EA vs. FOUR: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 23, 2025

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

Company Profile

Symbol	EA	FOUR
Company Name	Electronic Arts Inc.	Shift4 Payments, Inc.
Country	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Communication Services	Financials
GICS Industry	Entertainment	Financial Services
Market Capitalization	42.87 billion USD	8.00 billion USD
Exchange	NasdaqGS	NYSE
Listing Date	September 20, 1989	June 5, 2020
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of EA 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.

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

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	EA	FOUR
5-Day Price Return	-4.29%	1.56%
13-Week Price Return	13.86%	0.57%
26-Week Price Return	31.98%	-24.20%
52-Week Price Return	14.47%	10.81%
Month-to-Date Return	12.35%	-12.14%
Year-to-Date Return	17.11%	-12.80%
10-Day Avg. Volume	3.64M	2.22M
3-Month Avg. Volume	3.03M	1.82M
3-Month Volatility	26.75%	42.64%
Beta	0.74	1.74

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

EA

15.27%

Entertainment Industry

Max: 42.50%
Q3: 22.75%
Median: 12.88%
Q1: 7.15%
Min: -6.84%

EA’s Return on Equity of 15.27% is on par with the norm for the Entertainment industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

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.

EA vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Entertainment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

EA

13.94%

Entertainment Industry

Max: 45.25%
Q3: 23.93%
Median: 14.60%
Q1: 4.89%
Min: -22.94%

EA’s Net Profit Margin of 13.94% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Entertainment industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

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.

EA vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Entertainment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

EA

19.09%

Entertainment Industry

Max: 46.83%
Q3: 28.87%
Median: 15.26%
Q1: 8.95%
Min: -5.53%

EA’s Operating Profit Margin of 19.09% is around the midpoint for the Entertainment industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

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.

EA vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Entertainment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	EA	FOUR
Return on Equity (TTM)	15.27%	21.96%
Return on Assets (TTM)	8.23%	3.99%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	13.94%	6.11%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	19.09%	7.53%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	79.14%	30.55%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

EA

0.84

Entertainment Industry

Max: 6.80
Q3: 3.77
Median: 1.87
Q1: 0.86
Min: 0.39

EA’s Current Ratio of 0.84 falls into the lower quartile for the Entertainment industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.

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.

EA vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Entertainment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

EA

0.31

Entertainment Industry

Max: 1.65
Q3: 0.71
Median: 0.14
Q1: 0.04
Min: 0.00

EA’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.31 is typical for the Entertainment industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

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.

EA vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Entertainment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

EA

190.43

Entertainment Industry

Max: 62.11
Q3: 31.19
Median: 7.50
Q1: 2.02
Min: -6.33

With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 190.43, EA demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Entertainment industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.

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.

EA vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Entertainment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	EA	FOUR
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.84	2.53
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	0.84	2.49
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	0.31	2.34
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	190.43	14.17

Growth

Revenue Growth

EA vs. FOUR: 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

EA vs. FOUR: 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)

EA

0.46%

Entertainment Industry

Max: 2.54%
Q3: 1.29%
Median: 0.61%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

EA’s Dividend Yield of 0.46% is consistent with its peers in the Entertainment industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

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.

EA vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Entertainment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

EA

18.91%

Entertainment Industry

Max: 82.30%
Q3: 45.76%
Median: 29.16%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

EA’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 18.91% is within the typical range for the Entertainment industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

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.

EA vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Entertainment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	EA	FOUR
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.46%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	18.91%	0.00%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

EA

41.09

Entertainment Industry

Max: 53.51
Q3: 45.31
Median: 33.16
Q1: 18.21
Min: 3.89

EA’s P/E Ratio of 41.09 is within the middle range for the Entertainment 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

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.

EA vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Entertainment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

EA

5.73

Entertainment Industry

Max: 12.81
Q3: 7.20
Median: 4.68
Q1: 3.32
Min: 0.79

EA’s P/S Ratio of 5.73 aligns with the market consensus for the Entertainment industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

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.

EA vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Entertainment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

EA

6.60

Entertainment Industry

Max: 17.11
Q3: 8.38
Median: 5.24
Q1: 2.18
Min: 0.67

EA’s P/B Ratio of 6.60 is within the conventional range for the Entertainment 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.

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.

EA vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Entertainment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	EA	FOUR
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	41.09	36.29
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	5.73	2.22
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	6.60	5.45
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	23.05	21.02