FOUR vs PAX vs PAYO vs FLYW vs PYPL

For growth investors, Shift4 Payments, Inc.

(FOUR) is the stronger pick with 29. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 6% for Patria Investments Limited (PAX). PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL) offers the better valuation at 8. 6x trailing P/E (8. 7x 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, PayPal Holdings, Inc.

(PYPL) is the cheapest at 8. 6x versus Flywire Corporation at 159. 2x. On forward P/E, Shift4 Payments, Inc. is actually cheaper at 7. 7x — 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: PayPal Holdings, Inc. wins at 0. 98x versus Patria Investments Limited's 3. 21x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Patria Investments Limited (PAX) delivered a total return of +14.

0%, compared to -81. 5% for PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FOUR returned +27. 9% versus FLYW's -50. 1%. 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 Payoneer Global Inc. 's 1. 65β — meaning PAYO is approximately 51% more volatile than PAX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Payoneer Global Inc. (PAYO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 10% versus 3% 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 29. 9% versus 2. 6% for Patria Investments Limited (PAX). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Flywire Corporation grew EPS 391. 1% year-over-year, compared to -38. 7% for Payoneer Global Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, FOUR leads at 34. 5% annualised revenue growth. 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. 2% for Flywire Corporation — meaning it keeps 22. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PAX leads at 34. 2% versus 1. 8% for FLYW. 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, PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 98x versus Patria Investments Limited's 3. 21x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Shift4 Payments, Inc. (FOUR) trades at 7. 7x forward P/E versus 48. 9x for Flywire Corporation — 41. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FOUR: 71. 0% to $73. 36.

In this comparison, PYPL (0.

3% yield) pays a dividend. FOUR, PAX, PAYO, FLYW do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Patria Investments Limited (PAX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.

09)). Payoneer Global Inc. (PAYO) carries a higher beta of 1. 65 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (PAX: -14. 9%, PAYO: -49. 8%), 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 PAYO (Technology) and FLYW (Technology) and PYPL (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 quality compounder stock; PAYO is a small-cap quality compounder stock; FLYW is a small-cap high-growth stock; PYPL is a mid-cap deep-value 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.