IIIV vs EVTC vs FIS vs FISV vs GPN

For growth investors, EVERTEC, Inc.

(EVTC) is the stronger pick with 10. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -23. 7% for Global Payments Inc. (GPN). Fiserv, Inc. (FISV) offers the better valuation at 9. 0x trailing P/E (7. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate i3 Verticals, Inc. (IIIV) a "Buy" — based on 14 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, Fiserv, Inc.

(FISV) is the cheapest at 9. 0x versus Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. at 63. 0x. On forward P/E, Global Payments Inc. is actually cheaper at 5. 1x — 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: Fiserv, Inc. wins at 0. 20x versus EVERTEC, Inc. 's 0. 66x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, i3 Verticals, Inc.

(IIIV) delivered a total return of -27. 6%, compared to -63. 2% for Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EVTC returned +89. 5% versus FIS's -13. 2%. 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), Fidelity National Information Services, Inc.

(FIS) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 76β versus Global Payments Inc. 's 1. 37β — meaning GPN is approximately 81% more volatile than FIS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, i3 Verticals, Inc. (IIIV) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 158% for EVERTEC, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), EVERTEC, Inc.

(EVTC) is pulling ahead at 10. 2% versus -23. 7% for Global Payments Inc. (GPN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: EVERTEC, Inc. grew EPS 27. 2% year-over-year, compared to -87. 9% for i3 Verticals, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, EVTC leads at 14. 6% 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.

Global Payments Inc.

(GPN) is the more profitable company, earning 18. 2% net margin versus 3. 6% for Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. — meaning it keeps 18. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: FISV leads at 26. 9% versus 1. 9% for IIIV. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — GPN leads at 72. 6%, 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, Fiserv, Inc. (FISV) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 20x versus EVERTEC, Inc. 's 0. 66x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Global Payments Inc. (GPN) trades at 5. 1x forward P/E versus 20. 3x for i3 Verticals, Inc. — 15. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EVTC: 58. 4% to $37. 00.

In this comparison, FIS (3.

5% yield), GPN (1. 4% yield), EVTC (0. 8% yield) pay a dividend. IIIV, FISV do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, EVERTEC, Inc.

(EVTC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 76), 0. 8% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EVTC: +89. 5%, FISV: +9. 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 (IIIV (Technology) and EVTC (Technology) and FIS (Technology) and FISV (Technology) and GPN (Industrials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: IIIV is a small-cap quality compounder stock; EVTC is a small-cap deep-value stock; FIS is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; FISV is a mid-cap deep-value stock; GPN is a mid-cap deep-value stock. EVTC, FIS, GPN pay a dividend while IIIV, FISV do not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.