SHOP vs BILL vs PYPL vs INTU

For growth investors, Shopify Inc.

(SHOP) is the stronger pick with 30. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 4. 3% for PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL). PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL) offers the better valuation at 8. 5x trailing P/E (8. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Shopify Inc. (SHOP) a "Buy" — based on 63 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. 5x versus Bill. com Holdings, Inc. at 163. 6x. On forward P/E, PayPal Holdings, Inc. is actually cheaper at 8. 7x. 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 Shopify Inc. 's 2. 08x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Intuit Inc.

(INTU) delivered a total return of +5. 9%, compared to -81. 6% for PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SHOP returned +41. 2% versus BILL's +6. 0%. 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), Intuit Inc.

(INTU) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 61β versus Shopify Inc. 's 2. 64β — meaning SHOP is approximately 333% more volatile than INTU relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Shopify Inc. (SHOP) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 49% for PayPal Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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

(SHOP) is pulling ahead at 30. 1% versus 4. 3% for PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Bill. com Holdings, Inc. grew EPS 185. 2% year-over-year, compared to -39. 4% for Shopify Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, BILL leads at 31. 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.

Intuit Inc.

(INTU) is the more profitable company, earning 20. 5% net margin versus 1. 6% for Bill. com Holdings, Inc. — meaning it keeps 20. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: INTU leads at 26. 1% versus -5. 5% for BILL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BILL leads at 81. 4%, 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 Shopify Inc. 's 2. 08x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL) trades at 8. 7x forward P/E versus 60. 9x for Shopify Inc. — 52. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for INTU: 63. 9% to $666. 75.

In this comparison, INTU (1.

0% yield), PYPL (0. 3% yield) pay a dividend. SHOP, BILL do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Intuit Inc.

(INTU) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 61), 1. 0% yield, +326. 4% 10Y return). Shopify Inc. (SHOP) carries a higher beta of 2. 64 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (INTU: +326. 4%, SHOP: +41. 2%), 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 (SHOP (Technology) and BILL (Technology) and PYPL (Financial Services) and INTU (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: SHOP is a mid-cap high-growth stock; BILL is a small-cap quality compounder stock; PYPL is a mid-cap deep-value stock; INTU is a mid-cap high-growth stock. INTU pays a dividend while SHOP, BILL, PYPL 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.