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PYPL vs. V: PayPal vs. Visa Stock Comparison

How do PayPal (PYPL) and Visa (V) 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 Visa (V) are both classified in the Transaction & Payment Processing Services sub-industry within the broader Financial Services industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for PayPal (PYPL) and Visa (V)
Profile ItemPYPLV
NamePayPal Holdings, Inc.Visa Inc. Class A
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupFinancial ServicesFinancial Services
GICS IndustryFinancial ServicesFinancial Services
GICS Sub-IndustryTransaction & Payment Processing ServicesTransaction & Payment Processing Services
Market Capitalization49.21 billion USD788.58 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateJuly 6, 2015March 19, 2008
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

PYPL
V
GSPC
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PayPal (PYPL) vs. Visa (V), 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 Visa (V). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for PayPal (PYPL) and Visa (V)
MetricPYPLV
Total Return (1Y)-7.44%27.50%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)4.14%21.55%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-21.48%15.65%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

PYPL
V
GSPC
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PayPal (PYPL) vs. Visa (V), 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 Visa (V). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for PayPal (PYPL) and Visa (V)
MetricPYPLV
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)42.40%22.99%
Beta (5Y)1.280.78
Max Drawdown (5Y)-81.84%-24.14%
Avg. Volume (3M)11.78M6.56M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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PYPL and V 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 Visa (V)
MetricPYPLV
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.281.01
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.371.64

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Visa (V) at 63.51% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; PayPal (PYPL) at 23.83% also sits in the top quartile.

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%

V

Financial Services industry group

63.51%

V
63.51%
Max
44.78%
Q3
21.85%
Median
12.91%
Q1
4.48%
Min
-18.71%
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PayPal (PYPL) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their ROE against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Visa (V) at 51.20% 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%

V

Financial Services industry group

51.20%

Max
62.84%
V
51.20%
Q3
28.05%
Median
15.36%
Q1
4.82%
Min
-28.52%
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PayPal (PYPL) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their net margin against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Visa (V) at 63.73% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of PayPal (PYPL) at 18.41%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

V

Financial Services industry group

63.73%

Max
107.33%
V
63.73%
Q3
55.90%
Median
30.09%
Q1
14.60%
Min
-44.34%
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PayPal (PYPL) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their operating margin against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for PayPal (PYPL) and Visa (V)
MetricPYPLV
ROE (TTM)23.83%63.51%
ROA (TTM)4.70%19.61%
Net Margin (TTM)13.78%51.20%
Operating Margin (TTM)18.41%63.73%
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both PayPal (PYPL) at 4.32% and Visa (V) at 14.76% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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PayPal (PYPL) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both PayPal (PYPL) at 35.59% and Visa (V) at 20.78% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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PayPal (PYPL) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for PayPal (PYPL) and Visa (V)
MetricPYPLV
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.32%14.76%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)6.43%12.02%
EPS Growth (YoY)35.59%20.78%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)37.30%14.16%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: PayPal (PYPL) in Financial Services and Visa (V) 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 Visa (V) 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 Visa (V)
MetricPYPLV
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both PayPal (PYPL) at 0.95% and Visa (V) at 0.66% 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%

V

Financial Services industry group

0.66%

Max
9.77%
Q3
3.92%
Median
1.09%
V
0.66%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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PayPal (PYPL) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both PayPal (PYPL) at 10.69% and Visa (V) at 21.75% 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%

V

Financial Services industry group

21.75%

Max
241.07%
Q3
97.36%
Median
25.77%
V
21.75%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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PayPal (PYPL) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for PayPal (PYPL) and Visa (V)
MetricPYPLV
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.95%0.66%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)10.69%21.75%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

PayPal (PYPL) at 11.31 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Visa (V) at 34.31 sits in the richer quartile — V needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

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

V

Financial Services industry group

34.31

Max
45.85
V
34.31
Q3
24.64
Median
15.37
Q1
9.68
Min
0.16
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PayPal (PYPL) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

PayPal (PYPL) at 1.43 prices around its industry’s typical P/S ratio, while Visa (V) at 17.18 clears its benchmark range — V looks notably rich on sales.

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

V

Financial Services industry group

17.18

V
17.18
Max
9.23
Q3
4.57
Median
2.72
Q1
1.28
Min
-0.55
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PayPal (PYPL) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

PayPal (PYPL) at 2.55 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Visa (V) at 22.05 prices above its benchmark range — V looks rich relative to book.

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

V

Financial Services industry group

22.05

V
22.05
Max
7.79
Q3
3.63
Median
1.57
Q1
0.81
Min
-0.39
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PayPal (PYPL) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for PayPal (PYPL) and Visa (V)
MetricPYPLV
P/E Ratio (TTM)11.3134.31
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.4317.18
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.5522.05
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----