FOUR vs. SMCI: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at FOUR and SMCI, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | FOUR | SMCI |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Shift4 Payments, Inc. | Super Micro Computer, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry | Financial Services | Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals |
| Market Capitalization | 7.97 billion USD | 27.50 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | June 5, 2020 | March 29, 2007 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of FOUR and SMCI 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 | SMCI |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 8.13% | -1.29% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 0.02% | 37.44% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -24.97% | 36.14% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 23.46% | -14.84% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -12.53% | -21.88% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -13.19% | 51.15% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 3.53M | 46.16M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.88M | 45.64M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 44.54% | 81.65% |
| Beta | 1.73 | 1.59 |
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.
SMCI
16.92%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 47.24%
- Q3
- 29.40%
- Median
- 9.11%
- Q1
- 6.06%
- Min
- -0.79%
SMCI’s Return on Equity of 16.92% is on par with the norm for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals 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.
SMCI
4.77%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 13.86%
- Q3
- 8.17%
- Median
- 4.62%
- Q1
- 3.65%
- Min
- -0.21%
SMCI’s Net Profit Margin of 4.77% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
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.
SMCI
5.56%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 17.80%
- Q3
- 10.33%
- Median
- 6.31%
- Q1
- 4.86%
- Min
- 2.53%
SMCI’s Operating Profit Margin of 5.56% is around the midpoint for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | FOUR | SMCI |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 21.96% | 16.92% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 3.99% | 9.25% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 6.11% | 4.77% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 7.53% | 5.56% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 30.55% | 11.06% |
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.
SMCI
5.32
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 2.47
- Q3
- 1.98
- Median
- 1.40
- Q1
- 1.26
- Min
- 0.70
SMCI’s Current Ratio of 5.32 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals 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.
SMCI
0.76
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 1.47
- Q3
- 0.93
- Median
- 0.32
- Q1
- 0.19
- Min
- 0.00
SMCI’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.76 is typical for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals 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.
SMCI
21.34
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 204.63
- Q3
- 90.22
- Median
- 21.70
- Q1
- 6.79
- Min
- -23.93
SMCI’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 21.34 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | FOUR | SMCI |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.53 | 5.32 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 2.49 | 3.22 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 2.34 | 0.76 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 14.17 | 21.34 |
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.
SMCI
0.00%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 4.50%
- Q3
- 3.66%
- Median
- 1.90%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
SMCI 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.
SMCI
0.00%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 142.87%
- Q3
- 66.07%
- Median
- 42.79%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
SMCI 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 | SMCI |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
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.
SMCI
26.23
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 43.16
- Q3
- 27.56
- Median
- 17.85
- Q1
- 12.48
- Min
- 6.21
SMCI’s P/E Ratio of 26.23 is within the middle range for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals 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.
SMCI
1.25
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 4.27
- Q3
- 1.99
- Median
- 0.93
- Q1
- 0.45
- Min
- 0.04
SMCI’s P/S Ratio of 1.25 aligns with the market consensus for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
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.
SMCI
4.64
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 12.51
- Q3
- 6.11
- Median
- 1.73
- Q1
- 1.01
- Min
- 0.31
SMCI’s P/B Ratio of 4.64 is within the conventional range for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | FOUR | SMCI |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 35.99 | 26.23 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.20 | 1.25 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 5.45 | 4.64 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 20.85 | 15.29 |