Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Klarna Group plc (KLAR) 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 | KLAR | 21.2% revenue growth vs CPAY's 5.8% |
| Value | CPAY | Lower P/E (12.5x vs 2023.9x) |
| Quality / Margins | CPAY | 24.4% net margin vs KLAR's -9.3% |
| Stability / Safety | CPAY | Beta 1.46 vs KLAR's 2.77 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CPAY | -11.4% vs KLAR's -70.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CPAY | 5.3% ROA vs KLAR's -1.3%, ROIC 14.7% vs -218.7% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Klarna is a fintech company that provides buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) services and digital banking solutions to consumers and merchants. It generates revenue primarily from merchant fees — typically 3-4% of transaction value — and consumer interest on installment loans, along with banking fees and interchange income. Its key advantage is its seamless checkout integration with thousands of retailers and sophisticated AI-driven risk assessment that enables instant credit decisions with low default rates.
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
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
CPAY leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). KLAR leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CPAY and KLAR operate at a comparable scale, with $4.3B and $3.0B in trailing revenue. CPAY is the more profitable business, keeping 24.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to KLAR's -9.3%.
| Metric | KLARKlarna Group plc | CPAYCorpay, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.0B | $4.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$109M | $2.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$279M | $1.1B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $3.2B | $1.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +63.1% | +76.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -8.2% | +44.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -9.3% | +24.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +105.1% | +26.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +13.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +0.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 23.3x trailing earnings, CPAY trades at a 99% valuation discount to KLAR's 2023.9x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, CPAY's 13.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than KLAR's 39.2x.
| Metric | KLARKlarna Group plc | CPAYCorpay, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $5.1B | $22.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.7B | $29.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 2023.88x | 23.27x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 12.50x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 3.30x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 39.17x | 13.68x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.92x | 5.74x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.19x | 7.42x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 9.44x | 12.92x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CPAY delivers a 25.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $26 in annual profit, vs $-11 for KLAR. KLAR carries lower financial leverage with a 0.35x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CPAY's 2.54x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), KLAR scores 7/9 vs CPAY's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | KLARKlarna Group plc | CPAYCorpay, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -10.6% | +25.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -1.3% | +5.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -2.2% | +14.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -3.0% | +20.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.35x | 2.54x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$2.5B | $6.4B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $3.2B | $1.6B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $791M | $8.0B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.15x | 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 $2,959 for KLAR. Over the past 12 months, CPAY leads with a -11.4% total return vs KLAR's -70.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CPAY at 14.8% vs KLAR's -33.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | KLARKlarna Group plc | CPAYCorpay, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -52.5% | +8.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -70.4% | -11.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -70.4% | +51.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -70.4% | +15.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -70.4% | +154.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -33.4% | +14.8% |
Risk & Volatility
CPAY is the less volatile stock with a 1.46 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than KLAR's 2.77 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 KLAR's 23.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | KLARKlarna Group plc | CPAYCorpay, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 2.77x | 1.46x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $57.20 | $375.61 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $12.50 | $252.84 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +23.7% | +86.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 27.0 | 50.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 3.4M | 512K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates KLAR as "Buy" and CPAY as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 182.9% upside for KLAR (target: $38) vs 11.4% for CPAY (target: $362).
| Metric | KLARKlarna Group plc | CPAYCorpay, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $38.36 | $362.29 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 8 | 18 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +5.6% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klarna Group plc (KLAR) | $390M | $2.7B | +584.5% |
| Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) | $1.7B | $4.0B | +133.4% |
Corpay, Inc.'s revenue grew from $1.7B (2015) to $4.0B (2024) — a 9.9% CAGR.
Chart 2Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klarna Group plc (KLAR) | 3.2% | 0.1% | -96.5% |
| Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) | 21.3% | 25.3% | +18.7% |
Corpay, Inc.'s net margin went from 21% (2015) to 25% (2024).
Chart 3P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) | 24.3 | 24.2 | -0.4% |
Corpay, Inc. has traded in a 15x–34x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~23x.
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klarna Group plc (KLAR) | 0 | 0.01 | — |
| Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) | 3.85 | 13.97 | +262.9% |
Corpay, Inc.'s EPS grew from $3.85 (2015) to $13.97 (2024) — a 15% CAGR.
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Klarna Group plc generated $542M FCF in 2024 (+238% vs 2021). Corpay, Inc. generated $2B FCF in 2024 (+63% vs 2021).
KLAR vs CPAY: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is KLAR or CPAY a better buy right now?
Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) offers the better valuation at 23.3x trailing P/E (12.5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Klarna Group plc (KLAR) a "Buy" — based on 8 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 — KLAR or CPAY?
On trailing P/E, Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) is the cheapest at 23.3x versus Klarna Group plc at 2023.9x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — KLAR or CPAY?
Over the past 5 years, Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) delivered a total return of +15.1%, compared to -70.4% for Klarna Group plc (KLAR). 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 KLAR's -70.4%. 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 — KLAR or CPAY?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) is the lower-risk stock at 1.46β versus Klarna Group plc's 2.77β — meaning KLAR is approximately 89% more volatile than CPAY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Klarna Group plc (KLAR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 35% versus 3% for Corpay, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — KLAR or CPAY?
Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) is the more profitable company, earning 25.3% net margin versus 0.1% for Klarna Group plc — 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 -4.5% for KLAR. 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 KLAR or CPAY more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for KLAR: 182.9% to $38.36.
07Which pays a better dividend — KLAR 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 KLAR or CPAY better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (+154.6% 10Y return). Klarna Group plc (KLAR) carries a higher beta of 2.77 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (CPAY: +154.6%, KLAR: -70.4%), 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 KLAR 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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