PAY vs IIIV vs EVTC vs FIS vs GPN

For growth investors, Paymentus Holdings, Inc.

(PAY) is the stronger pick with 37. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -23. 7% for Global Payments Inc. (GPN). EVERTEC, Inc. (EVTC) offers the better valuation at 10. 6x trailing P/E (6. 1x 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, EVERTEC, Inc.

(EVTC) is the cheapest at 10. 6x versus Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. at 63. 0x. On forward P/E, Global Payments Inc. is actually cheaper at 5. 0x — 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: Global Payments Inc. wins at 0. 20x versus EVERTEC, Inc. 's 0. 68x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Paymentus Holdings, Inc.

(PAY) delivered a total return of -2. 7%, compared to -63. 2% for Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EVTC returned +94. 4% versus FIS's -18. 4%. 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. 65β versus Global Payments Inc. 's 1. 34β — meaning GPN is approximately 106% 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), Paymentus Holdings, Inc.

(PAY) is pulling ahead at 37. 3% versus -23. 7% for Global Payments Inc. (GPN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Paymentus Holdings, Inc. grew EPS 48. 6% year-over-year, compared to -87. 9% for i3 Verticals, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, PAY leads at 34. 0% 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: EVTC leads at 20. 0% 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, Global Payments Inc. (GPN) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 20x versus EVERTEC, Inc. 's 0. 68x. 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. 0x forward P/E versus 32. 3x for Paymentus Holdings, Inc. — 27. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EVTC: 45. 5% to $34. 00.

In this comparison, FIS (3.

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

For long-horizon retirement investors, Fidelity National Information Services, Inc.

(FIS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 65), 3. 5% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (FIS: -18. 4%, PAY: -6. 9%), 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 (PAY (Technology) and IIIV (Technology) and EVTC (Technology) and FIS (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: PAY is a small-cap high-growth stock; IIIV is a small-cap quality compounder stock; EVTC is a small-cap deep-value stock; FIS is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; GPN is a mid-cap deep-value stock. EVTC, FIS, GPN pay a dividend while PAY, IIIV 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.