Commonwealth Bank vs Westpac: CBA Shines in Share Price Performance

Australia's major banks are among the most closely watched shares on the ASX. Whether you're keen on steady dividends, reliable market leaders, or just want your investments to track with the backbone of the Aussie economy, there's a good chance you're weighing up Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) vs Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) shares.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia is the country's largest bank and one of Australia's most iconic brands. It offers a wide range of financial services spanning retail, business, and institutional banking, as well as funds management, super, insurance and broking. Operating across Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the UK, and the US, CBA's reach is truly global.

CBA boasts a massive market cap of $254.92 billion and a P/E ratio of 23.48, handsomely ahead of its peers on size. The dividend yield sits at 3.30%, fully franked, which is a big draw for income-focused investors. Its earnings per share are $6.517, and shareholders received a dividend of $5.05 per share in the last year.

Westpac Banking Corp, trading as Westpac, is Australia's oldest bank and a mainstay of the sector. It's home to major brands like St.George, Bank of Melbourne, BankSA and BT, serving millions of customers via a wide array of retail, business and institutional banking, and wealth management channels.

Westpac's fundamentals are competitive for value seekers. The market cap is $119.40 billion, quite a bit smaller than CBA's, but still firmly in blue chip territory. Critically, Westpac's P/E ratio is a more modest 17.22, suggesting the market prices its future earnings more cautiously.

When comparing the core numbers, it appears that both banks offer investors defensive income and blue chip security, but CBA has delivered a markedly better share price performance in 2026, despite its higher valuation. CBA's dominant position, strong earnings per share, and consistent dividend growth over decades signal long-term resilience.