APP vs. FOUR: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at APP and FOUR, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | APP | FOUR |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | AppLovin Corporation | Shift4 Payments, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Information Technology | Financials |
| GICS Industry | Software | Financial Services |
| Market Capitalization | 184.85 billion USD | 6.10 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | April 15, 2021 | June 5, 2020 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of APP and FOUR by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | APP | FOUR |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -14.37% | -1.48% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 27.13% | -23.08% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 50.69% | -24.13% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 96.40% | -31.06% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -12.49% | 1.13% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 72.22% | -32.67% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 5.40M | 3.36M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 6.66M | 2.09M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 61.28% | 33.73% |
| Beta | 2.57 | 1.64 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
APP
262.94%
Software Industry
- Max
- 65.88%
- Q3
- 22.54%
- Median
- 10.46%
- Q1
- -6.54%
- Min
- -41.05%
APP’s Return on Equity of 262.94% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Software industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
FOUR
15.99%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 34.42%
- Q3
- 16.76%
- Median
- 9.18%
- Q1
- 3.90%
- Min
- -10.16%
FOUR’s Return on Equity of 15.99% is on par with the norm for the Financial Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
APP
51.28%
Software Industry
- Max
- 53.50%
- Q3
- 20.30%
- Median
- 9.60%
- Q1
- -4.98%
- Min
- -41.00%
A Net Profit Margin of 51.28% places APP in the upper quartile for the Software industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
FOUR
5.02%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 52.16%
- Q3
- 25.33%
- Median
- 13.11%
- Q1
- 7.04%
- Min
- -8.99%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Financial Services industry, FOUR’s Net Profit Margin of 5.02% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
APP
59.92%
Software Industry
- Max
- 61.99%
- Q3
- 23.67%
- Median
- 10.93%
- Q1
- -3.57%
- Min
- -40.19%
An Operating Profit Margin of 59.92% places APP in the upper quartile for the Software industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
FOUR
7.65%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 81.07%
- Q3
- 40.32%
- Median
- 19.93%
- Q1
- 10.20%
- Min
- -34.40%
FOUR’s Operating Profit Margin of 7.65% is in the lower quartile for the Financial Services industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | APP | FOUR |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 262.94% | 15.99% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 47.42% | 2.99% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 51.28% | 5.02% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 59.92% | 7.65% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 83.31% | 32.61% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
APP
3.25
Software Industry
- Max
- 4.01
- Q3
- 2.27
- Median
- 1.50
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- 0.25
APP’s Current Ratio of 3.25 is in the upper quartile for the Software industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
FOUR
1.38
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 4.36
- Q3
- 2.26
- Median
- 1.33
- Q1
- 0.86
- Min
- 0.01
For the Financial Services industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
APP
2.38
Software Industry
- Max
- 2.04
- Q3
- 0.86
- Median
- 0.29
- Q1
- 0.00
- Min
- 0.00
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.38, APP operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Software industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
FOUR
2.83
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 5.07
- Q3
- 2.14
- Median
- 0.55
- Q1
- 0.11
- Min
- 0.00
The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Financial Services industry.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
APP
6.44
Software Industry
- Max
- 89.65
- Q3
- 33.82
- Median
- 1.59
- Q1
- -10.48
- Min
- -71.23
APP’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 6.44 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Software industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
FOUR
14.17
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 140.54
- Q3
- 57.67
- Median
- 6.72
- Q1
- 1.93
- Min
- -33.27
The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Financial Services industry.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | APP | FOUR |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 3.25 | 1.38 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 3.05 | 1.31 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 2.38 | 2.83 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 6.44 | 14.17 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
APP
0.00%
Software Industry
- Max
- 0.34%
- Q3
- 0.17%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
APP currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
FOUR
0.00%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 7.52%
- Q3
- 3.60%
- Median
- 1.75%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
FOUR currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
APP
0.00%
Software Industry
- Max
- 12.76%
- Q3
- 6.56%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
APP has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
FOUR
0.00%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 132.10%
- Q3
- 64.32%
- Median
- 17.51%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
FOUR has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | APP | FOUR |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
APP
64.38
Software Industry
- Max
- 142.78
- Q3
- 72.24
- Median
- 36.21
- Q1
- 24.24
- Min
- 4.55
APP’s P/E Ratio of 64.38 is within the middle range for the Software industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
FOUR
30.86
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 46.13
- Q3
- 28.79
- Median
- 13.18
- Q1
- 9.14
- Min
- 0.47
A P/E Ratio of 30.86 places FOUR in the upper quartile for the Financial Services industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
APP
33.01
Software Industry
- Max
- 20.79
- Q3
- 12.71
- Median
- 6.75
- Q1
- 4.56
- Min
- 0.87
With a P/S Ratio of 33.01, APP trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Software industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
FOUR
1.55
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 9.71
- Q3
- 4.81
- Median
- 2.49
- Q1
- 1.25
- Min
- 0.04
The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Financial Services industry.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
APP
164.90
Software Industry
- Max
- 30.49
- Q3
- 14.84
- Median
- 8.09
- Q1
- 4.32
- Min
- 0.38
At 164.90, APP’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Software industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
FOUR
4.10
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 7.21
- Q3
- 3.51
- Median
- 1.52
- Q1
- 0.88
- Min
- 0.08
FOUR’s P/B Ratio of 4.10 is in the upper tier for the Financial Services industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | APP | FOUR |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 64.38 | 30.86 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 33.01 | 1.55 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 164.90 | 4.10 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 53.63 | 17.42 |