As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 1, 1998
                                                     Registration No. 333-
================================================================================
 
                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                   __________
                                   FORM S-8
                            REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                          THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                  __________
                       CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
            (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
                                  __________
                    Delaware                             54-171854
          (State or other jurisdiction               (I.R.S. Employer
       of incorporation or organization)            Identification No.)
                                  __________
                     2980 FAIRVIEW PARK DRIVE, SUITE 1300
                       FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA 22042-4525
                       (Address, including zip code, of
                   Registrant's principal executive offices)
                                  __________

                       CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
                           1994 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
                           (Full title of the plan)
                                  __________
                          JOHN G. FINNERAN, JR., ESQ.
                    SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL COUNSEL
                            AND CORPORATE SECRETARY
                     2980 FAIRVIEW PARK DRIVE, SUITE 1300
                       FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA 22042-4525
                                (703) 205-1030
           (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                  including area code, of agent for service)
                                  __________
                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
===================================================================================================================== Proposed Maximum Proposed Maximum Amount of Title of Security Amount to be Offering Price Aggregate Registration to be Registered Registered(1) Per Unit Offering Price(2) Fee - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Common Stock $.01 par value, 3,250,000 $89.90625 $292,195,312.50 $86,197.62 including attached Rights(3) =====================================================================================================================
(1) The number of shares of Common Stock registered hereunder includes such additional shares of Common Stock as may be necessary to give effect to a stock split or stock dividend. (2) Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee. Based on the average of the high and low prices for the Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on April 27, 1998. (3) The Rights are to purchase the Registrant's Cumulative Participating Junior Preferred Stock. Until the occurrence of certain prescribed events, none of which has occurred as of the date of this Registration Statement, the Rights are not exercisable, are evidenced by the certificates representing the Registrant's Common Stock, and will be transferred along with, and only with, the Registrant's Common Stock. PART II INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE Capital One Financial Corporation (the "Registrant") is filing this Registration Statement solely to register additional shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to incentive awards granted or to be granted under the Registrant's 1994 Stock Incentive Plan (the "Plan"). This Registration Statement incorporates by reference the following documents, except as superseded or modified as described herein: (a) The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997. (b) The Registrant's Current Reports on Form 8-K, dated January 25, 1998 and April 16, 1998. (c) The contents of the Registrant's earlier Registration Statements Nos. 33-86986 and 333-4586 which relate to 7,370,880 shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to incentive awards granted or to be granted under the Plan, and any documents incorporated by reference therein including any such documents subsequently filed by the Registrant. The maximum number of shares that may be issuable under the Plan is 10,620,880. All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in any such incorporated document shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained in any other incorporated document subsequently filed (or in this Registration Statement, with respect to an incorporated document filed prior to the filing hereof), modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement. ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL. John G. Finneran, Jr., Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of the Registrant, who has rendered the opinion attached hereto as Exhibit 5 holds 2,674 shares of Common Stock and options to purchase an additional 162,273 shares of Common Stock issued under the Plan. ITEM 8. EXHIBITS.
EXHIBIT NUMBER DESCRIPTION REFERENCE - ------------------ ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------- 4 Rights Agreement dated as of November 16, Incorporated by reference to 1995 between Capital One Financial the Registrant's Report on Corporation and First Chicago Trust Form 8-K, filed November 16, Company of New York (as successor to 1995 Mellon Bank, N.A. as Rights Agent) 5 Opinion of Counsel Filed herewith 23.1 Consent of Counsel Contained in Exhibit 5 23.2 Consent of Ernst & Young LLP Filed herewith 24 Power of Attorney Set forth on signature page
2 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Commonwealth of Virginia, on the 1st day of May, 1998. CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION By: /s/ John G. Finneran, Jr. --------------------------------------------- John G. Finneran, Jr. Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints James M. Zinn and John G. Finneran, Jr., Esq. his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, for him, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stand, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to file the same with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all interests and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent or his substitute or substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. 3 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated below on the 1st day of May, 1998.
SIGNATURE TITLE /s/ Richard D. Fairbank - ------------------------------------- Director, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard D. Fairbank (Principal Executive Officer) /s/ Nigel W. Morris - -------------------------------------- Director, President and Chief Operating Officer Nigel W. Morris /s/ James M. Zinn - -------------------------------------- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer James M. Zinn (Principal Accounting and Financial Officer) /s/ W. Ronald Dietz - -------------------------------------- Director W. Ronald Dietz /s/ James A. Flick, Jr. - -------------------------------------- Director James A. Flick, Jr. /s/ Patrick W. Gross - -------------------------------------- Director Patrick W. Gross /s/ James V. Kimsey - -------------------------------------- Director James V. Kimsey /s/ Stanley I. Westreich - -------------------------------------- Director Stanley I. Westreich
4 Exhibit Index -------------
Sequential Exhibit Number Description Page Number - ------------------- ------------------------------------------ ------------------------- 4 Rights Agreement dated as of November 16, Incorporated by 1995 between Capital One Financial reference to the Corporation and First Chicago Trust Registrant's Report on Company of New York (as successor to Form 8-K, filed November Mellon Bank, N.A. as Rights Agent) 16, 1995 5 Opinion of Counsel 23.1 Consent of Counsel Contained in Exhibit 5 23.2 Consent of Ernst & Young LLP 24 Power of Attorney Set forth on signature page
5

 
                                                                       EXHIBIT 5

 
                           [CAPITAL ONE LETTERHEAD]


                                             May 1, 1998



Board of Directors
Capital One Financial Corporation
2980 Fairview Park Drive, Suite 1300
Falls Church, Virginia 22042

Gentlemen:

     As the General Counsel of  Capital One Financial Corporation (the
"Company"), I have participated in the preparation of a Registration Statement
on Form S-8 to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Registration Statement"), with
respect to the registration of 3,250,000 shares of the Company's common stock,
par value $.01 per share,  (the "Common Stock") authorized for issuance upon the
exercise of options granted under the Company's 1994 Stock Incentive Plan (the
"Plan").  I am familiar with the Registration Statement and have examined such
corporate documents and records, including the Plan, and such matters of law as
I have considered appropriate to enable me to render the following opinion.

     On the basis of the foregoing, I am of the opinion that the shares of
Common Stock have been duly authorized and when issued and sold consistent with
the terms of the Plan and the related resolutions of the Board of Directors and
the Compensation Committee, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-
assessable shares of the Company's Common Stock.

     I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5 to the
Registration Statement and to the reference to me under the caption "Interests
of Named Experts and Counsel" in the Registration Statement.

                                             Very truly yours,

                                             /s/ John G. Finneran, Jr.

                                             John G. Finneran, Jr.
                                             General Counsel

 
                                                                    Exhibit 23.2


                         CONSENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP



We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement
(Form S-8 No. 333-     ) pertaining to the 1994 Stock Incentive Plan of Capital 
One Financial Corporation of our report dated January 15, 1998, with respect to 
the consolidated financial statements of Capital One Financial Corporation 
incorporated by reference in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended 
December 31, 1997, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.


                                       ERNST & YOUNG LLP


Washington, D.C.
May 1, 1998