SHOP vs PYPL vs AMZN vs EBAY

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 Shopify Inc. at 118. 9x. 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, eBay Inc.

(EBAY) delivered a total return of +86. 3%, compared to -81. 6% for PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SHOP returned +41. 2% versus PYPL's +17. 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), eBay Inc.

(EBAY) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 73β versus Shopify Inc. 's 2. 64β — meaning SHOP is approximately 259% more volatile than EBAY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Shopify Inc. (SHOP) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 160% for eBay 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: PayPal Holdings, Inc. grew EPS 35. 6% year-over-year, compared to -39. 4% for Shopify Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, SHOP leads at 27. 3% 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.

eBay Inc.

(EBAY) is the more profitable company, earning 18. 3% net margin versus 10. 7% for Shopify Inc. — meaning it keeps 18. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EBAY leads at 20. 5% versus 11. 2% for AMZN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EBAY leads at 71. 5%, 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 SHOP: 47. 4% to $164. 75.

In this comparison, EBAY (1.

1% yield), PYPL (0. 3% yield) pay a dividend. SHOP, AMZN do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, eBay Inc.

(EBAY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 73), 1. 1% yield, +369. 5% 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 (EBAY: +369. 5%, 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 PYPL (Financial Services) and AMZN (Consumer Cyclical) and EBAY (Consumer Cyclical)), 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; PYPL is a mid-cap deep-value stock; AMZN is a mega-cap quality compounder stock; EBAY is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. EBAY pays a dividend while SHOP, PYPL, AMZN 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.