Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) |
3 Months Ended | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mar. 31, 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accounting Policies [Abstract] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Basis of Presentation | The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S. (“U.S. GAAP”).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. The Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) for each of our segments is the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”). The CODM uses the segments’ income (loss) from continuing operations after tax to assess segment performance and decide how to allocate resources. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Use of Estimates | 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. In the opinion of management, all normal, recurring adjustments have been included for a fair statement of this interim financial information. These unaudited interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements, and related notes thereto, included in Capital One Financial Corporation’s 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K (“2025 Form 10-K”). We have described relevant updates to the significant accounting policies presented in 2025 Form 10-K below. The following policies for investment securities are included as the Company began classifying certain newly acquired debt securities as held-to-maturity during the three months ended March 31, 2026.
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| Investment Securities | The accounting and measurement framework for our investment securities differs depending on the security classification. We classify investment 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. Securities that we may sell prior to maturity in response to changes in our investment strategy, liquidity needs, interest rate risk profile or for other reasons are classified as available for sale. Securities that we have the intent and ability to hold until maturity are classified as held to maturity. We report investment securities available for sale on our consolidated balance sheets at fair value with unrealized gains or losses recorded, net of tax, as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”). We report investment securities held to maturity at amortized cost, net of allowance for credit losses. The amortized cost basis 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. Investment securities transferred into the held to maturity category from the available for sale category are recorded at fair value at the date of transfer. Any unrealized gains or losses at the transfer date are thereafter included in AOCI. Such unrealized gains or losses are amortized over the remaining life of the security and are expected to offset the amortization of the related premium or discount created upon the investment securities transfer into the held to maturity category, with no expected impact on future net income. Unamortized premiums, discounts and other basis adjustments for investment securities are generally recognized in interest income over the contractual lives of the securities using the interest method. However, premiums on certain callable investment securities are amortized to the earliest call date. We record purchases and sales of investment securities on a trade date basis. Realized gains or losses from the sale of investment 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 investment securities within interest receivable on our consolidated balance sheets. An individual available for sale security is impaired when the fair value of the security is less than its amortized cost basis. For impaired 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. For investment securities classified as available for sale, this allowance is limited by the unrealized losses of a security measured as the difference between the security’s amortized cost basis and fair value. See further discussion below under the “Allowance for Credit Losses - Investment Securities” section of this Note. 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. 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.
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| Allowance for Credit Losses - Investment Securities | For our investment securities held to maturity and the vast majority 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 (“U.S.”) government or issued by GSEs or Agencies, certain foreign sovereign governments or supranational organizations. Accordingly, no allowance for credit losses is recognized for these investment securities. Management performs periodic assessments to reevaluate this conclusion by considering any changes in historical losses, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. For our remaining securities available for sale, we maintain an allowance for credit losses that represents management’s current estimate of expected credit losses over the contractual terms. When an investment security available for sale is impaired due to credit factors, we recognize that impairment through the provision for credit losses in our consolidated statements of income and correspondingly establish 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 any allowance for credit losses as the investment security could be sold at its fair value to prevent realization of any 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. 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 basis, 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 (“DCF”) methodology and compare the present value of expected future cash flows 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 basis exceeds its fair value.
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| Balance Sheet Offsetting of Financial Assets and Liabilities | 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 agreements 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 agreements for balance sheet presentation where a right of setoff exists. For derivative contracts entered into under master netting agreements for which we have not been able to confirm the enforceability of the setoff rights, or those not subject to master netting agreements, we do not offset our derivative positions for balance sheet presentation.
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| 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:
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. 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. 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. The determination and classification of financial instruments in the fair value hierarchy is performed at the end of each reporting period. For additional information on the valuation techniques used in estimating the fair value of our financial assets and liabilities on a recurring basis, see “Part II—Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data—Note 17—Fair Value Measurement” in our 2025 Form 10-K. 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).
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| Revenue from Contracts with Customers | The majority of our revenue from contracts with customers consists of discount and interchange fees net of customer reward expenses, service charges and other customer-related fees and other contract revenue. Discount and interchange fees are primarily from our Credit Card business and Consumer Banking business, inclusive of the Global Payment Network. Service charges and other customer-related fees within our Consumer Banking business are primarily related to fees earned on transaction processing services on the PULSE Network, consumer deposit accounts for account maintenance and various transaction-based services such as automated teller machine (“ATM”) usage, as well as various participation and membership fees. Service charges and other customer-related fees within our Commercial Banking business are mostly related to fees earned on capital markets services and treasury management. Other contract revenue in our Credit Card business consists primarily of revenue from our merchant relationships. Other contract revenue in our Consumer Banking business consists primarily of revenue earned from services provided to auto industry participants. Revenue from contracts with customers is included in non-interest income in our consolidated statements of income.
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