ESTC vs. FOUR: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ESTC and FOUR, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | ESTC | FOUR |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Elastic N.V. | Shift4 Payments, Inc. |
| Country | Netherlands | United States |
| GICS Sector | Information Technology | Financials |
| GICS Industry | Software | Financial Services |
| Market Capitalization | 9.36 billion USD | 6.95 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | October 5, 2018 | June 5, 2020 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ESTC 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 | ESTC | FOUR |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -1.61% | -4.36% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 0.19% | -21.91% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -14.97% | -10.20% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 9.23% | -11.90% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -0.67% | -14.41% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -14.73% | -25.42% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 1.43M | 2.51M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.90M | 1.68M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 37.53% | 40.59% |
| Beta | 1.05 | 1.72 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
ESTC
-9.36%
Software Industry
- Max
- 66.28%
- Q3
- 21.28%
- Median
- 9.33%
- Q1
- -8.77%
- Min
- -48.16%
ESTC has a negative Return on Equity of -9.36%. 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
- 39.28%
- Q3
- 18.88%
- Median
- 9.97%
- Q1
- 4.03%
- Min
- -10.25%
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)
ESTC
-5.38%
Software Industry
- Max
- 51.92%
- Q3
- 19.23%
- Median
- 6.98%
- Q1
- -7.14%
- Min
- -41.00%
ESTC has a negative Net Profit Margin of -5.38%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
FOUR
6.11%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 52.16%
- Q3
- 25.35%
- Median
- 12.68%
- Q1
- 6.11%
- Min
- -11.69%
FOUR’s Net Profit Margin of 6.11% 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.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
ESTC
-1.97%
Software Industry
- Max
- 60.40%
- Q3
- 21.25%
- Median
- 9.90%
- Q1
- -4.97%
- Min
- -43.50%
ESTC has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -1.97%. 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
- 75.57%
- Q3
- 37.78%
- Median
- 19.09%
- Q1
- 10.04%
- Min
- -19.42%
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 | ESTC | FOUR |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | -9.36% | 21.96% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -3.45% | 3.99% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -5.38% | 6.11% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -1.97% | 7.53% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 75.19% | 30.55% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
ESTC
2.09
Software Industry
- Max
- 4.29
- Q3
- 2.37
- Median
- 1.40
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- 0.25
ESTC’s Current Ratio of 2.09 aligns with the median group of the Software industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
FOUR
2.53
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 4.83
- Q3
- 2.70
- Median
- 1.44
- 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)
ESTC
0.59
Software Industry
- Max
- 2.16
- Q3
- 0.86
- Median
- 0.31
- Q1
- 0.00
- Min
- 0.00
ESTC’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.59 is typical for the Software 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
- 5.07
- Q3
- 2.14
- Median
- 0.66
- 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)
ESTC
-84.72
Software Industry
- Max
- 89.65
- Q3
- 32.64
- Median
- 1.00
- Q1
- -9.84
- Min
- -71.23
ESTC has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -84.72. 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 | ESTC | FOUR |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.09 | 2.53 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 2.00 | 2.49 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.59 | 2.34 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -84.72 | 14.17 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
ESTC
0.00%
Software Industry
- Max
- 0.22%
- Q3
- 0.11%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ESTC 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
- 8.12%
- Q3
- 3.37%
- Median
- 1.70%
- 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)
ESTC
0.00%
Software Industry
- Max
- 3.29%
- Q3
- 2.41%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ESTC 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
- 18.23%
- 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 | ESTC | FOUR |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
ESTC
--
Software Industry
- Max
- 145.74
- Q3
- 94.88
- Median
- 45.35
- Q1
- 26.66
- Min
- 8.80
P/E Ratio data for ESTC is currently unavailable.
FOUR
30.76
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 45.81
- Q3
- 30.21
- Median
- 16.29
- Q1
- 10.14
- Min
- 0.70
A P/E Ratio of 30.76 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)
ESTC
5.91
Software Industry
- Max
- 25.67
- Q3
- 13.68
- Median
- 8.28
- Q1
- 4.95
- Min
- 0.90
ESTC’s P/S Ratio of 5.91 aligns with the market consensus for the Software industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
FOUR
1.88
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 10.88
- Q3
- 5.34
- Median
- 2.64
- Q1
- 1.24
- Min
- 0.06
The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Financial Services industry.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
ESTC
9.09
Software Industry
- Max
- 30.67
- Q3
- 14.92
- Median
- 8.52
- Q1
- 3.89
- Min
- 0.38
ESTC’s P/B Ratio of 9.09 is within the conventional range for the Software 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
- 7.93
- Q3
- 3.78
- Median
- 1.49
- Q1
- 0.88
- Min
- 0.08
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 | ESTC | FOUR |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | -- | 30.76 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 5.91 | 1.88 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 9.09 | 5.45 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 29.20 | 17.82 |