Shift4 Payments (FOUR) vs NetScout Systems (NTCT)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
NetScout Systems (NTCT) has outperformed Shift4 Payments (FOUR) over the past year, gaining 54.3% versus a loss of 50.1%. Over five years, NTCT leads with a +43.4% price change compared with -48.5% for FOUR. Shift4 Payments is the larger company by market cap ($3.08 billion vs $2.91 billion), about 1.1 times the size.
On valuation, Shift4 Payments trades at a lower forward P/E (6.4x vs 14.3x for NetScout Systems).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | FOUR | NTCT |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $38.99 | $40.07 |
| Market cap | $3.08B | $2.91B |
| 1-day change | +1.27% | -2.24% |
| YTD return | -38.08% | +48.08% |
| 1-year return | -50.08% | +54.29% |
| 5-year return | -48.46% | +43.36% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 60.92 | 25.20 |
| Forward P/E | 6.43 | 14.33 |
| EPS (TTM) | $0.64 | $1.59 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 52-week high | $80.98 | $45.28 |
| 52-week low | $34.56 | $25.20 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -51.85% | -11.51% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | none |
| Avg. price target upside | +38.24% | +8.26% |
| Average volume | 1.82M | 606.06K |
| Shares outstanding | 78.96M | 72.71M |
| Employees | 6,300 | 2,052 |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Technology |
| Industry | Business Services | EDP Services |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- NTCT has outperformed FOUR by 104.4 percentage points over the past year.
- Shift4 Payments trades at a higher earnings multiple (60.9x vs 25.2x trailing P/E).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Shift4 Payments in Consumer Discretionary and NetScout Systems in Technology.
About Shift4 Payments
FOUR stock →Shift4 Payments, Inc. engages in the provision of software and payment processing solutions in the United States and internationally.
Consumer Discretionary · Business Services · 6,300 employees
About NetScout Systems
NTCT stock →NetScout Systems, Inc. provides carrier service assurance, cybersecurity, and Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) solutions to protect digital business services against disruptions.
Technology · EDP Services · 2,052 employees
FOUR vs NTCT FAQ
Which is bigger, Shift4 Payments or NetScout Systems?
Shift4 Payments (FOUR) is larger, with a market capitalization of $3.08B compared with $2.91B for NetScout Systems (NTCT).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, FOUR or NTCT?
NTCT returned +54.29% over the past 12 months, compared with -50.08% for FOUR (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, FOUR or NTCT?
NTCT has the lower trailing P/E at 25.2, versus 60.9 for FOUR. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Are Shift4 Payments and NetScout Systems in the same industry?
No. Shift4 Payments is in the Consumer Discretionary sector, while NetScout Systems is in Technology.