PYPL vs. SYF: PayPal vs. Synchrony Financial Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do PayPal (PYPL) and Synchrony Financial (SYF) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

PayPal (PYPL) and Synchrony Financial (SYF) both fall under the Financial Services industry group, but PYPL is classified in Financial Services while SYF is classified in Consumer Finance.

Company profile comparison for PayPal (PYPL) and Synchrony Financial (SYF)
Profile Item	PYPL	SYF
Name	PayPal Holdings, Inc.	Synchrony Financial
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Financials	Financials
GICS Industry Group	Financial Services	Financial Services
GICS Industry	Financial Services	Consumer Finance
GICS Sub-Industry	Transaction & Payment Processing Services	Consumer Finance
Market Capitalization	49.21 billion USD	23.99 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	Nasdaq	NYSE
Listing Date	July 6, 2015	July 31, 2014
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

PYPL

SYF

GSPC

PayPal (PYPL) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for PayPal (PYPL) and Synchrony Financial (SYF). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for PayPal (PYPL) and Synchrony Financial (SYF). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for PayPal (PYPL) and Synchrony Financial (SYF)
Metric	PYPL	SYF
Total Return (1Y)	-7.44%	2.84%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	4.14%	39.02%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	-21.48%	10.89%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

PYPL

SYF

GSPC

PayPal (PYPL) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for PayPal (PYPL) and Synchrony Financial (SYF). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for PayPal (PYPL) and Synchrony Financial (SYF)
Metric	PYPL	SYF
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	42.40%	31.32%
Beta (5Y)	1.28	1.40
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-81.84%	-44.60%
Avg. Volume (3M)	11.78M	3.37M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

PYPL and SYF are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for PayPal (PYPL) and Synchrony Financial (SYF)
Metric	PYPL	SYF
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	-0.28	-0.05
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	-0.37	-0.06

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

PayPal (PYPL) at 23.83% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 19.83% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for PYPL.

PYPL

Financial Services industry group

23.83%

Max: 44.78%
PYPL: 23.83%
Q3: 21.85%
Median: 12.91%
Q1: 4.48%
Min: -18.71%

SYF

Financial Services industry group

19.83%

Max: 44.78%
Q3: 21.85%
SYF: 19.83%
Median: 12.91%
Q1: 4.48%
Min: -18.71%

PayPal (PYPL) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their ROE against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 34.07% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of PayPal (PYPL) at 13.78%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

PYPL

Financial Services industry group

13.78%

Max: 62.84%
Q3: 28.05%
Median: 15.36%
PYPL: 13.78%
Q1: 4.82%
Min: -28.52%

SYF

Financial Services industry group

34.07%

Max: 62.84%
SYF: 34.07%
Q3: 28.05%
Median: 15.36%
Q1: 4.82%
Min: -28.52%

PayPal (PYPL) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their net margin against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both PayPal (PYPL) at 18.41% and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 49.84% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

PYPL

Financial Services industry group

18.41%

Max: 107.33%
Q3: 55.90%
Median: 30.09%
PYPL: 18.41%
Q1: 14.60%
Min: -44.34%

SYF

Financial Services industry group

49.84%

Max: 107.33%
Q3: 55.90%
SYF: 49.84%
Median: 30.09%
Q1: 14.60%
Min: -44.34%

PayPal (PYPL) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their operating margin against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for PayPal (PYPL) and Synchrony Financial (SYF)
Metric	PYPL	SYF
ROE (TTM)	23.83%	19.83%
ROA (TTM)	4.70%	2.78%
Net Margin (TTM)	13.78%	34.07%
Operating Margin (TTM)	18.41%	49.84%
Gross Margin (TTM)	--	--

Growth

Revenue Growth

PayPal (PYPL) at 4.32% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Synchrony Financial (SYF) at -0.50% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

PayPal (PYPL) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both PayPal (PYPL) at 35.59% and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 8.54% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

PayPal (PYPL) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for PayPal (PYPL) and Synchrony Financial (SYF)
Metric	PYPL	SYF
Revenue Growth (YoY)	4.32%	-0.50%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	6.43%	8.67%
EPS Growth (YoY)	35.59%	8.54%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	37.30%	14.70%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: PayPal (PYPL) in Financial Services and Synchrony Financial (SYF) in Financial Services both report balance sheets without a current/non-current split, so their short-term liquidity is better judged through regulatory and funding measures.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

debt-to-equity ratio is set aside for both: PayPal (PYPL) in Financial Services and Synchrony Financial (SYF) in Financial Services run businesses where balance-sheet leverage is part of the model, so capital-adequacy and funding measures are the better gauges of balance-sheet risk.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for PayPal (PYPL) and Synchrony Financial (SYF)
Metric	PYPL	SYF
Current Ratio (MRQ)	--	--
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	--	--
Net Debt / EBITDA	--	--

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both PayPal (PYPL) at 0.95% and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 1.67% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

PYPL

Financial Services industry group

0.95%

Max: 9.77%
Q3: 3.92%
Median: 1.09%
PYPL: 0.95%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

SYF

Financial Services industry group

1.67%

Max: 9.77%
Q3: 3.92%
SYF: 1.67%
Median: 1.09%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

PayPal (PYPL) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both PayPal (PYPL) at 10.69% and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 12.94% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

PYPL

Financial Services industry group

10.69%

Max: 241.07%
Q3: 97.36%
Median: 25.77%
PYPL: 10.69%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

SYF

Financial Services industry group

12.94%

Max: 241.07%
Q3: 97.36%
Median: 25.77%
SYF: 12.94%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

PayPal (PYPL) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for PayPal (PYPL) and Synchrony Financial (SYF)
Metric	PYPL	SYF
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.95%	1.67%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	10.69%	12.94%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 7.70 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while PayPal (PYPL) at 11.31 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for SYF, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

PYPL

Financial Services industry group

11.31

Max: 45.85
Q3: 24.64
Median: 15.37
PYPL: 11.31
Q1: 9.68
Min: 0.16

SYF

Financial Services industry group

7.70

Max: 45.85
Q3: 24.64
Median: 15.37
Q1: 9.68
SYF: 7.70
Min: 0.16

PayPal (PYPL) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both PayPal (PYPL) at 1.43 and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 2.45 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

PYPL

Financial Services industry group

1.43

Max: 9.23
Q3: 4.57
Median: 2.72
PYPL: 1.43
Q1: 1.28
Min: -0.55

SYF

Financial Services industry group

2.45

Max: 9.23
Q3: 4.57
Median: 2.72
SYF: 2.45
Q1: 1.28
Min: -0.55

PayPal (PYPL) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both PayPal (PYPL) at 2.55 and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 1.55 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

PYPL

Financial Services industry group

2.55

Max: 7.79
Q3: 3.63
PYPL: 2.55
Median: 1.57
Q1: 0.81
Min: -0.39

SYF

Financial Services industry group

1.55

Max: 7.79
Q3: 3.63
Median: 1.57
SYF: 1.55
Q1: 0.81
Min: -0.39

PayPal (PYPL) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for PayPal (PYPL) and Synchrony Financial (SYF)
Metric	PYPL	SYF
P/E Ratio (TTM)	11.31	7.70
P/S Ratio (TTM)	1.43	2.45
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	2.55	1.55
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	--	--