization and 
analysis  of  the  resulting  premium  to  applicable  market  transactions.  We  evaluated  certain  of 
management’s  assumptions  with  historical  performance  (e.g.,  trend  analysis),  current  industry  and 
economic  trends,  changes  in  the  Company’s  strategies,  and  the  customer  base  or  product  mix.  We 
also evaluated the consistency of the PFI by comparing the projections to other analyses used within 
the organization and inquiries performed of senior management regarding strategic plans within each 
reporting unit. We compared prior year forecasts to current year actual performance. We performed 
sensitivity analyses related to the significant assumptions to evaluate the change in the fair value of 
the reporting units resulting from changes in the assumptions. We also recalculated the reconciliation 
of the fair value of all reporting units to the market capitalization of the Company and then assessed 
the resulting premium.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 1994.

Tysons, Virginia

February 25, 2021

120

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(Dollars in millions, except per share-related data)

Interest income:

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

Loans, including loans held for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

24,074  $ 

Investment securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Interest expense:

Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Securitized debt obligations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Senior and subordinated notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other borrowings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Net interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Provision for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Net interest income after provision for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Non-interest income:

Interchange fees, net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Service charges and other customer-related fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net securities gains (losses)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total non-interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Non-interest expense:

Salaries and associate benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Occupancy and equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Professional services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Communications and data processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Amortization of intangibles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total non-interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Income from continuing operations before income taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Income tax provision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Income from continuing operations, net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Dividends and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Preferred stock dividends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Issuance cost for redeemed preferred stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

1,877 

82 

26,033 

2,165 

232 

679 

44 

3,120 

22,913 

10,264 

12,649 

3,017 

1,243 

25 

1,325 

5,610 

6,805 

2,118 

1,610 

1,312 

1,215 

60 

1,936 

15,056 

3,203 

486 

2,717 

(3) 

2,714 

(20) 

(280) 

(39) 

25,862  $ 
2,411 

240 

28,513 

3,420 

523 

1,159 

71 

5,173 

23,340 

6,236 

17,104 

3,179 

1,330 

26 

718 

5,253 

6,388 

2,098 

2,274 

1,237 

1,290 

112 

2,084 

24,728 

2,211 

237 

27,176 

2,598 

496 

1,125 

82 

4,301 

22,875 

5,856 

17,019 

2,823 

1,585 

(209) 

1,002 

5,201 

5,727 

2,118 

2,174 

1,145 

1,260 

174 

2,304 

15,483 

14,902 

6,874 

1,341 

5,533 

13 

5,546 

(41) 

(282) 

(31) 

7,318 

1,293 

6,025 

(10) 

6,015 

(40) 

(265) 

0 

Net income available to common stockholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

2,375  $ 

5,192  $ 

5,710 

Basic earnings per common share:

Net income from continuing operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

5.20  $ 

Income (loss) from discontinued operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

(0.01) 

Net income per basic common share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

5.19  $ 

Diluted earnings per common share:

Net income from continuing operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

5.19  $ 

Income (loss) from discontinued operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

(0.01) 

Net income per diluted common share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

5.18  $ 

11.07  $ 
0.03 

11.10  $ 

11.02  $ 
0.03 

11.05  $ 

11.92 

(0.02) 

11.90 

11.84 

(0.02) 

11.82 

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

121

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME 

(Dollars in millions)

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

2,714  $ 

5,546  $ 

6,015 

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:

Net unrealized gains (losses) on securities available for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Net unrealized gains (losses) on hedging relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Foreign currency translation adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Net changes in securities held to maturity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

1,259 

1,008 

76 

0 

3 

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2,346 

Comprehensive income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

5,060  $ 

650 

772 

70 

26 

13 

1,531 

7,077  $ 

(459) 

(74) 

(39) 

447 

(11) 

(136) 

5,879 

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

122

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Dollars in millions, except per share-related data)

Assets:

Cash and cash equivalents:

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019

Cash and due from banks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

4,708  $ 

Interest-bearing deposits and other short-term investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total cash and cash equivalents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Restricted cash for securitization investors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Securities available for sale (amortized cost of $97.6 billion and allowance for credit losses of $1 million as of 
December 31, 2020) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Loans held for investment:

Unsecuritized loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Loans held in consolidated trusts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Allowance for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Loans held for sale ($596 million and $251 million carried at fair value at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively)

Premises and equipment, net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Interest receivable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Goodwill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

35,801 

40,509 

262 

100,445 

225,698 

25,926 

251,624 

(15,564) 

236,060 

2,710 

4,287 

1,471 

14,653 

21,205 

4,129 

9,278 

13,407 

342 

79,213 

231,992 

33,817 

265,809 

(7,208) 

258,601 

400 

4,378 

1,758 

14,653 

17,613 

Total assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

421,602  $ 

390,365 

Liabilities:

Interest payable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

352  $ 

439 

Deposits:

Non-interest-bearing deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Interest-bearing deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Securitized debt obligations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Other debt:

Federal funds purchased and securities loaned or sold under agreements to repurchase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Senior and subordinated notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other borrowings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total other debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Commitments, contingencies and guarantees (see Note 18)

Stockholders’ equity:

Preferred stock (par value $0.01 per share; 50,000,000 shares authorized; 4,975,000 shares issued and outstanding as 
of both December 31, 2020 and 2019) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Common stock (par value $0.01 per share; 1,000,000,000 shares authorized; 679,932,837 and 672,969,391 shares 
issued as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively; 458,972,202 and 456,562,399 shares outstanding as of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Additional paid-in capital, net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Retained earnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Accumulated other comprehensive income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

31,142 

274,300 

305,442 

12,414 

668 

27,382 

75 

28,125 

15,065 

361,398 

0 

7 

33,480 

40,088 

3,494 

23,488 

239,209 

262,697 

17,808 

314 

30,472 

7,103 

37,889 

13,521 

332,354 

0 

7 

32,980 

40,340 

1,156 

Treasury stock, at cost (par value $0.01 per share; 220,960,635 and 216,406,992 shares as of December 31, 2020 and 
2019, respectively) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(16,865) 

(16,472) 

Total stockholders’ equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

60,204 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

421,602  $ 

58,011 

390,365 

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

123

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(Dollars in millions)

Shares

Amount

Shares

Amount

Preferred Stock

Common Stock

Additional
Paid-In
Capital

Retained 
Earnings

Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)

Treasury
Stock

Total
Stockholders’
Equity

Balance as of December 31, 2017
Cumulative effects from adoption 
of new accounting standards . . . . .

Comprehensive income (loss) . . . .
Dividends—common stock(1) . . . . 
Dividends—preferred stock . . . . . 

Purchases of treasury stock . . . . . .

Issuances of common stock and 
restricted stock, net of forfeitures . 

Exercises of stock options and 
warrants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Compensation expense for 
restricted stock awards, restricted 
stock units and stock options . . . . .

  4,475,000  $ 

0 

 661,724,927  $ 

7  $  31,656  $  30,700  $ 

(926)  $ (12,707)  $ 

48,730 

35,813 

  4,183,783 

  2,024,546 

0 

0 

0 

3 

175 

38 

168 

(201) 

(136) 

201 

6,015 

(776) 

(265) 

(2,284) 

0 

5,879 

(773) 

(265) 

(2,284) 

175 

38 

168 

Balance as of December 31, 2018

  4,475,000  $ 

0 

 667,969,069  $ 

7  $  32,040  $  35,875  $ 

(1,263)  $ (14,991)  $ 

51,668 

Cumulative effects from adoption 
of new lease standard . . . . . . . . . . 

Comprehensive income . . . . . . . . .
Effects from transfer of securities 
held to maturity to available for 
sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dividends—common stock(1) . . . . 
Dividends—preferred stock . . . . . 

Purchases of treasury stock . . . . . .

Issuances of common stock and 
restricted stock, net of forfeitures . 

Exercises of stock options . . . . . . .

Issuances of preferred stock . . . . . 

  1,500,000 

Redemptions of preferred stock . . 
Compensation expense for 
restricted stock units and stock 
options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 (1,000,000) 

0 

0 

(11) 
5,546 

1,531 

888 

49,963 

  4,678,940 
271,419 

0 

0 
0 

4 

(757) 

(282) 

199 
17 

1,462 

(969) 

227 

(31) 

(11) 
7,077 

888 

(753) 

(282) 

(1,481) 

(1,481) 

199 
17 

1,462 

(1,000) 

227 

Balance as of December 31, 2019

  4,975,000  $ 

0 

 672,969,391  $ 

7  $  32,980  $  40,340  $ 

1,156  $ (16,472)  $ 

58,011 

Cumulative effects from adoption 
of the CECL standard . . . . . . . . . . 

Comprehensive income . . . . . . . . .
Dividends—common stock(1) . . . . 

Dividends—preferred stock . . . . . 

Purchases of treasury stock . . . . . .

Issuances of common stock and 
restricted stock, net of forfeitures . 

Exercises of stock options . . . . . . .

Issuances of preferred stock . . . . . 

  1,375,000 

Redemptions of preferred stock  . .

 (1,375,000) 

0 

0 

Compensation expense for 
restricted stock units and stock 
options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Balance as of December 31, 2020

(8) 

2,346 

(393) 

(2,184) 

2,714 

(463) 

(280) 

(39) 

32,466 

0 

3 

  5,539,010 

  1,391,970 

0 

0 

241 

62 

1,330 

(1,336) 

200 

  4,975,000  $ 

0 

 679,932,837  $ 

7  $  33,480  $  40,088  $ 

3,494  $ (16,865)  $ 

(2,192) 

5,060 

(460) 

(280) 

(393) 

241 

62 

1,330 

(1,375) 

200 
60,204 

__________
(1) We declared dividends per share on our common stock of $0.40 in both of the first two quarters and $0.10 in both of the latter two quarters of 2020 and 

$0.40 in each quarter of 2019 and 2018.

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

124

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Dollars in millions) 

Operating activities:

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

Income from continuing operations, net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

2,717  $ 

Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:

Provision for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Depreciation and amortization, net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Deferred tax provision (benefit) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Net securities losses (gains) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Gain on sales of loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Stock-based compensation expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Other (including unrealized gains from equity investments) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Loans held for sale:

Originations and purchases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Proceeds from sales and paydowns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

Changes in interest receivable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Changes in other assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Changes in interest payable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Changes in other liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Net change from discontinued operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Net cash from operating activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Investing activities:

Securities available for sale:

Purchases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Proceeds from paydowns and maturities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Proceeds from sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Securities held to maturity:

Purchases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Proceeds from paydowns and maturities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Loans:

Net changes in loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Principal recoveries of loans previously charged off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Net purchases of premises and equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Net cash from acquisition activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Net cash from other investing activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

(3) 

2,714 

10,264 

3,501 

(1,627) 

(25) 

(6) 

203 

(520) 

(10,055) 

9,856 

287 

979 

(87) 

1,212 

3 

16,699 

(43,026) 

22,324 

812 

0 

0 

4,136 

2,452 

(710) 

(7) 

(822) 

5,533  $ 
13 

5,546 

6,236 

3,339 

(296) 

(26) 

(50) 

239 

0 

(9,798) 

10,668 

(63) 

662 

(19) 

194 

7 

16,639 

(12,105) 

8,553 

4,780 

(396) 

5,050 

(21,280) 

2,557 

(887) 

(8,393) 

(877) 

6,025 

(10) 

6,015 

5,856 

2,396 

714 

209 

(548) 

170 

(125) 

(9,039) 

8,442 

(74) 

476 

45 

(1,553) 

(6) 

12,978 

(14,022) 

7,510 

6,399 

(19,166) 

2,419 

1,015 

2,503 

(874) 

(600) 

(802) 

Net cash from investing activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(14,841) 

(22,998) 

(15,618) 

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

125

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

(Dollars in millions) 

Financing activities:

Deposits and borrowings:

Changes in deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

42,519  $ 

12,643  $ 

Issuance of securitized debt obligations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Maturities and paydowns of securitized debt obligations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Issuance of senior and subordinated notes and long-term FHLB advances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Maturities and paydowns of senior and subordinated notes and long-term FHLB advances . . 

Changes in other borrowings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Common stock:

Net proceeds from issuances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Dividends paid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Preferred stock:

Net proceeds from issuances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Dividends paid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Redemptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Purchases of treasury stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Proceeds from share-based payment activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net cash from financing activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Changes in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash for securitization investors . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash for securitization investors, beginning of the period . .

1,248 

(6,885) 

3,987 

(8,156) 

(6,674) 

241 

(460) 

1,330 

(280) 

(1,375) 

(393) 

62 

25,164 

27,022 

13,749 

6,656 

(7,285) 

4,142 

(5,595) 

(2,104) 

199 

(753) 

1,462 

(282) 

(1,000) 

(1,481) 

17 

6,619 

260 

13,489 

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash for securitization investors, end of the period . . . . . . .

$ 

40,771  $ 

13,749  $ 

Supplemental cash flow information:

Non-cash items:

Net transfers from (to) loans held for investment to (from) loans held for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

2,192  $ 

1,589  $ 

Transfers from securities held to maturity to securities available for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Interest paid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Income tax paid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

0 

3,580 

988 

33,187 

4,790 

626 

6,077 

997 

(2,673) 

5,977 

(14,163) 

8,671 

175 

(773) 

0 

(265) 

0 

(2,284) 

38 

1,777 

(863) 

14,352 

13,489 

855 

0 

3,933 

407 

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

126

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 1—SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The Company

Capital One Financial Corporation, a Delaware Corporation established in 1994 and headquartered in McLean, Virginia, is a 
diversified financial services holding company with banking and non-banking subsidiaries. Capital One Financial Corporation 
and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) offer a broad array of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and 
commercial  clients  through  digital  channels,  branches,  Cafés  and  other  distribution  channels.  As  of  December  31,  2020,  our 
principal subsidiaries included:

•

•

Capital One Bank (USA), National Association (“COBNA”), which offers credit and debit card products, other lending 
products and deposit products; and

Capital One, National Association (“CONA”), which offers a broad spectrum of banking products and financial services 
to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients.

The Company is hereafter collectively referred to as “we,” “us” or “our.” COBNA and CONA are collectively referred to as the 
“Banks.”

We  also  offer  products  outside  of  the  United  States  of  America  (“U.S.”)  principally  through  Capital  One  (Europe)  plc 
(“COEP”), an indirect subsidiary of COBNA organized and located in the United Kingdom (“U.K.”), and through a branch of 
COBNA in Canada. COEP has authority, among other things, to provide credit card loans. Our branch of COBNA in Canada 
also has the authority to provide credit card loans.

Our  principal  operations  are  organized  for  management  reporting  purposes  into  three  major  business  segments,  which  are 
defined primarily based on the products and services provided or the types of customer served: Credit Card, Consumer Banking 
and Commercial Banking. We provide details on our business segments, the integration of recent acquisitions, if any, into our 
business  segments  and  the  allocation  methodologies  and  accounting  policies  used  to  derive  our  business  segment  results  in 
“Note 17—Business Segments and Revenue from Contracts with Customers.”

Basis of Presentation and Use of Estimates

The  accompanying  consolidated  financial  statements  have  been  prepared  in  accordance  with  generally  accepted  accounting 
principles in the U.S. (“U.S. GAAP”). The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP 
requires  management  to  make  estimates  and  assumptions  that  affect  the  amounts  reported  in  the  consolidated  financial 
statements and in the related disclosures. These estimates are based on information available as of the date of the consolidated 
financial statements. While management makes its best judgments, actual amounts or results could differ from these estimates. 
Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.

Principles of Consolidation 

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Capital One Financial Corporation and all other entities in which 
we  have  a  controlling  financial  interest.  We  determine  whether  we  have  a  controlling  financial  interest  in  an  entity  by  first 
evaluating  whether  the  entity  is  a  voting  interest  entity  (“VOE”)  or  a  variable  interest  entity  (“VIE”).  All  significant 
intercompany account balances and transactions have been eliminated.

Voting Interest Entities 

VOEs are entities that have sufficient equity and provide the equity investors voting rights that give them the power to make 
significant decisions relating to the entity’s operations. Since a controlling financial interest in an entity is typically obtained 
through  ownership  of  a  majority  voting  interest,  we  consolidate  our  majority-owned  subsidiaries  and  other  voting  interest 
entities in which we hold, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the voting rights or where we exercise control through other 
contractual rights. 

Investments in which we do not hold a controlling financial interest but have significant influence over the entity’s financial and 
operating decisions (generally defined as owning a voting interest of 20% to 50%) are accounted for under the equity method. If 
we  own  less  than  20%  of  a  voting  interest  entity,  we  measure  equity  investments  at  fair  value  with  changes  in  fair  value 

127

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

recorded  through  net  income,  except  those  that  do  not  have  a  readily  determinable  fair  value  (for  which  a  measurement 
alternative is applied). We report equity investments in other assets on our consolidated balance sheets and include our share of 
income or loss and dividends from those investments in other non-interest income in our consolidated statements of income.

Variable Interest Entities

VIEs are entities that, by design, either (i) lack sufficient equity to permit the entity to finance its activities without additional 
subordinated financial support from other parties; or (ii) have equity investors that do not have the ability to make significant 
decisions relating to the entity’s operations through voting rights, or do not have the obligation to absorb the expected losses, or 
do not have the right to receive the residual returns of the entity. The entity that is deemed the primary beneficiary of a VIE is 
required to consolidate the VIE. An entity is deemed to be the primary beneficiary of a VIE if that entity has both (i) the power 
to  direct  the  activities  of  the  VIE  that  most  significantly  impact  the  VIE’s  economic  performance;  and  (ii)  the  obligation  to 
absorb losses or the right to receive benefits that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

In determining whether we are the primary beneficiary of a VIE, we consider both qualitative and quantitative factors regarding 
the nature, size and form of our involvement with the VIE, such as our role in establishing the VIE and our ongoing rights and 
responsibilities; our economic interests, including debt and equity investments, servicing fees and other arrangements deemed 
to  be  variable  interests  in  the  VIE;  the  design  of  the  VIE,  including  the  capitalization  structure,  subordination  of  interests, 
payment priority, relative share of interests held across various classes within the VIE’s capital structure and the reasons why 
the interests are held by us.

We perform on-going reassessments to evaluate whether changes in an entity’s capital structure or changes in the nature of our 
involvement with the entity result in a change to the VIE designation or a change to our consolidation conclusion. See “Note 5
—Variable Interest Entities and Securitizations” for further details.

Balance Sheet Offsetting of Financial Assets and Liabilities

Derivative contracts that we execute bilaterally in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market or are centrally cleared are generally 
governed  by  enforceable  master  netting  arrangements  where  we  generally  have  the  right  to  offset  exposure  with  the  same 
counterparty. Either counterparty can generally request to net settle all contracts through a single payment upon default on, or 
termination of, any one contract. We elect to offset the derivative assets and liabilities under netting arrangements for balance 
sheet  presentation  where  a  right  of  setoff  exists.  For  derivative  contracts  entered  into  under  master  netting  arrangements  for 
which  we  have  not  been  able  to  confirm  the  enforceability  of  the  setoff  rights,  or  those  not  subject  to  master  netting 
arrangements,  we  do  not  offset  our  derivative  positions  for  balance  sheet  presentation.  See  “Note  9—Derivative  Instruments 
and Hedging Activities” for more details. 

We  also  elect  to  present  securities  purchased  or  sold  under  resale  or  repurchase  agreements  on  a  net  basis  when  a  legally 
enforceable master netting agreement exists and other applicable criteria are met. Security collateral received from or pledged 
to  the  counterparties  are  not  eligible  for  netting  and  are  presented  gross  in  our  consolidated  balance  sheet.  See  “Note  8—
Deposits and Borrowings” and “Note 9—Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities” for more details.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash and due from banks, interest-bearing deposits and other short-term investments, all of 
which, if applicable, have stated maturities of three months or less when acquired.

Securities Resale and Repurchase Agreements 

Securities  purchased  under  resale  agreements  and  securities  loaned  or  sold  under  agreements  to  repurchase,  principally  U.S. 
government and agency obligations, are not accounted for as sales but as collateralized financing transactions and recorded at 
the amounts at which the securities were acquired or sold, plus accrued interest. We continually monitor the market value of 
these  securities  and  deliver  additional  collateral  to  or  obtain  additional  collateral  from  counterparties,  as  appropriate.  See 
“Note 8—Deposits and Borrowings” for further details.

128

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Significant Accounting Policies Impacted by our Adoption of the CECL Standard

In  the  first  quarter  of  2020,  we  adopted  Accounting  Standards  Update  (“ASU”)  No.  2016-13,  Financial  Instruments—Credit 
Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“CECL standard”) and updated the significant 
accounting policies described under the "Investment Securities" and "Loans" sections below.

Investment Securities 

Our investment portfolio consists primarily of the following: U.S. Treasury securities; U.S. government-sponsored enterprise or 
agency (“Agency”) and non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”); Agency commercial mortgage-backed 
securities  (“CMBS”);  and  other  securities.  The  accounting  and  measurement  framework  for  our  investment  securities  differs 
depending on the security classification.

We classify securities as available for sale or held to maturity based on our investment strategy and management’s assessment 
of our intent and ability to hold the securities until maturity. On December 31, 2019, we transferred our entire portfolio of held 
to  maturity  securities  to  available  for  sale.  We  did  not  have  any  securities  that  were  classified  as  held  to  maturity  as  of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019. 

We  report  securities  available  for  sale  on  our  consolidated  balance  sheets  at  fair  value.  The  amortized  cost  of  investment 
securities  reflects  the  amount  for  which  the  security  was  acquired,  adjusted  for  accrued  interest,  amortization  of  premiums, 
discounts,  and  net  deferred  fees  and  costs,  any  applicable  fair  value  hedge  accounting  adjustments,  collection  of  cash,  and 
charge-offs. We elect to present accrued interest for securities available for sale within interest receivable on our consolidated 
balance sheets. Unrealized gains or losses are recorded, net of tax, as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income 
(“AOCI”).  Unamortized  premiums,  discounts  and  other  basis  adjustments  for  available  for  sale  securities  are  generally 
recognized  in  interest  income  over  the  contractual  lives  of  the  securities  using  the  effective  interest  method.  However, 
premiums  on  certain  callable  investment  securities  are  amortized  to  the  earliest  call  date.  We  record  purchases  and  sales  of 
investment  securities  available  for  sale  on  a  trade  date  basis.  Realized  gains  or  losses  from  the  sale  of  debt  securities  are 
computed  using  the  first-in  first-out  method  of  identification,  and  are  included  in  non-interest  income  in  our  consolidated 
statements  of  income.  We  elect  to  present  accrued  interest  for  securities  available  for  sale  within  interest  receivable  on  our 
consolidated balance sheets. 

An individual debt security is impaired when the fair value of the security is less than its amortized cost. If we intend to sell an 
available for sale security in an unrealized loss position or it is more likely than not that we will be required to sell the security 
prior to recovery of its amortized cost basis, any allowance for credit losses is reversed through our provision for credit losses 
and  the  difference  between  the  amortized  cost  basis  of  the  security  and  its  fair  value  is  recognized  in  our  consolidated 
statements of income.

For impaired debt securities that we have both the intent and ability to hold, the securities are evaluated to determine if a credit 
loss exists. The allowance for credit losses on our investment securities is recognized through our provision for credit losses and 
limited by the unrealized losses of a security measured as the difference between the security’s amortized cost and fair value. 
See further discussion below under the “Allowance for Credit Losses - Available for Sale Investment Securities” section of this 
Note.

Our  investment  portfolio  also  includes  certain  debt  securities  that,  at  the  time  of  purchase,  had  experienced  a  more-than-
insignificant  deterioration  in  credit  quality  since  origination.  Such  debt  securities  are  accounted  for  in  accordance  with 
accounting  guidance  for  purchased  financial  assets  with  credit  deterioration  and  are  herein  referred  to  as  purchased  credit-
deteriorated (“PCD”) securities.

PCD  securities  require  the  recognition  of  an  allowance  for  credit  losses  at  the  time  of  acquisition.  The  allowance  for  credit 
losses is not recognized in provision for credit losses. Instead, the purchase price and the initial allowance collectively represent 
the  amortized  cost  basis  of  a  PCD  security.  Any  non-credit  discount  or  premium  at  the  date  of  acquisition  is  amortized  into 
interest  income  over  the  remaining  life  of  the  security.  Subsequent  to  the  date  of  purchase,  we  remeasure  the  allowance  for 
credit losses on the amortized cost basis using the same policies as for other debt securities available for sale and changes are 
recognized  through  our  provision  for  credit  losses.  See  further  discussion  below  under  the  “Allowance  for  Credit  Losses  - 
Available for Sale Investment Securities” section of this Note.

129

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

We  charge  off  any  portion  of  an  investment  security  that  we  determine  is  uncollectible.  The  amortized  cost  basis,  excluding 
accrued interest, is charged off through the allowance for credit losses. Accrued interest is charged off as a reduction to interest 
income.  Recoveries  of  previously  charged  off  principal  amounts  are  recognized  in  our  provision  for  credit  losses  when 
received.

Allowance for Credit Losses - Available for Sale Investment Securities

We  maintain  an  allowance  for  credit  losses  (“allowance”)  that  represents  management’s  current  estimate  of  expected  credit 
losses  over  the  contractual  terms  of  our  investment  securities  classified  as  available  for  sale.  When  an  investment  security 
available for sale is impaired due to credit factors, we recognize a provision for credit losses in our consolidated statements of 
income  and  an  allowance  for  credit  losses  on  our  consolidated  balance  sheets.  Credit  losses  recognized  in  the  allowance  for 
credit  losses  are  limited  to  the  amount  by  which  the  investment  security’s  amortized  cost  basis  exceeds  its  fair  value. 
Investment securities in unrealized gain positions do not have an allowance for credit losses as the investment security could be 
sold at its fair value to prevent realization of credit losses. We exclude accrued interest from the fair value and amortized cost 
basis  of  an  investment  security  for  purposes  of  measuring  impairment.  Charge-offs  of  uncollectible  amounts  of  investment 
securities are deducted from the allowance for credit losses.

For  certain  of  our  securities  available  for  sale,  we  have  determined  that  there  is  no  risk  of  impairment  due  to  credit  factors. 
These  investment  securities  include  high  quality  debt  instruments  that  are  issued  and  guaranteed  by  the  United  States 
government and its agencies or are issued through certain government-sponsored enterprises. Management performs periodic 
assessments  to  reevaluate  this  conclusion  by  considering  any  changes  in  historical  losses,  current  conditions,  and  reasonable 
and supportable forecasts.

We evaluate impairment on a quarterly basis at the individual security level and determine whether any portion of the decline in 
fair  value  is  due  to  a  credit  loss.  We  make  this  determination  through  the  use  of  quantitative  and  qualitative  analyses.  Our 
qualitative  analysis  includes  factors  such  as  the  extent  to  which  fair  value  is  less  than  amortized  cost,  any  changes  in  the 
security’s credit rating, past defaults or delayed payments, and adverse conditions impacting the security or issuer. A credit loss 
exists to the extent that management does not expect to recover the amortized cost basis.

For  investment  securities  which  require  further  assessment,  we  perform  a  quantitative  analysis  using  a  discounted  cash  flow 
methodology and compare the present value of expected future cash flows from the security available for sale to the security’s 
amortized cost basis. Projected future cash flows reflect management’s best estimate and are based on our understanding of past 
events,  current  conditions,  reasonable  and  supportable  forecasts,  and  are  discounted  by  the  security’s  effective  interest  rate 
adjusted  for  prepayments.  The  allowance  for  credit  losses  for  investment  securities  reflects  the  difference  by  which  the 
amortized  cost  basis  exceeds  the  present  value  of  future  cash  flows  and  is  limited  to  the  amount  by  which  the  security’s 
amortized cost exceeds its fair value. See “Note 2—Investment Securities” for additional information.

Loans

Our loan portfolio consists of loans held for investment, including loans underlying our consolidated securitization trusts, and 
loans held for sale and is divided into three portfolio segments: credit card, consumer banking and commercial banking loans. 
Credit  card  loans  consist  of  domestic  and  international  credit  card  loans.  Consumer  banking  loans  consist  of  auto  and  retail 
banking loans. Commercial banking loans consist of commercial and multifamily real estate loans as well as commercial and 
industrial loans.

130

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Loan Classification 

We classify loans as held for investment or held for sale based on our investment strategy and management’s intent and ability 
with regard to the loans, which may change over time. The accounting and measurement framework for loans differs depending 
on the loan classification, whether we elect the fair value option, whether the loans are originated or purchased and whether 
purchased loans are considered to have experienced a more-than-insignificant deterioration in credit quality since origination. 
The presentation within the consolidated statements of cash flows is based on management’s intent at acquisition or origination. 
Cash flows related to loans that are acquired or originated with the intent to hold for investment are included in cash flows from 
investing  activities  on  our  consolidated  statements  of  cash  flows.  Cash  flows  related  to  loans  that  are  acquired  or  originated 
with the intent to sell are included in cash flows from operating activities on our consolidated statements of cash flows.

Loans Held for Investment

Loans that we have the ability and intent to hold for the foreseeable future and loans associated with consolidated securitization 
transactions  are  classified  as  held  for  investment.  Loans  classified  as  held  for  investment,  except  for  credit  card  loans,  are 
reported at their amortized cost basis, excluding accrued interest. For these loans, we elect to present accrued interest within 
interest  receivable  on  our  consolidated  balance  sheets.  For  credit  card  loans,  billed  finance  charges  and  fees  are  included  in 
loans held for investment. Unbilled finance charges and fees on credit card loans are included in interest receivable.

Interest  income  is  recognized  on  performing  loans  on  an  accrual  basis.  We  defer  loan  origination  fees  and  direct  loan 
origination  costs  on  originated  loans,  premiums  and  discounts  on  purchased  loans  and  loan  commitment  fees.  We  recognize 
these amounts in interest income as yield adjustments over the life of the loan and/or commitment period using the effective 
interest  method.  For  credit  card  loans,  loan  origination  fees  and  direct  loan  origination  costs  are  amortized  on  a  straight-line 
basis  over  a  12-month  period.  The  amortized  cost  of  loans  held  for  investment  is  subject  to  our  allowance  for  credit  losses 
methodology described below under the “Allowance for Credit Losses - Loans Held for Investment” section of this Note.

Loans Held for Sale

Loans that we intend to sell or for which we do not have the ability and intent to hold for the foreseeable future are classified as 
held for sale. Multifamily commercial real estate loans originated with the intent to sell to government-sponsored enterprises 
are accounted for under the fair value option. We elect the fair value option on these loans as part of our management of interest 
rate risk along with the corresponding forward sale commitments. Loan origination fees and direct loan origination costs are 
recognized as incurred and are reported in other non-interest income in the consolidated statements of income. Interest income 
is  calculated  based  on  the  loan's  stated  rate  of  interest  and  is  reported  in  interest  income  in  the  consolidated  statements  of 
income. Fair value adjustments are recorded in other non-interest income in the consolidated statements of income.

All  other  loans  classified  as  held  for  sale  are  recorded  at  the  lower  of  cost  or  fair  value.  Loan  origination  fees,  direct  loan 
origination costs and any discounts and premiums are deferred until the loan is sold and are then recognized as part of the total 
gain or loss on sale. The fair value of loans held for sale is determined on an aggregate portfolio basis for each loan type. Fair 
value adjustments are recorded in other non-interest income in the consolidated statements of income.

If a loan is transferred from held for investment to held for sale, then on the transfer date, any decline in fair value related to 
credit is recorded as a charge-off and any allowance for credit losses is reversed through our provision for credit losses. The 
loan is then reclassified to held for sale at its amortized cost at the date of the transfer. A valuation allowance is established, if 
needed, such that the loan held for sale is recorded at the lower of cost or fair value. Subsequent to transfer, we report write-
downs or recoveries in fair value up to the carrying value at the date of transfer and realized gains or losses on loans held for 
sale in our consolidated statements of income as a component of other non-interest income. We calculate the gain or loss on 
loan sales as the difference between the proceeds received and the carrying value of the loans sold, net of the fair value of any 
residual interests retained.

Loans Acquired

All purchased loans, including loans transferred in a business combination, are initially recorded at fair value, which includes 
consideration of expected future losses, as of the date of the acquisition. To determine the fair value of loans at acquisition, we 
estimate discounted contractual cash flows due using an observable market rate of interest, when available, adjusted for factors 
that a market participant would consider in determining fair value. In determining fair value, contractual cash flows are adjusted 

131

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

to  include  prepayment  estimates  based  upon  historical  payment  trends,  forecasted  default  rates  and  loss  severities  and  other 
relevant factors. The difference between the fair value and the contractual cash flows is recorded as a loan premium or discount, 
which may relate to either credit or non-credit factors, at acquisition.

We account for purchased loans under the accounting guidance for purchased financial assets with credit deterioration when, at 
the time of purchase, the loans have experienced a more-than-insignificant deterioration in credit quality since origination. We 
also  account  for  loans  under  this  guidance  when  the  loans  were  previously  accounted  for  under  the  accounting  guidance  for 
purchased credit impaired loans and debt securities (“PCI”) prior to our adoption of the CECL standard. We refer to these loans 
which are accounted for under accounting guidance for purchased financial assets with more-than-insignificant deterioration in 
credit quality since origination as “PCD loans”.

We  recognize  an  allowance  for  credit  losses  on  purchased  loans  that  have  not  experienced  a  more-than-insignificant 
deterioration  in  credit  quality  since  origination  at  the  time  of  purchase  through  earnings  in  a  manner  that  is  consistent  with 
originated  loans.  The  policies  relating  to  the  allowance  for  credit  losses  on  loans  is  described  below  in  the  “Allowance  for 
Credit Losses - Loans Held for Investment” section of this Note.

Loan Modifications and Restructurings 

As part of our loss mitigation efforts, we may provide modifications to a borrower experiencing financial difficulty to improve 
long-term  collectability  of  the  loan  and  to  avoid  the  need  for  foreclosure  or  repossession  of  collateral,  if  any.  Our  loan 
modifications typically include short-term payment deferrals, an extension of the loan term, a reduction in the interest rate, a 
reduction in the loan balance, or a combination of these concessions. A loan modification in which a concession is granted to a 
borrower experiencing financial difficulty is accounted for and reported as a troubled debt restructuring (“TDR”). See “Note 3
—Loans” for additional information on our loan modifications and restructurings, including those in response to the COVID-19 
pandemic. 

Delinquent and Nonperforming Loans

The entire balance of a loan is considered contractually delinquent if the minimum required payment is not received by the first 
statement cycle date equal to or following the due date specified on the customer’s billing statement. Delinquency is reported 
on  loans  that  are  30  or  more  days  past  due.  Interest  and  fees  continue  to  accrue  on  past  due  loans  until  the  date  the  loan  is 
placed on nonaccrual status, if applicable. For loan modifications, delinquency and nonaccrual status are reported in accordance 
with the revised terms of the loans. We generally place loans on nonaccrual status when we believe the collectability of interest 
and principal is not reasonably assured. 

Nonperforming loans generally include loans that have been placed on nonaccrual status. We do not report loans classified as 
held for sale as nonperforming.

Our policies for classifying loans as nonperforming, by loan category, are as follows:

• Credit  card  loans:  As  permitted  by  regulatory  guidance  issued  by  the  Federal  Financial  Institutions  Examination 
Council (“FFIEC”), our policy is generally to exempt credit card loans from being classified as nonperforming, as these 
loans  are  generally  charged  off  in  the  period  the  account  becomes  180  days  past  due.  Consistent  with  industry 
conventions, we generally continue to accrue interest and fees on delinquent credit card loans until the loans are charged 
off.

• Consumer  banking  loans:  We  classify  consumer  banking  loans  as  nonperforming  when  we  determine  that  the 
collectability of all interest and principal on the loan is not reasonably assured, generally when the loan becomes 90 days 
past due.

• Commercial banking loans: We classify commercial banking loans as nonperforming as of the date we determine that 
the collectability of all interest and principal on the loan is not reasonably assured.

132

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

• Modified loans and troubled debt restructurings: Modified loans, including TDRs, that are current at the time of the 
restructuring  remain  in  accrual  status  if  there  is  demonstrated  performance  prior  to  the  restructuring  and  continued 
performance under the modified terms is expected. Otherwise, the modified loan is classified as nonperforming.

Interest  and  fees  accrued  but  not  collected  at  the  date  a  loan  is  placed  on  nonaccrual  status  are  reversed  against  earnings.  In 
addition,  the  amortization  of  deferred  loan  fees,  costs,  premiums  and  discounts  is  suspended.  Interest  and  fee  income  are 
subsequently recognized only upon the receipt of cash payments. However, if there is doubt regarding the ultimate collectability 
of loan principal, cash received is generally applied against the principal balance of the loan. Nonaccrual loans are generally 
returned to accrual status when all principal and interest is current and repayment of the remaining contractual principal and 
interest  is  reasonably  assured,  or  when  the  loan  is  both  well-secured  and  in  the  process  of  collection  and  collectability  is  no 
longer doubtful.

Charge-Offs

We charge off loans when we determine that the loan is uncollectible. The amortized cost basis, excluding accrued interest, is 
charged  off  as  a  reduction  to  the  allowance  for  credit  losses  based  on  the  time  frames  presented  below.  Accrued  interest  on 
loans other than credit card loans determined to be uncollectible is reversed as a reduction of interest income when the loan is 
classified as nonperforming. For credit card loans, accrued interest is charged off simultaneously with the charge off of other 
components  of  amortized  cost  and  as  a  reduction  of  interest  income.  When  received,  recoveries  of  previously  charged  off 
amounts are recorded as an increase to the allowance for credit losses (see the “Allowance for Credit Losses - Loans Held for 
Investment”  section  of  this  Note  for  information  on  how  we  account  for  expected  recoveries).  Costs  to  recover  charged  off 
loans are recorded as collection expense and included in our consolidated statements of income as a component of other non-
interest expense as incurred. Our charge-off time frames by loan type are presented below.

• Credit card loans: We generally charge off credit card loans in the period the account becomes 180 days past due. We 
charge off delinquent credit card loans for which revolving privileges have been revoked as part of loan workout when 
the  account  becomes  120  days  past  due.  Credit  card  loans  in  bankruptcy  are  generally  charged  off  by  the  end  of  the 
month following 30 days after the receipt of a complete bankruptcy notification from the bankruptcy court. Credit card 
loans of deceased account holders are generally charged off 5 days after receipt of notification.

• Consumer banking loans: We generally charge off consumer banking loans at the earlier of the date when the account 
is a specified number of days past due or upon repossession of the underlying collateral. Our charge-off period for auto 
loans is 120 days past due. Small business banking loans generally charge off at 120 days past due based on the date the 
amortized cost basis is deemed uncollectible. Auto loans that have not been previously charged off where the borrower 
has filed for bankruptcy and the loan has not been reaffirmed charge off in the period that the loan is 60 days from the 
bankruptcy notification date, regardless of delinquency status. Auto loans that have not been previously charged off and 
have  been  discharged  under  Chapter  7  bankruptcy  are  charged  off  at  the  end  of  the  month  in  which  the  bankruptcy 
discharge occurs. Remaining consumer loans generally are charged off within 40 days of receipt of notification from the 
bankruptcy  court.  Consumer  loans  of  deceased  account  holders  are  charged  off  by  the  end  of  the  month  following  60 
days of receipt of notification.

• Commercial banking loans: We charge off commercial loans in the period we determine that the amortized cost basis 
is uncollectible.

Allowance for Credit Losses - Loans Held for Investment

We  maintain  an  allowance  for  credit  losses  (“allowance”)  that  represents  management’s  current  estimate  of  expected  credit 
losses  over  the  contractual  terms  of  our  loans  held  for  investment.  We  measure  the  allowance  on  a  quarterly  basis  through 
consideration of past events, including historical experience, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts.

We  measure  current  expected  credit  losses  over  the  contractual  terms  of  our  loans.  The  contractual  terms  are  adjusted  for 
expected  prepayments  but  are  not  extended  for  renewals  or  extensions,  except  when  an  extension  or  renewal  arises  from  a 
borrower option that is not unconditionally cancellable or through a TDR that is reasonably expected to occur.

133

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

We aggregate loans sharing similar risk characteristics into pools for purposes of measuring expected credit losses. Pools are 
reassessed periodically to confirm that all loans within each pool continue to share similar risk characteristics. Expected credit 
losses for loans that do not share similar risk characteristics with other financial assets are measured individually.

Expected recoveries of amounts previously charged off or expected to be charged off are recognized within the allowance, with 
a corresponding reduction to our provision for credit losses. At times expected recoveries may result in a negative allowance. 
We limit the allowance to amounts previously charged off and expected to be charged off. Charge-offs of uncollectible amounts 
result in a reduction to the allowance and recoveries of previously charged off amounts result in an increase to the allowance.

When  developing  an  estimate  of  expected  credit  losses,  we  use  both  quantitative  and  qualitative  methods  in  considering  all 
available  information  relevant  to  assessing  collectability.  This  may  include  internal  information,  external  information,  or  a 
combination of both relating to past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Significant judgment 
is applied to the development and duration of reasonable and supportable forecasts used in our estimation of lifetime losses. We 
estimate  expected  credit  losses  over  the  duration  of  those  forecasts  and  then  revert,  on  a  rational  and  systematic  basis,  to 
historical losses at each relevant loss component of the estimate. Expected losses for contractual terms extending beyond the 
reasonable and supportable forecast and reversion periods are based on those historical losses.

Management will consider and may qualitatively adjust for conditions, changes and trends in loan portfolios that may not be 
captured in modeled results. These adjustments are referred to as qualitative factors and represent management’s judgment of 
the  imprecision  and  risks  inherent  in  the  processes  and  assumptions  used  in  establishing  the  allowance  for  credit  losses. 
Management’s  judgment  may  involve  an  assessment  of  current  and  forward-looking  conditions  including  but  not  limited  to 
changes in lending policies and procedures, nature and volume of the portfolio, external factors, and uncertainty as it relates to 
economic, model or forecast risks, where not already captured in the modeled results.

Expected credit losses for collateral-dependent loans are based on the fair value of the underlying collateral. When we intend to 
liquidate the collateral, the fair value of the collateral is adjusted for expected costs to sell. A loan is deemed to be a collateral-
dependent loan when (i) we determine foreclosure or repossession of the underlying collateral is probable, or (ii) foreclosure or 
repossession  is  not  probable,  but  the  borrower  is  experiencing  financial  difficulty  and  we  expect  repayment  to  be  provided 
substantially through the operation or sale of the collateral. The allowance for a collateral-dependent loan reflects the difference 
between  the  loan’s  amortized  cost  basis  and  the  fair  value  (less  selling  costs,  where  applicable)  of  the  loan's  underlying 
collateral.

Our credit card and consumer banking loan portfolios consist of smaller-balance, homogeneous loans. The consumer banking 
loan portfolio is divided into two primary portfolio segments: auto loans and retail banking loans. The credit card and consumer 
banking  loan  portfolios  are  further  divided  by  our  business  units  into  groups  based  on  common  risk  characteristics,  such  as 
origination  year,  contract  type,  interest  rate,  borrower  credit  score  and  geography.  The  commercial  banking  loan  portfolio  is 
primarily composed of larger-balance, non-homogeneous loans. These loans are subject to reviews that result in internal risk 
ratings. In assessing the risk rating of a particular commercial banking loan, among the factors we consider are the financial 
condition of the borrower, geography, collateral performance, historical loss experience and industry-specific information that 
management believes is relevant in determining and measuring expected credit losses. Subjective assessment and interpretation 
are involved. Emphasizing one factor over another or considering additional factors could impact the risk rating assigned to that 
commercial banking loan.

For consumer banking and commercial banking loans, the contractual period typically does not include renewals or extensions 
because  the  renewals  and  extensions  are  generally  not  at  the  borrower’s  exclusive  option  to  exercise.  Management  has 
determined that the undrawn credit exposure that is associated with our credit card loans is unconditionally cancellable. For this 
reason,  expected  credit  losses  are  measured  based  on  the  drawn  balance  at  each  quarterly  measurement  date,  but  not  on  the 
undrawn exposure. Because credit card loans do not have a defined contractual life, management estimates both the volume and 
application  of  payments  to  determine  a  contractual  life  of  the  drawn  balance  at  the  measurement  date  over  which  expected 
credit losses are developed for credit card loans.

134

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

With the exception of credit card loans, we have made a policy election to not measure an allowance on accrued interest for 
loans  held  for  investment  because  we  reverse  uncollectible  accrued  interest  in  a  timely  manner.  See  the  “Delinquent  and 
Nonperforming Loans” and “Charge-Offs - Loans” sections of this Note for information on what we consider timely. For credit 
card  loans,  we  do  not  make  this  election,  as  we  reserve  for  uncollectible  accrued  interest  relating  to  credit  card  loans  in  the 
allowance.

The allowance related to credit card and consumer banking loans assessed on a pooled basis is based on a modeled calculation, 
which is supplemented by management judgment as described above. Because of the homogeneous nature of our consumer loan 
portfolios,  the  allowance  is  based  on  the  aggregated  portfolio  segment  evaluations.  The  allowance  is  established  through  a 
process that begins with estimates of historical losses in each pool based upon various statistical analyses, with adjustments for 
current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts of conditions, which includes expected economic conditions. Loss 
forecast  models  are  utilized  to  estimate  expected  credit  losses  and  consider  several  portfolio  indicators  including,  but  not 
limited  to,  expected  economic  conditions,  historical  loss  experience,  account  seasoning,  the  value  of  collateral  underlying 
secured loans, estimated foreclosures or defaults based on observable trends, delinquencies, bankruptcy filings, unemployment, 
borrower  credit  scores  and  general  business  trends.  Management  believes  these  factors  are  relevant  in  estimating  expected 
credit losses and also considers an evaluation of overall portfolio credit quality based on indicators such as changes in our credit 
evaluation, underwriting and collection management policies, the effect of other external factors such as competition and legal 
and regulatory requirements, general economic conditions and business trends, and uncertainties in forecasting and modeling 
techniques used in estimating our allowance.

The allowance related to commercial banking loans assessed on a pooled basis is based on our historical loss experience for 
loans with similar risk characteristics and consideration of the current credit quality of the portfolio, which is supplemented by 
management judgment as described above. These are adjusted for current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts 
of  conditions  likely  to  cause  future  losses  which  vary  from  historical  levels.  We  apply  internal  risk  ratings  to  commercial 
banking loans, which we use to assess credit quality and derive a total loss estimate based on an estimated probability of default 
(“default rate”) and loss given default (“loss severity”). Management may also apply judgment to adjust the loss factors derived, 
taking into consideration both quantitative and qualitative factors, including general economic conditions, industry-specific and 
geographic  trends,  portfolio  concentrations,  trends  in  internal  credit  quality  indicators,  and  current  and  past  underwriting 
standards that have occurred but are not yet reflected in the historical data underlying our loss estimates.

The  allowance  related  to  smaller-balance  homogeneous  credit  card  and  consumer  banking  loans  whose  terms  have  been 
modified in a TDR is calculated on a pool basis using historical loss experience, adjusted for current conditions and reasonable 
and supportable forecasts of conditions likely to cause future losses which vary from historical levels for the respective class of 
assets.  The  allowance  related  to  consumer  banking  loans  that  are  assessed  at  a  loan-level  is  determined  based  on  key 
considerations  that  include  the  borrower’s  overall  financial  condition,  resources  and  payment  history,  prospects  for  support 
from financially responsible guarantors, and when applicable, the estimated realizable value of any collateral. The allowance 
related to commercial banking loans that are assessed at a loan-level is generally determined in accordance with our policy for 
estimating expected credit losses for collateral-dependent loans as described above.

Off-balance sheet credit exposures

In  addition  to  the  allowance,  we  also  measure  expected  credit  losses  related  to  unfunded  lending  commitments  that  are  not 
unconditionally  cancellable  in  our  Commercial  Banking  business.  This  reserve  is  measured  using  the  same  measurement 
objectives as the allowance for loans held for investment and is recorded within other liabilities on our consolidated balance 
sheets.  These  commitments  are  segregated  by  risk  according  to  our  internal  risk  rating  scale,  which  we  use  to  assess  credit 
quality  and  derive  an  expected  credit  loss  estimate.  We  assess  these  risk  classifications,  taking  into  consideration  both 
quantitative  and  qualitative  factors,  including  historical  loss  experience,  adjusted  for  current  conditions  and  reasonable  and 
supportable forecasts of conditions likely to cause future losses which vary from historical levels, and utilization assumptions to 
estimate  the  reserve  for  unfunded  lending  commitments.  Expected  credit  losses  are  not  measured  on  unfunded  lending 
commitments  that  are  unconditionally  cancellable,  including  all  of  our  unfunded  credit  card  and  consumer  banking  lending 
commitments and certain of our unfunded commercial banking lending commitments.

135

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Determining the appropriateness of the allowance and the reserve for unfunded lending commitments is complex and requires 
judgment by management about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. Subsequent evaluations of the loan portfolio, 
in  light  of  the  factors  then  prevailing,  may  result  in  significant  changes  in  the  reserve  for  unfunded  lending  commitments  in 
future  periods.  See  “Note  4—Allowance  for  Credit  Losses  and  Reserve  for  Unfunded  Lending  Commitments”  for  additional 
information.

Significant Accounting Policies Prior to our Adoption of the CECL Standard

Loans Held for Investment - Estimate of Incurred Loan and Lease Losses

In periods prior to 2020, the allowance represented management’s current estimate of incurred loan and lease losses inherent in 
our loans held for investment portfolio as of each balance sheet date. The provision for credit losses reflected credit losses we 
believed had been incurred and would eventually be recognized over time through charge-offs.

Management  performed  a  quarterly  analysis  of  our  loan  portfolio  to  determine  if  impairment  had  occurred  and  to  assess  the 
adequacy  of  the  allowance  based  on  historical  and  current  trends  as  well  as  other  factors  affecting  credit  losses.  We  applied 
documented  systematic  methodologies  to  separately  calculate  the  allowance  for  our  credit  card,  consumer  banking  and 
commercial banking loan portfolios. Our allowance for loan and lease losses consisted of three components that were allocated 
to cover the estimated probable losses in each loan portfolio based on the results of our detailed review and loan impairment 
assessment  process:  (i)  a  component  for  loans  collectively  evaluated  for  impairment;  (ii)  an  asset-specific  component  for 
individually impaired loans; and (iii) a component related to PCI loans that experienced significant decreases in expected cash 
flows  subsequent  to  acquisition.  Each  of  our  allowance  components  was  supplemented  by  an  amount  that  represented 
management’s qualitative judgment of the imprecision and risks inherent in the processes and assumptions used in establishing 
the allowance.

The  component  of  the  allowance  related  to  credit  card  and  consumer  banking  loans  that  we  collectively  evaluated  for 
impairment  was  based  on  a  statistical  calculation.  The  component  of  the  allowance  for  commercial  banking  loans  that  we 
collectively evaluated for impairment was based on our historical loss experience for loans with similar risk characteristics and 
consideration  of  the  current  credit  quality  of  the  portfolio.  The  asset-specific  component  of  the  allowance  includes  smaller-
balance homogeneous credit card and consumer banking loans whose terms have been modified in a TDR and larger-balance 
nonperforming,  non-homogeneous  commercial  banking  loans.  We  generally  measured  the  asset-specific  component  of  the 
allowance  based  on  the  difference  between  the  recorded  investment  of  individually  impaired  loans  and  the  present  value  of 
expected  future  cash  flows.  In  addition  to  the  allowance,  we  also  estimated  probable  losses  related  to  contractually  binding 
unfunded lending commitments.

Loans Acquired - Credit Impaired

For PCI loans, we aggregated loans acquired in the same fiscal quarter into one or more pools if the loans have common risk 
characteristics. A pool is then accounted for as a single asset, with a single composite interest rate and an aggregate fair value 
and expected cash flows. 

Subsequent  to  acquisition,  decreases  in  expected  cash  flows  resulting  from  credit  deterioration  subsequent  to  acquisition 
generally resulted in an impairment charge recognized in our provision for credit losses and an increase in the allowance for 
loan  and  lease  losses.  Significant  increases  in  the  cash  flows  expected  to  be  collected  would  first  reduce  any  previously 
recorded allowance for loan and lease losses. See “Note 3—Loans” for additional information.

We  recorded  charge-offs  on  PCI  loans  only  if  actual  losses  exceed  estimated  credit  losses  incorporated  into  the  fair  value 
recorded at acquisition. Further, PCI loans are not classified as delinquent or nonperforming.

Securitization of Loans

Our loan securitization activities primarily involve the securitization of credit card and auto loans, which provides a source of 
funding for us. See “Note 5—Variable Interest Entities and Securitizations” for additional details. Loan securitization involves 
the transfer of a pool of loan receivables from our portfolio to a trust. The trust then sells an undivided interest in the pool of 
loan  receivables  to  third-party  investors  through  the  issuance  of  debt  securities  and  transfers  the  proceeds  from  the  debt 
issuance to us as consideration for the loan receivables transferred. The debt securities are collateralized by the loan receivables 

136

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

transferred from our portfolio. We remove loans from our consolidated balance sheets when securitizations qualify as sales to 
non-consolidated  VIEs,  recognize  assets  retained  and  liabilities  assumed  at  fair  value  and  record  a  gain  or  loss  on  the 
transferred loans. Alternatively, when the transfer does not qualify as a sale but instead is considered a secured borrowing, the 
assets  will  remain  on  our  consolidated  balance  sheets  with  an  offsetting  liability  recognized  for  the  amount  of  proceeds 
received.

Premises, Equipment and Leases

Premises and Equipment

Premises and equipment, including leasehold improvements, are carried at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. 
Land  is  carried  at  cost.  We  capitalize  direct  costs  incurred  during  the  application  development  stage  of  internally  developed 
software  projects.  Depreciation  and  amortization  expenses  are  calculated  using  the  straight-line  method  over  the  estimated 
useful lives of the assets. Useful lives for premises and equipment are estimated as follows:

Premises and Equipment

Buildings and improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Furniture and equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Computer software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Leasehold improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Useful Lives

5-39 years

3-10 years

3 years
Lesser of the useful life or the 
remaining lease term

Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred and gains or losses upon disposition are recognized in our 
consolidated statements of income as realized. See “Note 7—Premises, Equipment and Leases” for additional information.

Leases

Lease  classification  is  determined  at  inception  for  all  lease  transactions  with  an  initial  term  greater  than  one  year.  Operating 
leases  are  included  as  right-of-use  (“ROU”)  assets  within  other  assets,  and  operating  lease  liabilities  are  classified  as  other 
liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets. Finance leases are included in premises and equipment, and other borrowings on 
our  consolidated  balance  sheets.  Our  operating  lease  expense  is  included  in  occupancy  and  equipment  within  non-interest 
expense in our consolidated statements of income. Lease expense for minimum lease payments are recognized on a straight-line 
basis over the lease term. See “Note 7—Premises, Equipment and Leases” for additional information.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets 

Goodwill  represents  the  excess  of  the  acquisition  price  of  an  acquired  business  over  the  fair  value  of  assets  acquired  and 
liabilities assumed and is assigned to one or more reporting units at the date of acquisition. A reporting unit is defined as an 
operating segment, or a business unit that is one level below an operating segment. We have four reporting units: Credit Card, 
Auto,  Other  Consumer  Banking  and  Commercial  Banking.  Goodwill  is  not  amortized  but  is  tested  for  impairment  at  the 
reporting unit level annually or more frequently if adverse circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that the carrying 
amount  of  a  reporting  unit  exceeds  its  fair  value.  These  indicators  could  include  a  sustained,  significant  decline  in  the 
Company’s stock price, a decline in expected future cash flows, significant disposition activity, a significant adverse change in 
the economic or business environment, and the testing for recoverability of a significant asset group, among others. 

Intangible assets with finite useful lives are amortized on either an accelerated or straight-line basis over their estimated useful 
lives and are evaluated for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of the assets 
may not be recoverable. See “Note 6—Goodwill and Intangible Assets” for additional information.

Mortgage Servicing Rights 

Mortgage  servicing  rights  (“MSRs”)  are  initially  recorded  at  fair  value  when  mortgage  loans  are  sold  or  securitized  in  the 
secondary market and the right to service these loans is retained for a fee. Commercial MSRs are subsequently accounted for 
under the amortization method. We evaluate for impairment as of each reporting date and recognize any impairment in other 
non-interest income. See “Note 6—Goodwill and Intangible Assets” for additional information. 

137

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Foreclosed Property and Repossessed Assets 

Foreclosed property and repossessed assets obtained through our lending activities typically include commercial real estate or 
personal property, such as automobiles, and are recorded at net realizable value. For foreclosed property and repossessed assets, 
we  generally  reclassify  the  loan  to  repossessed  assets  upon  repossession  of  the  property  in  satisfaction  of  the  loan.  Net 
realizable value is the estimated fair value of the underlying collateral less estimated selling costs and is based on appraisals, 
when available. Subsequent to initial recognition, foreclosed property and repossessed assets are recorded at the lower of our 
initial  cost  basis  or  net  realizable  value,  which  is  routinely  monitored  and  updated.  Any  changes  in  net  realizable  value  and 
gains or losses realized from disposition of the property are recorded in other non-interest expense. See “Note 16—Fair Value 
Measurement” for details.

Restricted Equity Investments

We  have  investments  in  Federal  Home  Loan  Banks  (“FHLB”)  stock  and  in  the  Board  of  Governors  of  the  Federal  Reserve 
System (“Federal Reserve”) stock. These investments, which are included in other assets on our consolidated balance sheets, 
are not marketable, are carried at cost, and are reviewed for impairment if there is any indicator of impairment.

Litigation

We establish reserves for litigation-related matters, including mortgage representation and warranty related matters, that arise 
from the ordinary course of our business activities when it is probable that a loss associated with a claim or proceeding has been 
incurred  and  the  amount  of  the  loss  can  be  reasonably  estimated.  Professional  service  fees,  including  lawyers’  and  experts’ 
fees,  expected  to  be  incurred  in  connection  with  a  loss  contingency  are  expensed  as  services  are  provided.  See  “Note  18—
Commitments, Contingencies, Guarantees and Others” for additional information.

Customer Rewards Reserve 

We  offer  products,  primarily  credit  cards,  which  include  programs  that  allow  members  to  earn  rewards  based  on  account 
activity  that  can  be  redeemed  for  cash  (primarily  in  the  form  of  statement  credits),  gift  cards,  travel,  or  covering  eligible 
charges.  The  amount  of  reward  that  a  customer  earns  varies  based  on  the  terms  and  conditions  of  the  rewards  program  and 
product. When rewards are earned by a customer, rewards expense is generally recorded as an offset to interchange income, 
with  a  corresponding  increase  to  the  customer  rewards  reserve.  The  customer  rewards  reserve  is  computed  based  on  the 
estimated future cost of earned rewards that are expected to be redeemed and is reduced as rewards are redeemed. In estimating 
the customer rewards reserve, we consider historical redemption and spending behavior, as well as the terms and conditions of 
the  current  rewards  programs,  among  other  factors.  We  expect  the  vast  majority  of  all  rewards  earned  will  eventually  be 
redeemed. The customer rewards reserve, which is included in other liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets, totaled $5.4 
billion and $4.7 billion as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Revenue Recognition 

Interest Income and Fees

Interest income and fees on loans and investment securities are recognized based on the contractual provisions of the underlying 
arrangements.

Loan origination fees and costs and premiums and discounts on loans held for investment are deferred and generally amortized 
into interest income as yield adjustments over the contractual life and/or commitment period using the effective interest method. 
Costs deferred include direct origination costs such as bounties paid to third parties for new accounts and incentives paid to our 
network of auto dealers for loan referrals. In certain circumstances, we elect to factor prepayment estimates into the calculation 
of the constant effective yield necessary to apply the interest method. Prepayment estimates are based on historical prepayment 
data,  existing  and  forecasted  interest  rates,  and  economic  data.  For  credit  card  loans,  loan  origination  fees  and  direct  loan 
origination costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over a 12-month period.

Unamortized  premiums,  discounts  and  other  basis  adjustments  on  investment  securities  are  generally  recognized  in  interest 
income over the contractual lives of the securities using the effective interest method. However, premiums for certain callable 
investment securities are amortized to the earliest call date. 

138

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Finance charges and fees on credit card loans are recorded in revenue when earned. Billed finance charges and fees on credit 
card  loans  are  included  in  loan  receivables.  Unbilled  finance  charges  and  fees  on  credit  card  loans  are  included  in  interest 
receivable on our consolidated balance sheets. Annual membership fees are classified as service charges and other customer-
related fees in our consolidated statements of income and are deferred and amortized into income over 12 months on a straight-
line basis. We continue to accrue finance charges and fees on credit card loans until the account is charged off.

Interchange Income 

Interchange income generally represents fees for standing ready to authorize and providing settlement on credit and debit card 
transactions  processed  through  the  MasterCard®  (“MasterCard”)  and  Visa®  (“Visa”)  interchange  networks.  The  levels  and 
structure of interchange rates set by MasterCard and Visa and can vary based on cardholder purchase volumes, among other 
factors.  We  recognize  interchange  income  upon  settlement.  See  “Note  17—Business  Segments  and  Revenue  from  Contracts 
with Customers” for additional details.

Card Partnership Agreements 

We  have  contractual  agreements  with  certain  retailers  and  other  partners  to  provide  lending  and  other  services  to  mutual 
customers. We primarily issue private-label and cobrand credit card loans to these customers over the term of the partnership 
agreements, which typically range from two years to ten years. 

Certain  partners  assist  in  or  perform  marketing  activities  on  our  behalf  and  promote  our  products  and  services  to  their 
customers.  As  compensation  for  providing  these  services,  we  often  pay  royalties,  bounties  or  other  special  bonuses  to  these 
partners. Depending upon the nature of the payments, they are recorded as reductions of revenue, marketing expenses or other 
operating expenses. Our credit card partnership agreements may also provide for profit or revenue sharing payments which are 
presented as a reduction of the related revenue line item(s) when owed to the partner.

When  a  partner  agrees  to  share  a  portion  of  the  credit  losses  associated  with  the  partnership,  we  evaluate  the  contractual 
provisions for the loss share payments as well as applicable accounting guidance to determine whether to present the sharing 
of losses on a gross or net basis in our consolidated financial statements. When loss sharing amounts due from partners are 
presented on a net basis, they are recorded as a reduction to our provision for credit losses in our consolidated statements of 
income and reduce the charge-off amounts that we report. The allowance for credit losses attributable to these portfolios is 
also  reduced  by  the  expected  reimbursements  from  these  partners  for  loss  sharing  amounts.  See  “Note  4—Allowance  for 
Credit  Losses  and  Reserve  for  Unfunded  Lending  Commitments”  for  additional  information  related  to  our  loss  sharing 
arrangements.  For  loss  sharing  arrangements  presented  on  a  gross  basis,  any  loss  share  payments  due  from  the  partner  are 
recorded as a part of revenue, and the allowance for credit losses is not reduced by the expected loss share reimbursements, 
but rather an indemnification asset is recorded. Our consolidated net income is the same regardless of how revenue and loss 
sharing arrangements are reported.

Collaborative Arrangements 

A collaborative arrangement is a contractual arrangement that involves a joint operating activity between two or more parties 
that are active participants in the activity. These parties are exposed to significant risks and rewards based upon the economic 
success  of  the  joint  operating  activity.  We  assess  each  of  our  partnership  agreements  with  profit,  revenue  or  loss  sharing 
payments to determine if a collaborative arrangement exists and, if so, how revenue generated from third parties, costs incurred 
and  transactions  between  participants  in  the  collaborative  arrangement  should  be  accounted  for  and  reported  on  our 
consolidated financial statements.

We  currently  have  one  partnership  agreement  that  meets  the  definition  of  a  collaborative  agreement.  We  share  a  fixed 
percentage of revenues, consisting of finance charges and late fees, with the partner, and the partner is required to reimburse us 
for a fixed percentage of credit losses incurred. Revenues and losses related to the partner’s credit card program and partnership 
agreement  are  reported  on  a  net  basis  in  our  consolidated  financial  statements.  Revenue  sharing  amounts  attributable  to  the 
partner  are  recorded  as  an  offset  against  total  net  revenue  in  our  consolidated  statements  of  income.  Interest  income  was 
reduced by $1.1 billion, $1.0 billion and $1.3 billion in December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively, for amounts earned by 
the partner pursuant to the partnership agreement. The impact of all of our loss sharing arrangements that are presented on a net 
basis is included in “Note 4—Allowance for Credit Losses and Reserve for Unfunded Lending Commitments.”

139

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Stock-Based Compensation 

We are authorized to issue stock–based compensation to employees and directors in various forms, primarily as restricted stock 
units  (“RSUs”),  performance  share  units  and  stock  options.  In  addition,  we  also  issue  cash  equity  units  and  cash-settled 
restricted stock units which are not counted against the common shares reserved for issuance or available for issuance because 
they are settled in cash. 

For awards settled in shares, we generally recognize compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the award’s requisite 
service  period  based  on  the  fair  value  of  the  award  at  the  grant  date.  If  an  award  settled  in  shares  contains  a  performance 
condition with graded vesting, we recognize compensation expense using the accelerated attribution method. Equity units and 
restricted stock units that are cash-settled are accounted for as liability awards which results in quarterly expense fluctuations 
based on changes in our stock price through the date that the awards are settled. Awards that continue to vest after retirement 
are expensed over the shorter of the time period between the grant date and the final vesting period or between the grant date 
and when the participant becomes retirement eligible. Awards to participants who are retirement eligible at the grant date are 
subject to immediate expense recognition. Stock-based compensation expense is included in salaries and associate benefits in 
the consolidated statements of income. 

For RSUs and performance share units, the fair value of stock-based compensation used in determining compensation expense 
will  generally  equal  the  fair  market  value  of  our  common  stock  on  the  date  of  grant.  Stock-based  compensation  expense  for 
equity classified stock options is based on the grant date fair value, which is estimated using a Black-Scholes option pricing 
model. Certain share-settled awards have discretionary vesting conditions which result in the remeasurement of these awards at 
fair value each reporting period and the potential for compensation expense to fluctuate with changes in our stock price. See 
“Note 13—Stock-Based Compensation Plans” for additional details.

Marketing Expenses 

Marketing  expense  includes  the  cost  of  our  various  promotional  efforts  to  attract  and  retain  customers  such  as  advertising, 
promotional materials, and certain customer incentives. We expense marketing costs as incurred. 

Income Taxes

We recognize the current and deferred tax consequences of all transactions that have been recognized in the financial statements 
using the provisions of the enacted tax laws. Current income tax expense represents our estimated taxes to be paid or refunded 
for the current period and includes income tax expense related to our uncertain tax positions, as well as tax-related interest and 
penalties. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between the financial reporting and tax basis of 
assets  and  liabilities  and  are  measured  using  the  enacted  tax  rates  and  laws  that  will  be  in  effect  when  the  differences  are 
expected to reverse. We record valuation allowances to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to 
be  realized.  We  record  the  effect  of  remeasuring  deferred  tax  assets  and  liabilities  due  to  a  change  in  tax  rates  or  laws  as  a 
component  of  income  tax  expense  related  to  continuing  operations  for  the  period  in  which  the  change  is  enacted.  We 
subsequently release income tax effects stranded in AOCI using a portfolio approach. Income tax benefits are recognized when, 
based on their technical merits, they are more likely than not to be sustained upon examination. The amount recognized is the 
largest  amount  of  benefit  that  is  more  likely  than  not  to  be  realized  upon  settlement.  See  “Note  15—Income  Taxes”  for 
additional details.

Earnings Per Share

Earnings per share is calculated and reported under the “two-class” method. The “two-class” method is an earnings allocation 
method under which earnings per share is calculated for each class of common stock and participating security considering both 
dividends declared or accumulated and participation rights in undistributed earnings as if all such earnings had been distributed 
during  the  period.  We  have  unvested  share-based  payment  awards  which  have  a  right  to  receive  non-forfeitable  dividends, 
which are deemed to be participating securities.

We calculate basic earnings per share by dividing net income, after deducting dividends on preferred stock and participating 
securities  as  well  as  undistributed  earnings  allocated  to  participating  securities,  by  the  average  number  of  common  shares 
outstanding  during  the  period,  net  of  any  treasury  shares.  We  calculate  diluted  earnings  per  share  in  a  similar  manner  after 
consideration  of  the  potential  dilutive  effect  of  common  stock  equivalents  on  the  average  number  of  common  shares 

140

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

outstanding  during  the  period.  Common  stock  equivalents  include  warrants,  stock  options,  restricted  stock  awards  and  units, 
and performance share awards and units. Common stock equivalents are calculated based upon the treasury stock method using 
an average market price of common shares during the period. Dilution is not considered when a net loss is reported. Common 
stock equivalents that have an antidilutive effect are excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share. See “Note 12
—Earnings Per Common Share” for additional details.

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

All  derivative  financial  instruments,  whether  designated  for  hedge  accounting  or  not,  are  reported  at  their  fair  value  on  our 
consolidated balance sheets as either assets or liabilities, with consideration of legally enforceable master netting arrangements 
that allow us to net settle positive and negative positions and offset cash collateral with the same counterparty. We report net 
derivatives in a gain position, or derivative assets, on our consolidated balance sheets as a component of other assets. We report 
net derivatives in a loss position, or derivative liabilities, on our consolidated balance sheets as a component of other liabilities. 
See “Note 9—Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities” for additional details.

Fair Value 

Fair  value,  also  referred  to  as  an  exit  price,  is  defined  as  the  price  that  would  be  received  for  an  asset  or  paid  to  transfer  a 
liability  in  an  orderly  transaction  between  market  participants  on  the  measurement  date.  The  fair  value  accounting  guidance 
provides a three-level fair value hierarchy for classifying financial instruments. This hierarchy is based on whether the inputs to 
the valuation techniques used to measure fair value are observable or unobservable. Fair value measurement of a financial asset 
or liability is assigned to a level based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its 
entirety. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described below: 

Level 1:
Level 2:

Level 3:

Valuation is based on quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Valuation is based on observable market-based inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar 
assets  or  liabilities,  quoted  prices  in  markets  that  are  not  active,  or  other  inputs  that  are  observable  or  can  be 
corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.
Valuation is generated from techniques that use significant assumptions not observable in the market. Valuation 
techniques include pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies or similar techniques.

The  accounting  guidance  for  fair  value  requires  that  we  maximize  the  use  of  observable  inputs  and  minimize  the  use  of 
unobservable inputs in determining fair value. The accounting guidance also provides for the irrevocable option to elect, on a 
contract-by-contract basis, to measure certain financial assets and liabilities at fair value at inception of the contract and record 
any subsequent changes to fair value in the consolidated statements of income. See “Note 16—Fair Value Measurement” for 
additional information.

Accounting for Acquisitions 

We account for business combinations under the acquisition method of accounting. Under the acquisition method, tangible and 
intangible  identifiable  assets  acquired,  liabilities  assumed  and  any  noncontrolling  interest  in  the  acquiree  are  recorded  at  fair 
value as of the acquisition date, with limited exceptions. Transaction costs and costs to restructure the acquired company are 
expensed  as  incurred.  Goodwill  is  recognized  as  the  excess  of  the  acquisition  price  over  the  estimated  fair  value  of  the 
identifiable  net  assets  acquired.  Likewise,  if  the  fair  value  of  the  net  assets  acquired  is  greater  than  the  acquisition  price,  a 
bargain purchase gain is recognized and recorded in other non-interest income. 

If the acquired set of activities and assets do not meet the accounting definition of a business, the transaction is accounted for as 
an  asset  acquisition.  In  an  asset  acquisition,  the  assets  acquired  are  recorded  at  the  purchase  price  plus  any  transaction  costs 
incurred and no goodwill is recognized.

141

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Accounting Standards Adopted During the Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2020

Guidance

Aligns the requirements for capitalizing 
implementation costs incurred in a hosting 
arrangement that is a service contract with the 
requirements for capitalizing implementation 
costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use 
software (and hosting arrangements that include 
an internal-use software license).

Adoption Timing and Financial Statement Impacts
We adopted this guidance in the first quarter of 
2020 using the prospective method of adoption.

Our adoption of this standard did not have a 
material impact on our consolidated financial 
statements.

Standard

Cloud Computing

ASU No. 2018-15, Intangibles—
Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use 
Software (Subtopic 350-40): 
Customer’s Accounting for 
Implementation Costs Incurred in a 
Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is 
a Service Contract

Issued August 2018
Goodwill Impairment Test 
Simplification

ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles—
Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): 
Simplifying the Test for Goodwill 
Impairment

Issued January 2017

Current Expected Credit Loss 
(“CECL”)

ASU No. 2016-13, Financial 
Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 
326): Measurement of Credit Losses 
on Financial Instruments

Issued June 2016

Historical guidance for goodwill impairment 
testing prescribed that the company must 
compare each reporting unit’s carrying value to 
its fair value. If the carrying value exceeds fair 
value, an entity performs the second step, which 
assigns the reporting unit’s fair value to its 
assets and liabilities, including unrecognized 
assets and liabilities, in the same manner as 
required in purchase accounting and then 
records an impairment. This ASU eliminates 
the second step.

Under the new guidance, an impairment of a 
reporting unit’s goodwill is determined based 
on the amount by which the reporting unit’s 
carrying value exceeds its fair value, limited to 
the amount of goodwill allocated to the 
reporting unit.
Requires use of the current expected credit loss 
model that is based on expected losses (net of 
expected recoveries), rather than incurred 
losses, to determine our allowance for credit 
losses on financial assets measured at amortized 
cost, certain net investments in leases and 
certain off-balance sheet arrangements.

Replaces current accounting for purchased 
credit-impaired (“PCI”) and impaired loans.

Amends the other-than-temporary impairment 
model for available for sale debt securities. The 
new guidance requires that credit losses be 
recorded through an allowance approach, rather 
than through permanent write-downs for credit 
losses and subsequent accretion of positive 
changes through interest income over time.

We adopted this guidance in the first quarter of 
2020 using the prospective method of adoption. 

Our adoption of this standard did not have a 
material impact on our consolidated financial 
statements.

We adopted this guidance in the first quarter of 
2020, using the modified retrospective method 
of adoption.

Upon adoption, we recorded an increase to our 
reserves for credit losses of $2.9 billion, an 
increase to our deferred tax assets of $694 
million, and a decrease to our retained earnings 
of $2.2 billion. 

Additionally, we made a prospective change to 
present our finance charge and fee reserve as a 
component of our allowance for credit losses 
instead of as an offset to our loans held for 
investment. This balance sheet reclassification 
increased our allowance for credit losses by 
$462 million as of January 1, 2020, with a 
corresponding increase to our loans held for 
investment. 
This ASU is effective from March 12, 2020 
through December 31, 2022 with early adoption 
as of January 1, 2020 permitted.

We adopted certain provisions related to 
derivative contract modifications and hedge 
accounting in this guidance in the fourth quarter 
of 2020, using the prospective method of 
adoption. 

The early adoption of the expedients in the 
guidance eased the administrative burden of 
accounting for London Interbank Offering Rate 
(“LIBOR”) related contract modifications. Our 
adoption of this standard did not have a material 
impact on our consolidated financial statements.

142

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Reference Rate Reform

ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate 
Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the 
Effect of Reference Rate Reform on 
Financial Reporting

The amendments in this ASU provide optional 
expedients and exceptions for applying 
generally accepted accounting principles 
(GAAP) to contracts, hedging relationships, and 
other transactions affected by reference rate 
reform if certain criteria are met.

Issued March 2020

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 2—INVESTMENT SECURITIES

Our investment securities portfolio consists of the following: U.S. government-sponsored enterprise or agency (“Agency”) and 
non-agency  residential  mortgage-backed  securities  (“RMBS”),  Agency  commercial  mortgage-backed  securities  (“CMBS”), 
U.S. Treasury securities and other securities. Agency securities include Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie 
Mae”)  guaranteed  securities,  Federal  National  Mortgage  Association  (“Fannie  Mae”)  and  Federal  Home  Loan  Mortgage 
Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) issued securities. The carrying value of our investments in Agency and U.S. Treasury securities 
represented 96% of our total investment securities portfolio as of both December 31, 2020 and 2019.

In the first quarter of 2020, we adopted the CECL standard which resulted in an increase of the amortized cost basis and related 
allowance  for  credit  losses  of  PCD  securities  classified  as  available  for  sale.  The  allowance  for  credit  losses  for  these  PCD 
securities  is  limited  to  the  amount  by  which  the  amortized  cost  basis  of  the  security  exceeds  its  fair  value.  This  limitation 
resulted  in  an  increase  of  $11  million  to  our  retained  earnings  with  a  corresponding  decrease  in  AOCI  at  adoption.  Our 
disclosures below reflect these adoption changes. Prior period presentation was not reclassified to conform to the current period 
presentation. See “Note 1—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” for additional information.

The table below presents the amortized cost, gross unrealized gains and losses, and fair value of securities available for sale as 
of December 31, 2020 and 2019. Accrued interest receivable of $230 million as of December 31, 2020 is not included in the 
below table. 

Table 2.1: Investment Securities Available for Sale 

(Dollars in millions)
Investment securities available for sale:

Amortized
Cost

Allowance
 for Credit
 Losses

December 31, 2020
Gross
Unrealized
Gains

Gross
Unrealized
Losses

Fair
Value

U.S. Treasury securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

9,302  $ 

0  $ 

16  $ 

0  $ 

9,318 

RMBS:

Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Non-agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total RMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Agency CMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other securities(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total investment securities available for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

73,248 

1,035 

74,283 

11,298 

2,686 

0 

(1) 

(1) 

0 

0 

2,326 

204 

2,530 

448 

3 

(108) 

75,466 

(1) 

(109) 

(11) 

0 

1,237 

76,703 

11,735 

2,689 

$  97,569  $ 

(1)  $ 

2,997  $ 

(120)  $  100,445 

(Dollars in millions)
Investment securities available for sale:

December 31, 2019
Gross
Gross
Unrealized
Unrealized
Losses
Gains

Fair
Value

Amortized
Cost

U.S. Treasury securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

4,122  $ 

6  $ 

(4)  $ 

4,124 

RMBS:

Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Non-agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total RMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Agency CMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other securities(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total investment securities available for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

62,003 

1,235 

63,238 

9,303 

1,321 

1,120 

266 

1,386 

165 

4 

(284) 

62,839 

(2) 

(286) 

(42) 

0 

1,499 

64,338 

9,426 

1,325 

$  77,984  $ 

1,561  $ 

(332)  $  79,213 

__________
(1)

Includes $1.8 billion and $117 million of asset-backed securities (“ABS”) as of December 31, 2020, and 2019, respectively. The remaining amount is 
primarily comprised of supranational bonds and foreign government bonds.

143

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Investment Securities in a Gross Unrealized Loss Position

The  table  below  provides  the  gross  unrealized  losses  and  fair  value  of  our  securities  available  for  sale  aggregated  by  major 
security type and the length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position as of December 
31, 2020 and 2019. The amounts as of December 31, 2020 only include securities available for sale without an allowance for 
credit losses. 

Table 2.2: Securities in a Gross Unrealized Loss Position

(Dollars in millions)
Investment securities available for sale without an 
allowance for credit losses:

December 31, 2020

Less than 12 Months
Gross
Unrealized
Losses

Fair Value

12 Months or Longer
Gross
Unrealized
Losses

Fair Value

Total

Gross
Unrealized
Losses

Fair Value

U.S. Treasury securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

0 

RMBS:

Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Non-agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total RMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Agency CMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other securities(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total investment securities available for sale in a gross 
unrealized loss position without an allowance for credit 
losses(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

(Dollars in millions)
Investment securities available for sale:

7,424 

12 

7,436 

1,545 

114 

(57) 

0 

(57) 

(7) 

0 

1,791 

0 

1,791 

267 

1 

(51) 

0 

(51) 

(4) 

0 

9,215 

12 

9,227 

1,812 

115 

(108) 

0 

(108) 

(11) 

0 

$ 

9,095  $ 

(64)  $ 

2,059  $ 

(55)  $  11,154  $ 

(119) 

December 31, 2019

Less than 12 Months
Gross
Unrealized
Losses

Fair Value

12 Months or Longer
Gross
Unrealized
Losses

Fair Value

Total

Gross
Unrealized
Losses

Fair Value

U.S. Treasury securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

2,647  $ 

(4)  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

2,647  $ 

(4) 

RMBS:

Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

10,494 

Non-agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

35 

Total RMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

10,529 

Agency CMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other securities(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2,580 

126 

(92) 

(1) 

(93) 

(23) 

0 

10,567 

(192) 

21,061 

16 

10,583 

1,563 

106 

(1) 

(193) 

(19) 

0 

51 

21,112 

4,143 

232 

(284) 

(2) 

(286) 

(42) 

0 

Total investment securities available for sale in a gross 
unrealized loss position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
__________
(1) 
Includes primarily other asset-backed securities, foreign government bonds, and supranational bonds.
(2)  Consists of approximately 320 securities in gross unrealized loss positions as of December 31, 2020.

$  15,882  $ 

(120)  $  12,252  $ 

(212)  $  28,134  $ 

(332) 

144

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Maturities and Yields of Investment Securities

The table below summarizes, by major security type, the contractual maturities and weighted-average yields of our investment 
securities as of December 31, 2020. Because borrowers may have the right to call or prepay certain obligations, the expected 
maturities of our securities are likely to differ from the scheduled contractual maturities presented below. The weighted-average 
yield below represents the effective yield for the investment securities and is calculated based on the amortized cost of each 
security.

Table 2.3: Contractual Maturities and Weighted-Average Yields of Securities

(Dollars in millions)
Fair value of securities available for sale:

U.S. Treasury securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RMBS(1):

Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Non-agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total RMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Agency CMBS(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total securities available for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Amortized cost of securities available for sale . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

$ 

Weighted-average yield for securities available for sale . 

Due in 
1 Year or 
Less

Due > 1 Year
through
5 Years

December 31, 2020
Due > 5 Years
through
10 Years

Due > 10 
Years

Total

$ 

202 

$ 

9,116 

$ 

0 

$ 

0 

$ 

9,318 

0 

0 

0 

90 

340 

632 

628 
 1.43 %

65 

0 

65 

2,896 

2,073 

$  14,150 

$  14,091 

$ 

$ 

1,175 

0 

1,175 

5,645 

276 

7,096 

6,860 

74,226 

1,237 

75,463 

3,104 

0 

75,466 

1,237 

76,703 

11,735 

2,689 

$  78,567 

$  100,445 

$  75,990 

$  97,569 

 0.74 %

 1.76 %

 2.20 %

 1.96 %

__________
(1)

As of December 31, 2020, the weighted-average expected maturities of RMBS and Agency CMBS are 4.0 years and 5.6 years, respectively.

Net Securities Gains or Losses and Proceeds from Sales

The following table presents the gross realized gains or losses and proceeds from the sale of securities available for sale for the 
years  ended  December  31,  2020,  2019  and  2018.  We  did  not  sell  any  investment  securities  that  were  classified  as  held  to 
maturity in those periods where we had securities in that classification.

Table 2.4: Realized Gains and Losses on Securities 

(Dollars in millions)
Realized gains (losses):

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

Gross realized gains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

25  $ 

Gross realized losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Net realized gains (losses) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total proceeds from sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

0 

25  $ 
812  $ 

$ 

$ 

44  $ 

(18) 

26  $ 
4,780  $ 

13 

(21) 

(8) 
6,399 

Securities Pledged and Received

We  pledged  investment  securities  totaling  $16.5  billion  and  $14.0  billion  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  respectively. 
These securities are primarily pledged to secure FHLB advances and Public Funds deposits, as well as for other purposes as 
required  or  permitted  by  law.  We  accepted  pledges  of  securities  with  a  fair  value  of  approximately  $1  million  as  of  both 
December 31, 2020 and 2019, related to our derivative transactions.

145

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 3—LOANS

Our loan portfolio consists of loans held for investment, including loans held in our consolidated trusts, and loans held for sale. 
We further divide our loans held for investment into three portfolio segments: credit card, consumer banking and commercial 
banking. Credit card loans consist of domestic and international credit card loans. Consumer banking loans consist of auto and 
retail banking loans. Commercial banking loans consist of commercial and multifamily real estate as well as commercial and 
industrial  loans.  We  sold  all  of  our  consumer  home  loan  portfolio  and  the  related  servicing  during  2018.  The  information 
presented in this section excludes loans held for sale, which are carried at either fair value (if we elect the fair value option) or 
at the lower of cost or fair value.

In the first quarter of 2020, we adopted the CECL standard. Accordingly, our disclosures below reflect these adoption changes. 
Prior period presentation was not modified to conform to the current period presentation. See “Note 1—Summary of Significant 
Accounting  Policies”  for  additional  information.  Amounts  as  of  December  31,  2020  include  the  impacts  of  COVID-19 
customer assistance programs where applicable.

Accrued interest receivable of $1.2 billion as of December 31, 2020 is not included in the tables in this note. The table below 
presents the composition and aging analysis of our loans held for investment portfolio as of December 31, 2020 and 2019. The 
delinquency aging includes all past due loans, both performing and nonperforming. 

Table 3.1: Loan Portfolio Composition and Aging Analysis

(Dollars in millions)
Credit Card:

December 31, 2020

Delinquent Loans

Current

30-59
Days

60-89
Days

> 90
Days

Total
Delinquent
Loans

Total
Loans

Domestic credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

96,116 

$ 

International card businesses . . . . . . . . . 

8,218 

Total credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

104,334 

Consumer Banking:

Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Retail banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Commercial Banking:

Commercial and multifamily real estate .

Commercial and industrial . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total loans(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
% of Total loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

62,381 

3,064 

65,445 

30,340 

44,941 

75,281 

755 

90 

845 

2,252 

28 

2,280 

136 

69 

205 

$ 

464 

58 

522 

907 

19 

926 

22 

15 

37 

$  1,169 

$ 

2,388 

$ 

98,504 

86 

1,255 

222 

15 

237 

183 

74 

257 

234 

2,622 

3,381 

62 

3,443 

341 

158 

499 

8,452 

106,956 

65,762 

3,126 

68,888 

30,681 

45,099 

75,780 

$  245,060 

$  3,330 

$  1,485 

$  1,749 

$ 

6,564 

$  251,624 

 97.4 %

 1.3 %

 0.6 %

 0.7 %

 2.6 %

 100.0 %

146

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Dollars in millions)
Credit Card:

December 31, 2019

Delinquent Loans

Current

30-59
Days

60-89
Days

> 90
Days

Total
Delinquent
Loans

PCI
Loans

Total
Loans

Domestic credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 113,857 

$  1,341 

$  1,038 

$  2,277 

$  4,656 

$ 

International card businesses . . . . . . . . . .

9,277 

133 

84 

136 

353 

Total credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

  123,134 

  1,474 

  1,122 

  2,413 

  5,009 

Consumer Banking:

Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  55,778 

  2,828 

  1,361 

Retail banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2,658 

24 

8 

Total consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

  58,436 

  2,852 

  1,369 

Commercial Banking:

Commercial and multifamily real estate . 

  30,157 

Commercial and industrial . . . . . . . . . . . .

  44,009 

43 

75 

118 

20 

26 

46 

  74,166 

395 

11 

406 

4 

143 

147 

  4,584 

43 

  4,627 

67 

244 

311 

93 

0 

93 

0 

2 

2 

21 

10 

31 

$ 118,606 

9,630 

  128,236 

  60,362 

2,703 

  63,065 

  30,245 

  44,263 

  74,508 

$ 255,736 

$  4,444 

$  2,537 

$  2,966 

$  9,947 

$  126 

$ 265,809 

 96.2 %

 1.6 %

 1.0 %

 1.1 %

 3.7 %

 0.1 %

 100.0 %

Total commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total loans(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
% of Total loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
__________
(1)

Loans  include  unamortized  premiums  and  discounts,  and  unamortized  deferred  fees  and  costs  totaling $1.1  billion  as  of  both  December  31,  2020  and 
2019. 

The following table presents our loans held for investment that are 90 days or more past due that continue to accrue interest and 
loans that are classified as nonperforming as of December 31, 2020 and 2019. We also present nonperforming loans without an 
allowance as of December 31, 2020. Nonperforming loans generally include loans that have been placed on nonaccrual status.

Table 3.2: 90+ Day Delinquent Loans Accruing Interest and Nonperforming Loans

(Dollars in millions)
Credit Card:

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

> 90 Days and 
Accruing

Nonperforming 
Loans(1)

Nonperforming
 Loans Without 
an Allowance

> 90 Days and 
Accruing

Nonperforming 
Loans

Domestic credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

1,169 

N/A

$ 

International card businesses . . . . . . . . . . 

82 

$ 

Total credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

1,251 

Consumer Banking:

Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Retail banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Commercial Banking:

Commercial and multifamily real estate . 

Commercial and industrial . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0 

0 

0 

51 

0 

51 

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

1,302 

$ 

21 

21 

294 

30 

324 

200 

450 

650 

995 

$ 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

184 

265 

449 

449 

$ 

2,277 

130 

$ 

2,407 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

$ 

2,407 

$ 

N/A

25 

25 

487 

23 

510 

38 

410 

448 

983 

% of Total loans held for investment . . . . . . 

 0.5 %

 0.4 %

 0.2 %

 0.9 %

 0.4 %

__________
(1) We recognized interest income for loans classified as nonperforming of $39 million for the year ended December 31, 2020.

147

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Credit Quality Indicators

We  closely  monitor  economic  conditions  and  loan  performance  trends  to  assess  and  manage  our  exposure  to  credit  risk.  We 
discuss these risks and our credit quality indicator for each portfolio segment below.

Credit Card

Our credit card loan portfolio is highly diversified across millions of accounts and numerous geographies without significant 
individual exposure. We therefore generally manage credit risk based on portfolios with common risk characteristics. The risk 
in our credit card loan portfolio correlates to broad economic trends, such as unemployment rates and home values, as well as 
consumers’ financial condition, all of which can have a material effect on credit performance. The key indicator we assess in 
monitoring  the  credit  quality  and  risk  of  our  credit  card  loan  portfolio  is  delinquency  trends,  including  an  analysis  of  loan 
migration between delinquency categories over time. 

The table below presents our credit card portfolio by delinquency status as of December 31, 2020.

Table 3.3: Credit Card Delinquency Status

(Dollars in millions)
Credit Card:

Domestic credit card:

Revolving Loans

December 31, 2020

Revolving Loans 
Converted to Term

Total

Current . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

95,629  $ 

487  $ 

96,116 

30-59 days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

60-89 days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Greater than 90 days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total domestic credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

734 

451 

1,155 

97,969 

International card businesses:

Current . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8,152 

30-59 days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

60-89 days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Greater than 90 days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

79 

47 

76 

Total international card businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

8,354 

21 

13 

14 

535 

66 

11 

11 

10 

98 

Total credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

106,323  $ 

633  $ 

755 

464 

1,169 

98,504 

8,218 

90 

58 

86 

8,452 

106,956 

148

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Consumer Banking

Our consumer banking loan portfolio consists of auto and retail banking loans. Similar to our credit card loan portfolio, the risk 
in  our  consumer  banking  loan  portfolio  correlates  to  broad  economic  trends,  such  as  unemployment  rates,  gross  domestic 
product  and  home  values,  as  well  as  consumers’  financial  condition,  all  of  which  can  have  a  material  effect  on  credit 
performance. The key indicator we monitor when assessing the credit quality and risk of our auto loan portfolio is borrower 
credit  scores  as  they  measure  the  creditworthiness  of  borrowers.  Delinquency  trends  are  the  key  indicator  we  assess  in 
monitoring the credit quality and risk of our retail banking loan portfolio. 

The  table  below  presents  our  consumer  banking  portfolio  of  loans  held  for  investment  by  credit  quality  indicator  as  of 
December  31,  2020  and  2019.  We  present  our  auto  loan  portfolio  by  FICO  scores  at  origination  and  our  retail  banking  loan 
portfolio by delinquency status, which includes all past due loans, both performing and nonperforming. 

Table 3.4: Consumer Banking Portfolio by Credit Quality Indicator

Term Loans by Vintage Year

December 31, 2020

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

Prior

Total 
Term 
Loans

Revolving 
Loans

Revolving 
Loans 
Converted to 
Term

Total

December 
31, 2019

$ 13,352  $ 8,091  $ 4,675  $ 2,810  $ 1,168  $  203  $ 30,299  $ 
  5,781 
  9,550 
  28,683 

  13,184 
  22,279 
  65,762 

  3,631 
  6,298 
 18,020 

  2,003 
  3,317 
  9,995 

  1,172 
  1,985 
  5,967 

488 
886 
  2,542 

109 
243 
555 

0  $ 
0 
0 
0 

0  $ 30,299  $ 28,773 
0 
  11,924 
0 
  19,665 
0 
  60,362 

  13,184 
  22,279 
  65,762 

  1,041 
0 
0 

233 
0 
0 

206 
7 
1 

222 
1 
0 

167 
2 
5 

537 
2 
4 

  2,406 
12 
10 

0 

0 

0 

1 

1 

4 

6 

651 
15 
8 

9 

7 
1 
1 

0 

  3,064 
28 
19 

2,658 
24 
8 

15 

11 

  1,041 

233 

214 

224 

175 

547 

  2,434 

683 

9 

  3,126 

2,701 

$ 29,724  $ 18,253  $ 10,209  $ 6,191  $ 2,717  $ 1,102  $ 68,196  $ 

683  $ 

9  $ 68,888  $ 63,063 

(Dollars in millions)
Auto—At 
origination FICO 
scores:(1)

Greater than 
660 . . . . . . . . . 
621-660 . . . . . .
620 or below . .
Total auto . . . . . . . .

Retail banking—
Delinquency status:
Current . . . . . . 
30-59 days . . . .
60-89 days . . . .
Greater than 90 
days . . . . . . . . .

Total retail 
banking(2) . . . . . . . .
Total consumer 
banking . . . . . . . . . 
__________
(1)

Amounts  represent  period-end  loans  held  for  investment  in  each  credit  score  category.  Auto  credit  scores  generally  represent  average  FICO  scores 
obtained from three credit bureaus at the time of application and are not refreshed thereafter. Balances for which no credit score is available or the credit 
score is invalid are included in the 620 or below category.

(2)

Includes Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans of $919 million as of December 31, 2020.

Commercial Banking

The key credit quality indicator for our commercial loan portfolios is our internal risk ratings. We assign internal risk ratings to 
loans based on relevant information about the ability of the borrowers to repay their debt. In determining the risk rating of a 
particular  loan,  some  of  the  factors  considered  are  the  borrower’s  current  financial  condition,  historical  and  projected  future 
credit  performance,  prospects  for  support  from  financially  responsible  guarantors,  the  estimated  realizable  value  of  any 
collateral and current economic trends. The scale based on our internal risk rating system is as follows:

•

Noncriticized: Loans that have not been designated as criticized, frequently referred to as “pass” loans.

149

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

•

•

Criticized performing: Loans in which the financial condition of the obligor is stressed, affecting earnings, cash flows or 
collateral values. The borrower currently has adequate capacity to meet near-term obligations; however, the stress, left 
unabated, may result in deterioration of the repayment prospects at some future date.

Criticized nonperforming: Loans that are not adequately protected by the current net worth and paying capacity of the 
obligor or the collateral pledged, if any. Loans classified as criticized nonperforming have a well-defined weakness, or 
weaknesses, which jeopardize the full repayment of the debt. These loans are characterized by the distinct possibility that 
we will sustain a credit loss if the deficiencies are not corrected and are generally placed on nonaccrual status.

We  use  our  internal  risk  rating  system  for  regulatory  reporting,  determining  the  frequency  of  credit  exposure  reviews,  and 
evaluating  and  determining  the  allowance  for  credit  losses  for  commercial  loans.  Generally,  loans  that  are  designated  as 
criticized  performing  and  criticized  nonperforming  are  reviewed  quarterly  by  management  to  determine  if  they  are 
appropriately  classified/rated  and  whether  any  impairment  exists.  Noncriticized  loans  are  also  generally  reviewed,  at  least 
annually, to determine the appropriate risk rating. In addition, we evaluate the risk rating during the renewal process of any loan 
or if a loan becomes past due.

The  following  table  presents  our  commercial  banking  portfolio  of  loans  held  for  investment  by  internal  risk  ratings  as  of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019. The internal risk rating status includes all past due loans, both performing and nonperforming.

Table 3.5: Commercial Banking Portfolio by Internal Risk Ratings

Term Loans by Vintage Year

December 31, 2020

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

Prior

Total 
Term 
Loans

Revolving 
Loans

Revolving 
Loans 
Converted 
to Term

Total

$ 3,791  $ 4,932  $ 3,232  $ 1,437  $ 1,649  $ 4,904  $ 19,945  $  7,114  $ 

320 
0 

446 
11 

515 
30 

355 
6 

  391 
3 

  1,258 
150 

  3,285 
200 

112 
0 

0  $ 27,059 
  3,422 
25 
200 
0 

  4,111 

  5,389 

  3,777 

  1,798 

  2,043 

  6,312 

  23,430 

7,226 

25 

  30,681 

  7,890 
794 
108 
  8,792 

  9,761 
316 
74 
 10,151 
$ 14,262  $ 14,181  $ 8,366  $ 4,818  $ 3,990  $ 9,561  $ 55,178  $ 20,455  $ 

  11,548 
1,498 
183 
  13,229 

  29,277 
  2,204 
267 
  31,748 

  3,034 
215 
0 
  3,249 

  4,043 
521 
25 
  4,589 

  2,717 
252 
51 
  3,020 

  1,832 
  106 
9 
  1,947 

  40,905 
80 
  3,744 
42 
450 
0 
122 
  45,099 
147  $ 75,780 

Commercial and 
Multifamily 
Real Estate

% of Total

Commercial 
and Industrial

% of Total

Total 
Commercial 
Banking

% of Total 

December 31, 2019

(Dollars in millions)
Internal risk rating:(1)

Commercial and multifamily 
real estate

Noncriticized . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Criticized performing . . . . . . 
Criticized nonperforming . . . 

Total commercial and 
multifamily real estate . . . . . . . 

Commercial and industrial

Noncriticized . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Criticized performing . . . . . . 
Criticized nonperforming . . . 
Total commercial and industrial
Total commercial banking(2) . . . . . 

(Dollars in millions)
Internal risk rating:(1)

Noncriticized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

29,625 

 97.9 % $ 

Criticized performing . . . . . . . . . .

Criticized nonperforming . . . . . . .

PCI loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

561 

38 

21 

 1.9 

 0.1 

 0.1 

42,223 

1,620 

410 

10 

 95.4 % $ 

 3.7 

 0.9 

 0.0 

71,848 

2,181 

448 

31 

 96.5 %

 2.9 

 0.6 

 0.0 

$ 

30,245 

 100.0 % $ 

44,263 

 100.0 % $ 

74,508 

 100.0 %

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
__________
(1)

Criticized exposures correspond to the “Special Mention,” “Substandard” and “Doubtful” asset categories defined by bank regulatory authorities.

(2)

Includes PPP loans of $238 million as of December 31, 2020.

150

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Revolving Loans Converted to Term Loans

For the year ended December 31, 2020, we converted $602 million of revolving loans to term loans, primarily in our domestic 
credit card and commercial banking loan portfolios.

Troubled Debt Restructurings

Additional  guidance  issued  by  the  Federal  Banking  Agencies  and  contained  in  the  Coronavirus  Aid,  Relief,  and  Economic 
Security  Act  provides  banking  organizations  with  TDR  relief  for  modifications  of  current  borrowers  impacted  by  the 
COVID-19 pandemic. In adherence with the guidance, we assessed all loan modifications introduced to current borrowers in 
response to the COVID-19 pandemic through December 31, 2020, that would have been designated as TDRs under our existing 
policies,  and  followed  guidance  that  any  such  eligible  loan  modifications  made  on  a  temporary  and  good  faith  basis  are  not 
considered TDRs. We consider the impact of all loan modifications, including those offered via our COVID-19 programs, when 
estimating the credit quality of our loan portfolio and establishing allowance levels. For our Commercial Banking customers, 
enrollment in a customer assistance program is also considered in the assignment of an internal risk rating.

Total recorded TDRs were $2.1 billion and $1.7 billion as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. TDRs classified as 
performing in our credit card and consumer banking loan portfolios totaled  $1.3 billion and $1.1 billion as of  December 31, 
2020 and 2019, respectively. TDRs classified as performing in our commercial banking loan portfolio totaled $442 million and 
$224  million  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  respectively.  Commitments  to  lend  additional  funds  on  loans  modified  in 
TDRs totaled $173 million and $178 million as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Loans Modified in TDRs 

As part of our loan modification programs to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty, we may provide multiple concessions 
to  minimize  our  economic  loss  and  improve  long-term  loan  performance  and  collectability.  The  following  tables  present  the 
major  modification  types,  amortized  cost  amounts  and  financial  effects  of  loans  modified  in  TDRs  during  the  years  ended 
December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018.

Table 3.6: Troubled Debt Restructurings

Year Ended December 31, 2020

Reduced Interest Rate

Term Extension

Balance Reduction

Total 
Loans 
Modified(1)

% of TDR 
Activity(2)

Average 
Rate 
Reduction

% of TDR 
Activity(2)

Average 
Term 
Extension 
(Months)

% of TDR 
Activity(2)

Gross 
Balance 
Reduction

(Dollars in millions)
Credit Card:

Domestic credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

International card businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Consumer Banking:

Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Retail banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Commercial Banking:

Commercial and multifamily real estate . . . 

Commercial and industrial . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

243 

168 

411 

536 

5 

541 

98 

439 

537 

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

1,489 

 100 %  15.94 %

 0 %

 100 

 100 

 11 

 11 

 11 

 0 

 4 

 3 

 33 

 27.38 

 20.61 

 5.68 

 10.86 

 5.73 

 0.00 

 0.14 

 0.14 

 18.06 

 0 

 0 

 95 

 20 

 94 

 86 

 52 

 58 

 55 

0

0

0

3

8

3

5

21

17

8

 0 % $ 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 4 

 3 

 1 

$ 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

1 

0 

7 

7 

8 

151

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Year Ended December 31, 2019

Reduced Interest Rate

Term Extension

Balance Reduction

Total 
Loans 
Modified(1)

% of TDR 
Activity(2)

Average 
Rate 
Reduction

% of TDR 
Activity(2)

Average 
Term 
Extension 
(Months)

% of
TDR
Activity(2)

Gross
Balance
Reduction

(Dollars in millions)
Credit Card:

Domestic credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

International card businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Consumer Banking:

Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Retail banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Commercial Banking:

Commercial and multifamily real estate . . . 

Commercial and industrial . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total commercial lending . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Small-ticket commercial real estate . . . . . . .

Total commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

351 

173 

524 

268 

7 

275 

39 

159 

198 

1 

199 

998 

 100 %

 16.60 %

 100 

 100 

 39 

 11 

 38 

 87 

 3 

 19 

 0 

 19 

 67 

 27.28 

 20.12 

 3.63 

 10.66 

 3.68 

 0.00 

 0.33 

 0.04 

 0.00 

 0.04 

 16.37 

 0 %

 0 

 0 

 90 

 54 

 89 

 13 

 20 

 18 

 0 

 18 

 28 

0

0

0

7

3

7

1

8

7

0

7

7

 0 % $ 

 0 

 0 

 1 

 33 

 2 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

$ 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

Year Ended December 31, 2018

Reduced Interest Rate

Term Extension

Balance Reduction

Total 
Loans 
Modified(1)

% of TDR 
Activity(2)

Average 
Rate 
Reduction

% of TDR 
Activity(2)

Average 
Term 
Extension 
(Months)

% of
TDR
Activity(2)

Gross
Balance
Reduction

(Dollars in millions)
Credit Card:

Domestic credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

International card businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Consumer Banking:

Auto(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Home loan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Retail banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Commercial Banking:

Commercial and multifamily real estate . . . 

Commercial and industrial . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total commercial lending . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Small-ticket commercial real estate . . . . . . .

Total commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

412 

184 

596 

227 

6 

8 

241 

43 

170 

213 

3 

216 

 100 %

 15.93 %

 100 

 100 

 49 

 28 

 16 

 48 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 26.96 

 19.34 

 3.88 

 1.78 

 10.92 

 3.93 

 0.00 

 1.03 

 1.03 

 0.00 

 1.03 

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
__________
(1)

$ 

1,053 

 68 

 16.84 

 0 %

 0 

 0 

 89 

 83 

 43 

 87 

 80 

 54 

 60 

 0 

 59 

 32 

0

0

0

8

214

12

13

5

13

11

0

11

12

 0 % $ 

 0 

 0 

 1 

 0 

 0 

 1 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

$ 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

Represents the amortized cost of total loans modified in TDRs at the end of the period in which they were modified. As not every modification type is 
included in the table above, the total percentage of TDR activity may not add up to 100%. Some loans may receive more than one type of concession as 
part of the modification.

(2)

(3)

Due to multiple concessions granted to some troubled borrowers, percentages may total more than 100% for certain loan types.

Includes certain TDRs that are recorded as other assets on our consolidated balance sheets.

152

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Subsequent Defaults of Completed TDR Modifications

The following table presents the type, number and amortized cost of loans modified in TDRs that experienced a default during 
the  period  and  had  completed  a  modification  event  in  the  twelve  months  prior  to  the  default.  A  default  occurs  if  the  loan  is 
either  90  days  or  more  delinquent,  has  been  charged  off  as  of  the  end  of  the  period  presented  or  has  been  reclassified  from 
accrual to nonaccrual status.

Table 3.7: TDRs—Subsequent Defaults

(Dollars in millions)
Credit Card:

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

Number of 
Contracts

Amount

Number of 
Contracts

Amount

Number of
Contracts

Amount

Domestic credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

32,639  $ 

International card businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total credit card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

58,363 

91,002 

69 

87 

47,086  $ 

69,470 

156 

  116,556 

99 

110 

209 

61,070  $ 

61,014 

122,084 

Consumer Banking:

Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5,877 

Home loan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Retail banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0 

10 

Total consumer banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5,887 

Commercial Banking:

Commercial and multifamily real estate . . . . . . . . . . . .
Commercial and industrial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total commercial banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

1 
15 

16 

77 

0 

1 

78 

50 
130 

180 

5,575 

0 

24 

5,599 

0 
1 

1 

70 

0 

2 

72 

0 
25 

25 

6,980 

3 

26 

7,009 

1 
26 

27 

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

96,905  $ 

414 

  122,156  $ 

306 

129,120  $ 

126 

106 

232 

79 

1 

2 

82 

3 
120 

123 

437 

Loans Pledged

We pledged loan collateral of $14.1 billion and $14.6 billion to secure the majority of our FHLB borrowing capacity of $19.6 
billion and $18.7 billion as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. We also pledged loan collateral of $25.5 billion and 
$6.7  billion  to  secure  our  Federal  Reserve  Discount  Window  borrowing  capacity  of  $20.0  billion  and  $5.3  billion  as  of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. In addition to loans pledged, we have securitized a portion of our credit card and 
auto loan portfolios. See “Note 5—Variable Interest Entities and Securitizations” for additional information.

Loans Held for Sale 

Our total loans held for sale was $2.7 billion and $400 million as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. We originated 
for  sale  $10.0  billion,  $9.0  billion  and  $8.7  billion  of  commercial  multifamily  real  estate  loans  in  2020,  2019  and  2018, 
respectively. We retained servicing rights upon the sale of these loans.

153

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 4—ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES AND RESERVE FOR UNFUNDED LENDING COMMITMENTS

In the first quarter of 2020, we adopted the CECL standard. Accordingly, our disclosures below reflect these adoption changes. 
Prior period presentation was not modified to conform to the current period presentation. See “Note 1—Summary of Significant 
Accounting Policies” for additional information. 

Our allowance for credit losses represents management’s current estimate of expected credit losses over the contractual terms of 
our loans held for investment as of each balance sheet date. Expected recoveries of amounts previously charged off or expected 
to  be  charged  off  are  recognized  within  the  allowance.  When  developing  an  estimate  of  expected  credit  losses,  we  use  both 
quantitative  and  qualitative  methods  in  considering  all  available  information  relevant  to  assessing  collectability.  This  may 
include  internal  information,  external  information  or  a  combination  of  both  relating  to  past  events,  current  conditions,  and 
reasonable  and  supportable  forecasts.  Management  will  consider  and  may  qualitatively  adjust  for  conditions,  changes  and 
trends in loan portfolios that may not be captured in modeled results. These adjustments are referred to as qualitative factors and 
represent management’s judgment of the imprecision and risks inherent in the processes and assumptions used in establishing 
the allowance for credit losses. Significant judgment is applied in our estimation of lifetime credit losses.

For credit card loans, accrued interest is charged off simultaneously with the charge off of other components of amortized cost 
as a reduction of revenue. Total net revenue was reduced by $1.1 billion in 2020 for finance charges and fees charged-off as 
uncollectible  and  by  $1.4  billion  and  $1.3  billion  in  2019  and  2018,  respectively,  for  the  estimated  uncollectible  amount  of 
billed finance charges and fees and related losses.

We have unfunded lending commitments in our Commercial Banking business that are not unconditionally cancellable by us 
and  for  which  we  estimate  expected  credit  losses  in  establishing  a  reserve.  This  reserve  is  measured  using  the  same 
measurement objectives as the allowance for loans held for investment. We build or release the reserve for unfunded lending 
commitments  through  the  provision  for  credit  losses  in  our  consolidated  statements  of  income,  and  the  related  reserve  for 
unfunded lending commitments is included in other liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets. 

Allowance for Credit Losses and Reserve for Unfunded Lending Commitments Activity

The  table  below  summarizes  changes  in  the  allowance  for  credit  losses  and  reserve  for  unfunded  lending  commitments  by 
portfolio segment for  the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019  and 2018. The allowance balance  as of December 31, 2020 
reflects the cumulative effects from adoption of the CECL standard and the change to include finance charge and fee reserve in 
the allowance for credit losses. The reserve for unfunded lending commitments balance as of December 31, 2020 also reflects 
the  cumulative  effects  from  adoption  of  the  CECL  standard,  including  the  component  of  loss  sharing  agreements  with  the 
government-sponsored enterprises (“GSEs”) on multifamily commercial real estate loans that are within the scope of the CECL 
standard.  Our  allowance  for  credit  losses  increased  by  $8.4  billion  to  $15.6  billion  as  of  December  31,  2020  from  2019, 
primarily driven by the allowance builds in the first and second quarters of 2020 from expectations of economic worsening as a 
result of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the adoption of the CECL standard in the first quarter of 2020.

154

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Table 4.1: Allowance for Credit Losses and Reserve for Unfunded Lending Commitments Activity

(Dollars in millions)
Allowance for loan and lease losses:

Credit
Card

Consumer
Banking

Commercial
Banking

Other(1)

Total

Balance as of December 31, 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

5,648  $ 

1,242  $ 

611  $ 

1  $ 

7,502 

Charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Recoveries(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Provision (benefit) for loan and lease losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Allowance build (release) for loan and lease losses . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other changes(1)(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

(6,657) 

1,588 

(5,069) 

4,984 

(85) 

(28) 

(1,832) 

851 

(981) 

841 

(140) 

(54) 

Balance as of December 31, 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5,535 

1,048 

Reserve for unfunded lending commitments:

Balance as of December 31, 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Provision (benefit) for losses on unfunded lending commitments . 

Balance as of December 31, 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0 

0 

0 

7 

(3) 

4 

(119) 

63 

(56) 

82 

26 

0 

637 

117 

1 

118 

(7) 

1 

(6) 

(49) 

(55) 

54 

0 

0 

0 

0 

(8,615) 

2,503 

(6,112) 

5,858 

(254) 

(28) 

7,220 

124 

(2) 

122 

Combined allowance and reserve as of December 31, 2018 . . . 

$ 

5,535  $ 

1,052  $ 

755  $ 

0  $ 

7,342 

155

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Dollars in millions)
Allowance for loan and lease losses:

Credit Card

Consumer 
Banking

Commercial 
Banking

Total

Balance as of December 31, 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

5,535  $ 

1,048  $ 

637  $ 

7,220 

Charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recoveries(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Provision for loan and lease losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Allowance build (release) for loan and lease losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other changes(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Balance as of December 31, 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Reserve for unfunded lending commitments:

Balance as of December 31, 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Provision for losses on unfunded lending commitments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Balance as of December 31, 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

(6,711) 

1,562 

(5,149) 

4,992 

(157) 

17 

5,395 

0 

0 

0 

(1,917) 

970 

(947) 

937 

(10) 

0 

1,038 

4 

1 

5 

(181) 

25 

(156) 

294 

138 

0 

775 

118 

12 

130 

(8,809) 

2,557 

(6,252) 

6,223 

(29) 

17 

7,208 

122 

13 

135 

Combined allowance and reserve as of December 31, 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

5,395  $ 

1,043  $ 

905  $ 

7,343 

Allowance for credit losses:

Balance as of December 31, 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

5,395  $ 

1,038  $ 

775  $ 

Cumulative effects from adoption of the CECL standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Finance charge and fee reserve reclassification(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Balance as of January 1, 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recoveries(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Provision for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Allowance build for credit losses(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other changes(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Balance as of December 31, 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Reserve for unfunded lending commitments:

Balance as of December 31, 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Cumulative effects from adoption of the CECL standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Balance as of January 1, 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Provision for losses on unfunded lending commitments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Balance as of December 31, 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2,241 

462 

8,098 

(5,749) 

1,479 

(4,270) 

7,327 

3,057 

36 

11,191 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

502 

0 

1,540 

(1,534) 

956 

(578) 

1,753 

1,175 

0 

2,715 

5 

(5) 

0 

0 

0 

102 

0 

877 

(394) 

17 

(377) 

1,158 

781 

0 

7,208 

2,845 

462 

10,515 

(7,677) 

2,452 

(5,225) 

10,238 

5,013 

36 

1,658 

15,564 

130 

42 

172 

23 

195 

135 

37 

172 

23 

195 

Combined allowance and reserve as of December 31, 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

11,191  $ 

2,715  $ 

1,853  $ 

15,759 

__________
(1)

In 2018, we sold all of our consumer home loan portfolio and recognized a gain of approximately $499 million in the Other category, including a benefit 
for credit losses of $46 million.

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

The amount and timing of recoveries are impacted by our collection strategies, which are based on customer behavior and risk profile and include direct 
customer communications, repossession of collateral, the periodic sale of charged off loans as well as additional strategies, such as litigation. 

Represents foreign currency translation adjustments.

Concurrent with our adoption of the CECL standard in the first quarter of 2020, we reclassified our finance charge and fee reserve to our allowance for 
credit losses, with a corresponding increase to credit card loans held for investment.

Includes an allowance release of $327 million for a partnership credit card loan portfolio transferred to held for sale in the third quarter of 2020.

156

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Credit Card Partnership Loss Sharing Arrangements 

We  have  certain  credit  card  partnership  agreements  that  are  presented  within  our  consolidated  financial  statements  on  a  net 
basis,  in  which  our  partner  agrees  to  share  a  portion  of  the  credit  losses  on  the  underlying  loan  portfolio.  The  expected 
reimbursements  from  these  partners  are  netted  against  our  allowance  for  credit  losses.  Our  methodology  for  estimating 
reimbursements is consistent with the methodology we use to estimate the allowance for credit losses on our credit card loan 
receivables.  These  expected  reimbursements  result  in  reductions  to  net  charge-offs  and  the  provision  for  credit  losses.  See 
“Note 1—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” for further discussion of our credit card partnership agreements.

The table below summarizes the changes in the estimated reimbursements from these partners for the years ended December 31, 
2020, 2019 and 2018. Beginning in 2019, amounts below include the impacts of our loss sharing arrangement on the acquired 
Walmart portfolio.

Table 4.2: Summary of Credit Card Partnership Loss Sharing Arrangements Impacts

(Dollars in millions)
Estimated reimbursements from partners, beginning of period(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Amounts due from partners which reduced net charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Amounts estimated to be charged to partners which reduced provision for credit losses .

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

$ 

2,166  $ 

379  $ 

(959) 

952 

(600) 

1,383 

Estimated reimbursements from partners, end of period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

2,159  $ 

1,162  $ 

380 

(382) 

381 

379 

__________
(1)

Includes effects from adoption of the CECL standard in the first quarter of 2020. 

157

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 5—VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES AND SECURITIZATIONS

In the normal course of business, we enter into various types of transactions with entities that are considered to be VIEs. Our 
primary involvement with VIEs is related to our securitization transactions in which we transfer assets to securitization trusts. 
We primarily securitize credit card and auto loans, which have provided a source of funding for us and enabled us to transfer a 
certain portion of the economic risk of the loans or related debt securities to third parties.

The  entity  that  has  a  controlling  financial  interest  in  a  VIE  is  referred  to  as  the  primary  beneficiary  and  is  required  to 
consolidate the VIE. The majority of the VIEs in which we are involved have been consolidated in our financial statements.

Summary of Consolidated and Unconsolidated VIEs

The  assets  of  our  consolidated  VIEs  primarily  consist  of  cash,  loan  receivables  and  the  related  allowance  for  credit  losses, 
which we report on our consolidated balance sheets under restricted cash for securitization investors, loans held in consolidated 
trusts and allowance for credit losses, respectively. The assets of a particular VIE are the primary source of funds to settle its 
obligations. Creditors of these VIEs typically do not have recourse to our general credit. Liabilities primarily consist of debt 
securities  issued  by  the  VIEs,  which  we  report  under  securitized  debt  obligations  on  our  consolidated  balance  sheets.  For 
unconsolidated VIEs, we present the carrying amount of assets and liabilities reflected on our consolidated balance sheets and 
our maximum exposure to loss. Our maximum exposure to loss is estimated based on the unlikely event that all of the assets in 
the VIEs become worthless and we are required to meet our maximum remaining funding obligations.

The tables below present a summary of VIEs in which we had continuing involvement or held a variable interest, aggregated 
based  on  VIEs  with  similar  characteristics  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019.  We  separately  present  information  for 
consolidated and unconsolidated VIEs.

Table 5.1: Carrying Amount of Consolidated and Unconsolidated VIEs

(Dollars in millions)
Securitization-Related VIEs:

Credit card loan securitizations(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auto loan securitizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Home loan securitizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

0 

0 

Total securitization-related VIEs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other VIEs:(2)

Affordable housing entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Entities that provide capital to low-income and rural communities .

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total other VIEs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

24,426 

12,393 

242 

1,951 

0 

2,193 

17 

26 

0 

43 

December 31, 2020

Consolidated

Carrying 
Amount 
of Assets

Carrying 
Amount of 
Liabilities

Carrying 
Amount 
of Assets

Unconsolidated
Carrying 
Amount of 
Liabilities

Maximum 
Exposure to 
Loss

$ 

22,066  $ 

10,338  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

2,360 

2,055 

0 

55 

55 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

305 

305 

0 

436 

5,038 

5,343 

4,602 

1,240 

4,602 

0 

436 

0 

0 

5,038 

1,240 

Total VIEs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

26,619  $ 

12,436  $ 

5,093  $ 

1,240  $ 

158

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Dollars in millions)
Securitization-Related VIEs:

Credit card loan securitizations(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auto loan securitizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Home loan securitizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

0 

0 

Total securitization-related VIEs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other VIEs:(2)

33,394 

18,125 

Affordable housing entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Entities that provide capital to low-income and rural communities .

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total other VIEs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

236 

1,889 

0 

2,125 

7 

69 

0 

76 

December 31, 2019

Consolidated

Carrying 
Amount 
of Assets

Carrying 
Amount of 
Liabilities

Carrying 
Amount 
of Assets

Unconsolidated
Carrying 
Amount of 
Liabilities

Maximum 
Exposure to 
Loss

$ 

31,112  $ 

16,113  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

2,282 

2,012 

0 

66 

66 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

352 

352 

0 

502 

5,061 

5,413 

4,559 

1,289 

4,559 

0 

502 

0 

0 

5,061 

1,289 

Total VIEs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
__________
(1)

$ 

35,519  $ 

18,201  $ 

5,127  $ 

1,289  $ 

Represents the carrying amount of assets and liabilities owned by the VIE, which includes the seller’s interest and repurchased notes held by other related 
parties.

(2)

In certain investment structures, we consolidate a VIE which in turn holds as its primary asset an investment in an unconsolidated VIE. In these instances, 
we disclose the carrying amount of assets and liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets as unconsolidated VIEs to avoid duplicating our exposure, as 
the  unconsolidated  VIEs  are  generally  the  operating  entities  generating  the  exposure.  The  carrying  amount  of  assets  and  liabilities  included  in  the 
unconsolidated VIE columns above related to these investment structures were $2.3 billion of assets and $596 million of liabilities as of December 31, 
2020, and $2.3 billion of assets and $741 million of liabilities as of December 31, 2019. 

Securitization-Related VIEs

In  a  securitization  transaction,  assets  are  transferred  to  a  trust,  which  generally  meets  the  definition  of  a  VIE.  We  engage  in 
securitization activities as an issuer and an investor. Our primary securitization issuance activity includes credit card and auto 
securitizations,  conducted  through  securitization  trusts  which  we  consolidate.  Our  continuing  involvement  in  these 
securitization transactions mainly consists of acting as the primary servicer and holding certain retained interests.

In our multifamily agency business, we originate multifamily commercial real estate loans and transfer them to GSEs who may, 
in turn, securitize them. We retain the related MSRs and service the transferred loans pursuant to the guidelines set forth by the 
GSEs.  As  an  investor,  we  hold  primarily  RMBS,  CMBS,  and  ABS  in  our  investment  securities  portfolio,  which  represent 
variable  interests  in  the  respective  securitization  trusts  from  which  those  securities  were  issued.  We  do  not  consolidate  the 
securitization trusts employed in these transactions as we do not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly 
impact the economic performance of these securitization trusts. We exclude these VIEs from the tables within this note because 
we do not consider our continuing involvement with these VIEs to be significant as we either invest in securities issued by the 
VIE  and  were  not  involved  in  the  design  of  the  VIE  or  no  transfers  have  occurred  between  the  VIE  and  us.  Our  maximum 
exposure to loss as a result of our involvement with these VIEs is the carrying value of the MSRs and investment securities on 
our consolidated balance sheets as well as our contractual obligations under loss sharing arrangements. See “Note 6—Goodwill 
and  Intangible  Assets”  for  information  related  to  our  MSRs  associated  with  these  securitizations  and  “Note  2—Investment 
Securities” for more information on the securities held in our investment securities portfolio. In addition, where we have certain 
lending arrangements in the normal course of business with entities that could be VIEs, we have also excluded these VIEs from 
the  tables  presented  in  this  note.  See  “Note  3—Loans”  for  additional  information  regarding  our  lending  arrangements  in  the 
normal course of business.

159

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The table below presents our continuing involvement in certain securitization-related VIEs as of December 31, 2020 and 2019. 

Table 5.2: Continuing Involvement in Securitization-Related VIEs

(Dollars in millions)
December 31, 2020:

Credit Card

Auto

Mortgages

Securities held by third-party investors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

10,361  $ 

2,053  $ 

Receivables in the trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

23,683 

2,243 

Cash balance of spread or reserve accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Retained interests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Servicing retained . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

0 

Yes

Yes

10 

Yes

Yes

December 31, 2019:

Securities held by third-party investors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

15,798  $ 

2,010  $ 

Receivables in the trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

31,625 

2,192 

Cash balance of spread or reserve accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Retained interests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Servicing retained . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

0 

Yes

Yes

7 

Yes

Yes

790 

793 

15 

Yes

No

962 

978 

17 

Yes

No

Credit Card Securitizations

We securitize a portion of our credit card loans which provides a source of funding for us. Credit card securitizations involve 
the  transfer  of  credit  card  receivables  to  securitization  trusts.  These  trusts  then  issue  debt  securities  collateralized  by  the 
transferred receivables to third-party investors. We hold certain retained interests in our credit card securitizations and continue 
to service the receivables in these trusts. We consolidate these trusts because we are deemed to be the primary beneficiary as we 
have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the trusts, and the right to 
receive benefits or the obligation to absorb losses that could potentially be significant to the trusts. 

Auto Securitizations

Similar to our credit card securitizations, we securitize a portion of our auto loans which provides a source of funding for us. 
Auto  securitization  involves  the  transfer  of  auto  loans  to  securitization  trusts.  These  trusts  then  issue  debt  securities 
collateralized  by  the  transferred  loans  to  third-party  investors.  We  hold  certain  retained  interests  and  continue  to  service  the 
loans in these trusts. We consolidate these trusts because we are deemed to be the primary beneficiary as we have the power to 
direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the trusts, and the right to receive benefits or the 
obligation to absorb losses that could potentially be significant to the trusts.

Mortgage Securitizations

We  had  previously  securitized  mortgage  loans  by  transferring  these  loans  to  securitization  trusts  that  had  issued  mortgage-
backed securities to investors. These mortgage trusts consist of option-adjustable rate mortgage (“option-ARM”) securitizations 
and  securitizations  from  our  discontinued  operations  which  include  the  mortgage  origination  operations  of  our  wholesale 
mortgage  banking  unit,  GreenPoint  Mortgage  Funding,  Inc.  (“GreenPoint”)  and  the  manufactured  housing  operations  of 
GreenPoint  Credit,  LLC,  a  subsidiary  of  GreenPoint  (collectively  “GreenPoint  securitizations”).  We  retain  rights  to  certain 
future cash flows arising from these securitizations. We do not consolidate the mortgage securitizations because we do not have 
the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the trusts, and the right to receive 
the benefits or the obligation to absorb losses that could potentially be significant to the trusts.

Other VIEs

Affordable Housing Entities

As  part  of  our  community  reinvestment  initiatives,  we  invest  in  private  investment  funds  that  make  equity  investments  in 
multifamily  affordable  housing  properties.  We  receive  affordable  housing  tax  credits  for  these  investments.  The  activities  of 
these entities are financed with a combination of invested equity capital and debt. We account for certain of our investments in 

160

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

qualified  affordable  housing  projects  using  the  proportional  amortization  method  if  certain  criteria  are  met.  The  proportional 
amortization method amortizes the cost of the investment over the period in which the investor expects to receive tax credits 
and  other  tax  benefits,  and  the  resulting  amortization  is  recognized  as  a  component  of  income  tax  expense  attributable  to 
continuing operations. For the year ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, we recognized amortization of $556 million and $554 
million, respectively, and tax credits of $607 million and $610 million, respectively, associated with these investments within 
income tax provision or benefit. The carrying value of our equity investments in these qualified affordable housing projects was 
$4.5 billion and $4.4 billion as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. We are periodically required to provide additional 
financial or other support during the period of the investments. Our liability for these unfunded commitments was $1.5 billion 
as of both December 31, 2020 and 2019, and is largely expected to be paid from 2021 to 2023.

For those investment funds considered to be VIEs, we are not required to consolidate them if we do not have the power to direct 
the  activities  that  most  significantly  impact  the  economic  performance  of  those  entities.  We  record  our  interests  in  these 
unconsolidated  VIEs  in  loans  held  for  investment,  other  assets  and  other  liabilities  on  our  consolidated  balance  sheets.  Our 
maximum exposure to these entities is limited to our variable interests in the entities which consisted of assets of approximately 
$4.6 billion as of both December 31, 2020 and 2019. The creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to our general credit and we do 
not provide additional financial or other support other than during the period that we are contractually required to provide it. 
The total assets of the unconsolidated VIE investment funds were approximately $11.0 billion and $10.9 billion as of December 
31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Entities that Provide Capital to Low-Income and Rural Communities 

We hold variable interests in entities (“Investor Entities”) that invest in community development entities (“CDEs”) that provide 
debt financing to businesses and non-profit entities in low-income and rural communities. Variable interests in the CDEs held 
by the consolidated Investor Entities are also our variable interests. The activities of the Investor Entities are financed with a 
combination of invested equity capital and debt. The activities of the CDEs are financed solely with invested equity capital. We 
receive federal and state tax credits for these investments. We consolidate the VIEs in which we have the power to direct the 
activities that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and where we have the obligation to absorb losses or 
right to receive benefits that could be potentially significant to the VIE. We consolidate other investments and CDEs that are 
not  considered  to  be  VIEs,  but  where  we  hold  a  controlling  financial  interest.  The  assets  of  the  VIEs  that  we  consolidated, 
which totaled approximately $2.0 billion and $1.9 billion as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, are reflected on our 
consolidated balance sheets in cash, loans held for investment, and other assets. The liabilities are reflected in other liabilities. 
The creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to our general credit. We have not provided additional financial or other support 
other than during the period that we are contractually required to provide it.

Other

We hold variable interests in other VIEs, including companies that promote renewable energy sources and other equity method 
investments. We were not required to consolidate these VIEs because we do not have the power to direct the activities that most 
significantly impact their economic performance. Our maximum exposure to these VIEs is limited to the investments on our 
consolidated balance sheets of $436 million and $502 million as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The creditors of 
the other VIEs have no recourse to our general credit. We have not provided additional financial or other support other than 
during the period that we are contractually required to provide it.

161

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 6—GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS

The table below presents our goodwill, intangible assets and MSRs as of December 31, 2020 and 2019. Goodwill is presented 
separately, while intangible assets and MSRs are included in other assets on our consolidated balance sheets.

Table 6.1: Components of Goodwill, Intangible Assets and MSRs

(Dollars in millions)
Goodwill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $ 
Intangible assets:

December 31, 2020

Accumulated 
Amortization

Net Carrying 
Amount

Weighted 
Average 
Remaining
Amortization
Period

Carrying 
Amount of 
Assets

14,653 

N/A $ 

14,653 

N/A

Purchased credit card relationship (“PCCR”) intangibles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total intangible assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total goodwill and intangible assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Commercial MSRs(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 
$ 

148  $ 
248 
396 
15,049  $ 
542  $ 

(138) 
(168) 
(306) 
(306)  $ 
(175)  $ 

10 
80 
90 
14,743 
367 

6.2 years
7.3 years
7.1 years

(Dollars in millions)

December 31, 2019

Carrying 
Amount of 
Assets

Accumulated 
Amortization

Net Carrying 
Amount

Goodwill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $ 

14,653 

N/A $ 

14,653 

Intangible assets:

PCCR intangibles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total intangible assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total goodwill and intangible assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Commercial MSRs(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 
$ 

1,932  $ 
246 
2,178 
16,831  $ 
555  $ 

(1,864) 
(140) 
(2,004) 
(2,004)  $ 
(255)  $ 

68 
106 
174 
14,827 
300 

Weighted 
Average 
Remaining
Amortization
Period

N/A

3.9 years
6.7 years
5.6 years

__________
(1)

Primarily consists of intangibles for sponsorship, customer and merchant relationships, partnership, trade name and other contract intangibles.

(2)

Commercial  MSRs  are  accounted  for  under  the  amortization  method  on  our  consolidated  balance  sheets.  We  recorded  $69  million  and  $70  million  of 
amortization expense for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

162

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Goodwill

There were no changes in the carrying amount of goodwill by each of our business segments for the year ended December 31, 
2020, and the following table presents such changes for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.We did not recognize any 
goodwill impairment during 2020, 2019 or 2018.

Table 6.2: Goodwill by Business Segments

(Dollars in millions)
Balance as of December 31, 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Acquisitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Reductions in goodwill related to divestitures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other adjustments(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Balance as of December 31, 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Acquisitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Reductions in goodwill related to divestitures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other adjustments(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Balance as of December 31, 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Balance as of December 31, 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Credit
Card

Consumer 
Banking

Commercial 
Banking

Total

$ 

5,032  $ 

4,600  $ 

4,901  $ 

14,533 

33 

0 

(5) 

0 

0 

0 

0 

(17) 

0 

33 

(17) 

(5) 

5,060 

4,600 

4,884 

14,544 

25 

0 

3 

46 

(1) 

0 

36 

0 

0 

107 

(1) 

3 

$ 

$ 

5,088  $ 

4,645  $ 

4,920  $ 

14,653 

5,088  $ 

4,645  $ 

4,920  $ 

14,653 

__________
(1)

Represents foreign currency translation adjustments and measurement period adjustments on prior period acquisitions.

The  goodwill  impairment  test  is  performed  as  of  October  1  of  each  year.  An  impairment  of  a  reporting  unit’s  goodwill  is 
determined based on the amount by which the reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, limited to the amount of 
goodwill allocated to the reporting unit.

The fair value of reporting units is calculated using a discounted cash flow methodology, a form of the income approach. The 
calculation uses projected cash flows based on each reporting unit’s internal forecast and uses the perpetuity growth method to 
calculate terminal values. These cash flows and terminal values are then discounted using appropriate discount rates, which are 
largely based on our external cost of equity with adjustments for risk inherent in each reporting unit. Capital is allocated based 
on  each  reporting  unit’s  specific  regulatory  capital  requirements,  economic  capital  requirements,  and  underlying  risks. 
Consolidated  stockholder’s  equity  in  excess  of  the  sum  of  all  reporting  unit’s  capital  requirements  that  is  not  identified  for 
future capital needs, such as dividends, share buybacks, or other strategic initiatives, is allocated to the reporting units and Other 
category and assumed distributed to equity holders in future periods. Our discounted cash flow analysis requires management to 
make judgments about future loan and deposit growth, revenue growth, credit losses, and capital rates. The reasonableness of 
our fair value calculation is assessed by reference to a market-based approach using comparable market multiples and recent 
market transactions where available.

163

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Intangible Assets

In  connection  with  our  acquisitions,  we  recorded  intangible  assets  including  PCCRs,  sponsorships,  customer  and  merchant 
relationships, partnerships, trade names and other contract intangibles. At acquisition, the PCCRs reflect the estimated value of 
existing credit card holder relationships. 

Intangible  assets  are  typically  amortized  over  their  respective  estimated  useful  lives  on  either  an  accelerated  or  straight-line 
basis. The following table summarizes the actual amortization expense recorded for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 
and 2018 and the estimated future amortization expense for intangible assets as of December 31, 2020:

Table 6.3: Amortization Expense

(Dollars in millions)
Actual for the year ended December 31,

Amortization
Expense

2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Estimated future amounts for the year ending December 31,

2021 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2022 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2023 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2024 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2025 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Thereafter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total estimated future amounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

174 

112 

60 

20 

16 

13 

10 

9 

14 

82 

164

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 7—PREMISES, EQUIPMENT AND LEASES

Premises and Equipment

The following table presents our premises and equipment as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Table 7.1 Components of Premises and Equipment 

(Dollars in millions)
Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Buildings and improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Furniture and equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Computer software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

In progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total premises and equipment, gross . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019

$ 

366  $ 

3,742 

1,973 

2,144 

768 

8,993 

382 

3,903 

2,218 

1,996 

689 

9,188 

Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4,706) 

(4,810) 

Total premises and equipment, net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

4,287  $ 

4,378 

Depreciation  and  amortization  expense  was  $809  million,  $741  million  and  $728  million  for  the  years  ended  December  31, 
2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Leases

Our primary involvement with leases is in the capacity as a lessee where we lease premises to support our business. A majority 
of  our  leases  are  operating  leases  of  office  space,  retail  bank  branches  and  Cafés.  For  real  estate  leases,  we  have  elected  to 
account for the lease and non-lease components together as a single lease component. Our operating leases expire at various 
dates through 2071, and many of them require variable lease payments by us, of property taxes, insurance premiums, common 
area  maintenance  and  other  costs.  Certain  of  these  leases  also  have  extension  or  termination  options,  and  we  assess  the 
likelihood of exercising such options. If it is reasonably certain that we will exercise the options, then we include the impact in 
the measurement of our right-of-use assets and lease liabilities.

Our  right-of-use  assets  and  lease  liabilities  for  operating  leases  are  included  in  other  assets  and  other  liabilities  on  our 
consolidated balance sheets. As most of our operating leases do not provide an implicit rate, we use our incremental borrowing 
rate in determining the present value of lease payments. Our operating lease expense is included in occupancy and equipment 
within non-interest expense in our consolidated statements of income. Total operating lease expense consists of operating lease 
cost,  which  is  recognized  on  a  straight-line  basis  over  the  lease  term,  and  variable  lease  cost,  which  is  recognized  based  on 
actual amounts incurred. We also sublease certain premises, and sublease income is included in other non-interest income in our 
consolidated statements of income.

The following tables present information about our operating lease portfolio and the related lease costs as of and for the year 
ended December 31, 2020.

Table 7.2 Operating Lease Portfolio

(Dollars in millions)
Right-of-use assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lease liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Weighted-average remaining lease term . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Weighted-average discount rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

December 31, 
2020
1,316 
1,688 
8.7 years
 3.1 %

$ 

December 31, 
2019
1,433 
1,756 
8.9 years
 3.3 %

165

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Table 7.3 Total Operating Lease Expense and Other Information

(Dollars in millions)
Operating lease cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Variable lease cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total lease cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sublease income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net lease cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Right-of-use assets recognized upon adoption of new lease standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

$ 
$ 

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

315  $ 

43 
358 
(26) 
332  $ 
325  $ 
180 
0 

316 
39 
355 
(26) 
329 
328 
112 
1,601 

The following table presents a maturity analysis of our operating leases and a reconciliation of the undiscounted cash flows to 
our lease liabilities as of December 31, 2020.

Table 7.4 Maturities of Operating Leases and Reconciliation to Lease Liabilities

(Dollars in millions)
2021 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2022 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2023 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2024 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2025 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Thereafter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total undiscounted lease payments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Less: Imputed interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total lease liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

$ 

December 31, 2020

296 
272 
250 
216 
180 
721 
1,935 
(247) 
1,688 

As  of  December  31,  2020,  we  had  approximately  $69  million  and  $75  million  of  right-of-use  assets  and  lease  liabilities, 
respectively, for finance leases with a weighted-average remaining lease term of 4.4 years. As of December 31, 2019, we had 
approximately $96 million and $103 million of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities, respectively, for finance leases with a 
weighted-average remaining lease term of 5.9 years. These right-of-use assets and lease liabilities are included in premises and 
equipment,  net  and  other  borrowings,  respectively,  on  our  consolidated  balance  sheets.  We  recognized  $24  million  and 
$27 million of total finance lease expense for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

166

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 8—DEPOSITS AND BORROWINGS

Our  deposits  represent  our  largest  source  of  funding  for  our  assets  and  operations,  which  include  checking  accounts,  money 
market deposits, negotiable order of withdrawals, savings deposits and time deposits. We also use a variety of other funding 
sources including short-term borrowings, senior and subordinated notes, securitized debt obligations and other borrowings. In 
addition,  we  utilize  FHLB  advances,  which  are  secured  by  certain  portions  of  our  loan  and  investment  securities  portfolios. 
Securitized  debt  obligations  are  presented  separately  on  our  consolidated  balance  sheets,  as  they  represent  obligations  of 
consolidated securitization trusts, while federal funds purchased and securities loaned or sold under agreements to repurchase, 
senior and subordinated notes and other borrowings, including FHLB advances, are included in other debt on our consolidated 
balance sheets.

Our total short-term borrowings generally consist of federal funds purchased and securities loaned or sold under agreements to 
repurchase and short-term FHLB advances. Our long-term debt consists of borrowings with an original contractual maturity of 
greater than one year. The following tables summarize the components of our deposits, short-term borrowings and long-term 
debt as of December 31, 2020 and 2019. The carrying value presented below for these borrowings includes unamortized debt 
premiums and discounts, net of debt issuance costs and fair value hedge accounting adjustments.

Table 8.1: Components of Deposits, Short-Term Borrowings and Long-Term Debt

(Dollars in millions)
Deposits:

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019

Non-interest-bearing deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Interest-bearing deposits(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

31,142  $ 

23,488 

274,300 

239,209 

$ 

305,442  $ 

262,697 

Short-term borrowings:

Federal funds purchased and securities loaned or sold under agreements to repurchase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

668  $ 

FHLB advances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0 

Total short-term borrowings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

668  $ 

314 

7,000 

7,314 

(Dollars in millions)
Long-term debt:

December 31, 2020

December 31, 
2019

Maturity 
Dates

Stated 
Interest Rates

Weighted-
Average 
Interest Rate

Carrying 
Value

Carrying 
Value

Securitized debt obligations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2021-2026

0.51% - 3.01%

 1.87 % $ 

12,414  $ 

17,808 

Senior and subordinated notes:

Fixed unsecured senior debt(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Floating unsecured senior debt . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2021-2029

2021-2023

0.80 - 4.75

0.64 - 1.36

Total unsecured senior debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Fixed unsecured subordinated debt . . . . . . . . . 

2023-2026

3.38 - 4.20

 3.24 

 0.97 

 3.08 

 3.78 

Total senior and subordinated notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Other long-term borrowings:

Finance lease liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2021-2031

0.68 - 9.91

 3.78 

Total other long-term borrowings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total long-term debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

21,045 

1,609 

22,654 

4,728 

27,382 

75 

75 

$ 

$ 

39,871  $ 

40,539  $ 

23,302 

2,695 

25,997 

4,475 

30,472 

103 

103 

48,383 

55,697 

Total short-term borrowings and long-term debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
__________
(1)

Includes $4.2 billion and $6.5 billion of time deposits in denominations in excess of the $250,000 federal insurance limit as of December 31, 2020 and 
2019, respectively.
Includes $1.6 billion and $1.4 billion of EUR-denominated unsecured notes as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

(2)

167

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The  following  table  presents  the  carrying  value  of  our  interest-bearing  time  deposits  with  contractual  maturities,  securitized 
debt obligations and other debt by remaining contractual maturity as of December 31, 2020.

Table 8.2: Maturity Profile of Borrowings

(Dollars in millions)
Interest-bearing time deposits  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Securitized debt obligations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Federal funds purchased and securities loaned or 
sold under agreements to repurchase . . . . . . . . . .
Senior and subordinated notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other borrowings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

Thereafter

Total

$  21,381  $ 
2,331 

6,447  $ 
5,635 

2,212  $ 
1,087 

2,196  $ 
1,569 

385  $ 
289 

126  $  32,747 
12,414 

1,503 

668 
3,878 
20 

0 
2,488 
20 

$  28,278  $  14,590  $ 

0 
6,032 
18 
9,349  $ 

0 
4,661 
5 
8,431  $ 

0 
3,488 
3 
4,165  $ 

0 
6,835 
9 

668 
27,382 
75 
8,473  $  73,286 

168

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 9—DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES

Use of Derivatives and Accounting for Derivatives

We regularly enter into derivative transactions to support our overall risk management activities. Our primary market risks stem 
from the impact on our earnings and economic value of equity due to changes in interest rates and, to a lesser extent, changes in 
foreign exchange rates. We manage our interest rate sensitivity by employing several techniques, which include changing the 
duration  and  re-pricing  characteristics  of  various  assets  and  liabilities  by  using  interest  rate  derivatives.  We  also  use  foreign 
currency derivatives to limit our earnings and capital exposures to foreign exchange risk by hedging exposures denominated in 
foreign currencies. We primarily use interest rate and foreign currency derivatives to hedge, but we may also use a variety of 
other  derivative  instruments,  including  caps,  floors,  options,  futures  and  forward  contracts,  to  manage  our  interest  rate  and 
foreign exchange risks. We designate these risk management derivatives as either qualifying accounting hedges or free-standing 
derivatives.  Qualifying  accounting  hedges  are  further  designated  as  fair  value  hedges,  cash  flow  hedges  or  net  investment 
hedges. Free-standing derivatives are economic hedges that do not qualify for hedge accounting. 

We also offer interest rate, commodity, foreign currency derivatives and other contracts as an accommodation to our customers 
within our Commercial Banking business. We enter into these derivatives with our customers primarily to help them manage 
their  interest  rate  risks,  hedge  their  energy  and  other  commodities  exposures,  and  manage  foreign  currency  fluctuations.  We 
then enter into derivative contracts with counterparties to economically hedge substantially all of our subsequent exposures. 

See below for additional information on our use of derivatives and how we account for them:

•

•

•

•

Fair  Value  Hedges:  We  designate  derivatives  as  fair  value  hedges  when  they  are  used  to  manage  our  exposure  to 
changes in the fair value of certain financial assets and liabilities, which fluctuate in value as a result of movements in 
interest rates. Changes in the fair value of derivatives designated as fair value hedges are presented in the same line item 
in  our  consolidated  statements  of  income  as  the  earnings  effect  of  the  hedged  items.  Our  fair  value  hedges  primarily 
consist of interest rate swaps that are intended to modify our exposure to interest rate risk on various fixed-rate financial 
assets and liabilities.

Cash  Flow  Hedges:  We  designate  derivatives  as  cash  flow  hedges  when  they  are  used  to  manage  our  exposure  to 
variability  in  cash  flows  related  to  forecasted  transactions.  Changes  in  the  fair  value  of  derivatives  designated  as  cash 
flow  hedges  are  recorded  as  a  component  of  AOCI.  Those  amounts  are  reclassified  into  earnings  in  the  same  period 
during  which  the  forecasted  transactions  impact  earnings  and  presented  in  the  same  line  item  in  our  consolidated 
statements of income as the earnings effect of the hedged items. Our cash flow hedges use interest rate swaps and floors 
that are intended to hedge the variability in interest receipts or interest payments on some of our variable-rate financial 
assets or liabilities. We also enter into foreign currency forward contracts to hedge our exposure to variability in cash 
flows related to intercompany borrowings denominated in foreign currencies.

Net  Investment  Hedges:  We  use  net  investment  hedges  to  manage  the  foreign  currency  exposure  related  to  our  net 
investments in foreign operations that have functional currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Changes in the fair value of 
net investment hedges are recorded in the translation adjustment component of AOCI, offsetting the translation gain or 
loss from those foreign operations. We execute net investment hedges using foreign currency forward contracts to hedge 
the translation exposure of the net investment in our foreign operations under the forward method.

Free-Standing Derivatives: Our free-standing derivatives primarily consist of our customer accommodation derivatives 
and  other  economic  hedges.  The  customer  accommodation  derivatives  and  the  related  offsetting  contracts  are  mainly 
interest  rate,  commodity  and  foreign  currency  contracts.  The  other  free-standing  derivatives  are  primarily  used  to 
economically  hedge  the  risk  of  changes  in  the  fair  value  of  our  commercial  mortgage  loan  origination  and  purchase 
commitments  as  well  as  other  interests  held.  Changes  in  the  fair  value  of  free-standing  derivatives  are  recorded  in 
earnings as a component of other non-interest income.

169

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Derivatives Counterparty Credit Risk

Counterparty Types

Derivative  instruments  contain  an  element  of  credit  risk  that  arises  from  the  potential  failure  of  a  counterparty  to  perform 
according  to  the  terms  of  the  contract,  including  making  payments  due  upon  maturity  of  certain  derivative  instruments.  We 
execute  our  derivative  contracts  primarily  in  OTC  markets.  We  also  execute  interest  rate  and  commodity  futures  in  the 
exchange-traded  derivative  markets.  Our  OTC  derivatives  consist  of  both  trades  cleared  through  central  counterparty 
clearinghouses  (“CCPs”)  and  uncleared  bilateral  contracts.  The  Chicago  Mercantile  Exchange  (“CME”)  and  the  LCH  Group 
(“LCH”) are our CCPs in our centrally cleared contracts. In our uncleared bilateral contracts, we enter into agreements directly 
with our derivative counterparties. 

Counterparty Credit Risk Management

We  manage  the  counterparty  credit  risk  associated  with  derivative  instruments  by  entering  into  legally  enforceable  master 
netting arrangements, where possible, and exchanging collateral with our counterparties, typically in the form of cash or high-
quality liquid securities. The amount of collateral exchanged is dependent upon the fair value of the derivative instruments as 
well as the fair value of the pledged collateral and will vary over time as market variables change. When valuing collateral, an 
estimate of the variation in price and liquidity over time is subtracted in the form of a “haircut” to discount the value of the 
collateral pledged. Our exposure to derivative counterparty credit risk, at any point in time, is equal to the amount reported as a 
derivative  asset  on  our  balance  sheet.  The  fair  value  of  our  derivatives  is  adjusted  on  an  aggregate  basis  to  take  into 
consideration  the  effects  of  legally  enforceable  master  netting  agreements  and  any  associated  cash  collateral  received  or 
pledged. See Table 9.3 for our net exposure associated with derivatives. 

The terms under which we collateralize our exposures differ between cleared exposures and uncleared bilateral exposures.

•

•

CCPs:  We  clear  eligible  OTC  derivatives  with  CCPs  as  part  of  our  regulatory  requirements.  Futures  commission 
merchants  (“FCMs”)  serve  as  the  intermediary  between  CCPs  and  us.  CCPs  require  that  we  post  initial  and  variation 
margin through our FCMs to mitigate the risk of non-payment or default. Initial margin is required upfront by CCPs as 
collateral against potential losses on our cleared derivative contracts and variation margin is exchanged on a daily basis 
to  account  for  mark-to-market  changes  in  those  derivative  contracts.  For  CME  and  LCH-cleared  OTC  derivatives,  we 
characterize  variation  margin  cash  payments  as  settlements.  Our  FCM  agreements  governing  these  derivative 
transactions include provisions that may require us to post additional collateral under certain circumstances. 

Bilateral Counterparties: We enter into legally enforceable master netting agreements and collateral agreements, where 
possible, with bilateral derivative counterparties to mitigate the risk of default. We review our collateral positions on a 
daily  basis  and  exchange  collateral  with  our  counterparties  in  accordance  with  these  agreements.  These  bilateral 
agreements  typically  provide  the  right  to  offset  exposure  with  the  same  counterparty  and  require  the  party  in  a  net 
liability  position  to  post  collateral.  Agreements  with  certain  bilateral  counterparties  require  both  parties  to  maintain 
collateral in the event the fair values of derivative instruments exceed established exposure thresholds. Certain of these 
bilateral agreements include provisions requiring that our debt maintain a credit rating of investment grade or above by 
each of the major credit rating agencies. In the event of a downgrade of our debt credit rating below investment grade, 
some of our counterparties would have the right to terminate their derivative contract and close out existing positions. 

Credit Risk Valuation Adjustments

We  record  counterparty  credit  valuation  adjustments  (“CVAs”)  on  our  derivative  assets  to  reflect  the  credit  quality  of  our 
counterparties.  We  consider  collateral  and  legally  enforceable  master  netting  agreements  that  mitigate  our  credit  exposure  to 
each counterparty in determining CVAs, which may be adjusted due to changes in the fair values of the derivative contracts, 
collateral,  and  creditworthiness  of  the  counterparty.  We  also  record  debit  valuation  adjustments  (“DVAs”)  to  adjust  the  fair 
values of our derivative liabilities to reflect the impact of our own credit quality. 

170

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Balance Sheet Presentation

The following table summarizes the notional amounts and fair values of our derivative instruments as of December 31, 2020 
and 2019, which are segregated by derivatives that are designated as accounting hedges and those that are not, and are further 
segregated  by  type  of  contract  within  those  two  categories.  The  total  derivative  assets  and  liabilities  are  adjusted  on  an 
aggregate basis to take into consideration the effects of legally enforceable master netting agreements and any associated cash 
collateral received or pledged. Derivative assets and liabilities are included in other assets and other liabilities, respectively, on 
our consolidated balance sheets, and their related gains or losses are included in operating activities as changes in other assets 
and other liabilities in the consolidated statements of cash flows. 

Table 9.1: Derivative Assets and Liabilities at Fair Value

(Dollars in millions)
Derivatives designated as accounting hedges:

Interest rate contracts:

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Notional or 
Contractual 
Amount

Derivative(1)

Assets

Liabilities

Notional or 
Contractual 
Amount

Derivative(1)

Assets

Liabilities

Fair value hedges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

47,349  $ 

9  $ 

10  $ 

57,587  $ 

11  $ 

Cash flow hedges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total interest rate contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Foreign exchange contracts:

Fair value hedges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Cash flow hedges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net investment hedges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total foreign exchange contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

82,150 

129,499 

1,527 

4,582 

3,116 

9,225 

Total derivatives designated as accounting hedges . . .

138,724 

Derivatives not designated as accounting hedges:

Customer accommodation:

Interest rate contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Commodity contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Foreign exchange and other contracts . . . . . . . . . . .

Total customer accommodation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other interest rate exposures(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total derivatives not designated as accounting hedges

68,459 

16,871 

4,677 

90,007 

1,770 

1,826 

93,603 

748 

757 

164 

0 

0 

164 

921 

1,429 

935 

58 

1 

11 

0 

161 

196 

357 

368 

198 

820 

70 

2,422 

1,088 

71 

1 

56 

6 

96,900 

154,487 

1,402 

6,103 

2,829 

10,334 

164,821 

62,268 

15,492 

4,674 

82,434 

6,729 

1,562 

321 

332 

0 

0 

0 

0 

332 

552 

758 

39 

1,349 

48 

0 

2,494 

1,150 

90,725 

1,397 

55 

29 

84 

6 

113 

102 

221 

305 

117 

694 

42 

853 

30 

9 

892 

Total derivatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Less: netting adjustment(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total derivative assets/liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$  232,327  $ 

3,415  $ 

1,518  $  255,546  $ 

1,729  $ 

1,197 

(1,148) 

$ 

2,267  $ 

(739) 

779 

(633) 

$ 

1,096  $ 

(523) 

674 

__________
(1)

Does not reflect $31 million and $12 million recognized as a net valuation allowance on derivative assets and liabilities for non-performance risk as of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Non-performance risk is included in derivative assets and liabilities, which are part of other assets and other 
liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets, and is offset through non-interest income in the consolidated statements of income.

(2)

(3)

Other interest rate exposures include commercial mortgage-related derivatives and interest rate swaps.

Represents balance sheet netting of derivative assets and liabilities, and related payables and receivables for cash collateral held or placed with the same 
counterparty.

171

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The following table summarizes the carrying value of our hedged assets and liabilities in fair value hedges and the associated 
cumulative basis adjustments included in those carrying values, excluding basis adjustments related to foreign currency risk, as 
of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Table 9.2: Hedged Items in Fair Value Hedging Relationships

(Dollars in millions)
Line item on our consolidated balance 
sheets in which the hedged item is 
included:
Investment securities available for sale(1)(2) .
Interest-bearing deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Securitized debt obligations . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Senior and subordinated notes . . . . . . . . . . .

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Cumulative Amount of Basis 
Adjustments Included in the 
Carrying Amount

Total Assets/
(Liabilities)

Discontinued-
Hedging 
Relationships

Carrying 
Amount 
Assets/
(Liabilities)

Cumulative Amount of Basis 
Adjustments Included in the 
Carrying Amount

Total Assets/
(Liabilities)

Discontinued-
Hedging 
Relationships

Carrying 
Amount 
Assets/
(Liabilities)

$ 

9,797  $ 

590  $ 

200  $ 

10,825  $ 

300  $ 

(11,312) 

(7,609) 

(21,927) 

(213) 

(171) 

(1,282) 

0 

20 

(666) 

(14,310) 

(9,403) 

(27,777) 

(12) 

44 

(458) 

52 

0 

64 

324 

__________
(1)

These amounts include the amortized cost basis of our investment securities designated in hedging relationships for which the hedged item is the last layer 
expected to be remaining at the end of the hedging relationship. In the second quarter of 2020, we terminated all last of layer hedging relationships with 
cumulative  basis  adjustments  related  to  these  discontinued  hedging  relationships  totaling $200  million  as  of  December  31,  2020.  As  of  December  31, 
2019, the amortized cost basis of this portfolio was $5.9 billion, the amount of the designated hedged items was $3.1 billion, and the cumulative basis 
adjustment associated with these hedges was $75 million.

(2)

Carrying value represents amortized cost.

Balance Sheet Offsetting of Financial Assets and Liabilities

Derivative  contracts  and  repurchase  agreements  that  we  execute  bilaterally  in  the  OTC  market  are  generally  governed  by 
enforceable  master  netting  arrangements  where  we  generally  have  the  right  to  offset  exposure  with  the  same  counterparty. 
Either counterparty can generally request to net settle all contracts through a single payment upon default on, or termination of, 
any  one  contract.  We  elect  to  offset  the  derivative  assets  and  liabilities  under  master  netting  arrangements  for  balance  sheet 
presentation where a right of setoff exists. For derivative contracts entered into under master netting arrangements for which we 
have not been able to confirm the enforceability of the setoff rights, or those not subject to master netting arrangements, we do 
not offset our derivative positions for balance sheet presentation.

The following table presents the gross and net fair values of our derivative assets, derivative liabilities, resale and repurchase 
agreements and the related offsetting amounts permitted under U.S. GAAP as of December 31, 2020 and 2019. The table also 
includes  cash  and  non-cash  collateral  received  or  pledged  in  accordance  with  such  arrangements.  The  amount  of  collateral 
presented,  however,  is  limited  to  the  amount  of  the  related  net  derivative  fair  values  or  outstanding  balances;  therefore, 
instances of over-collateralization are excluded.

172

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Table 9.3: Offsetting of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities

(Dollars in millions)
As of December 31, 2020

Gross Amounts Offset in the 
Balance Sheet

Gross 
Amounts

Financial 
Instruments

Cash Collateral 
Received

Net Amounts 
as Recognized

Securities 
Collateral Held 
Under Master 
Netting 
Agreements

Net 
Exposure

Derivative assets(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

3,415  $ 

(383)  $ 

(765)  $ 

2,267  $ 

0  $ 

2,267 

As of December 31, 2019

Derivative assets(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1,729 

(347) 

(286) 

1,096 

0 

1,096 

Gross Amounts Offset in the 
Balance Sheet

Gross 
Amounts

Financial 
Instruments

Cash Collateral 
Pledged

Net Amounts 
as Recognized

Securities 
Collateral Pledged 
Under Master 
Netting 
Agreements

Net 
Exposure

(Dollars in millions)
As of December 31, 2020

Derivative liabilities(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Repurchase agreements(2) . . . . . . . . . . . .

As of December 31, 2019

Derivative liabilities(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Repurchase agreements(2) . . . . . . . . . . . .

1,197 

314 

(347) 

0 

(176) 

0 

$ 

1,518  $ 

(383)  $ 

(356)  $ 

779  $ 

668 

0 

0 

668 

674 

314 

0  $ 

(668) 

0 

(314) 

779 

0 

674 

0 

__________
(1) We received cash collateral from derivative counterparties totaling $862 million and $347 million as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 , respectively. We 
also received securities from derivative counterparties with a fair value of approximately $1 million as of both December 31, 2020 and 2019, which we 
have the ability to re-pledge. We posted $1.5 billion and $954 million of cash collateral as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

(2)

Under our customer repurchase agreements, which mature the next business day, we pledged collateral with a fair value of $682 million and $320 million 
as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 , respectively, primarily consisting of agency RMBS securities.

173

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Income Statement and AOCI Presentation

Fair Value and Cash Flow Hedges

The net gains (losses) recognized in our consolidated statements of income related to derivatives in fair value and cash flow 
hedging relationships are presented below for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018. 

Table 9.4: Effects of Fair Value and Cash Flow Hedge Accounting

Year Ended December 31, 2020

Net Interest Income

Non-Interest 
Income

Investment 
Securities

Loans, 
Including 
Loans Held 
for Sale

Other

Interest-
bearing 
Deposits

Securitized 
Debt 
Obligations

Senior and 
Subordinated 
Notes

Other

$ 

1,877  $ 

24,074  $ 

82  $ 

(2,165)  $ 

(232)  $ 

(679)  $ 

1,325 

$ 

(76)  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

108  $ 

125  $ 

225  $ 

(306) 

290 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

204 

176 

950 

(203) 

(212) 

(904) 

(125) 

0 

0 

(3) 

$ 

(92)  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

109  $ 

89  $ 

268  $ 

0 

126 

0 

1 

(Dollars in millions)
Total amounts presented in 
our consolidated statements 
of income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Fair value hedging 
relationships:
Interest rate and foreign 
exchange contracts:

Interest recognized on 
derivatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Gains (losses) recognized 
on derivatives . . . . . . . . . . .
Gains (losses) recognized 
on hedged items(1) . . . . . . . 
Excluded component of 
fair value hedges(2) . . . . . . .

Net income (expense) 
recognized on fair value 
hedges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cash flow hedging 
relationships:(3)
Interest rate contracts:

Realized gains reclassified 
from AOCI into net income

$ 

Foreign exchange contracts:

Realized gains reclassified 
from AOCI into net 
income(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net income recognized on 
cash flow hedges . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

25  $ 

541  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

0 

0 

0 

10 

0 

0 

0 

25  $ 

541  $ 

10  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

(1) 

(1) 

174

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Year Ended December 31, 2019

Net Interest Income

Non-Interest 
Income

Investment 
Securities

Loans, 
Including 
Loans Held 
for Sale

Other

Interest-
bearing 
Deposits

Securitized 
Debt 
Obligations

Senior and 
Subordinated 
Notes

Other

$ 

2,411  $ 

25,862  $ 

240  $ 

(3,420)  $ 

(523)  $ 

(1,159)  $ 

718 

$ 

(12)  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

(108)  $ 

(14)  $ 

(6)  $ 

(278) 

278 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

263 

45 

704 

(258) 

(123) 

(801) 

0 

0 

(2) 

$ 

(12)  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

(103)  $ 

(92)  $ 

(105)  $ 

0 

(9) 

9 

0 

0 

$ 

(8)  $ 

(163)  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

0 

0 

0 

44 

0 

0 

0 

$ 

(8)  $ 

(163)  $ 

44  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

(1) 

(1) 

(Dollars in millions)
Total amounts presented in 
our consolidated statements 
of income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fair value hedging 
relationships:
Interest rate and foreign 
exchange contracts:

Interest recognized on 
derivatives . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Gains (losses) recognized 
on derivatives . . . . . . . . . . 
Gains (losses) recognized 
on hedged items(1) . . . . . . .
Excluded component of 
fair value hedges(2) . . . . . . 

Net expense recognized on 
fair value hedges . . . . . . . . . . 
Cash flow hedging 
relationships:(3)
Interest rate contracts:

Realized losses 
reclassified from AOCI 
into net income . . . . . . . . .

Foreign exchange contracts:

Realized gains reclassified 
from AOCI into net 
income(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Net income (expense) 
recognized on cash flow 
hedges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

175

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Year Ended December 31, 2018

Net Interest Income

Non-Interest 
Income

Investment 
Securities

Loans, 
Including 
Loans Held 
for Sale

Other

Interest-
bearing 
Deposits

Securitized 
Debt 
Obligations

Senior and 
Subordinated 
Notes

Other

$ 

2,211  $ 

24,728  $ 

237  $ 

(2,598)  $ 

(496)  $ 

(1,125)  $ 

1,002 

$ 

(23)  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

(76)  $ 

(53)  $ 

2  $ 

34 

(33) 

0 

0 

0 

0 

(60) 

52 

(61) 

38 

(212) 

131 

$ 

(22)  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

(84)  $ 

(76)  $ 

(79)  $ 

0 

0 

0 

0 

$ 

(9)  $ 

(82)  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

0 

0 

0 

47 

0 

0 

0 

$ 

(9)  $ 

(82)  $ 

47  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

0  $ 

(2) 

(2) 

(Dollars in millions)
Total amounts presented in 
our consolidated statements 
of income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fair value hedging 
relationships:
Interest rate contracts:

Interest recognized on 
derivatives . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Gains (losses) recognized 
on derivatives . . . . . . . . . . 
Gains (losses) recognized 
on hedged items(1) . . . . . . .

Net expense recognized on 
fair value hedges . . . . . . . . . . 
Cash flow hedging 
relationships:(3)
Interest rate contracts:
Realized losses 
reclassified from AOCI 
into net income . . . . . . . . .

Foreign exchange contracts:
Realized gains (losses) 
reclassified from AOCI 
into net income(4) . . . . . . . 

Net income (expense) 
recognized on cash flow 
hedges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

__________
(1)

Includes amortization expense of $12 million, $171 million and $75 million for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 respectively, related 
to basis adjustments on discontinued hedges.

(2)

(3)

Changes  in  fair  values  of  cross-currency  swaps  attributable  to  changes  in  cross-currency  basis  spreads  are  excluded  from  the  assessment  of  hedge 
effectiveness and recorded in other comprehensive income. The initial value of the excluded component is recognized in earnings over the life of the swap 
under the amortization approach.

See “Note 10—Stockholders’ Equity” for the effects of cash flow and net investment hedges on AOCI and amounts reclassified to net income, net of tax.

(4) We recognized a loss of $57 million and $341 million for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and a gain of $191 million for the 
year  ended  December  31,  2018,  on  foreign  exchange  contracts  reclassified  from  AOCI.  These  amounts  were  largely  offset  by  the  foreign  currency 
transaction gains (losses) on our foreign currency denominated intercompany funding included other non-interest income.

In the next 12 months, we expect to reclassify to earnings net after-tax gains of $652 million recorded in AOCI as of December 
31, 2020. These amounts will offset the cash flows associated with the hedged forecasted transactions. The maximum length of 
time  over  which  forecasted  transactions  were  hedged  was  approximately  6  years  as  of  December  31,  2020.  The  amount  we 
expect to reclassify into earnings may change as a result of changes in market conditions and ongoing actions taken as part of 
our overall risk management strategy.

176

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Free-Standing Derivatives

The net impacts to our consolidated statements of income related to free-standing derivatives are presented below for the years 
ended  December  31,  2020,  2019  and  2018.  These  gains  or  losses  are  recognized  in  other  non-interest  income  in  our 
consolidated statements of income.

Table 9.5: Gains (Losses) on Free-Standing Derivatives

(Dollars in millions)
Gains (losses) recognized in other non-interest income:

Customer accommodation:

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

Interest rate contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

15  $ 

48  $ 

Commodity contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Foreign exchange and other contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total customer accommodation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other interest rate exposures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

32 

8 

55 

(8) 

(4) 

17 

13 

78 

(16) 

(10) 

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

43  $ 

52  $ 

25 

16 

7 

48 

33 

(21) 

60 

177

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 10—STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Preferred Stock

The following table summarizes our preferred stock outstanding as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Table 10.1: Preferred Stock Outstanding(1)

Series

Series B(2)

Description
6.000% 
Non-
Cumulative

Fixed-to-
Floating Rate
Non-
Cumulative
6.200% 
Non-
Cumulative
5.200%
Non-
Cumulative
6.000% 
Non-
Cumulative
5.000% 
Non-
Cumulative
4.800% 
Non-
Cumulative
4.625%
Non-
Cumulative

Series E

Series F(3)

Series G

Series H

Series I

Series J

Series K
Total

Issuance Date

Redeemable by 
Issuer 
Beginning

Per Annum 
Dividend 
Rate

Dividend 
Frequency

Liquidation 
Preference 
per Share

Total Shares 
Outstanding
as of 
December 31, 
2020

Carrying Value 
(in millions)

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019

August 20, 
2012

September 1, 
2017

6.000%

Quarterly

$ 

1,000 

0

$ 

0  $ 

853 

5.550% 
through 
5/31/2020; 
3-mo. 
LIBOR + 
380 bps 
thereafter

Semi-
Annually 
through 
5/31/2020; 
Quarterly 
thereafter

1,000 

1,000,000 

988 

6.200

Quarterly

1,000 

0

5.200

Quarterly

1,000 

600,000 

6.000

Quarterly

1,000 

500,000 

0 

583 

483 

988 

484 

583 

483 

5.000

Quarterly

1,000 

1,500,000 

1,462 

1,462 

May 14, 2015

June 1, 2020

August 24, 
2015

December 1, 
2020

July 29, 2016

December 1, 
2021

November 29, 
2016

December 1, 
2021

September 11, 
2019

December 1, 
2024

January 31, 
2020

June 1, 2025

4.800

Quarterly

1,000 

1,250,000 

1,209 

0 

September 17, 
2020

December 1, 
2025

4.625

Quarterly

1,000 

125,000 

122 
4,847  $ 

0 
4,853 

$ 

__________
(1)

Except  for  Series  E,  ownership  is  held  in  the  form  of  depositary  shares,  each  representing  a  1/40th  interest  in  a  share  of  fixed-rate  non-cumulative 
perpetual preferred stock.

(2)

(3)

On March 2, 2020, we redeemed all outstanding shares of our preferred stock Series B.

On December 1, 2020, we redeemed all outstanding shares of our preferred stock Series F. 

178

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

AOCI primarily consists of accumulated net unrealized gains or losses associated with securities available for sale, changes in 
fair value of derivatives in hedging relationships, and foreign currency translation adjustments.

The  following  table  includes  the  AOCI  impacts  from  the  adoption  of  the  CECL  standard  and  the  changes  in  AOCI  by 
component for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018. 

Table 10.2: AOCI

(Dollars in millions)

Securities 
Available for 
Sale

Hedging 
Relationships(1)

Foreign 
Currency 
Translation 
Adjustments(2)

Securities 
Held to 
Maturity

Other

Total

AOCI as of December 31, 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

17  $ 

(281)  $ 

(138)  $ 

(524)  $ 

0  $ 

(926) 

Cumulative effects from adoption of new accounting 
standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Transfer of securities held to maturity to available for sale(3) 
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications .

Amounts reclassified from AOCI into earnings . . . . . . . . . . .

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . 

AOCI as of December 31, 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Other comprehensive income before reclassifications . . . . . .

Amounts reclassified from AOCI into earnings . . . . . . . . . . .

Other comprehensive income, net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Transfer of securities held to maturity to available for sale, 
net of tax(4)
AOCI as of December 31, 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cumulative effects from the adoption of the CECL standard 

Other comprehensive income before reclassifications . . . . . .

Amounts reclassified from AOCI into earnings . . . . . . . . . . .

Other comprehensive income, net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

3 

(325) 

(293) 

159 

(459) 

(439) 

670 

(20) 

650 

724

935 

(8) 

1,278 

(19) 

1,259 

(63) 

0 

38 

(112) 

(74) 

(418) 

414 

358 

772 

0

354 

0 

1,401 

(393) 

1,008 

0 

0 

(39) 

0 

(39) 

(177) 

70 

0 

70 

0

(107) 

0 

76 

0 

76 

(113) 

407 

0 

40 

447 

(190) 

0 

26 

26 

164

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

(28) 

0 

(8) 

(3) 

(11) 

(39) 

17 

(4) 

13 

0

(201) 

82 

(302) 

84 

(136) 

(1,263) 

1,171 

360 

1,531 

888

(26) 

1,156 

0 

5 

(2) 

3 

(8) 

2,760 

(414) 

2,346 

3,494 

AOCI as of December 31, 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
__________
(1)

$ 

2,186  $ 

1,362  $ 

(31)  $ 

0  $ 

(23)  $ 

Includes amounts related to cash flow hedges as well as the excluded component of cross-currency swaps designated as fair value hedges.

(2)

(3)

(4)

Includes other comprehensive loss of $65 million, loss of $49 million and gain of $150 million for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 
respectively, from hedging instruments designated as net investment hedges.

In the first quarter of 2018, we made a one-time transfer of held to maturity securities with a carrying value of $9.0 billion to available for sale as a result 
of our adoption of ASU No. 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. This transfer 
resulted in an after-tax gain of $82 million ($107 million pre-tax) to AOCI.

On December 31, 2019, we transferred our entire portfolio of held to maturity securities to available for sale in consideration of changes to regulatory 
capital requirements under the Tailoring Rules.

179

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The following table presents amounts reclassified from each component of AOCI to our consolidated statements of income for 
the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018.

Table 10.3: Reclassifications from AOCI

(Dollars in millions)

Year Ended December 31,

AOCI Components

Affected Income Statement Line Item

2020

2019

2018

Securities available for sale:

Non-interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

25  $ 

26  $ 

Income tax provision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Hedging relationships:

Interest rate contracts:

Interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Foreign exchange contracts:

Interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Securities held to maturity:(1)

Other:

Interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Non-interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Income from continuing operations before income taxes . 

Income tax provision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Income tax provision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Non-interest income and non-interest expense . . . . . . . . . .

Income tax provision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net income  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6 

19 

566 

10 

(3) 

(57) 

516 

123 

393 

0 

0 

0 

2 

0 

2 

6 

20 

(171) 

44 

(2) 

(341) 

(470) 

(112) 

(358) 

(35) 

(9) 

(26) 

5 

1 

4 

(209) 

(50) 

(159) 

(91) 

47 

0 

191 

147 

35 

112 

(53) 

(13) 

(40) 

4 

1 

3 

Total reclassifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

414  $ 

(360)  $ 

(84) 

__________
(1)

On December 31, 2019, we transferred our entire portfolio of held to maturity securities to available for sale.

180

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The  table  below  summarizes  other  comprehensive  income  (loss)  activity  and  the  related  tax  impact  for  the  years  ended 
December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018.

Table 10.4: Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

Before
Tax

Provision
(Benefit)

After
Tax

Before
Tax

Provision
(Benefit)

After
Tax

Before
Tax

Provision
(Benefit)

After
Tax

$  1,659  $ 

400  $  1,259  $  855  $ 

205  $  650  $  (605)  $ 

(146)  $  (459) 

  1,329 

321 

  1,008 

1,016

244

772

(98) 

(24) 

(74) 

56 

(20) 

76 

0 

54

36

0 

1 

3 
702  $  2,346  $  1,978  $ 

17 

447  $  1,531  $  (121)  $ 

(16) 

10

4 

70

26

13 

9 

48 

(39) 

588

(15) 

141

447

(11) 
(4) 
15  $  (136) 

0 

4 

$  3,048  $ 

(Dollars in millions)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Net unrealized gains (loss) on securities 
available for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net unrealized gains (loss) on hedging 
relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Foreign currency translation 
adjustments(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net changes in securities held to 
maturity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other comprehensive income (loss) . . . 
__________
(1)

Includes the impact of hedging instruments designated as net investment hedges.

181

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 11—REGULATORY AND CAPITAL ADEQUACY

Regulation and Capital Adequacy

Bank  holding  companies  (“BHCs”)  and  national  banks  are  subject  to  capital  adequacy  standards  adopted  by  the  Federal 
Reserve,  Office  of  the  Comptroller  of  the  Currency  (“OCC”)  and  Federal  Deposit  Insurance  Corporation  (collectively,  the 
“Federal  Banking  Agencies”),  including  rules  of  the  Federal  Reserve  and  the  OCC  “Basel  III  Capital  Rules”  to  implement 
certain  capital  liquidity  requirements  published  by  the  Basel  Committee  on  Banking  Supervision,  along  with  certain  Dodd-
Frank Act and other provisions. Moreover, the Banks, as insured depository institutions, are subject to prompt corrective action 
(“PCA”) capital regulations, which require the Federal Banking Agencies to take prompt corrective action for banks that do not 
meet PCA capital requirements. 

In July 2019, the Federal Banking Agencies finalized certain changes to the Basel III Capital Rules for institutions not subject 
to  the  Basel  III  Advanced  Approaches  (“Capital  Simplification  Rule”).  These  changes,  effective  January  1,  2020,  generally 
raised the threshold above which a covered institution such as the Company must deduct certain assets from its common equity 
Tier  1  capital,  including  certain  deferred  tax  assets,  mortgage  servicing  assets,  and  investments  in  unconsolidated  financial 
institutions.

In  October  2019,  the  Federal  Banking  Agencies  amended  the  Basel  III  Capital  Rules  to  provide  for  tailored  application  of 
certain  capital  requirements  across  different  categories  of  banking  institutions  (“Tailoring  Rules”).  As  a  BHC  with  total 
consolidated assets of at least $250 billion that does not exceed any of the applicable risk-based thresholds, we are a Category 
III institution under the Tailoring Rules. As such, we are no longer subject to the Basel III Advanced Approaches and certain 
associated  capital  requirements  and  have  the  option  of  excluding  certain  elements  of  AOCI  from  our  regulatory  capital. 
Effective in the first quarter of 2020, we excluded certain elements of AOCI from our regulatory capital as permitted by the 
Tailoring Rules. The Tailoring Rules and Capital Simplification Rule have, taken together, decreased our capital requirements.

As part of their response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Banking Agencies adopted the 2020 CECL Transition Rule 
which provides banking institutions an optional five-year transition period to phase in the impact of the CECL standard on their 
regulatory capital. 

Pursuant to the 2020 CECL Transition Rule, a banking institution may elect to delay the estimated impact of adopting CECL on 
its  regulatory  capital  through  December  31,  2021  and  then  phase  in  the  estimated  cumulative  impact  from  January  1,  2022 
through  December  31,  2024.  For  the  “day  2”  ongoing  impact  of  CECL  during  the  initial  two  years,  the  Federal  Banking 
Agencies use a uniform “scaling factor” of 25% as an approximation of the increase in the allowance under the CECL standard 
compared  to  the  prior  incurred  loss  methodology.  Accordingly,  from  January  1,  2020  through  December  31,  2021,  electing 
banking institutions are permitted to add back to their regulatory capital an amount equal to the sum of the after-tax “day 1” 
CECL adoption impact and 25% of the increase in the allowance since the adoption of the CECL standard. Beginning January 
1, 2022 through December 31, 2024, the after-tax “day 1” CECL adoption impact and the cumulative “day 2” ongoing impact 
will be phased in to regulatory capital at 25% per year. The following table summarizes the capital impact delay and phase in 
period on our regulatory capital from years 2020 to 2025.

Capital Impact Delayed

Phase In Period

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

“Day 1” CECL adoption impact

Cumulative “day 2” ongoing impact

Capital impact delayed to 
2022

25% scaling factor as an 
approximation of the increase 
in allowance under CECL

25% Phased 
In

50% Phased 
In

75% Phased 
In

Fully Phased 
In

We adopted the CECL standard (for accounting purposes) as of January 1, 2020, and made the 2020 CECL Transition Election 
(for regulatory capital purposes) in the first quarter of 2020. Therefore, the applicable amounts presented in this Report reflect 
such election. 

Under  the  Basel  III  Capital  Rules,  our  regulatory  minimum  risk-based  and  leverage  capital  requirements  include  a  common 
equity Tier 1 capital ratio of at least 4.5%, a Tier 1 capital ratio of at least 6.0%, a total capital ratio of at least 8.0%, a Tier 1 
leverage capital ratio of at least 4.0% and a supplementary leverage ratio of at least 3.0%.

182

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For additional information about the capital adequacy guidelines we are subject to, see “Part I —Item 1. Business—Supervision 
and Regulation.” 

The  following  table  provides  a  comparison  of  our  regulatory  capital  amounts  and  ratios  under  the  Basel  III  Standardized 
Approach  subject  to  the  applicable  transition  provisions,  the  regulatory  minimum  capital  adequacy  ratios  and  the  PCA  well-
capitalized level for each ratio, where applicable, as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Table 11.1: Capital Ratios Under Basel III(1)

(Dollars in millions)

Capital One Financial Corp:
Common equity Tier 1 capital(2) . . . . . 
Tier 1 capital(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total capital(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Tier 1 leverage(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Supplementary leverage(6) . . . . . . . . . . 
COBNA:
Common equity Tier 1 capital(2) . . . . . 
Tier 1 capital(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total capital(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Tier 1 leverage(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Supplementary leverage(6) . . . . . . . . . . 
CONA:
Common equity Tier 1 capital(2) . . . . . 
Tier 1 capital(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total capital(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Tier 1 leverage(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Supplementary leverage(6) . . . . . . . . . . 

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Capital 
Amount

Capital
Ratio

Minimum
Capital
Adequacy

Well-
Capitalized

Capital 
Amount

Capital
Ratio

Minimum
Capital
Adequacy

Well-
Capitalized

$  40,736 

 13.7 %

 4.5 %

N/A

$  38,162 

 12.2 %

 4.5 %

N/A

  45,583 

  52,788 

  45,583 

  45,583 

  19,924 

  19,924 

  21,708 

  19,924 

  19,924 

  26,671 

  26,671 

  29,369 

  26,671 

  26,671 

 15.3 

 17.7 

 11.2 

 10.7 

 21.5 

 21.5 

 23.4 

 18.3 

 14.7 

 12.4 

 12.4 

 13.7 

 7.6 

 6.9 

 6.0 

 8.0 

 4.0 

 3.0 

 4.5 

 6.0 

 8.0 

 4.0 

 3.0 

 4.5 

 6.0 

 8.0 

 4.0 

 3.0 

 6.0 %   43,015 

 10.0 

  50,348 

N/A

N/A

 6.5 

 8.0 

 10.0 

 5.0 

N/A

 6.5 

 8.0 

 10.0 

 5.0 

N/A

  43,015 

  43,015 

  17,883 

  17,883 

  20,109 

  17,883 

  17,883 

  28,445 

  28,445 

  30,852 

  28,445 

  28,445 

 13.7 

 16.1 

 11.7 

 9.9 

 16.1 

 16.1 

 18.1 

 14.8 

 12.1 

 13.4 

 13.4 

 14.5 

 9.2 

 8.2 

 6.0 

 8.0 

 4.0 

 3.0 

 4.5 

 6.0 

 8.0 

 4.0 

 3.0 

 4.5 

 6.0 

 8.0 

 4.0 

 3.0 

 6.0 %

 10.0 

N/A

N/A

 6.5 

 8.0 

 10.0 

 5.0 

N/A

 6.5 

 8.0 

 10.0 

 5.0 

N/A

__________
(1)

Capital requirements that are not applicable are denoted by “N/A.”

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

Common equity Tier 1 capital ratio is a regulatory capital measure calculated based on common equity Tier 1 capital divided by risk-weighted assets.

Tier 1 capital ratio is a regulatory capital measure calculated based on Tier 1 capital divided by risk-weighted assets.

Total capital ratio is a regulatory capital measure calculated based on total capital divided by risk-weighted assets.

Tier 1 leverage ratio is a regulatory capital measure calculated based on Tier 1 capital divided by adjusted average assets.

Supplementary leverage ratio is a regulatory capital measure calculated based on Tier 1 capital divided by total leverage exposure.

We  exceeded  the  minimum  capital  requirements  and  each  of  the  Banks  exceeded  the  minimum  regulatory  requirements  and 
were well-capitalized under PCA requirements as of both December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Regulatory restrictions exist that limit the ability of the Banks to transfer funds to our BHC. As of December 31, 2020, funds 
available  for  dividend  payments  from  COBNA  and  CONA  were  $4.0  billion  and  $1.8  billion,  respectively.  Applicable 
provisions that may be contained in our borrowing agreements or the borrowing agreements of our subsidiaries may limit our 
subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends to us or our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders.

The reserve requirement the Federal Reserve requires depository institutions to maintain against specified deposit liabilities was 
$1.7 billion for us as of December 31, 2019, before being reduced to zero for all depository institutions in March 2020.

183

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 12—EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per common share. Dividends and undistributed 
earnings  allocated  to  participating  securities  represent  the  application  of  the  “two-class”  method  as  described  in  “Note  1—
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.”

Table 12.1: Computation of Basic and Diluted Earnings per Common Share

(Dollars and shares in millions, except per share data)
Income from continuing operations, net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Dividends and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Preferred stock dividends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Issuance cost for redeemed preferred stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

$ 

2,717  $ 

5,533  $ 

6,025 

(3) 

2,714 

(20) 

(280) 

(39) 

13 

5,546 

(41)   

(282)   

(31)   

(10) 

6,015 

(40) 

(265) 

0 

Net income available to common stockholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

2,375  $ 

5,192  $ 

5,710 

Total weighted-average basic common shares outstanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

457.8 

467.6 

479.9 

Effect of dilutive securities:

Stock options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other contingently issuable shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Warrants(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total effect of dilutive securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0.6 

0.5 

0.0 

1.1 

1.3 

1.0 

0.0 

2.3 

1.6 

1.1 

0.5 

3.2 

Total weighted-average diluted common shares outstanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

458.9 

469.9 

483.1 

Basic earnings per common share:

Net income from continuing operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

5.20  $ 

11.07  $ 

11.92 

Income (loss) from discontinued operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(0.01) 

0.03 

(0.02) 

Net income per basic common share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Diluted earnings per common share:(2)
Net income from continuing operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

$ 

5.19  $ 

11.10  $ 

11.90 

5.19  $ 

11.02  $ 

11.84 

Income (loss) from discontinued operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(0.01) 

0.03 

(0.02) 

Net income per diluted common share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

5.18  $ 

11.05  $ 

11.82 

__________
(1)

Represents  warrants  issued  as  part  of  the  U.S.  Department  of  Treasury’s  Troubled  Assets  Relief  Program  which  were  either  exercised  or  expired  on 
November 14, 2018. 

(2)

Excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share were awards of 6 thousand and options of 523 thousand with an exercise price ranging from 
$63.73 to $86.34, 69 thousand shares related to options with an exercise price of $86.34 and 56 thousand shares related to options with an exercise price 
of $86.34 for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively, because their inclusion would be anti-dilutive.

184

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 13—STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION PLANS

Stock Plans

We have one active stock-based compensation plan available for the issuance of shares to employees, directors and third-party 
service providers (if applicable). As of December 31, 2020, under the Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive plan (“2004 
Plan”),  we  are  authorized  to  issue  55  million  common  shares  in  various  forms,  primarily  share-settled  restricted  stock  units 
(“RSUs”), performance share units (“PSUs”), and non-qualified stock options. Of this amount, approximately 7 million shares 
remain available for future issuance as of December 31, 2020. The 2004 Plan permits the use of newly issued shares or treasury 
shares upon the settlement of options and stock-based incentive awards, and we generally settle by issuing new shares. 

We also issue cash-settled restricted stock units. These cash-settled units are not counted against the common shares authorized 
for issuance or available for issuance under the 2004 Plan. Cash-settled units vesting during 2020, 2019 and 2018 resulted in 
cash  payments  to  associates  of  $12  million,  $15  million  and  $39  million,  respectively.  There  was  no  unrecognized 
compensation cost for unvested cash-settled units as of December 31, 2020. 

Total  stock-based  compensation  expense  recognized  during  2020,  2019  and  2018  was  $203  million,  $239  million  and  $170 
million, respectively. The total income tax benefit for stock-based compensation recognized during 2020, 2019 and 2018 was 
$43 million, $50 million and $34 million, respectively.

In  addition,  we  maintain  an  Associate  Stock  Purchase  Plan  (“Purchase  Plan”),  which  is  a  compensatory  plan  under  the 
accounting guidance for stock-based compensation. Related to the Purchase Plan, we recognized compensation expense of $30 
million, $25 million and $23 million for 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. We also maintain a Dividend Reinvestment and 
Stock  Purchase  Plan  (“DRP”),  which  allows  participating  stockholders  to  purchase  additional  shares  of  our  common  stock 
through automatic reinvestment of dividends or optional cash investments.

Restricted Stock Units and Performance Share Units

RSUs represent share-settled awards that do not contain performance conditions and are granted to certain employees at no cost 
to the recipient. RSUs generally vest over three years from the date of grant; however, some RSUs cliff vest on or shortly after 
the  first  or  third  anniversary  of  the  grant  date.  RSUs  are  subject  to  forfeiture  until  certain  restrictions  have  lapsed,  including 
continued employment for a specified period of time.

PSUs represent share-settled awards that contain performance conditions and are granted to certain employees at no cost to the 
recipient. PSUs generally vest over three years from the date of grant; however, some PSUs cliff vest on or shortly after the 
third  anniversary  of  the  grant  date.  The  number  of  PSUs  that  step  vest  over  three  years  can  be  reduced  by  50%  or  100% 
depending  on  whether  specific  performance  goals  are  met  during  the  vesting  period.  The  number  of  three-year  cliff  vesting 
PSUs that will ultimately vest is contingent upon meeting specific performance goals over a three-year period. These PSUs also 
include an opportunity to receive from 0% to 150% of the target number of common shares.

A  recipient  of  an  RSU  or  PSU  is  entitled  to  receive  a  share  of  common  stock  after  the  applicable  restrictions  lapse  and  is 
generally  entitled  to  receive  cash  payments  or  additional  shares  of  common  stock  equivalent  to  any  dividends  paid  on  the 
underlying common stock during the period the RSU or PSU is outstanding, but is not entitled to voting rights. Generally, the 
value of RSUs and PSUs will equal the fair value of our common stock on the date of grant and the expense is recognized over 
the vesting period. Certain PSUs have discretionary vesting conditions and are remeasured at fair value each reporting period. 

185

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The following table presents a summary of 2020 activity for RSUs and PSUs.

Table 13.1: Summary of Restricted Stock Units and Performance Share Units

(Shares/units in thousands)
Unvested as of January 1, 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Granted(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Vested . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

  1,800 

  (1,472) 

Forfeited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(165) 

Restricted Stock Units

Weighted-Average
Grant Date
Fair Value
per Unit

Units 

Performance Share Units(1)
Weighted-Average
Grant Date
Fair Value
per Unit

Units

  3,670  $ 

84.74 

  1,775  $ 

92.04 

89.39 

90.98 

988 

(855) 

(147) 

89.95 

100.04 

88.19 

93.76 

96.15 

Unvested as of December 31, 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  3,833  $ 

86.14 

  1,761  $ 

_________
(1)

Granted and vested include adjustments for achievement of specific performance goals for performance share units granted in prior periods.

(2)

The weighted-average grant date fair value of RSUs was $83.29 and $100.73 in 2019 and 2018, respectively. The weighted-average grant date fair value 
of PSUs was $78.18 and $100.65 in 2019 and 2018, respectively.

The  total  fair  value  of  RSUs  that  vested  during  2020,  2019  and  2018  was  $140  million,  $122  million  and  $139  million, 
respectively. The total fair value of PSUs that vested was $82 million in both 2020 and 2019 and $92 million in 2018. As of 
December 31, 2020, the unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested RSUs is $166 million, which is expected to be 
amortized over a weighted-average period of approximately 1.8 years; and the unrecognized compensation related to unvested 
PSUs was $34 million, which is expected to be amortized over a weighted-average period of approximately 1 year.

Stock Options

Stock options have a maximum contractual term of ten years. Generally, the exercise price of stock options will equal the fair 
market value of our common stock on the date of grant. Option vesting is determined at the time of grant and may be subject to 
the achievement of any applicable performance conditions. Options generally become exercisable over three years beginning on 
the first anniversary of the date of grant; however, some option grants cliff vest on or shortly after the first or third anniversary 
of the grant date.

The following table presents a summary of 2020 activity for stock options and the balance of stock options exercisable as of 
December 31, 2020.

Table 13.2: Summary of Stock Options Activity

Shares
Subject to
Options

Weighted-
Average
Exercise
Price

Weighted-
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Term

Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value

(Shares in thousands, and intrinsic value in millions)
Outstanding as of January 1, 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Granted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Exercised . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(1,392) 

Forfeited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Expired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Outstanding and Exercisable as of December 31, 2020  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

3,185  $ 

0 

0 

0 

55.54 

0.00 

44.76 

0.00 

0.00 

1,793  $ 

63.91 

3.27 years

$ 

63 

There were no stock options granted in 2020, 2019 and 2018. The total intrinsic value of stock options exercised during 2020, 
2019 and 2018 was $65 million, $10 million and $94 million, respectively.

186

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 14—EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

Defined Contribution Plan

We sponsor a contributory Associate Savings Plan (the “Plan”) in which all full-time and part-time associates over the age of 18 
are  eligible  to  participate.  We  make  non-elective  contributions  to  each  eligible  associates’  account  and  match  a  portion  of 
associate  contributions.  We  also  sponsor  a  voluntary  non-qualified  deferred  compensation  plan  in  which  select  groups  of 
employees are eligible to participate. We make contributions to this plan based on participants’ deferral of salary, bonuses and 
other eligible pay. In addition, we match participants’ excess compensation (compensation over the Internal Revenue Service 
(“IRS”) compensation limit) less deferrals. We contributed a total of $350 million, $316 million and $291 million to these plans 
during the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans

We sponsor a frozen qualified defined benefit pension plan and several non-qualified defined benefit pension plans. We also 
sponsor  a  plan  that  provides  other  postretirement  benefits,  including  medical  and  life  insurance  coverage.  Our  pension  plans 
and the other postretirement benefit plan are valued using December 31 as the measurement date each year. Our policy is to 
amortize prior service amounts on a straight-line basis over the average remaining years of service to full eligibility for benefits 
of active plan participants.

The following table sets forth, on an aggregated basis, changes in the benefit obligation and plan assets, the funded status and 
how the funded status is recognized on our consolidated balance sheets.

Table 14.1: Changes in Benefit Obligation and Plan Assets

(Dollars in millions)
Change in benefit obligation:

Defined Pension 
Benefits

Other Postretirement
Benefits

2020

2019

2020

2019

Accumulated benefit obligation as of January 1,  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

165  $ 

157  $ 

27  $ 

29 

0 

1

(2) 

(1) 

27 

6 

1 

1 

(2) 

6 

Service cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Interest cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Benefits paid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Actuarial loss (gain) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1 

5 

(11) 

18 

1 

6 

(13) 

14 

0 

1 

(2) 

(5) 

Accumulated benefit obligation as of December 31, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

178  $ 

165  $ 

21  $ 

Change in plan assets:

Fair value of plan assets as of January 1,  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

254  $ 

218  $ 

6  $ 

Actual return on plan assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Employer contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

30 

1 

48 

1 

Benefits paid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

(11) 

(13) 

1 

1 

(2) 

Fair value of plan assets as of December 31,  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Over (under) funded status as of December 31,  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

$ 

(Dollars in millions)
Balance sheet presentation as of December 31, 

274  $ 

254  $ 

6  $ 

96  $ 

89  $ 

(15)  $ 

(21) 

Defined Pension 
Benefits

Other Postretirement
Benefits

2020

2019

2020

2019

Other assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

108  $ 

100  $ 

0  $ 

Other liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(12) 

(11) 

(15) 

Net amount recognized as of December 31,  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

96  $ 

89  $ 

(15)  $ 

0 

(21) 

(21) 

187

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Net  periodic  benefit  gain  for  our  defined  benefit  pension  plans  and  other  postretirement  benefit  plan  totaled  $8  million,  $10 
million and $12 million in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. We recognized a pre-tax gain of $4 million and $18 million in 
other  comprehensive  income  for  our  defined  benefit  pension  plans  and  other  postretirement  benefit  plan  in  2020  and  2019, 
respectively, compared to a pre-tax loss of $17 million in 2018. 

Pre-tax amounts recognized in AOCI that have not yet been recognized as a component of net periodic benefit cost consist of 
net  actuarial  loss  of  $40  million  and  $41  million  for  our  defined  benefit  pension  plans  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019, 
respectively, and net actuarial gain of $6 million and $4 million for our other postretirement benefit plan as of December 31, 
2020 and 2019, respectively. There was no meaningful prior service cost recognized in AOCI.

Plan Assets and Fair Value Measurement

Plan assets are invested using a total return investment approach whereby a mix of equity securities and debt securities are used 
to  preserve  asset  values,  diversify  risk  and  enhance  our  ability  to  achieve  our  benchmark  for  long-term  investment  return. 
Investment strategies and asset allocations are based on careful consideration of plan liabilities, the plan’s funded status and our 
financial condition. Investment performance and asset allocation are measured and monitored on a daily basis.

As  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  our  plan  assets  totaled  $280  million  and  $260  million,  respectively.  We  invested 
substantially  all  our  plan  assets  in  common  collective  trusts,  which  primarily  consist  of  domestic  and  international  equity 
securities, government securities and corporate and municipal bonds. Our plan assets were classified as Level 2 in the fair value 
hierarchy as of December 31, 2020 and 2019. For information on fair value measurements, including descriptions of Level 1, 2 
and 3 of the fair value hierarchy and the valuation methods we utilize, see “Note 16—Fair Value Measurement.”

Expected Future Benefit Payments

As of December 31, 2020, the benefits expected to be paid in the next ten years totaled $110 million for our defined pension 
benefit plans and $14 million for our other postretirement benefit plan, respectively.

188

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 15—INCOME TAXES

We recognize the current and deferred tax consequences of all transactions that have been recognized in the financial statements 
using the provisions of the enacted tax laws. Current income tax expense represents our estimated taxes to be paid or refunded 
for the current period and includes income tax expense related to our uncertain tax positions, as well as tax-related interest and 
penalties. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between the financial reporting and tax basis of 
assets  and  liabilities  and  are  measured  using  the  enacted  tax  rates  and  laws  that  will  be  in  effect  when  the  differences  are 
expected to reverse. We record valuation allowances to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to 
be  realized.  We  record  the  effect  of  remeasuring  deferred  tax  assets  and  liabilities  due  to  a  change  in  tax  rates  or  laws  as  a 
component  of  income  tax  expense  related  to  continuing  operations  for  the  period  in  which  the  change  is  enacted.  We 
subsequently release income tax effects stranded in AOCI using a portfolio approach. Income tax benefits are recognized when, 
based on their technical merits, they are more likely than not to be sustained upon examination. The amount recognized is the 
largest amount of benefit that is more likely than not to be realized upon settlement.

The following table presents significant components of the provision for income taxes attributable to continuing operations for 
the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018.

Table 15.1: Significant Components of the Provision for Income Taxes Attributable to Continuing Operations

(Dollars in millions)
Current income tax provision:

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

Federal taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

1,676  $ 

1,207  $ 

State taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

International taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

370 

67 

301 

129 

Total current provision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

2,113  $ 

1,637  $ 

Deferred income tax provision (benefit):

Federal taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

(1,357)  $ 

(222)  $ 

State taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

International taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total deferred provision (benefit) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(266) 

(4) 

(1,627) 

(45) 

(29) 

(296) 

210 

234 

135 

579 

620 

115 

(21) 

714 

Total income tax provision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

486  $ 

1,341  $ 

1,293 

The  international  income  tax  provision  is  related  to  pre-tax  earnings  from  foreign  operations  of  approximately  $293  million, 
$215 million and $382 million in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Total income tax provision does not reflect the tax effects of items that are included in AOCI, which include tax provisions of 
$702  million,  $727  million  and  $15  million  in  2020,  2019  and  2018,  respectively.  See  “Note  10—Stockholders’  Equity”  for 
additional information.

189

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The  following  table  presents  the  reconciliation  of  the  U.S.  federal  statutory  income  tax  rate  to  the  effective  income  tax  rate 
applicable to income from continuing operations for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018.

Table 15.2: Effective Income Tax Rate

Year Ended December 31,

Income tax at U.S. federal statutory tax rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
State taxes, net of federal benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Non-deductible expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Affordable housing, new markets and other tax credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tax-exempt interest and other nontaxable income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
IRS method changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Changes in valuation allowance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other, net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Effective income tax rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2019

2020
 21.0 %  21.0 %
 3.5 
 3.2 
 (11.4) 
 (1.7) 
 0.0 
 2.3 
 (1.7) 
 15.2 %  19.5 %

 3.1 
 1.6 
 (5.2) 
 (0.8) 
 0.0 
 (0.3) 
 0.1 

2018
 21.0 %
 3.2 
 2.2 
 (4.0) 
 (0.7) 
 (3.9) 
 0.3 
 (0.4) 
 17.7 %

The  following  table  presents  significant  components  of  our  deferred  tax  assets  and  liabilities  as  of  December  31,  2020  and 
2019. The valuation allowance below represents the adjustment of our foreign tax credit carryforward, certain state deferred tax 
assets and net operating loss carryforwards to the amount we have determined is more likely than not to be realized.

Table 15.3: Significant Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities

(Dollars in millions)
Deferred tax assets:

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019

$ 

Allowance for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Rewards programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Lease liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Compensation and employee benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Partnership investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Unearned income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Goodwill and intangibles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fixed assets and leases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Subtotal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Valuation allowance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total deferred tax assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Deferred tax liabilities:

Security and loan valuations(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Original issue discount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net unrealized gains on derivatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Right-of-use assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Partnership investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Mortgage servicing rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Loan fees and expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Fixed assets and leases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total deferred tax liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

3,649  $ 
711 
396 
314 
306 
237 
117 
116 
42 
143 
6,031 
(296) 
5,735 

805 
481 
387 
342 
142 
73 
36 
0 
143 

2,409 

Net deferred tax assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

3,326  $ 

_________
(1)

Amount includes the tax impact of our December 31, 2019 transfer of our entire portfolio of held to maturity securities to available for sale.

1,729 
579 
407 
284 
301 
202 
95 
161 
0 
142 
3,900 
(223) 
3,677 

234 
600 
93 
393 
147 
55 
100 
189 
146 
1,957 

1,720 

190

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Our  gross  federal  net  operating  loss  carryforwards  were  $36  million  and  $31  million  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019, 
respectively.  These  operating  loss  carryforwards  were  attributable  to  acquisitions  and  will  expire  from  2028  to  2037,  though 
$26 million has no expiration. Under IRS rules, our ability to utilize these losses against future income is limited. The net tax 
value  of  our  state  net  operating  loss  carryforwards  were  $250  million  and  $237  million  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019, 
respectively, and they will expire from 2021 to 2040. Our foreign tax credit carryforward was $56 million and $40 million as of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. This carryforward will begin expiring in 2028.

Our valuation allowance increased by $73 million to $296 million as of December 31, 2020 compared to $223 million as of 
December 31, 2019. Of the total increase, $56 million is due to the determination that our foreign tax credit carryforwards will 
not be fully realized prior to expiration. The remaining increase relates to current year increments for state net operating loss 
and interest carryforwards.

We recognize accrued interest and penalties related to income taxes as a component of income tax expense. We recognized $16 
million, $4 million and $6 million of such expense in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

The following table presents the accrued balance of tax, interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits.

Table 15.4: Reconciliation of the Change in Unrecognized Tax Benefits

(Dollars in millions)
Balance as of January 1, 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Additions for tax positions related to the current year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Additions for tax positions related to prior years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Reductions for tax positions related to prior years due to IRS and other settlements . . . . .

Balance as of December 31, 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Additions for tax positions related to the current year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Additions for tax positions related to prior years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Reductions for tax positions related to prior years due to IRS and other settlements . . . . .

Balance as of December 31, 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Additions for tax positions related to the current year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Additions for tax positions related to prior years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Reductions for tax positions related to prior years due to IRS and other settlements . . . . .

Gross
Unrecognized
Tax Benefits
$ 

86  $ 

Accrued
Interest and
Penalties

Gross Tax,
Interest and
Penalties

28 

402 

(76) 

440 

23 

12 

(44) 

431 

33 

3 

(16) 

29  $ 

0 

25 

(19) 

35 

17 

4 

(25) 

31 

0 

21 

(6) 

115 

28 

427 

(95) 

475 

40 

16 

(69) 

462 

33 

24 

(22) 

497 

Balance as of December 31, 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Portion of balance at December 31, 2020 that, if recognized, would impact the effective 
income tax rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

$ 

451  $ 

46  $ 

153  $ 

35  $ 

188 

We are subject to examination by the IRS and other tax authorities in certain countries and states in which we operate. The tax 
years subject to examination vary by jurisdiction. During 2020, we continued to participate in the IRS Compliance Assurance 
Process  (“CAP”)  for  our  2018,  2019  and  2020  federal  income  tax  return  years,  and  have  been  accepted  into  CAP  for  2021. 
During 2020, the IRS review of our 2017 federal income tax return was completed, with one issue remaining open. This issue is 
now pending at the IRS Independent Office of Appeals, with a resolution expected during 2021. The IRS review of our 2018 
and 2019 federal income tax returns is also substantially completed and these years are also expected to be closed in 2021. We 
expect that the IRS review of our 2020 federal income tax return will be substantially completed prior to its filing in 2021.  

It is reasonably possible that further adjustments to the Company’s unrecognized tax benefits may be made within 12 months of 
the reporting date as a result of future judicial or regulatory interpretations of existing tax laws. At this time, an estimate of the 
potential changes to the amount of unrecognized tax benefits cannot be made.

As of December 31, 2020, the company has approximately $1.6 billion of unremitted earnings of subsidiaries operating outside 
the U.S. that upon repatriation would have no additional U.S. income taxes. In accordance with the guidance for accounting for 
income taxes in special areas, these earnings are considered by management to be invested indefinitely, except for the earnings 
of our Philippines subsidiary as we have made distributions and expect to make distributions in the future.

191

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

As  of  December  31,  2020,  U.S.  income  taxes  of  $69  million  have  not  been  provided  for  approximately  $287  million  of 
previously acquired thrift bad debt reserves created for tax purposes as of December 31, 1987. These amounts, acquired as a 
result of previous mergers and acquisitions, are subject to recapture in the unlikely event that CONA, as the successor to the 
merged and acquired entities, makes distributions in excess of earnings and profits, redeems its stock or liquidates.

192

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 16—FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT

Fair  value,  also  referred  to  as  an  exit  price,  is  defined  as  the  price  that  would  be  received  for  an  asset  or  paid  to  transfer  a 
liability  in  an  orderly  transaction  between  market  participants  on  the  measurement  date.  The  fair  value  accounting  guidance 
provides a three-level fair value hierarchy for classifying financial instruments. This hierarchy is based on the markets in which 
the  assets  or  liabilities  trade  and  whether  the  inputs  to  the  valuation  techniques  used  to  measure  fair  value  are  observable  or 
unobservable. The fair value measurement of a financial asset or liability is assigned a level based on the lowest level of any 
input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described 
below:

Level 1: Valuation is based on quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2: Valuation is based on observable market-based inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar 
assets  or  liabilities,  quoted  prices  in  markets  that  are  not  active,  or  other  inputs  that  are  observable  or  can  be 
corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3: Valuation  is  generated  from  techniques  that  use  significant  assumptions  not  observable  in  the  market.  Valuation 

techniques include pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies or similar techniques.

The accounting guidance for fair value measurements requires that we maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the 
use of unobservable inputs in determining fair value. The accounting guidance provides for the irrevocable option to elect, on a 
contract-by-contract basis, to measure certain financial assets and liabilities at fair value at inception of the contract and record 
any subsequent changes in fair value in earnings.

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

The following describes the valuation techniques used in estimating the fair value of our financial assets and liabilities recorded 
at fair value on a recurring basis.

Investment Securities

We measure the fair value of our U.S. Treasury securities using quoted prices in active markets. For the majority of securities in 
other investment categories, we utilize multiple vendor pricing services to obtain fair value measurements. We use a waterfall 
of  pricing  vendors  determined  using  our  annual  assessment  of  pricing  service  performance.  A  pricing  service  may  be 
considered as the preferred or primary pricing provider depending on how closely aligned its prices are to other vendor prices, 
and  how  consistent  the  prices  are  with  other  available  market  information.  The  price  of  each  security  is  confirmed  by 
comparing with other vendor prices before it is finalized.

RMBS and CMBS are generally classified as Level 2 or 3. When significant assumptions are not consistently observable, fair 
values  are  derived  using  the  best  available  data.  Such  data  may  include  quotes  provided  by  dealers,  valuation  from  external 
pricing services, independent pricing models, or other model-based valuation techniques, for example, calculation of the present 
values of future cash flows incorporating assumptions such as benchmark yields, spreads, prepayment speeds, credit ratings and 
losses. Generally, the pricing services utilize observable market data to the extent available. Pricing models may be used, which 
can  vary  by  asset  class  and  may  also  incorporate  available  trade,  bid  and  other  market  information.  Across  asset  classes, 
information  such  as  trader/dealer  inputs,  credit  spreads,  forward  curves  and  prepayment  speeds  are  used  to  help  determine 
appropriate  valuations.  Because  many  fixed  income  securities  do  not  trade  on  a  daily  basis,  the  pricing  models  may  apply 
available  information  through  processes  such  as  benchmarking  curves,  grouping  securities  based  on  their  characteristics  and 
using matrix pricing to prepare valuations. In addition, model processes are used by the pricing services to develop prepayment 
assumptions.

We  validate  the  pricing  obtained  from  the  primary  pricing  providers  through  comparison  of  pricing  to  additional  sources, 
including  other  pricing  services,  dealer  pricing  indications  in  transaction  results  and  other  internal  sources.  Pricing  variances 
among different pricing sources are analyzed. Additionally, on an on-going basis, we request more detailed information from 
the valuation vendors to understand the pricing methodology and assumptions used to value the securities.

193

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Derivative Assets and Liabilities

We use both exchange-traded and OTC derivatives to manage our interest rate, foreign currency and commodity risk exposures. 
When  quoted  market  prices  are  available  and  used  to  value  our  exchange-traded  derivatives,  we  classify  them  as  Level  1. 
However, the majority of our derivatives do not have readily available quoted market prices. Therefore, we value most of our 
derivatives  using  vendor-based  models.  We  primarily  rely  on  market  observable  inputs  for  these  models,  including,  for 
example, interest rate yield curves, credit curves, option volatility and currency rates. These inputs can vary depending on the 
type  of  derivatives  and  nature  of  the  underlying  rate,  price  or  index  upon  which  the  value  of  the  derivative  is  based.  We 
typically classify derivatives as Level 2 when significant inputs can be observed in a liquid market and the model itself does not 
require significant judgment. When instruments are traded in less liquid markets and significant inputs are unobservable, such 
as interest rate swaps whose remaining terms do not correlate with market observable interest rate yield curves, such derivatives 
are  classified  as  Level  3.  We  consider  the  impact  of  credit  risk  valuation  adjustments  when  measuring  the  fair  value  of 
derivative contracts in order to reflect the credit quality of the counterparty and our own credit quality. Official internal pricing 
is compared against additional pricing sources such as external valuation agents and other internal sources. Pricing variances 
among different pricing sources are analyzed and validated. These derivatives are included in other assets or other liabilities on 
the consolidated balance sheets.

Loans Held for Sale

In  our  commercial  business,  we  originate  multifamily  commercial  real  estate  loans  with  the  intent  to  sell  them  to  GSEs. 
Beginning in the fourth quarter of 2019, we elected the fair value option for such loans as part of our management of interest 
rate risk in our multifamily agency business. These held for sale loans are valued based on market observable inputs and are 
therefore  classified  as  Level  2.  Unrealized  gains  and  losses  on  these  loans  are  recorded  in  other  non-interest  income  in  our 
consolidated statements of income.

Retained Interests in Securitizations 

We  have  retained  interests  in  various  mortgage  securitizations  from  previous  acquisitions.  Our  retained  interests  primarily 
include  interest-only  bonds  and  negative  amortization  bonds.  We  record  these  retained  interests  at  fair  value  using  market 
indications  and  valuation  models  to  calculate  the  present  value  of  future  cash  flows.  The  models  incorporate  various 
assumptions  that  market  participants  use  in  estimating  future  cash  flows  including  voluntary  prepayment  rate,  discount  rate, 
default  rate  and  loss  severity.  Due  to  the  use  of  significant  unobservable  inputs,  retained  interests  in  securitizations  are 
classified as Level 3 under the fair value hierarchy.

Deferred Compensation Plan Assets

We  offer  a  voluntary  non-qualified  deferred  compensation  plan  to  eligible  associates.  In  addition  to  participant  deferrals,  we 
make  contributions  to  the  plan.  Participants  invest  these  contributions  in  a  variety  of  publicly  traded  mutual  funds.  The  plan 
assets, which consist of publicly traded mutual funds, are classified as Level 1. 

The determination of the leveling of financial instruments in the fair value hierarchy is performed at the end of each reporting 
period. We consider all available information, including observable market data, indications of market liquidity and orderliness, 
and our understanding of the valuation techniques and significant inputs. Based upon the specific facts and circumstances of 
each  instrument  or  instrument  category,  judgments  are  made  regarding  the  significance  of  the  observable  or  unobservable 
inputs  to  the  instruments’  fair  value  measurement  in  its  entirety.  If  unobservable  inputs  are  considered  significant,  the 
instrument  is  classified  as  Level  3.  The  process  for  determining  fair  value  using  unobservable  inputs  is  generally  more 
subjective and involves a high degree of management judgment and assumptions

194

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The following table displays our assets and liabilities measured on our consolidated balance sheets at fair value on a recurring 
basis as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Table 16.1: Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

(Dollars in millions)
Assets:
Securities available for sale:

U.S. Treasury securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
RMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
CMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total securities available for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Loans held for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other assets:

Derivative assets(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Liabilities:
Other liabilities:

December 31, 2020

Fair Value Measurements Using

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Netting 
Adjustments(1)

Total

$  9,318  $ 

0  $ 

0 
0 
142 
9,460 
0 

  76,375 
  11,624 
2,547 
  90,546 
596 

0 
328 
111 
0 
439 
0 

—  $  9,318 
  76,703 
— 
  11,735 
— 
2,689 
— 
  100,445 
— 
596 
— 

268 
430 

3,006 
552 

$  10,158  $  94,700  $ 

141  $ 
55 

635  $ 

(1,148) 
— 

2,267 
1,037 
(1,148)  $ 104,345 

Derivative liabilities(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 
$ 

271  $  1,137  $ 
271  $  1,137  $ 

110  $ 
110  $ 

(739)  $ 
(739)  $ 

779 
779 

(Dollars in millions)
Assets:
Securities available for sale:

U.S. Treasury securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
RMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
CMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total securities available for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Loans held for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other assets:

Derivative assets(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Liabilities:
Other liabilities:

Derivative liabilities(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

December 31, 2019

Fair Value Measurements Using

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Netting 
Adjustments(1)

Total

$  4,124  $ 

0  $ 

0 
0 
231 
4,355 
0 

  63,909 
9,413 
1,094 
  74,416 
251 

0 
429 
13 
0 
442 
0 

—  $  4,124 
  64,338 
— 
9,426 
— 
1,325 
— 
  79,213 
— 
251 
— 

84 
344 

1,568 
0 

77  $ 
66 

$  4,783  $  76,235  $ 

585  $ 

(633) 
— 

1,096 
410 
(633)  $  80,970 

$ 
$ 

17  $  1,129  $ 
17  $  1,129  $ 

51  $ 
51  $ 

(523)  $ 
(523)  $ 

674 
674 

__________
(1)

Represents balance sheet netting of derivative assets and liabilities, and related payables and receivables for cash collateral held or placed with the same 
counterparty. See “Note 9—Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities” for additional information.

(2)

(3)

Does not reflect $31 million and $12 million recognized as a net valuation allowance on derivative assets and liabilities for non-performance risk as of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Non-performance risk is included in derivative assets and liabilities, which are part of other assets and other 
liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets, and is offset through non-interest income in the consolidated statements of income.

As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, other includes retained interests in securitizations of $55 million and $66 million, deferred compensation plan assets 
of $414 million and $343 million, and equity securities of $568 million (including unrealized gains of $535 million) and $1 million, respectively.

195

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Level 3 Recurring Fair Value Rollforward

The table below presents a reconciliation for all assets and liabilities measured and recognized at fair value on a recurring basis 
using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018. Generally, transfers 
into Level 3 were primarily driven by the usage of unobservable assumptions in the pricing of these financial instruments as 
evidenced by wider pricing variations among pricing vendors and transfers out of Level 3 were primarily driven by the usage of 
assumptions corroborated by market observable information as evidenced by tighter pricing among multiple pricing sources.

Table 16.2: Level 3 Recurring Fair Value Rollforward

(Dollars in millions)
Securities available 
for sale:(2)(4)

RMBS . . . . . . . 
CMBS . . . . . . . 

Total securities 
available for sale . .
Other assets:
Retained 
interests in 
securitizations . 

Net derivative 
assets (liabilities)(3) 

(Dollars in millions)

Securities available 
for sale:(2)

RMBS . . . . . . . 
CMBS . . . . . . . 

Total securities 
available for sale . .
Other assets:
Retained 
interests in 
securitizations . 

Net derivative 
assets (liabilities)(3) 

Fair Value Measurements Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)

Year Ended December 31, 2020

Total Gains (Losses) 
(Realized/Unrealized)

Balance, 
January 1, 
2020

Included
in Net
Income(1)

Included 
in OCI

Purchases

Sales

Issuances

Settlements

Transfers
Into
Level 3

Transfers
Out of
Level 3

Balance, 
December 31, 
2020

Net Unrealized Gains 
(Losses) Included in Net 
Income Related to 
Assets and Liabilities 
Still Held as of 
December 31, 2020(1)

$  433  $  22  $  (19)  $ 
(3) 

(9) 

13 

0  $  0  $ 
0 

0 

0  $ 
0 

(72)  $  206  $  (242)  $ 
(32) 

  (229) 

371 

328  $ 
111 

446 

19 

(28) 

0 

0 

0 

(104) 

577 

  (471) 

439 

66 

26 

(11) 

10 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

43 

0 

(37) 

0 

0 

0 

(11) 

55 

31 

16 
0 

16 

(11) 

10 

Fair Value Measurements Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)

Year Ended December 31, 2019

Total Gains (Losses)
(Realized/Unrealized)

Balance, 
January 1, 
2019

Included
in Net
Income(1)

Included 
in OCI

Purchases

Sales

Issuances

Settlements

Transfers
Into
Level 3

Transfers
Out of
Level 3

Balance, 
December 31, 
2019

Net Unrealized Gains 
(Losses) Included in Net 
Income Related to 
Assets and Liabilities 
Still Held as of 
December 31, 2019(1)

$  433  $  35  $ 

10 

443 

158 

(10) 

0 

35 

18 

6 

5  $ 
0 

0  $  0  $ 
0 

0 

0  $ 
0 

(63)  $  177  $  (158)  $ 
5 
(2) 

0 

429  $ 
13 

5 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

(65) 

182 

  (158) 

442 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

(110) 

(16) 

52 

0 

0 

0 

(6) 

66 

26 

34 
0 

34 

(19) 

1 

196

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Fair Value Measurements Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)

Year Ended December 31, 2018

Total Gains (Losses)
(Realized/Unrealized)

Balance, 
January 1, 
2018

Included
in Net
Income(1)

Included 
in OCI

Purchases

Sales

Issuances

Settlements

Transfers
Into
Level 3

Transfers
Out of
Level 3

Balance, 
December 31, 
2018

Net Unrealized Gains 
(Losses) Included in Net 
Income Related to 
Assets and Liabilities 
Still Held as of 
December 31, 2018(1)

$  614  $  32  $ 

14 
5 

0 
0 

(8)  $ 
0 
0 

0  $  0  $ 
0 
0 

0 
0 

0  $ 
0 
0 

(74)  $  203  $  (334)  $ 
0 
(4) 
0 
(5) 

0 
0 

433  $ 
10 
0 

633 

32 

(8) 

0 

0 

92 

3 

172 

(14) 

13 

(20) 

0 

0 

0 

0 

  (97) 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

0 

(83) 

203 

  (334) 

443 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

158 

(10) 

13 

(17) 

28 
0 
0 

28 

0 

(14) 

(20) 

(Dollars in millions)

Securities available 
for sale:(2)

RMBS . . . . . . . 
CMBS . . . . . . . 
Other securities 

Total securities 
available for sale . .
Other assets:
Consumer 
MSRs . . . . . . . .
Retained 
interests in 
securitizations . 

Net derivative 
assets (liabilities)(3) 
__________
(1)

Realized gains (losses) on securities available for sale are included in net securities gains (losses), and retained interests in securitizations are reported as a 
component of non-interest income in our consolidated statements of income. Gains (losses) on derivatives are included as a component of net interest 
income or non-interest income in our consolidated statements of income.

(2)

(3)

(4)

Net unrealized losses included in other comprehensive income related to Level 3 securities available for sale still held as of December 31, 2020 were $21 
million. Net unrealized losses included in other comprehensive income related to Level 3 securities available for sale still held as of December 31, 2019 
were $4 million. Net unrealized losses included in other comprehensive income related to Level 3 securities available for sale still held as of December 
31, 2018 were $17 million.

Includes  derivative  assets  and  liabilities  of  $141  million  and  $110  million,  respectively,  as  of  December  31,  2020,  $77  million  and  $51  million, 
respectively, as of December 31, 2019 and $38 million and $48 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2018.

The fair value of RMBS as of January 1, 2020 includes a cumulative adjustment of $4 million from the adoption of the CECL standard.

Significant Level 3 Fair Value Asset and Liability Inputs

Generally, uncertainties in fair value measurements of financial instruments, such as changes in unobservable inputs, may have 
a significant impact on fair value. Certain of these unobservable inputs will, in isolation, have a directionally consistent impact 
on the fair value of the instrument for a given change in that input. Alternatively, the fair value of the instrument may move in 
an opposite direction for a given change in another input. In general, an increase in the discount rate, default rates, loss severity 
and credit spreads, in isolation, would result in a decrease in the fair value measurement. In addition, an increase in default rates 
would generally be accompanied by a decrease in recovery rates, slower prepayment rates and an increase in liquidity spreads. 

Techniques and Inputs for Level 3 Fair Value Measurements

The  following  table  presents  the  significant  unobservable  inputs  used  to  determine  the  fair  values  of  our  Level  3  financial 
instruments on a recurring basis. We utilize multiple vendor pricing services to obtain fair value for our securities. Several of 
our vendor pricing services are only able to provide unobservable input information for a limited number of securities due to 
software  licensing  restrictions.  Other  vendor  pricing  services  are  able  to  provide  unobservable  input  information  for  all 
securities for which they provide a valuation. As a result, the unobservable input information for the securities available for sale 
presented below represents a composite summary of all information we are able to obtain. The unobservable input information 
for all other Level 3 financial instruments is based on the assumptions used in our internal valuation models.

197

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Table 16.3: Quantitative Information about Level 3 Fair Value Measurements

(Dollars in millions)
Securities available for sale:

Quantitative Information about Level 3 Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value at 
December 31, 
2020

Significant
Valuation
Techniques

Significant
Unobservable
Inputs

Range

Weighted
Average(1)

RMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

328  Discounted cash flows 
(vendor pricing)

CMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Other assets:

Retained interests in 
securitizations(2) . . . . . . . . . . 

111  Discounted cash flows 
(vendor pricing)

55  Discounted cash flows

Net derivative assets 
(liabilities) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

31  Discounted cash flows

Yield
Voluntary prepayment rate
Default rate
Loss severity
Yield

2-12%
8-15%
0-11%
30-100%
1-3%

Life of receivables (months)
Voluntary prepayment rate
Discount rate
Default rate
Loss severity
Swap rates

37-52
3-13%
2-12%
3-3%
55-70%
1%

3%
10%
2%
73%
2%

N/A

1%

(Dollars in millions)
Securities available for sale:

Quantitative Information about Level 3 Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value at 
December 31, 
2019

Significant
Valuation
Techniques

Significant
Unobservable
Inputs

Range

Weighted
Average(1)

RMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

429  Discounted cash flows 
(vendor pricing)

CMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Other assets:

Retained interests in 
securitizations(2) . . . . . . . . . . 

13  Discounted cash flows 
(vendor pricing)

66  Discounted cash flows

Net derivative assets 
(liabilities) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

26  Discounted cash flows

Yield
Voluntary prepayment rate
Default rate
Loss severity
Yield

Life of receivables (months)
Voluntary prepayment rate
Discount rate
Default rate
Loss severity
Swap rates

2-18%
0-18%
1-6%
30-95%
2-3%

35-51
4-14%
3-10%
2-3%
74-88%
2%

5%
10%
2%
67%
2%

N/A

2%

__________
(1) Weighted averages are calculated by using the product of the input multiplied by the relative fair value of the instruments.
(2)

Due  to  the  nature  of  the  various  mortgage  securitization  structures  in  which  we  have  retained  interests,  it  is  not  meaningful  to  present  a  consolidated 
weighted average for the significant unobservable inputs.

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis

We are required to measure and recognize certain assets at fair value on a nonrecurring basis on the consolidated balance sheets. 
These  assets  are  not  measured  at  fair  value  on  an  ongoing  basis  but  are  subject  to  fair  value  adjustments  in  certain 
circumstances (for example, from the application of lower of cost or fair value accounting or when we evaluate for impairment). 
The following describes the valuation techniques used in estimating the fair value of our financial assets and liabilities recorded 
at fair value on a nonrecurring basis.

Net Loans Held for Investment

For loans held for investment that are recorded at fair value on our consolidated balance sheets and measured on a nonrecurring 
basis, the fair value is determined using appraisal values that are obtained from independent appraisers, broker pricing opinions 
or other available market information, adjusted for the estimated cost to sell. Due to the use of significant unobservable inputs, 
these  loans  are  classified  as  Level  3  under  the  fair  value  hierarchy.  Fair  value  adjustments  for  individually  impaired 
collateralized loans held for investment are recorded in provision for credit losses in the consolidated statements of income.

198

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Loans Held for Sale

Loans held for sale for which we have not elected the fair value option are carried at the lower of aggregate cost, net of deferred 
fees and deferred origination costs, or fair value. These loans held for sale are valued based on market observable inputs and are 
therefore  classified  as  Level  2.  Fair  value  adjustments  to  these  loans  are  recorded  in  other  non-interest  income  in  our 
consolidated statements of income.

Other Assets

Other assets subject to nonrecurring fair value measurements include equity investments accounted for under the measurement 
alternative, other repossessed assets and long-lived assets held for sale. These assets held for sale are carried at the lower of the 
carrying amount or fair value less costs to sell. The fair value is determined based on the appraisal value, listing price of the 
property  or  collateral  provided  by  independent  appraisers,  and  is  adjusted  for  the  estimated  costs  to  sell.  Due  to  the  use  of 
significant unobservable inputs, these assets are classified as Level 3 under the fair value hierarchy. Fair value adjustments for 
these assets are recorded in other non-interest expense in the consolidated statements of income.

The following table presents the carrying value of the assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis and still held as of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019, and for which a nonrecurring fair value measurement was recorded during the year then ended.

Table 16.4: Nonrecurring Fair Value Measurements

(Dollars in millions)
Loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other assets(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Level 2

Level 3

Total

$ 

$ 

0  $ 

305  $ 

0 

175 

0  $ 

480  $ 

305 

175 

480 

December 31, 2020

Estimated 
Fair Value Hierarchy

December 31, 2019

Estimated 
Fair Value Hierarchy

Level 2

Level 3

Total

$ 

$ 

0  $ 

294  $ 

0 

103 

0  $ 

397  $ 

294 

103 

397 

(Dollars in millions)
Loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other assets(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
__________
(1)

As of December 31, 2020, other assets included equity investments accounted for under the measurement alternative of $25 million, repossessed assets of 
$42 million and long-lived assets held for sale of $108 million. As of December 31, 2019, other assets included equity investments accounted for under 
the measurement alternative of $5 million, repossessed assets of $61 million and long-lived assets held for sale of $37 million.

In the above table, loans held for investment are generally valued based in part on the estimated fair value of the underlying 
collateral  and  the  non-recoverable  rate,  which  is  considered  to  be  a  significant  unobservable  input.  The  non-recoverable  rate 
ranged  from  0%  to  89%,  with  a  weighted  average  of  14%,  and  from  0%  to  50%,  with  a  weighted  average  of  6%,  as  of 
December  31,  2020  and  2019,  respectively.  The  weighted  average  non-recoverable  rate  is  calculated  based  on  the  estimated 
market value of the underlying collateral. The significant unobservable inputs and related quantitative information related to fair 
value of the other assets are not meaningful to disclose as they vary significantly across properties and collateral.

199

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The following table presents total nonrecurring fair value measurements for the period, included in earnings, attributable to the 
change in fair value relating to assets that are still held at December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Table 16.5: Nonrecurring Fair Value Measurements Included in Earnings

(Dollars in millions)
Loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other assets(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

$ 

Total Gains (Losses)

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

198  $ 

(85) 

113  $ 

(268) 

(76) 

(344) 

__________
(1)

Other assets include fair value adjustments related to repossessed assets, long-lived assets held for sale and equity investments accounted for under the 
measurement alternative.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The following table presents the carrying value and estimated fair value, including the level within the fair value hierarchy, of 
our  financial  instruments  that  are  not  measured  at  fair  value  on  a  recurring  basis  on  our  consolidated  balance  sheets  as  of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Table 16.6: Fair Value of Financial Instruments 

(Dollars in millions)
Financial assets:

Cash and cash equivalents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Restricted cash for securitization investors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Loans held for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Interest receivable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other investments(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Financial liabilities:

December 31, 2020

Carrying
Value

Estimated
Fair 
Value

Estimated Fair Value Hierarchy

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

$ 40,509  $  40,509  $  4,708  $ 35,801  $ 

262 
 236,060 
2,114 
1,471 
1,341 

262 
  244,701 
2,214 
1,471 
1,341 

262 
0 
0 
0 
0 

0 
0 
  2,214 
  1,471 
  1,341 

0 
0 
 244,701 
0 
0 
0 

Deposits with defined maturities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Securitized debt obligations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Senior and subordinated notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Federal funds purchased and securities loaned or sold under agreements to 
repurchase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Interest payable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  32,746 
  12,414 
  27,382 

  33,111 
  12,584 
  28,282 

668 

352 

668 

352 

0 
0 
0 

0 

0 

  33,111 
  12,584 
  28,282 

668 

352 

0 
0 
0 

0 

0 

200

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Dollars in millions)
Financial assets:

Cash and cash equivalents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Restricted cash for securitization investors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Loans held for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Interest receivable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other investments(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Financial liabilities:

December 31, 2019

Carrying
Value

Estimated
Fair 
Value

Estimated Fair Value Hierarchy

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

$  13,407  $  13,407  $  4,129  $  9,278  $ 

342 
  258,601 
149 
1,758 
1,638 

342 
  258,696 
149 
1,758 
1,638 

342 
0 
0 
0 
0 

0 
0 
149 
  1,758 
  1,638 

0 
0 
 258,696 
0 
0 
0 

Deposits with defined maturities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Securitized debt obligations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Senior and subordinated notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Federal funds purchased and securities loaned or sold under agreements to 
repurchase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other borrowings(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Interest payable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  44,958 
  17,808 
  30,472 

  45,225 
  17,941 
  31,233 

314 

7,000 
439 

314 

7,001 
439 

0 
0 
0 

0 

0 
0 

  45,225 
  17,941 
  31,233 

314 

  7,001 
439 

0 
0 
0 

0 

0 
0 

__________
(1)

Other investments include FHLB and Federal Reserve stock. These investments are included in other assets on our consolidated balance sheets.

(2)

Other borrowings excludes finance lease liabilities.

201

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 17—BUSINESS SEGMENTS AND REVENUE FROM CONTRACTS WITH CUSTOMERS

Our principal operations are organized into three major business segments, which are defined primarily based on the products 
and  services  provided  or  the  types  of  customers  served:  Credit  Card,  Consumer  Banking  and  Commercial  Banking.  The 
operations  of  acquired  businesses  have  been  integrated  into  or  managed  as  a  part  of  our  existing  business  segments.  Certain 
activities that are not part of a segment, such as management of our corporate investment portfolio, asset/liability management 
by our centralized Corporate Treasury group and residual tax expense or benefit to arrive at the consolidated effective tax rate 
that is not assessed to our primary business segments, are included in the Other category.

•

•

•

•

Credit Card: Consists of our domestic consumer and small business card lending, and international card businesses in 
Canada and the United Kingdom. 

Consumer  Banking:  Consists  of  our  deposit  gathering  and  lending  activities  for  consumers  and  small  businesses,  and 
national auto lending. 

Commercial Banking: Consists of our lending, deposit gathering, capital markets and treasury management services to 
commercial  real  estate  and  commercial  and  industrial  customers.  Our  commercial  and  industrial  customers  typically 
include companies with annual revenues between $20 million and $2 billion.

Other  category:  Includes  the  residual  impact  of  the  allocation  of  our  centralized  Corporate  Treasury  group  activities, 
such  as  management  of  our  corporate  investment  portfolio  and  asset/liability  management,  to  our  business  segments. 
Accordingly, net gains and losses on our investment securities portfolio and certain trading activities are included in the 
Other  category.  Other  category  also  includes  foreign  exchange-rate  fluctuations  on  foreign  currency-denominated 
transactions; unallocated corporate expenses that do not directly support the operations of the business segments or for 
which the business segments are not considered financially accountable in evaluating their performance, such as certain 
restructuring  charges;  certain  material  items  that  are  non-recurring  in  nature;  offsets  related  to  certain  line-item 
reclassifications; and residual tax expense or benefit to arrive at the consolidated effective tax rate that is not assessed to 
our primary business segments.

Basis of Presentation

We report the results of each of our business segments on a continuing operations basis. The results of our individual businesses 
reflect  the  manner  in  which  management  evaluates  performance  and  makes  decisions  about  funding  our  operations  and 
allocating resources. 

Business Segment Reporting Methodology

The  results  of  our  business  segments  are  intended  to  present  each  segment  as  if  it  were  a  stand-alone  business.  Our  internal 
management  and  reporting  process  used  to  derive  our  segment  results  employs  various  allocation  methodologies,  including 
funds transfer pricing, to assign certain balance sheet assets, deposits and other liabilities and their related revenue and expenses 
directly  or  indirectly  attributable  to  each  business  segment.  Our  funds  transfer  pricing  process  provides  a  funds  credit  for 
sources  of  funds,  such  as  deposits  generated  by  our  Consumer  Banking  and  Commercial  Banking  businesses,  and  a  funds 
charge for the use of funds by each segment. Due to the integrated nature of our business segments, estimates and judgments 
have been made in allocating certain revenue and expense items. Transactions between segments are based on specific criteria 
or  approximate  third-party  rates.  We  regularly  assess  the  assumptions,  methodologies  and  reporting  classifications  used  for 
segment reporting, which may result in the implementation of refinements or changes in future periods.

The following is additional information on the principles and methodologies used in preparing our business segment results.

•

Net  interest  income:  Interest  income  from  loans  held  for  investment  and  interest  expense  from  deposits  and  other 
interest-bearing  liabilities  are  reflected  within  each  applicable  business  segment.  Because  funding  and  asset/liability 
management are managed centrally by our Corporate Treasury group, net interest income for our business segments also 
includes the results of a funds transfer pricing process that is intended to allocate a cost of funds used or credit for funds 
provided  to  all  business  segment  assets  and  liabilities,  respectively,  using  a  matched  funding  concept.  The  taxable-
equivalent benefit of tax-exempt products is also allocated to each business unit with a corresponding increase in income 
tax expense.

202

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Non-interest income: Non-interest fees and other revenue associated with loans or customers managed by each business 
segment and other direct revenues are accounted for within each business segment.

Provision for credit losses: The provision for credit losses is directly attributable to the business segment in accordance 
with the loans each business segment manages.

Non-interest  expense:  Non-interest  expenses  directly  managed  and  incurred  by  a  business  segment  are  accounted  for 
within each business segment. We allocate certain non-interest expenses indirectly incurred by business segments, such 
as  corporate  support  functions,  to  each  business  segment  based  on  various  factors,  including  the  actual  cost  of  the 
services from the service providers, the utilization of the services, the number of employees or other relevant factors.

Goodwill and intangible assets: Goodwill and intangible assets that are not directly attributable to business segments are 
assigned to business segments based on the relative fair value of each segment. Intangible amortization is included in the 
results of the applicable segment.

Income  taxes:  Income  taxes  are  assessed  for  each  business  segment  based  on  a  standard  tax  rate  with  the  residual  tax 
expense or benefit to arrive at the consolidated effective tax rate included in the Other category.

Loans held for investment: Loans are reported within each business segment based on product or customer type served 
by that business segment.

Deposits: Deposits are reported within each business segment based on product or customer type served by that business 
segment.

Segment Results and Reconciliation

We  may  periodically  change  our  business  segments  or  reclassify  business  segment  results  based  on  modifications  to  our 
management reporting methodologies or changes in organizational alignment. In the first quarter of 2019, we made a change in 
how  revenue  is  measured  in  our  Commercial  Banking  business  by  revising  the  allocation  of  tax  benefits  on  certain  tax-
advantaged investments. As such, 2018 results have been recast to conform with the current period presentation. The result of 
this  measurement  change  reduced  the  previously  reported  total  net  revenue  in  our  Commercial  Banking  business  by  $108 
million for the year ended December 31, 2018, with an offsetting increase in the Other category. This change in measurement 
of our Commercial Banking revenue did not have any impact to the consolidated financial statements. 

The  following  table  presents  our  business  segment  results  for  the  years  ended  December  31,  2020,  2019  and  2018,  selected 
balance sheet data as of December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, and a reconciliation of our total business segment results to our 
reported consolidated income from continuing operations, loans held for investment and deposits.

203

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Table 17.1: Segment Results and Reconciliation

(Dollars in millions)
Net interest income (loss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $ 

Credit Card

Year Ended December 31, 2020

Consumer 
Banking

Commercial 
Banking(1)

Other(1)

Consolidated 
Total

13,776  $ 

7,238  $ 

2,048  $ 

(149)  $ 

22,913 

Non-interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total net revenue(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Provision for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Non-interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes . . 

Income tax provision (benefit) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3,823 

17,599 

7,327 

8,491 

1,781 

420 

466 

7,704 

1,753 

4,159 

1,792 

425 

923 

2,971 

1,181 

1,706 

84 

19 

398 

249 

3 

700 

(454) 

(378) 

5,610 

28,523 

10,264 

15,056 

3,203 

486 

Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax . . . . . . . . . .  $ 

1,361  $ 

1,367  $ 

65  $ 

(76)  $ 

2,717 

Loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$  106,956  $ 

68,888  $ 

75,780  $ 

0  $  251,624 

Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0 

249,815 

39,590 

16,037 

305,442 

(Dollars in millions)
Net interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $ 

Credit Card

Year Ended December 31, 2019

Consumer 
Banking

Commercial 
Banking(1)

Other(1)

Consolidated 
Total

14,461  $ 

6,732  $ 

1,983  $ 

164  $ 

23,340 

Non-interest income (loss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total net revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Provision for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Non-interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes . . 

Income tax provision (benefit) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3,888 

18,349 

4,992 

9,271 

4,086 

959 

643 

7,375 

938 

4,091 

2,346 

547 

831 

2,814 

306 

1,699 

809 

188 

(109) 

55 

0 

422 

(367) 

(353) 

Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax . . . . . . . . . .  $ 

3,127  $ 

1,799  $ 

621  $ 

(14)  $ 

5,253 

28,593 

6,236 

15,483 

6,874 

1,341 

5,533 

Loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$  128,236  $ 

63,065  $ 

74,508  $ 

0  $  265,809 

Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0 

213,099 

32,134 

17,464 

262,697 

Year Ended December 31, 2018

Consumer 
Banking

Commercial 
Banking(1)(3)

Other(1)(3)

Consolidated 
Total

Credit Card

(Dollars in millions)
Net interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $ 
Non-interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total net revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Provision (benefit) for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Non-interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes . . 
Income tax provision (benefit) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

14,167  $ 
3,520 
17,687 
4,984 

8,542 

4,161 
970 

6,549  $ 
663 
7,212 
838 

4,027 

2,347 
547 

2,044  $ 
744 
2,788 
83 

1,654 

1,051 
245 

115  $ 
274 
389 
(49) 

679 

(241) 
(469) 

Income from continuing operations, net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $ 

3,191  $ 

1,800  $ 

806  $ 

228  $ 

Loans held for investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$  116,361  $ 

59,205  $ 

70,333  $ 

0  $  245,899 

Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0 

198,607 

29,480 

21,677 

249,764 

204

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

22,875 
5,201 
28,076 
5,856 

14,902 

7,318 
1,293 

6,025 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

__________
(1)

Some of our commercial investments generate tax-exempt income, tax credits or other tax benefits. Accordingly, we present our Commercial Banking 
revenue and yields on a taxable-equivalent basis, calculated using the federal statutory tax rate of (21% for all periods presented) and state taxes where 
applicable, with offsetting reductions to the Other category.

(2)

(3)

Total net revenue was reduced by $1.1 billion for the year ended December 31, 2020, for finance charges and fees charged off as uncollectible.

In the first quarter of 2019, we made a change in how revenue is measured in our Commercial Banking business by revising the allocation of tax benefits 
on  certain  tax-advantaged  investments.  As  such,  2018  results  have  been  recast  to  conform  with  the  current  period  presentation.  The  result  of  this 
measurement change reduced the previously reported total net revenue in our Commercial Banking business by $108 million for the year ended December 
31, 2018, with an offsetting increase in the Other category.

Revenue from Contracts with Customers

The majority of our revenue from contracts with customers consists of interchange fees, service charges and other customer-
related fees, and other contract revenue. Interchange fees are primarily from our Credit Card business and are recognized upon 
settlement with the interchange networks, net of rewards earned by customers. Service charges and other customer-related fees 
within  our  Consumer  Banking  business  are  primarily  related  to  fees  earned  on  consumer  deposit  accounts  for  account 
maintenance and various transaction-based services such as overdrafts and ATM usage. Service charges and other customer-
related  fees  within  our  Commercial  Banking  business  are  mostly  related  to  fees  earned  on  treasury  management  and  capital 
markets  services.  Other  contract  revenue  in  our  Credit  Card  business  consists  primarily  of  revenue  from  our  partnership 
arrangements.  Other  contract  revenue  in  our  Consumer  Banking  business  consists  primarily  of  revenue  earned  on  certain 
marketing  and  promotional  events  from  our  auto  dealers.  Revenue  from  contracts  with  customers  is  included  in  non-interest 
income in our consolidated statements of income.

The  following  table  presents  revenue  from  contracts  with  customers  and  a  reconciliation  to  non-interest  income  by  business 
segment for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018.

Table 17.2: Revenue from Contracts with Customers and Reconciliation to Segment Results

(Dollars in millions)
Contract revenue:

Interchange fees, net(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Service charges and other customer-related fees . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total contract revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Revenue from other sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Year Ended December 31, 2020

Credit Card

Consumer 
Banking

Commercial 
Banking(1)

Other(1)

Consolidated 
Total

$ 

2,747  $ 

209  $ 

63  $ 

(2)  $ 

3,017 

0 

315 

3,062 

761 

188 

39 

436 

30 

175 

4 

242 

681 

(1) 

0 

(3) 

401 

Total non-interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

3,823  $ 

466  $ 

923  $ 

398  $ 

(Dollars in millions)
Contract revenue:

Interchange fees, net(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Service charges and other customer-related fees . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total contract revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Revenue from other sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Year Ended December 31, 2019

Credit Card

Consumer 
Banking

Commercial 
Banking(1)

Other(1)

Consolidated 
Total

$ 

2,925  $ 

205  $ 

55  $ 

(6)  $ 

3,179 

0 

120 

3,045 

843 

298 

101 

604 

39 

120 

3 

178 

653 

(1) 

0 

(7) 

(102) 

Total non-interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 

3,888  $ 

643  $ 

831  $ 

(109)  $ 

362 

358 

3,737 

1,873 

5,610 

417 

224 

3,820 

1,433 

5,253 

205

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Dollars in millions)
Contract revenue:
Interchange fees, net(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Service charges and other customer-related fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total contract revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Revenue from other sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total non-interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
__________
(1)

Year Ended December 31, 2018

Credit Card

Consumer 
Banking

Commercial 
Banking(1)

Other(1)

Consolidated 
Total

$ 

2,609  $ 

185  $ 

33  $ 

(4)  $ 

2,823 

0 

8 

2,617 

903 

367 

109 

661 

2 

123 

2 

158 

586 

(1) 

0 

(5) 

279 

$ 

3,520  $ 

663  $ 

744  $ 

274  $ 

489 

119 

3,431 

1,770 

5,201 

Some of our commercial investments generate tax-exempt income, tax credits or other tax benefits. Accordingly, we present our Commercial Banking 
revenue and yields on a taxable-equivalent basis, calculated using the federal statutory tax rate of (21% for all periods presented) and state taxes where 
applicable, with offsetting reductions to the Other category.

(2)

Interchange fees are presented net of customer reward expenses of $4.9 billion for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 and $4.4 billion for the 
year ended December 31, 2018.

206

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 18—COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES, GUARANTEES AND OTHERS

Commitments to Lend

Our  unfunded  lending  commitments  primarily  consist  of  credit  card  lines,  loan  commitments  to  customers  of  both  our 
Commercial  Banking  and  Consumer  Banking  businesses,  as  well  as  standby  and  commercial  letters  of  credit.  These 
commitments, other than credit card lines, are legally binding conditional agreements that have fixed expirations or termination 
dates and specified interest rates and purposes. The contractual amount of these commitments represents the maximum possible 
credit  risk  to  us  should  the  counterparty  draw  upon  the  commitment.  We  generally  manage  the  potential  risk  of  unfunded 
lending  commitments  by  limiting  the  total  amount  of  arrangements,  monitoring  the  size  and  maturity  structure  of  these 
portfolios and applying the same credit standards for all of our credit activities.

For unused credit card lines, we have not experienced and do not anticipate that all of our customers will access their entire 
available line at any given point in time. Commitments to extend credit other than credit card lines generally require customers 
to maintain certain credit standards. Collateral requirements and loan-to-value (“LTV”) ratios are the same as those for funded 
transactions  and  are  established  based  on  management’s  credit  assessment  of  the  customer.  These  commitments  may  expire 
without being drawn upon; therefore, the total commitment amount does not necessarily represent future funding requirements.

We  also  issue  letters  of  credit,  such  as  financial  standby,  performance  standby  and  commercial  letters  of  credit,  to  meet  the 
financing  needs  of  our  customers.  Standby  letters  of  credit  are  conditional  commitments  issued  by  us  to  guarantee  the 
performance  of  a  customer  to  a  third  party  in  a  borrowing  arrangement.  Commercial  letters  of  credit  are  short-term 
commitments issued primarily to facilitate trade finance activities for customers and are generally collateralized by the goods 
being  shipped  to  the  customer.  These  collateral  requirements  are  similar  to  those  for  funded  transactions  and  are  established 
based on management’s credit assessment of the customer. Management conducts regular reviews of all outstanding letters of 
credit and the results of these reviews are considered in assessing the adequacy of reserves for unfunded lending commitments.

The following table presents the contractual amount and carrying value of our unfunded lending commitments as of December 
31, 2020 and 2019. The carrying value represents our reserve and deferred revenue on legally binding commitments.

Table 18.1: Unfunded Lending Commitments

Contractual Amount

Carrying Value

(Dollars in millions)
Credit card lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other loan commitments(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Standby letters of credit and commercial letters of credit(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total unfunded lending commitments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

December 31, 
2020
349,594  $ 

December 31, 
2019
363,446 

$ 

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019

N/A

35,836 

1,302 

36,454  $ 

144  $ 

1,574 

32 

$ 

386,732  $ 

401,474  $ 

176  $ 

N/A

110 

27 

137 

__________
(1)

Includes $1.8 billion and $1.6 billion of advised lines of credit as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

(2)

These financial guarantees have expiration dates ranging from 2021 to 2023 as of December 31, 2020.

Loss Sharing Agreements

Within our Commercial Banking business, we originate multifamily commercial real estate loans with the intent to sell them to 
the  GSEs.  We  enter  into  loss  sharing  agreements  with  the  GSEs  upon  the  sale  of  the  loans.  Beginning  January  1,  2020,  we 
elected  the  fair  value  option  on  new  loss  sharing  agreements.  Unrealized  gains  and  losses  are  recorded  in  other  non-interest 
income in our consolidated statements of income. For those loss sharing agreements entered into as of and prior to December 
31, 2019, we amortize the liability recorded at inception into non-interest income as we are released from risk of payment under 
the loss sharing agreement and record our estimate of expected credit losses each period in provision for credit losses in our 
consolidated  statements  of  income.  The  liability  recognized  on  our  consolidated  balance  sheets  for  these  loss  sharing 
agreements was $97 million and $75 million as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

See “Note 4—Allowance for Credit Losses and Reserve for Unfunded Lending Commitments” for more information related to 
our credit card partnership loss sharing arrangements.

207

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

U.K. Payment Protection Insurance

In the U.K., we previously sold payment protection insurance (“PPI”). In response to an elevated level of customer complaints 
across  the  industry,  heightened  media  coverage  and  pressure  from  consumer  advocacy  groups,  the  U.K.  Financial  Conduct 
Authority (“FCA”), formerly the Financial Services Authority, investigated and raised concerns about the way the industry has 
handled complaints related to the sale of these insurance policies. For the past several years, the U.K.’s Financial Ombudsman 
Service (“FOS”) has been adjudicating customer complaints relating to PPI, escalated to it by consumers who disagree with the 
rejection of their complaint by firms, leading to customer remediation payments by us and others within the industry. In August 
2017, the FCA issued final rules and guidance on the PPI complaints. This set the deadline for complaints as August 29, 2019. 
It also provided clarity on how to handle PPI complaints under s.140A of the Consumer Credit Act, including guidance on how 
redress for such complaints should be calculated. 

COEP has now materially completed the handling of PPI complaints that were received prior to the deadline set by the FCA. 
Escalations to the FOS (by customers or their representatives) may still take place until the first quarter of 2021. Throughout 
this  time,  the  FCA  will  continue  to  supervise  firms  that  handle  PPI  complaints  and  the  supporting  processes,  people  and 
systems. 

Our U.K. PPI reserve declined to an immaterial amount as of December 31, 2020 from $188 million as of December 31, 2019. 

Litigation

In accordance with the current accounting standards for loss contingencies, we establish reserves for litigation-related matters 
that  arise  from  the  ordinary  course  of  our  business  activities  when  it  is  probable  that  a  loss  associated  with  a  claim  or 
proceeding has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. None of the amounts we currently have 
recorded  individually  or  in  the  aggregate  are  considered  to  be  material  to  our  financial  condition.  Litigation  claims  and 
proceedings  of  all  types  are  subject  to  many  uncertain  factors  that  generally  cannot  be  predicted  with  assurance.  Below  we 
provide a description of potentially material legal proceedings and claims.

For some of the matters disclosed below, we are able to estimate reasonably possible losses above existing reserves, and for 
other  disclosed  matters,  such  an  estimate  is  not  possible  at  this  time.  For  those  matters  below  where  an  estimate  is  possible, 
management  currently  estimates  the  reasonably  possible  future  losses  beyond  our  reserves  as  of  December  31,  2020  are 
approximately $200 million. Our reserve and reasonably possible loss estimates involve considerable judgment and reflect that 
there is still significant uncertainty regarding numerous factors that may impact the ultimate loss levels. Notwithstanding, our 
attempt to estimate a reasonably possible range of loss beyond our current accrual levels for some litigation matters based on 
current information, it is possible that actual future losses will exceed both the current accrual level and the range of reasonably 
possible  losses  disclosed  here.  Given  the  inherent  uncertainties  involved  in  these  matters,  especially  those  involving 
governmental  agencies,  and  the  very  large  or  indeterminate  damages  sought  in  some  of  these  matters,  there  is  significant 
uncertainty as to the ultimate liability we may incur from these litigation matters and an adverse outcome in one or more of 
these matters could be material to our results of operations or cash flows for any particular reporting period.

Interchange

In  2005,  a  putative  class  of  retail  merchants  filed  antitrust  lawsuits  against  MasterCard  and  Visa  and  several  issuing  banks, 
including Capital One, seeking both injunctive relief and monetary damages for an alleged conspiracy by defendants to fix the 
level of interchange fees. Other merchants have asserted similar claims in separate lawsuits, and while these separate cases did 
not  name  any  issuing  banks,  Visa,  MasterCard  and  issuers,  including  Capital  One,  have  entered  settlement  and  judgment 
sharing agreements allocating the liabilities of any judgment or settlement arising from all interchange-related cases.

The lawsuits were consolidated before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York for certain purposes and 
were  settled  in  2012.  The  class  settlement,  however,  was  invalidated  by  the  United  States  Court  of  Appeals  for  the  Second 
Circuit  in  June  2016,  and  the  suit  was  bifurcated  into  separate  class  actions  seeking  injunctive  and  monetary  relief, 
respectively. In addition, numerous merchant groups opted out of the 2012 settlement and have pursued their own claims. The 
claims by the injunctive relief class have not been resolved, but the settlement of $5.5 billion for the monetary damages class 
received final approval from the trial court, and has been appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Visa and 
MasterCard  have  also  settled  a  number  of  the  opt-out  cases,  which  required  non-material  payments  from  issuing  banks, 
including Capital One. Visa created a litigation escrow account following its initial public offering of stock in 2008 that funds 

208

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

settlements for its member banks, and any settlements related to MasterCard-allocated losses have either already been paid or 
are reflected in our reserves.

Anti-Money Laundering

In  October  2018,  we  paid  a  civil  monetary  penalty  of  $100  million  to  resolve  the  monetary  component  of  a  July  2015  OCC 
consent order relating to our anti-money laundering (“AML”) program. The OCC lifted the AML consent order in November 
2019.

In June 2019, the Department of Justice and the New York District Attorney’s Office closed their investigations into certain 
former  check  cashing  clients  of  the  Commercial  Banking  business  and  our  AML  program.  In  January  2021,  the  Financial 
Crimes  Enforcement  Network  (“FinCEN”)  of  the  U.S.  Department  of  Treasury  assessed  a  civil  monetary  penalty  of 
$390  million  to  conclude  its  investigation  into  AML  compliance  regarding  certain  former  check  cashing  clients.  We  paid 
$290 million from existing reserves to satisfy the assessment, after receiving a credit for the related $100 million civil monetary 
penalty we paid to the OCC in October 2018. The resolution with FinCEN concludes the last government inquiry relating to the 
former check cashing line of business we exited in 2014. 

Cybersecurity Incident

As a result of the Cybersecurity Incident announced on July 29, 2019, we are subject to numerous legal proceedings and other 
inquiries and could be the subject of additional proceedings and inquiries in the future. 

Consumer class actions. We were named as a defendant in approximately 73 putative consumer class action cases (61 in U.S. 
federal  courts  and  12  in  Canadian  courts)  alleging  harm  from  the  Cybersecurity  Incident  and  seeking  various  remedies, 
including monetary and injunctive relief. The lawsuits allege breach of contract, negligence, violations of various privacy laws 
and a variety of other legal causes of action. The U.S. consumer class actions have been consolidated for pretrial proceedings 
before  a  multi-district  litigation  (“MDL”)  panel  in  the  U.S.  District  Court  for  the  Eastern  District  of  Virginia,  Alexandria 
Division, where the remaining 29 consumer class actions are currently pending. In the third quarter of 2020, the MDL court 
denied in part and granted in part Capital One’s motion to dismiss and permitted pretrial discovery to continue. 

Securities  class  action.  The  Company  and  certain  officers  have  also  been  named  as  defendants  in  a  putative  class  action 
pending in the MDL alleging violations of certain federal securities laws in connection with statements and alleged omissions in 
securities filings relating to our information security standards and practices. The complaint seeks certification of a class of all 
persons who purchased or otherwise acquired Capital One securities from July 23, 2015 to July 29, 2019, as well as unspecified 
monetary damages, costs and other relief.

Governmental inquiries. We have received inquiries and requests for information relating to the Cybersecurity Incident from 
Congress, federal regulators, relevant Canadian regulators, the Department of Justice, and the offices of approximately fourteen 
state Attorneys General. We are cooperating with these offices and responding to their inquiries. 

In August 2020, we entered into consent orders with the Federal Reserve and the OCC resulting from regulatory reviews of the 
Cybersecurity Incident and relating to ongoing enhancements of our cybersecurity and operational risk management processes. 
We paid an $80 million penalty to the U.S. Treasury as part of the OCC agreement. The Federal Reserve agreement did not 
contain a monetary penalty. 

Taxi Medallion Finance Investigations

Beginning in 2019, we have received subpoenas from the New York Attorney General’s office and from the U.S. Attorney’s 
Office  for  the  Southern  District  of  New  York,  Civil  and  Criminal  Divisions,  relating  to  investigations  of  the  taxi  medallion 
finance  industry  we  exited  beginning  in  2015.  The  subpoenas  seek,  among  other  things,  information  regarding  our  lending 
counterparties and practices. We are cooperating with these investigations.

U.K. PPI Litigation

Some of the claimants in the U.K. PPI regulatory claims process have initiated legal proceedings. The significant increase in 
PPI regulatory claim volumes shortly before the August 29, 2019 claims submission deadline increases the potential exposure 
for PPI-related litigation, which is not subject to the August 29, 2019 deadline. 

209

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Other Pending and Threatened Litigation

In  addition,  we  are  commonly  subject  to  various  pending  and  threatened  legal  actions  relating  to  the  conduct  of  our  normal 
business activities. In the opinion of management, the ultimate aggregate liability, if any, arising out of all such other pending 
or threatened legal actions is not expected to be material to our consolidated financial position or our results of operations.

210

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 19—CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION (PARENT COMPANY ONLY)

Financial Information

The following parent company only financial statements are prepared in accordance with Regulation S-X of the U.S. Securities 
and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

Table 19.1: Parent Company Statements of Income

(Dollars in millions)
Interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Dividends from subsidiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Non-interest income (loss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Non-interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

$ 

186  $ 

442  $ 

313 

720 

798 

3,276 

2,750 

(21) 

60 

19 

29 

510 

3,003 

(127) 

33 

Income before income taxes and equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2,519 

2,839 

2,333 

Income tax benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

(93) 

102 

2,714 

2,346 

(138) 

(128) 

2,569 

5,546 

1,531 

3,554 

6,015 

(136) 

Comprehensive income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$  5,060  $  7,077  $  5,879 

Table 19.2: Parent Company Balance Sheets

(Dollars in millions)
Assets:

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019

Cash and cash equivalents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

12,976  $ 

Investments in subsidiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Loans to subsidiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Securities available for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Other assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

62,066 

5,924 

622 

1,473 

13,050 

61,626 

3,905 

738 

1,017 

Total assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

83,061  $ 

80,336 

Liabilities:

Senior and subordinated notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

22,037  $ 

22,080 

Accrued expenses and other liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Total stockholders’ equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

820 

22,857 

60,204 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

83,061  $ 

245 

22,325 

58,011 

80,336 

211

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Table 19.3: Parent Company Statements of Cash Flows

(Dollars in millions)
Operating activities:

Year Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$  2,714  $  5,546  $  6,015 

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:

Equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other operating activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Net cash from operating activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(102) 

(2,569) 

(3,554) 

1,217 

3,829 

216 

3,193 

(35) 

2,426 

Investing activities:

Changes in investments in subsidiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Proceeds from paydowns and maturities of securities available for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Changes in loans to subsidiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Net cash from investing activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

(217) 

117 

704 

111 

(577) 

140 

(2,019) 

(1,302) 

(2,055) 

(2,119) 

(487) 

(2,492) 

Financing activities:

Borrowings:

Changes in borrowings from subsidiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Issuance of senior and subordinated notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Maturities and paydowns of senior and subordinated notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

0 

0 

38 

1,991 

2,646 

5,227 

(2,900) 

(750) 

0 

Common stock:

Net proceeds from issuances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Dividends paid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

241 

(460) 

199 

(753) 

175 

(773) 

Preferred stock:

Net proceeds from issuances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Dividends paid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

1,330 

1,462 

0 

(280) 

(282) 

(265) 

Redemptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(1,375) 

(1,000) 

0 

Purchases of treasury stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(393) 

(1,481) 

(2,284) 

Proceeds from share-based payment activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net cash from financing activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Changes in cash and cash equivalents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

62 

(1,784) 

17 

58 

(74) 

2,764 

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of the period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  13,050 

  10,286 

38 

2,156 

2,090 

8,196 

Cash and cash equivalents, end of the period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$  12,976  $  13,050  $  10,286 

Supplemental information:

Non-cash impact from the dissolution of wholly-owned subsidiary

Decrease in investment in subsidiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 

0  $  1,508  $ 

Decrease in borrowings from subsidiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0 

1,671 

0 

0 

212

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 20—RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

In  the  ordinary  course  of  business,  we  may  have  loans  issued  to  our  executive  officers,  directors  and  principal  stockholders. 
Pursuant to our policy, such loans are issued on the same terms as those prevailing at the time for comparable loans to unrelated 
persons and do not involve more than the normal risk of collectability.

213

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure 

None.

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures

Overview

We are required under applicable laws and regulations to maintain controls and procedures, which include disclosure controls 
and procedures as well as internal control over financial reporting, as further described below. 

(a) Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Disclosure  controls  and  procedures  refer  to  controls  and  other  procedures  designed  to  provide  reasonable  assurance  that 
information required to be disclosed in our financial reports is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time 
periods  specified  by  the  SEC  rules  and  forms  and  that  such  information  is  accumulated  and  communicated  to  management, 
including  our  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  Chief  Financial  Officer,  as  appropriate,  to  allow  timely  decisions  regarding  our 
required  disclosure.  In  designing  and  evaluating  our  disclosure  controls  and  procedures,  we  recognize  that  any  controls  and 
procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control 
objectives, and we must apply judgment in evaluating and implementing possible controls and procedures. 

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

As required by Rule 13a-15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”), our management, including the Chief 
Executive  Officer  and  Chief  Financial  Officer,  conducted  an  evaluation  of  the  effectiveness  of  our  disclosure  controls  and 
procedures (as that term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act) as of December 31, 2020, the end of 
the period covered by this Report on Form 10-K. Based upon that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial 
Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2020, at a reasonable level of 
assurance,  in  recording,  processing,  summarizing  and  reporting  information  required  to  be  disclosed  within  the  time  periods 
specified by the SEC rules and forms.

(b) Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

We regularly review our disclosure controls and procedures and make changes intended to ensure the quality of our financial 
reporting.  There  have  been  no  changes  in  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  that  occurred  during  the  fourth  quarter  of 
2020 which have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial 
reporting.

(c) Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting is included in “Part II—Item 8. Financial Statements and 
Supplementary Data” and is incorporated herein by reference. The Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 
on  Internal  Control  Over  Financial  Reporting  also  is  included  in  “Part  II—Item  8.  Financial  Statements  and  Supplementary 
Data” and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9B. Other Information 

None.

214

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 

PART III 

The information required by Item 10 will be included in our Proxy Statement for the 2021 Annual Stockholder Meeting (“Proxy 
Statement”)  under  the  heading  “Corporate  Governance  at  Capital  One,”  and  is  incorporated  herein  by  reference.  The  Proxy 
Statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A within 120 days of the end of 
our 2020 fiscal year.

Item 11. Executive Compensation 

The  information  required  by  Item  11  will  be  included  in  the  Proxy  Statement  under  the  headings  “Director  Compensation,” 
“Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” “Named Executive Officer Compensation” and “Compensation Committee Report,” 
and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters 

The  information  required  by  Item  12  will  be  included  in  the  Proxy  Statement  under  the  headings  “Security  Ownership”  and 
“Equity Compensation Plans,” and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence 

The information required by Item 13 will be included in the Proxy Statement under the headings “Related Person Transactions” 
and “Director Independence,” and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services 

The information required by Item 14 will be included in the Proxy Statement under the heading “Ratification of Selection of 
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm,” and is incorporated herein by reference.

215

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules 

(a) Financial Statement Schedules 

PART IV 

The following documents are filed as part of this Annual Report in Part II, Item 8 and are incorporated herein by reference. 

(1) Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm on the Consolidated Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements: 

Consolidated Statements of Income for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 

(2) Schedules

None.

(b) Exhibits 

An index to exhibits has been filed as part of this Report and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 16. Form 10-K Summary 

Not applicable.

216

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION

ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
DATED DECEMBER 31, 2020
Commission File No. 001-13300

The  following  exhibits  are  incorporated  by  reference  or  filed  herewith.  References  to  (i)  the  “2002  Form  10-K”  are  to  the 
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002, filed on March 17, 2003; (ii) the “2003 Form 
10-K” are to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003, filed on March 5, 2004; (iii) 
the “2010 Form 10-K” are to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, filed on 
March 1, 2011, as amended on March 7, 2011; (iv) the “2011 Form 10-K” are to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K 
for the year ended December 31, 2011, filed on February 28, 2012; (v) the “2012 Form 10-K” are to the Company’s Annual 
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, filed on February 28, 2013; (vi) the “2013 Form 10-K” are to the 
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, filed on February 27, 2014; (vii) the “2014 
Form 10-K” are to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, filed on February 24, 
2015; (viii) the “2015 Form 10-K” are to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, 
filed on February 25, 2016; (ix) the “2016 Form 10-K” are to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended 
December 31, 2016, filed on February 23, 2017; (x) the “2017 Form 10-K” are to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K 
for the year ended December 31, 2017, filed on February 21, 2018; (xi) the “2018 Form 10-K” are to the Company’s Annual 
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, filed on February 20, 2019; and (xii) the “2019 Form 10-K” are to 
the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed on February 20, 2020.

Exhibit No. Description

3.1

3.2

3.3.1

3.3.2

3.3.3

3.3.4

3.3.5

3.3.6

4.1.1

4.1.2

4.1.3

4.2

4.3*
10.1.1+

10.1.2+

10.1.3+

10.1.4+

Restated  Certificate  of  Incorporation  of  Capital  One  Financial  Corporation  (as  restated  May  1,  2020)  (incorporated  by 
reference to Exhibit 3.2 of the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on May 4, 2020).
Amended  and  Restated  Bylaws  of  Capital  One  Financial  Corporation,  dated  May  1,  2020  (incorporated  by  reference  to 
Exhibit 3.3 of the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on May 4, 2020).
Certificate  of  Designations  of  Fixed-to-Floating  Rate  Non-Cumulative  Perpetual  Preferred  Stock,  Series  E,  dated  May  12, 
2015 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on May 14, 2015).
Certificate  of  Designations  of  Fixed  Rate  Non-Cumulative  Perpetual  Preferred  Stock,  Series  G,  dated  July  28,  2016 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on July 29, 2016).
Certificate  of  Designations  of  Fixed  Rate  Non-Cumulative  Perpetual  Preferred  Stock,  Series  H,  dated  November  28,  2016 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on November 29, 2016).
Certificate  of  Designations  of  Fixed  Rate  Non-Cumulative  Perpetual  Preferred  Stock,  Series  I,  dated  September  10,  2019 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on September 11, 2019).
Certificate  of  Designations  of  Fixed  Rate  Non-Cumulative  Perpetual  Preferred  Stock,  Series  J,  dated  January  30,  2020 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on January 31, 2020).
Certificate  of  Designations  of  Fixed  Rate  Non-Cumulative  Perpetual  Preferred  Stock,  Series  K,  dated  September  16,  2020 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on September 17, 2020).
Specimen  certificate  representing  the  common  stock  of  Capital  One  Financial  Corporation  (incorporated  by  reference  to 
Exhibit 4.1 of the 2003 Form 10-K).
Warrant  Agreement,  dated  December  3,  2009,  between  Capital  One  Financial  Corporation  and  Computershare  Trust 
Company, N.A. (incorporated by reference to the Exhibit 4.1 of the Form 8-A, filed on December 4, 2009).
Deposit  Agreement,  dated  August  20,  2012  (incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit  4.1  of  the  Current  Report  on  Form  8-K, 
filed on August 20, 2012).
Pursuant to Item 601(b)(4)(iii)(A) of Regulation S-K, copies of instruments defining the rights of holders of long-term debt 
are not filed. The Company agrees to furnish a copy thereof to the SEC upon request.
Description of Securities Registered Under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.
Second Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to the Proxy Statement on Definitive 
Schedule 14A, filed on March 13, 2009).
Third  Amended  and  Restated  2004  Stock  Incentive  Plan  (incorporated  by  reference  to  the  Proxy  Statement  on  Definitive 
Schedule 14A, filed on March 18, 2014).
Fourth Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1.4 of the 2017 Form 10-
K).
Fifth Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Current Report on 
Form 8-K, filed on May 3, 2019).

217

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Exhibit No. Description

10.2.1+

10.2.2+

10.2.3+

10.2.4+

10.2.5+

10.2.6+

10.2.7+

10.2.8+

10.2.9+

10.2.10+

10.2.11+

10.2.12+

10.2.13+

10.2.14+

10.2.15+

10.2.16+

10.2.17+

10.2.18+

10.2.19+

10.2.20+

Form  of  Nonstatutory  Stock  Option  Award  Agreement  granted  to  our  executive  officers,  including  the  Chief  Executive 
Officer, under the Second Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan on January 26, 2011 (incorporated by reference 
to Exhibit 10.18 of the 2010 Form 10-K).
Form  of  Nonstatutory  Stock  Option  Award  Agreements  granted  to  our  executive  officers,  including  the  Chief  Executive 
Officer, under the Second Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan on January 31, 2012 (incorporated by reference 
to Exhibit 10.2.10 of the 2011 Form 10-K).
Form of Performance Unit Award Agreements granted to our executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, under 
the  Second  Amended  and  Restated  2004  Stock  Incentive  Plan  on  January  31,  2012  (incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit 
10.2.11 of the 2011 Form 10-K).
Form  of  Nonstatutory  Stock  Option  Award  Agreements  granted  to  our  executive  officers,  including  the  Chief  Executive 
Officer, under the Second Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan on January 31, 2013 (incorporated by reference 
to Exhibit 10.2.14 of the 2012 Form 10-K).
Form of Performance Unit Award Agreements granted to our executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, under 
the  Second  Amended  and  Restated  2004  Stock  Incentive  Plan  on  January  31,  2013  (incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit 
10.2.15 of the 2012 Form 10-K).
Form  of  Nonstatutory  Stock  Option  Award  Agreements  granted  to  our  executive  officers,  including  the  Chief  Executive 
Officer, under the Second Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan on January 30, 2014 (incorporated by reference 
to Exhibit 10.2.15 of the 2013 Form 10-K).
Form of Performance Unit Award Agreements granted to our executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, under 
the  Second  Amended  and  Restated  2004  Stock  Incentive  Plan  on  January  30,  2014  (incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit 
10.2.16 of the 2013 Form 10-K).
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements granted to our executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, 
under  the  Second  Amended  and  Restated  2004  Stock  Incentive  Plan  on  January  30,  2014  (incorporated  by  reference  to 
Exhibit 10.2.17 of the 2013 Form 10-K).
Form  of  Nonstatutory  Stock  Option  Award  Agreements  granted  to  our  executive  officers,  including  the  Chief  Executive 
Officer, under the Third Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan on January 29, 2015 (incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.2.14 of the 2014 Form 10-K).
Form of Performance Unit Award Agreements granted to our executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, under 
the  Third  Amended  and  Restated  2004  Stock  Incentive  Plan  on  January  29,  2015  (incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit 
10.2.15 of the 2014 Form 10-K).
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements granted to our executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, 
under the Third Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan on January 29, 2015 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 
10.2.16 of the 2014 Form 10-K).
Form  of  Nonstatutory  Stock  Option  Award  Agreements  granted  to  our  executive  officers,  including  the  Chief  Executive 
Officer, under the Third Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan on February 4, 2016 (incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.2.17 of the 2015 Form 10-K).
Form of Performance Unit Award Agreements granted to our executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, under 
the  Third  Amended  and  Restated  2004  Stock  Incentive  Plan  on  February  4,  2016  (incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit 
10.2.18 of the 2015 Form 10-K).
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements granted to our executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, 
under the Third Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan on February 4, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 
10.2.19 of the 2015 Form 10-K).
Restricted  Stock  Unit  Award  Agreement  granted  to  R.  Scott  Blackley  under  the  Third  Amended  and  Restated  2004  Stock 
Incentive Plan, dated May 9, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the 
period ended June 30, 2016).
Form  of  Nonstatutory  Stock  Option  Award  Agreements  granted  to  our  executive  officers,  including  the  Chief  Executive 
Officer, under the Third Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan on February 2, 2017 (incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.2.19 of the 2016 Form 10-K).
Form of Performance Unit Award Agreements granted to our executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, under 
the  Third  Amended  and  Restated  2004  Stock  Incentive  Plan  on  February  2,  2017  (incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit 
10.2.20 of the 2016 Form 10-K).
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements granted to our executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, 
under the Third Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan on February 2, 2017 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 
10.2.21 of the 2016 Form 10-K).
Form of Performance Unit Award Agreements granted to our executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, under 
the  Fourth  Amended  and  Restated  2004  Stock  Incentive  Plan  on  February  1,  2018  (incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit 
10.2.22 of the 2017 Form 10-K).
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements granted to our executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, 
under  the  Fourth  Amended  and  Restated  2004  Stock  Incentive  Plan  on  February  1,  2018  (incorporated  by  reference  to 
Exhibit 10.2.23 of the 2017 Form 10-K). 

218

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Exhibit No. Description

10.2.21+

10.2.22+

10.2.23+

10.2.24+

10.2.25+*

10.2.26+*

10.2.27+*

10.3.1+

10.3.2+

10.3.3+

10.3.4+

10.3.5+

10.3.6+

10.4.1+

10.4.2+

10.5+

10.6.1+

10.6.2+

10.7.1+

10.7.2+

10.7.3+

10.8.1+

10.8.2+

10.8.3+

21*
23*
31.1*

Form  of  Performance  Unit  Award  Agreements  granted  to  our  executive  officers  under  the  Fourth  Amended  and  Restated 
2004 Stock Incentive Plan on January 31, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2.21 of the 2018 Form 10-K).
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements granted to our executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, 
under  the  Fourth  Amended  and  Restated  2004  Stock  Incentive  Plan  on  January  31,  2019  (incorporated  by  reference  to 
Exhibit 10.2.22 of the 2018 Form 10-K).
Form of Performance Unit Award Agreements granted to our executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, under 
the  Fifth  Amended  and  Restated  2004  Stock  Incentive  Plan  on  January  30,  2020  (incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit 
10.2.23 of the 2019 Form 10-K).
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements granted to our executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, 
under the Fifth Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan on January 30, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 
10.2.24 of the 2019 Form 10-K).
Form of Performance Unit Award Agreements granted to our executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, under 
the Fifth Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan on February 4, 2021.
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements granted to our executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, 
under the Fifth Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan on February 4, 2021.
Form  of  Total  Shareholder  Return  Performance  Unit  Award  Agreement  granted  to  our  Chief  Executive  Officer  under  the 
Fifth Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan on February 4, 2021.
Capital  One  Financial  Corporation  1999  Non-Employee  Directors  Stock  Incentive  Plan,  as  amended  (incorporated  by 
reference to Exhibit 10.4 of the 2002 Form 10-K).
Form of 1999 Non-Employee Directors Stock Incentive Plan Deferred Share Units Award Agreement between Capital One 
Financial Corporation and certain of its Directors (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 of the Quarterly Report on Form 
10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2004).
Form  of  Restricted  Stock  Unit  Award  Agreement  granted  to  our  directors  under  the  Second  Amended  and  Restated  2004 
Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3.4 of the 2011 Form 10-K).
Form  of  Stock  Option  Award  Agreement  granted  to  our  directors  under  the  Second  Amended  and  Restated  2004  Stock 
Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3.5 of the 2011 Form 10-K).
Form  of  Restricted  Stock  Unit  Award  Agreement  granted  to  our  directors  under  the  Fourth  Amended  and  Restated  2004 
Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended 
June 30, 2018).
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement granted to our directors under the Fifth Amended and Restated 2004 Stock 
Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 
2019).
Amended and Restated Capital One Financial Corporation Executive Severance Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 
10.4 of the 2011 Form 10-K).
Amended and Restated Capital One Financial Corporation Executive Severance Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 
10.1 of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2015).
Capital  One  Financial  Corporation  Non-Employee  Directors  Deferred  Compensation  Plan  (incorporated  by  reference  to 
Exhibit 10.5 of the 2011 Form 10-K).
Amended  and  Restated  Capital  One  Financial  Corporation  Voluntary  Non-Qualified  Deferred  Compensation  Plan 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 of the 2011 Form 10-K).
First  Amendment  to  the  Amended  and  Restated  Capital  One  Financial  Corporation  Voluntary  Non-Qualified  Deferred 
Compensation Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6.2 of the 2012 Form 10-K).
Form  of  Change  of  Control  Employment  Agreement  between  Capital  One  Financial  Corporation  and  each  of  its  named 
executive officers, other than the Chief Executive Officer (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8.2 of the 2011 Form 10-
K).
Form of 2011 Change of Control Employment Agreement between Capital One Financial Corporation and certain executive 
officers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8.3 of the 2012 Form 10-K).
Change  of  Control  Employment  Agreement  between  Capital  One  Financial  Corporation  and  Richard  D.  Fairbank 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7.3 of the 2013 Form 10-K).
Form  of  Non-Competition  Agreement  between  Capital  One  Financial  Corporation  and  certain  named  executive  officers 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 of the 2012 Form 10-K).
Non-Competition Agreement between Capital One Financial Corporation and R. Scott Blackley, as amended on July 1, 2017 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1.1 of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2017).
Non-Competition  Agreement  between  Capital  One  Financial  Corporation  and  Michael  J.  Wassmer  (incorporated  by 
reference to Exhibit 10.1.3 of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2017).
Subsidiaries of the Company.
Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.
Certification of Richard D. Fairbank.

219

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Exhibit No. Description

31.2*
32.1**
32.2**
101.INS

101.SCH*
101.CAL*
101.DEF*
101.LAB*
101.PRE*
104

__________

Certification of R. Scott Blackley.
Certification of Richard D. Fairbank.
Certification of R. Scott Blackley.
XBRL Instance Document - the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are 
embedded within the Inline XBRL document.
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document.
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document.
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document.
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document.
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document.
The cover page of Capital One Financial Corporation’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, 
formatted in Inline XBRL (included within the Exhibit 101 attachments).

+

*

**

Represents a management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.

Indicates a document being filed with this Form 10-K. 
Indicates a document being furnished with this Form 10-K. Information in this Form 10-K furnished herewith shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the 
purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section. Such exhibit shall not be deemed 
incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

220

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this 
report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

SIGNATURES

Date: February 25, 2021

CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION

By:

/s/ RICHARD D. FAIRBANK
Richard D. Fairbank

Chair, Chief Executive Officer and President

Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of  the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934,  this  report  has  been  signed  below  by  the  following 
persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the date indicated.

Signature

Title

Date

/s/ RICHARD D. FAIRBANK

Richard D. Fairbank

/s/ R. SCOTT BLACKLEY

R. Scott Blackley

/s/ TIMOTHY P. GOLDEN

Timothy P. Golden

/s/ APARNA CHENNAPRAGADA

Aparna Chennapragada

/s/ ANN FRITZ HACKETT

Ann Fritz Hackett

/s/ PETER THOMAS KILLALEA

Peter Thomas Killalea

/s/ C.P.A.J. (ELI) LEENAARS

C.P.A.J. (Eli) Leenaars

/s/ PIERRE E. LEROY

Pierre E. Leroy

/s/ FRANÇOIS LOCOH-DONOU

François Locoh-Donou

/s/ PETER E. RASKIND

Peter E. Raskind

/s/ EILEEN SERRA

Eileen Serra

Chair, Chief Executive Officer and President

February 25, 2021

(Principal Executive Officer)

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial Officer)

Controller

(Principal Accounting Officer)

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

February 25, 2021

February 25, 2021

February 25, 2021

February 25, 2021

February 25, 2021

February 25, 2021

February 25, 2021

February 25, 2021

February 25, 2021

February 25, 2021

221

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

 
 
 
 
/s/ MAYO A. SHATTUCK III

Mayo A. Shattuck III

/s/ BRADFORD H. WARNER

Bradford H. Warner

/s/ CATHERINE G. WEST

Catherine G. West

Director

Director

Director

February 25, 2021

February 25, 2021

February 25, 2021

222

Capital One Financial Corporation (COF)

Corporate Information

Corporate Office
1680 Capital One Drive, McLean, VA 22102
Tel: (703) 720-1000
www.capitalone.com

Annual Meeting
Thursday, May 6, 2021 
10:00 a.m. Eastern Time  
Virtual meeting conducted exclusively via live webcast  
at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/COF2021

Principal Investor Contacts
Jeff Norris 
Senior Vice President, Finance 
or 
Danielle Dietz 
Managing Vice President, Investor Relations
Capital One Financial Corporation 
1680 Capital One Drive, McLean, VA 22102
Tel: (703) 720-2455

Common Stock
Listed on New York Stock Exchange®
Stock Symbol COF
Member of S&P 500®

Corporate Registrar/Transfer Agent
Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
P.O. Box 505005, Louisville, KY 40233
Tel: (888) 985-2057
Outside the U.S., Canada, & Puerto Rico 
Tel: (781) 575-2725
Hearing impaired: (800) 952-9245
Email: shareholder@computershare.com
Internet: www.computershare.com

By Overnight Courier to:
Computershare
462 South 4th Street, Suite 1600, Louisville, KY 40202

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Ernst & Young LLP 

Copies  of  Form  10-K  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  are  available  without  charge  at  www.capitalone.com.  The 
most recent certifications by our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley 
Act of 2002 are filed as exhibits to the Form 10-K. We have also filed with the New York Stock Exchange the most recent Annual CEO 
Certification as required by Section 303A.12(a) of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual.

ABOUT CAPITAL ONE

Capital One Financial Corporation (www.capitalone.com) is a financial holding company whose subsidiaries, which include Capital One, N.A., and Capital One Bank (USA), 
N.A., had $305.4 billion in deposits and $421.6 billion in total assets as of December 31, 2020. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Capital One offers a broad spectrum of 
financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients through a variety of channels. Capital One, N.A. has branches located primarily in 
New York, Louisiana, Texas, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey and the District of Columbia. A Fortune 500 company, Capital One trades on the New York Stock Exchange 
under the symbol “COF” and is included in the S&P 100 index.

Capital  One  cautions  readers  that  any  forward-looking  statement  is  not  a  guarantee  of  future  performance  and  that  actual  results  could  differ  materially  from  those 
described in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors including, among other things: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related public health 
measures on our business, financial condition and results of operations, including the increased estimation and forecast uncertainty as a result of the pandemic on our 
estimates of lifetime expected credit losses in our loan portfolios required in computing our allowance for credit losses; general economic and business conditions in the 
U.S., the U.K., Canada or Capital One’s local markets, including conditions affecting employment levels, interest rates, tariffs, collateral values, consumer income, credit 
worthiness  and  confidence,  spending  and  savings  that  may  affect  consumer  bankruptcies,  defaults,  charge-offs  and  deposit  activity;  an  increase  or  decrease  in  credit 
losses, including increases due to a worsening of general economic conditions in the credit environment, and the impact of inaccurate estimates or inadequate reserves; 
compliance  with  new  and  existing  laws,  regulations  and  regulatory  expectations  including  the  implementation  of  a  regulatory  reform  agenda;  Capital  One’s  ability  to 
manage effectively its capital and liquidity; developments, changes or actions relating to any litigation, governmental investigation or regulatory enforcement action or 
matter involving Capital One; the inability to sustain revenue and earnings growth; increases or decreases in interest rates and uncertainty with respect to the interest rate 
environment,  including  the  possibility  of  a  prolonged  low-interest  rate  environment  or  of  negative  interest  rates;  uncertainty  regarding,  and  transition  away  from,  the 
London Interbank Offering Rate; the amount and rate of deposit growth; changes in deposit costs; Capital One’s ability to execute on its strategic and operational plans; 
Capital One’s response to competitive pressures; changes in retail distribution strategies and channels, including the emergence of new technologies and product delivery 
systems; Capital One’s success in integrating acquired businesses and loan portfolios, and Capital One’s ability to realize anticipated benefits from announced transactions 
and strategic partnerships; the success of Capital One’s marketing efforts in attracting and retaining customers; changes in the reputation of, or expectations regarding, 
the  financial  services  industry  or  Capital  One  with  respect  to  practices,  products  or  financial  condition;  any  significant  disruption  in  Capital  One’s  operations  or  in  the 
technology platforms on which Capital One relies, including cybersecurity, business continuity and related operational risks, as well as other security failures or breaches 
of Capital One’s systems or those of Capital One’s partners, service providers or other third parties; increased costs, reductions in revenue, reputational damage, legal 
liability and business disruptions that can result from data protection or privacy incidents or the theft, loss or misuse of information, including as a result of a cyber-attack; 
Capital One’s ability to maintain a compliance and technology infrastructure suitable for the nature of Capital One’s business; Capital One’s ability to develop and adapt 
to  rapid  changes  in  digital  technology  to  address  the  needs  of  Capital  One’s  customers  and  comply  with  applicable  regulatory  standards,  including  compliance  with  
data protection and privacy standards; the effectiveness of Capital One’s risk management strategies; the extensive use, reliability and accuracy of the models and data 
Capital One relies on; Capital One’s ability to attract, retain and motivate talented and skilled employees; the impact from, and Capital One’s ability to respond to,  natural 
disasters and other catastrophic events; limitations on Capital One’s ability to receive dividends from its subsidiaries; fraud or misconduct by Capital One’s customers, 
employees, business partners or third parties; merchants’ increasing focus on the fees charged by credit card networks; and other risk factors identified from time to time 
in reports that Capital One files with the SEC, including, but not limited to, the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.

All Capital One trademarks are owned by Capital One Financial Corporation. All third party trademarks in this report are the property of their respective owners. © 2021.

2020 Annual Report

C
A
P

I
T
A
L

O
N
E

F
I

N
A
N
C

I

A
L

C
O
R
P
O
R
A
T
I

O
N

2
0
2
0

A
N
N
U
A
L

R
E
P
O
R
T

Human  Rights  Campaign  Foundation  Best  Places  to  Work  for  LGBTQ  Equality 

Invested $50M in COVID relief and recovery • Real Simple Smart Money Awards 

Highest in Overall Customer Satisfaction among National Banks, J.D. Power 

Financed affordable housing units benefiting over 14,000 households • Great Place 

to Work® Best Workplaces for Parents™ • Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For  
G.I. Jobs®  Military  Friendly ®  Employer  •  Working  Mother  Best  Companies  for 

Multicultural Women • DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity • Working 

Mother  100  Best  Companies  •  Fast  Company  Innovation  by  Design  Honoree 

Fortune Best Workplaces for Women • Canada’s Best Diversity Employers • National  

Organization on Disability Leading Disability Employer • Working Mother Best 

Companies for Dads • Fast Company Best Workplaces for Innovators • ABA Stevie 

Award Winner for Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning • Top Companies for  

Women Technologists, AnitaB.org • Fortune World’s Most Admired Companies  

100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption  

Launched 5-year, $200M Impact Initiative to advance socioeconomic mobility 

Best for Vets: Employers, Military Times • Fortune Best Workplaces for Millennials 

Points of Light Civic 50 • $1.6B in community development loans and investments 

Created and produced by Capital One and the following:
Design: Elevation
Executive Portrait: Vedros & Associates
Printing: Allied Printing Services, Inc.

Artwork images on page 13:
Digital Print: Michael Corris, “Incident on a Page 3: Self-Help”
Aerial Sculpture: Tom Currie, “Plastic Paper Airplanes”

1680 Capital One Drive
McLean, VA 22102
(703) 720-1000

www.capitalone.com