FOUR vs PAX vs BX vs KKR vs APO

For growth investors, Shift4 Payments, Inc.

(FOUR) is the stronger pick with 25. 5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -11. 0% for KKR & Co. Inc. (KKR). Apollo Global Management, Inc. (APO) offers the better valuation at 17. 6x trailing P/E (14. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Shift4 Payments, Inc. (FOUR) a "Buy" — based on 29 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.

On trailing P/E, Apollo Global Management, Inc.

(APO) is the cheapest at 17. 6x versus Shift4 Payments, Inc. at 43. 4x. On forward P/E, Shift4 Payments, Inc. is actually cheaper at 8. 4x — 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: Apollo Global Management, Inc. wins at 0. 19x versus Patria Investments Limited's 2. 99x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Apollo Global Management, Inc.

(APO) delivered a total return of +135. 1%, compared to -46. 4% for Shift4 Payments, Inc. (FOUR). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: APO returned +759. 2% versus PAX's -19. 3%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Patria Investments Limited (PAX) is the lower-risk stock at 1.

09β versus KKR & Co. Inc. 's 1. 70β — meaning KKR is approximately 56% more volatile than PAX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Patria Investments Limited (PAX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 31% versus 2% for Shift4 Payments, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Shift4 Payments, Inc.

(FOUR) is pulling ahead at 25. 5% versus -11. 0% for KKR & Co. Inc. (KKR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Patria Investments Limited grew EPS 14. 9% year-over-year, compared to -64. 4% for Shift4 Payments, Inc.. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Patria Investments Limited (PAX) is the more profitable company, earning 22.

3% net margin versus 2. 8% for Shift4 Payments, Inc. — meaning it keeps 22. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BX leads at 51. 9% versus 2. 4% for KKR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PAX leads at 96. 2%, 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.

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, Apollo Global Management, Inc. (APO) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 19x versus Patria Investments Limited's 2. 99x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Shift4 Payments, Inc. (FOUR) trades at 8. 4x forward P/E versus 20. 5x for Blackstone Inc. — 12. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FOUR: 56. 6% to $73. 36.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Blackstone Inc. (BX) offers the highest yield at 6. 3%, versus 0. 7% for Shift4 Payments, Inc. (FOUR).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Apollo Global Management, Inc.

(APO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (1. 7% yield, +759. 2% 10Y return). Shift4 Payments, Inc. (FOUR) carries a higher beta of 1. 51 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (APO: +759. 2%, FOUR: +39. 7%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (FOUR (Technology) and PAX (Financial Services) and BX (Financial Services) and KKR (Financial Services) and APO (Financial Services)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: FOUR is a small-cap high-growth stock; PAX is a small-cap income-oriented stock; BX is a mid-cap high-growth stock; KKR is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; APO is a mid-cap high-growth stock. 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.