Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare ACI Worldwide, Inc. (ACIW) vs Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | ACIW | 10.4% revenue growth vs CPAY's 5.8% |
| Value | CPAY | Lower P/E (12.5x vs 15.7x) |
| Quality / Margins | CPAY | 24.4% net margin vs ACIW's 12.9% |
| Stability / Safety | ACIW | Beta 1.11 vs CPAY's 1.46, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CPAY | -11.4% vs ACIW's -30.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | ACIW | 7.3% ROA vs CPAY's 5.3%, ROIC 11.4% vs 14.7% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
ACI Worldwide is a software company that provides digital payment processing solutions to financial institutions, merchants, and billers globally. It generates revenue primarily through software licensing, maintenance fees, and transaction-based processing services — with its enterprise payments platform serving as the core revenue driver. The company's competitive advantage lies in its deep integration with legacy banking systems and its comprehensive, real-time payment processing capabilities that are difficult for new entrants to replicate.
Corpay is a global payments company that helps businesses manage vehicle-related expenses, corporate payments, and lodging costs. It generates revenue primarily through transaction fees from its vehicle payment solutions — fuel, tolls, and fleet maintenance — and corporate payment automation services, with its cross-border and virtual card products forming significant segments. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized vertical expertise in complex business payments and its established network of merchants and fuel providers across multiple countries.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
CPAY leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). ACIW leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CPAY is the larger business by revenue, generating $4.3B annually — 2.5x ACIW's $1.8B. CPAY is the more profitable business, keeping 24.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to ACIW's 12.9%. On growth, CPAY holds the edge at +13.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ACIWACI Worldwide, In… | CPAYCorpay, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.8B | $4.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $427M | $2.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $227M | $1.1B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $298M | $1.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +49.0% | +76.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +18.7% | +44.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +12.9% | +24.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +16.9% | +26.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +6.3% | +13.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -33.3% | +0.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 18.4x trailing earnings, ACIW trades at a 21% valuation discount to CPAY's 23.3x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), ACIW offers better value at 0.65x vs CPAY's 3.30x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | ACIWACI Worldwide, In… | CPAYCorpay, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $4.1B | $22.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $4.7B | $29.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 18.37x | 23.27x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 15.70x | 12.50x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.65x | 3.30x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 11.09x | 13.68x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.32x | 5.74x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.74x | 7.42x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 13.20x | 12.92x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CPAY delivers a 25.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $26 in annual profit, vs $15 for ACIW. ACIW carries lower financial leverage with a 0.55x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CPAY's 2.54x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ACIW scores 7/9 vs CPAY's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ACIWACI Worldwide, In… | CPAYCorpay, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +14.9% | +25.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +7.3% | +5.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +11.4% | +14.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +13.7% | +20.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.55x | 2.54x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $644M | $6.4B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $196M | $1.6B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $840M | $8.0B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 8.33x | 4.97x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CPAY five years ago would be worth $11,508 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $10,081 for ACIW. Over the past 12 months, CPAY leads with a -11.4% total return vs ACIW's -30.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors ACIW at 15.4% vs CPAY's 14.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ACIWACI Worldwide, In… | CPAYCorpay, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -13.1% | +8.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -30.8% | -11.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +53.5% | +51.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +0.8% | +15.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +112.6% | +154.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +15.4% | +14.8% |
Risk & Volatility
ACIW is the less volatile stock with a 1.11 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CPAY's 1.46 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CPAY currently trades 86.6% from its 52-week high vs ACIW's 68.2% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ACIWACI Worldwide, In… | CPAYCorpay, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.11x | 1.46x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $58.14 | $375.61 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $38.05 | $252.84 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +68.2% | +86.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 42.8 | 50.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 599K | 512K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ACIW as "Buy" and CPAY as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 76.4% upside for ACIW (target: $70) vs 11.4% for CPAY (target: $362).
| Metric | ACIWACI Worldwide, In… | CPAYCorpay, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $70.00 | $362.29 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 17 | 18 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +5.0% | +5.6% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACI Worldwide, Inc. (ACIW) | 100 | 151.34 | +51.3% |
| Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) | 100 | 114.44 | +14.4% |
Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) returned +15% over 5 years vs ACI Worldwide, Inc. (ACIW)'s +1%. A $10,000 investment in CPAY 5 years ago would be worth $11,508 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACI Worldwide, Inc. (ACIW) | $1.0B | $1.8B | +75.0% |
| Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) | $1.8B | $4.0B | +117.0% |
ACI Worldwide, Inc.'s revenue grew from $1.0B (2016) to $1.8B (2025) — a 6.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACI Worldwide, Inc. (ACIW) | 12.9% | 12.9% | -0.0% |
| Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) | 24.7% | 25.3% | +2.2% |
ACI Worldwide, Inc.'s net margin went from 13% (2016) to 13% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACI Worldwide, Inc. (ACIW) | 46.9 | 22.1 | -52.9% |
| Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) | 24.3 | 24.2 | -0.4% |
ACI Worldwide, Inc. has traded in a 19x–67x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~18x. Corpay, Inc. has traded in a 15x–34x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~23x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACI Worldwide, Inc. (ACIW) | 1.09 | 2.16 | +98.2% |
| Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) | 4.75 | 13.97 | +194.1% |
ACI Worldwide, Inc.'s EPS grew from $1.09 (2016) to $2.16 (2025) — a 8% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
ACI Worldwide, Inc. generated $310M FCF in 2025 (+77% vs 2021). Corpay, Inc. generated $2B FCF in 2024 (+63% vs 2021).
ACIW vs CPAY: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ACIW or CPAY a better buy right now?
ACI Worldwide, Inc. (ACIW) offers the better valuation at 18.4x trailing P/E (15.7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate ACI Worldwide, Inc. (ACIW) a "Buy" — based on 17 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — ACIW or CPAY?
On trailing P/E, ACI Worldwide, Inc. (ACIW) is the cheapest at 18.4x versus Corpay, Inc. at 23.3x. On forward P/E, Corpay, Inc. is actually cheaper at 12.5x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: ACI Worldwide, Inc. wins at 0.55x versus Corpay, Inc.'s 1.77x — a PEG below 1.0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — ACIW or CPAY?
Over the past 5 years, Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) delivered a total return of +15.1%, compared to +0.8% for ACI Worldwide, Inc. (ACIW). A $10,000 investment in CPAY five years ago would be worth approximately $12K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CPAY returned +154.6% versus ACIW's +112.6%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — ACIW or CPAY?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), ACI Worldwide, Inc. (ACIW) is the lower-risk stock at 1.11β versus Corpay, Inc.'s 1.46β — meaning CPAY is approximately 32% more volatile than ACIW relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, ACI Worldwide, Inc. (ACIW) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 55% versus 3% for Corpay, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — ACIW or CPAY?
Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) is the more profitable company, earning 25.3% net margin versus 12.9% for ACI Worldwide, Inc. — meaning it keeps 25.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CPAY leads at 45.0% versus 18.7% for ACIW. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CPAY leads at 78.1%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is ACIW or CPAY more undervalued right now?
The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential. By this metric, ACI Worldwide, Inc. (ACIW) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.55x versus Corpay, Inc.'s 1.77x. A PEG below 1.0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) trades at 12.5x forward P/E versus 15.7x for ACI Worldwide, Inc. — 3.2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ACIW: 76.4% to $70.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — ACIW or CPAY?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend. All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
08Is ACIW or CPAY better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, ACI Worldwide, Inc. (ACIW) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.11), +112.6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ACIW: +112.6%, CPAY: +154.6%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between ACIW and CPAY?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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