FOUR vs. MSI: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at FOUR and MSI, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | FOUR | MSI |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Shift4 Payments, Inc. | Motorola Solutions, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry | Financial Services | Communications Equipment |
| Market Capitalization | 7.97 billion USD | 78.34 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | June 5, 2020 | January 2, 1962 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of FOUR and MSI 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 | FOUR | MSI |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 8.13% | 5.64% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 0.02% | 13.87% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -24.97% | -2.47% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 23.46% | 13.92% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -12.53% | 7.11% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -13.19% | 1.72% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 3.53M | 1.24M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.88M | 0.96M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 44.54% | 15.10% |
| Beta | 1.73 | 1.00 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
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.
MSI
127.51%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 32.05%
- Q3
- 19.58%
- Median
- 11.77%
- Q1
- 2.23%
- Min
- -11.93%
MSI’s Return on Equity of 127.51% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Communications Equipment industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
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.
MSI
19.08%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 23.65%
- Q3
- 14.32%
- Median
- 5.31%
- Q1
- 1.45%
- Min
- -12.72%
A Net Profit Margin of 19.08% places MSI in the upper quartile for the Communications Equipment industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
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.
MSI
25.23%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 42.27%
- Q3
- 18.90%
- Median
- 6.21%
- Q1
- 2.97%
- Min
- -20.72%
An Operating Profit Margin of 25.23% places MSI in the upper quartile for the Communications Equipment industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | FOUR | MSI |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 21.96% | 127.51% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 3.99% | 14.27% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 6.11% | 19.08% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 7.53% | 25.23% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 30.55% | 51.34% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
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.
MSI
1.73
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 1.72
- Q3
- 1.72
- Median
- 1.46
- Q1
- 1.18
- Min
- 0.93
MSI’s Current Ratio of 1.73 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Communications Equipment 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.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
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.
MSI
3.93
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 1.55
- Q3
- 0.92
- Median
- 0.55
- Q1
- 0.30
- Min
- 0.00
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 3.93, MSI operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Communications Equipment industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
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.
MSI
8.92
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 181.73
- Q3
- 113.63
- Median
- 7.59
- Q1
- 3.82
- Min
- -5.39
MSI’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 8.92 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Communications Equipment industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | FOUR | MSI |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.53 | 1.73 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 2.49 | 1.54 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 2.34 | 3.93 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 14.17 | 8.92 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
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.
MSI
0.88%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 3.88%
- Q3
- 2.75%
- Median
- 0.93%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
MSI’s Dividend Yield of 0.88% is consistent with its peers in the Communications Equipment industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
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.
MSI
32.70%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 111.16%
- Q3
- 55.91%
- Median
- 28.42%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
MSI’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 32.70% is within the typical range for the Communications Equipment industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | FOUR | MSI |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.88% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 32.70% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
FOUR
35.99
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 63.23
- Q3
- 32.10
- Median
- 14.41
- Q1
- 10.81
- Min
- 0.37
A P/E Ratio of 35.99 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.
MSI
37.04
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 57.30
- Q3
- 47.92
- Median
- 27.50
- Q1
- 17.89
- Min
- 13.89
MSI’s P/E Ratio of 37.04 is within the middle range for the Communications Equipment industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
FOUR
2.20
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.
MSI
7.06
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 11.03
- Q3
- 5.53
- Median
- 2.20
- Q1
- 0.99
- Min
- 0.40
MSI’s P/S Ratio of 7.06 is in the upper echelon for the Communications Equipment industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
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.
MSI
35.66
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 9.66
- Q3
- 5.60
- Median
- 3.73
- Q1
- 2.67
- Min
- 0.30
At 35.66, MSI’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Communications Equipment 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | FOUR | MSI |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 35.99 | 37.04 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.20 | 7.06 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 5.45 | 35.66 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 20.85 | 32.87 |