ASTS vs. FOUR: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ASTS and FOUR, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | ASTS | FOUR |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | AST SpaceMobile, Inc. | Shift4 Payments, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Communication Services | Financials |
| GICS Industry | Diversified Telecommunication Services | Financial Services |
| Market Capitalization | 16.16 billion USD | 8.00 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | November 1, 2019 | June 5, 2020 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ASTS 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 | ASTS | FOUR |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -10.19% | 1.56% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 68.60% | 0.57% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 62.80% | -24.20% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 44.86% | 10.81% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -15.46% | -12.14% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 113.03% | -12.80% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 10.09M | 2.22M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 12.06M | 1.82M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 77.73% | 42.64% |
| Beta | 2.50 | 1.74 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
ASTS
-63.47%
Diversified Telecommunication Services Industry
- Max
- 35.96%
- Q3
- 14.90%
- Median
- 8.29%
- Q1
- -0.99%
- Min
- -18.19%
ASTS has a negative Return on Equity of -63.47%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
FOUR
21.96%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 40.58%
- Q3
- 20.06%
- Median
- 10.67%
- Q1
- 4.19%
- Min
- -10.31%
In the upper quartile for the Financial Services industry, FOUR’s Return on Equity of 21.96% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
ASTS
-7,213.88%
Diversified Telecommunication Services Industry
- Max
- 28.40%
- Q3
- 13.05%
- Median
- 6.85%
- Q1
- -0.81%
- Min
- -18.76%
ASTS has a negative Net Profit Margin of -7,213.88%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
FOUR
6.11%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 52.86%
- Q3
- 25.58%
- Median
- 12.23%
- Q1
- 6.64%
- Min
- -9.92%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Financial Services industry, FOUR’s Net Profit Margin of 6.11% 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)
ASTS
-5,539.51%
Diversified Telecommunication Services Industry
- Max
- 37.46%
- Q3
- 22.24%
- Median
- 15.73%
- Q1
- 9.79%
- Min
- 2.06%
ASTS has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -5,539.51%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
FOUR
7.53%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 77.28%
- Q3
- 37.68%
- Median
- 18.17%
- Q1
- 9.27%
- Min
- -8.19%
FOUR’s Operating Profit Margin of 7.53% 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 | ASTS | FOUR |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | -63.47% | 21.96% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -28.08% | 3.99% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -7,213.88% | 6.11% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -5,539.51% | 7.53% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 49.35% | 30.55% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
ASTS
8.23
Diversified Telecommunication Services Industry
- Max
- 1.63
- Q3
- 1.14
- Median
- 0.92
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.16
ASTS’s Current Ratio of 8.23 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Diversified Telecommunication Services industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.
FOUR
2.53
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 4.58
- Q3
- 2.59
- Median
- 1.33
- Q1
- 0.69
- 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)
ASTS
0.57
Diversified Telecommunication Services Industry
- Max
- 3.82
- Q3
- 2.06
- Median
- 1.32
- Q1
- 0.74
- Min
- 0.11
Falling into the lower quartile for the Diversified Telecommunication Services industry, ASTS’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.57 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
FOUR
2.34
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 4.96
- Q3
- 2.10
- Median
- 0.57
- Q1
- 0.12
- 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)
ASTS
-115.23
Diversified Telecommunication Services Industry
- Max
- 14.66
- Q3
- 8.25
- Median
- 3.53
- Q1
- 1.47
- Min
- -2.60
ASTS has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -115.23. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
FOUR
14.17
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 136.23
- Q3
- 56.08
- Median
- 6.55
- Q1
- 2.01
- 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 | ASTS | FOUR |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 8.23 | 2.53 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 8.14 | 2.49 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.57 | 2.34 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -115.23 | 14.17 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
ASTS
0.00%
Diversified Telecommunication Services Industry
- Max
- 10.34%
- Q3
- 5.44%
- Median
- 3.89%
- Q1
- 1.73%
- Min
- 0.00%
ASTS 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
- 8.18%
- Q3
- 3.60%
- Median
- 1.56%
- 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)
ASTS
0.00%
Diversified Telecommunication Services Industry
- Max
- 270.06%
- Q3
- 135.21%
- Median
- 76.62%
- Q1
- 35.06%
- Min
- 0.00%
ASTS 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
- 155.56%
- Q3
- 63.71%
- Median
- 18.08%
- 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 | ASTS | FOUR |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
ASTS
--
Diversified Telecommunication Services Industry
- Max
- 33.39
- Q3
- 23.91
- Median
- 16.72
- Q1
- 13.00
- Min
- 4.13
P/E Ratio data for ASTS is currently unavailable.
FOUR
36.29
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 63.23
- Q3
- 32.10
- Median
- 14.41
- Q1
- 10.81
- Min
- 0.37
A P/E Ratio of 36.29 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)
ASTS
3,302.29
Diversified Telecommunication Services Industry
- Max
- 4.75
- Q3
- 2.60
- Median
- 1.62
- Q1
- 0.94
- Min
- 0.35
With a P/S Ratio of 3,302.29, ASTS trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Diversified Telecommunication Services industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
FOUR
2.22
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 11.16
- Q3
- 5.45
- Median
- 2.61
- 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)
ASTS
18.09
Diversified Telecommunication Services Industry
- Max
- 5.77
- Q3
- 3.45
- Median
- 2.10
- Q1
- 1.19
- Min
- 0.32
At 18.09, ASTS’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Diversified Telecommunication Services 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
5.45
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 7.09
- Q3
- 3.79
- Median
- 1.46
- Q1
- 0.83
- Min
- 0.04
FOUR’s P/B Ratio of 5.45 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 | ASTS | FOUR |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | -- | 36.29 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 3,302.29 | 2.22 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 18.09 | 5.45 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | -- | 21.02 |