Visa (V) vs American Express (AXP): Which is a Better Stock to Buy

Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) and American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) both put their logos on cards, and that is roughly where the similarity ends. One runs a toll road. The other lends its own money and runs a toll road as well. That difference explains almost everything about how they are priced. Visa trades near thirty-one times its past year's earnings. American Express trades near eighteen. The question is whether the gap is a fair price for safety, or an overpayment for it. READ ALSO: Jim Cramer Backs American Express (AXP) and Capital One (COF) as Consumer Spending Stays StrongVisa (V) vs American Express (AXP): Which is a Better Stock to Buy Visa Keeps Half of Every Dollar it Takes In: Visa does not lend.