Shift4 Payments (FOUR) vs Paymentus (PAY)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Paymentus (PAY) has outperformed Shift4 Payments (FOUR) over the past year, losing 3.1% versus a loss of 50.1%. Over five years, PAY leads with a +30.3% price change compared with -48.5% for FOUR. Paymentus is the larger company by market cap ($3.94 billion vs $3.08 billion), about 1.3 times the size.
On valuation, Shift4 Payments trades at a lower forward P/E (6.4x vs 28.7x for Paymentus). Paymentus converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 5.6% versus 2.8%.
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 | PAY |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $38.99 | $31.32 |
| Market cap | $3.08B | $3.94B |
| 1-day change | +1.27% | -1.23% |
| YTD return | -38.08% | -0.85% |
| 1-year return | -50.08% | -3.12% |
| 5-year return | -48.46% | +30.28% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 60.92 | 48.18 |
| Forward P/E | 6.43 | 28.71 |
| EPS (TTM) | $0.64 | $0.65 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $4.18B | $1.20B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +25.49% | +37.25% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $119.00M | $66.94M |
| Gross margin | 34.16% | 24.77% |
| Operating margin | 8.40% | 6.31% |
| Net margin | 2.85% | 5.59% |
| 52-week high | $80.98 | $45.31 |
| 52-week low | $34.56 | $20.11 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -51.85% | -30.88% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +38.24% | +28.16% |
| Average volume | 1.82M | 1.17M |
| Shares outstanding | 78.96M | 63.11M |
| Employees | 6,300 | 1,340 |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Consumer Discretionary |
| Industry | Business Services | Business 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
- PAY has outperformed FOUR by 47.0 percentage points over the past year.
- Shift4 Payments trades at a higher earnings multiple (60.9x vs 48.2x trailing P/E).
- Paymentus grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+37.25% vs +25.49%).
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 Paymentus
PAY stock →Paymentus Holdings, Inc. provides cloud-based bill payment technology and solutions in the United States and internationally.
Consumer Discretionary · Business Services · 1,340 employees
FOUR vs PAY FAQ
Which is bigger, Shift4 Payments or Paymentus?
Paymentus (PAY) is larger, with a market capitalization of $3.94B compared with $3.08B for Shift4 Payments (FOUR).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, FOUR or PAY?
PAY returned -3.12% 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 PAY?
PAY has the lower trailing P/E at 48.2, 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 Paymentus in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Business Services industry within the Consumer Discretionary sector.