FOUR vs. PLTR: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at FOUR and PLTR, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | FOUR | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Shift4 Payments, Inc. | Palantir Technologies Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry | Financial Services | Software |
| Market Capitalization | 8.00 billion USD | 370.11 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | June 5, 2020 | September 30, 2020 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of FOUR and PLTR 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 | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.56% | -13.82% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 0.57% | 23.49% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -24.20% | 32.31% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 10.81% | 380.03% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -12.14% | -1.48% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -12.80% | 106.28% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.22M | 83.99M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.82M | 84.29M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 42.64% | 51.20% |
| Beta | 1.74 | 2.64 |
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.
PLTR
14.64%
Software Industry
- Max
- 59.01%
- Q3
- 21.98%
- Median
- 7.15%
- Q1
- -11.12%
- Min
- -51.24%
PLTR’s Return on Equity of 14.64% is on par with the norm for the Software industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
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.
PLTR
22.18%
Software Industry
- Max
- 48.14%
- Q3
- 18.23%
- Median
- 5.60%
- Q1
- -9.22%
- Min
- -49.36%
A Net Profit Margin of 22.18% places PLTR in the upper quartile for the Software 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.
PLTR
16.55%
Software Industry
- Max
- 57.34%
- Q3
- 20.60%
- Median
- 7.84%
- Q1
- -8.72%
- Min
- -51.37%
PLTR’s Operating Profit Margin of 16.55% is around the midpoint for the Software industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | FOUR | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 21.96% | 14.64% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 3.99% | 11.65% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 6.11% | 22.18% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 7.53% | 16.55% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 30.55% | 80.03% |
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.
PLTR
6.32
Software Industry
- Max
- 3.83
- Q3
- 2.31
- Median
- 1.45
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- 0.24
PLTR’s Current Ratio of 6.32 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Software 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.
PLTR
0.00
Software Industry
- Max
- 2.14
- Q3
- 0.90
- Median
- 0.29
- Q1
- 0.00
- Min
- 0.00
PLTR’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.00 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.
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.
PLTR
-1.53
Software Industry
- Max
- 67.02
- Q3
- 19.86
- Median
- 0.70
- Q1
- -12.50
- Min
- -53.00
PLTR has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -1.53. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | FOUR | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.53 | 6.32 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 2.49 | 6.19 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 2.34 | 0.00 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 14.17 | -1.53 |
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.
PLTR
0.00%
Software Industry
- Max
- 0.08%
- Q3
- 0.03%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
PLTR 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)
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.
PLTR
0.00%
Software Industry
- Max
- 1.32%
- Q3
- 0.53%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
PLTR 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 | FOUR | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
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.
PLTR
485.17
Software Industry
- Max
- 149.35
- Q3
- 100.21
- Median
- 47.97
- Q1
- 26.77
- Min
- 11.68
At 485.17, PLTR’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Software industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
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.
PLTR
107.63
Software Industry
- Max
- 25.24
- Q3
- 13.52
- Median
- 8.15
- Q1
- 4.87
- Min
- 0.98
With a P/S Ratio of 107.63, PLTR trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Software industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
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.
PLTR
54.26
Software Industry
- Max
- 30.95
- Q3
- 14.91
- Median
- 7.75
- Q1
- 3.60
- Min
- 0.38
At 54.26, PLTR’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Software 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 | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 36.29 | 485.17 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.22 | 107.63 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 5.45 | 54.26 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 21.02 | 216.73 |