BCS vs. PYPL: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 24, 2025

Here’s a clear look at BCS and PYPL, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

BCS trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, PYPL is a standard domestic listing.

Symbol	BCS	PYPL
Company Name	Barclays PLC	PayPal Holdings, Inc.
Country	United Kingdom	United States
GICS Sector	Financials	Financials
GICS Industry	Banks	Financial Services
Market Capitalization	71.24 billion USD	65.04 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NasdaqGS
Listing Date	September 9, 1986	July 6, 2015
Security Type	ADR	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of BCS and PYPL 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.

BCS vs. PYPL: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	BCS	PYPL
5-Day Price Return	-0.37%	-1.87%
13-Week Price Return	12.89%	-5.86%
26-Week Price Return	26.89%	-11.11%
52-Week Price Return	65.49%	-1.94%
Month-to-Date Return	0.22%	-0.99%
Year-to-Date Return	38.77%	-20.23%
10-Day Avg. Volume	17.66M	9.83M
3-Month Avg. Volume	28.22M	10.36M
3-Month Volatility	22.35%	32.89%
Beta	1.75	1.45

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

BCS

12.12%

Banks Industry

Max: 26.37%
Q3: 15.92%
Median: 12.25%
Q1: 8.69%
Min: 0.15%

BCS’s Return on Equity of 12.12% is on par with the norm for the Banks industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

PYPL

23.09%

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, PYPL’s Return on Equity of 23.09% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.

BCS vs. PYPL: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

BCS

Banks Industry

Max: 54.20%
Q3: 35.70%
Median: 28.97%
Q1: 22.53%
Min: 6.98%

Net Profit Margin data for BCS is currently unavailable.

PYPL

14.49%

Financial Services Industry

Max: 52.86%
Q3: 25.58%
Median: 12.23%
Q1: 6.64%
Min: -9.92%

PYPL’s Net Profit Margin of 14.49% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Financial Services industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

BCS vs. PYPL: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

BCS

Banks Industry

Max: 63.35%
Q3: 44.59%
Median: 37.24%
Q1: 28.25%
Min: 13.37%

Operating Profit Margin data for BCS is currently unavailable.

PYPL

18.17%

Financial Services Industry

Max: 77.28%
Q3: 37.68%
Median: 18.17%
Q1: 9.27%
Min: -8.19%

PYPL’s Operating Profit Margin of 18.17% is around the midpoint for the Financial Services industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

BCS vs. PYPL: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	BCS	PYPL
Return on Equity (TTM)	12.12%	23.09%
Return on Assets (TTM)	0.57%	5.74%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	--	14.49%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	--	18.17%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	--	41.68%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

BCS

Banks Industry

Max: --
Q3: --
Median: --
Q1: --
Min: --

For the Banks industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.

PYPL

1.33

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.

BCS vs. PYPL: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

BCS

3.86

Banks Industry

Max: 4.75
Q3: 2.62
Median: 1.02
Q1: 0.39
Min: 0.00

The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Banks industry.

PYPL

0.56

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.

BCS vs. PYPL: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

BCS

Banks Industry

Max: --
Q3: --
Median: --
Q1: --
Min: --

The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Banks industry.

PYPL

1,066.80

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.

BCS vs. PYPL: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	BCS	PYPL
Current Ratio (MRQ)	--	1.33
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	--	1.28
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	3.86	0.56
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	--	1,066.80

Growth

Revenue Growth

BCS vs. PYPL: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

BCS vs. PYPL: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

BCS

0.00%

Banks Industry

Max: 10.27%
Q3: 5.83%
Median: 3.81%
Q1: 2.50%
Min: 0.00%

BCS 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.

PYPL

0.00%

Financial Services Industry

Max: 8.18%
Q3: 3.60%
Median: 1.56%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

PYPL 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.

BCS vs. PYPL: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

BCS

22.39%

Banks Industry

Max: 147.07%
Q3: 80.55%
Median: 54.40%
Q1: 35.71%
Min: 0.00%

BCS’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 22.39% is in the lower quartile for the Banks industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.

PYPL

0.00%

Financial Services Industry

Max: 155.56%
Q3: 63.71%
Median: 18.08%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

PYPL 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.

BCS vs. PYPL: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	BCS	PYPL
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.00%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	22.39%	0.00%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

BCS

5.92

Banks Industry

Max: 20.05
Q3: 12.65
Median: 10.21
Q1: 7.54
Min: 2.74

In the lower quartile for the Banks industry, BCS’s P/E Ratio of 5.92 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.

PYPL

13.89

Financial Services Industry

Max: 63.23
Q3: 32.10
Median: 14.41
Q1: 10.81
Min: 0.37

PYPL’s P/E Ratio of 13.89 is within the middle range for the Financial Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

BCS vs. PYPL: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

BCS

Banks Industry

Max: 5.06
Q3: 2.98
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.59
Min: 0.45

The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Banks industry.

PYPL

2.01

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.

BCS vs. PYPL: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

BCS

0.63

Banks Industry

Max: 2.18
Q3: 1.36
Median: 1.09
Q1: 0.81
Min: 0.20

BCS’s P/B Ratio of 0.63 is in the lower quartile for the Banks industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.

PYPL

3.58

Financial Services Industry

Max: 7.09
Q3: 3.79
Median: 1.46
Q1: 0.83
Min: 0.04

PYPL’s P/B Ratio of 3.58 is within the conventional range for the Financial Services industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

BCS vs. PYPL: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Banks and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	BCS	PYPL
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	5.92	13.89
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	--	2.01
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	0.63	3.58
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	2.58	12.29