Global Payments Inc. (GPN)
Global Payments provides merchant payment processing and software for businesses.
GPN vs PYPL: how the two businesses compare
- Bigger business: PYPL, with $33.2B of yearly revenue, about 4.3× GPN's $7.7B.
- More profitable: GPN keeps 18 cents of each sales dollar as profit, against 16 cents at PYPL.
- More cash from each sale: GPN turns 34 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 19 cents at PYPL.
From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.
PayPal (PYPL) is the larger business by reported revenue: $33.2B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 4.3× GPN's $7.7B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). GPN's net margin was 18.2% and PYPL's 15.8%. Both file with the SEC under the same industry code, SIC 7389 (Services-Business Services, NEC).
Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.
- Financials
- Business Services, NEC
- Same classification
- December 31
- Same calendar
- Feb 20, 2026
GPN vs PYPL: quick comparison
| Company fact | GPN | PYPL |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Global Payments Inc. | PayPal Holdings, Inc. |
| Exchange | NYSE | NASDAQ |
| SEC industry | Services-Business Services, NEC | Services-Business Services, NEC |
| Fiscal year-end | December 31 | December 31 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2026-02-20 | 10-K · 2026-02-03 |
GPN vs PYPL: audited financials
- Scale: PYPL's $33.2B of revenue is about 4.3× GPN's $7.7B.
- Net margin: GPN kept 18.2% of revenue as net income versus 15.8% at PYPL.
- Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled GPN 34.5% of revenue, or 1.90× net income; PYPL 19.3% of revenue, or 1.23× net income. A ratio well above 1× usually reflects non-cash charges or working-capital release; well below 1× can reflect working-capital build or non-cash gains.
- Periods: both fiscal years end on 2025-12-31, so these annual figures cover the same months.
| Metric | GPN | PYPL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $7.7B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $33.2B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Net income | $1.4B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $5.2B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Operating cash flow | $2.7B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $6.4B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Diluted EPS | $5.782025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $5.412025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Net margin | 18.2%2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | 15.8%2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
GPN: FY ending 2025-12-31 · PYPL: FY ending 2025-12-31. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.
Where GPN and PYPL overlap, and where they don't
Overlap
- Same SEC industry: both report under SIC 7389, Services-Business Services, NEC.
- Same fiscal calendar: both fiscal years end December 31.
Differences
- Only PYPL maps to International markets.
- Scale: PYPL reported about 4.3× the annual revenue of GPN.
Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.
PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL)
PayPal operates digital-payment platforms including PayPal, Venmo, and Braintree for online and in-store commerce.
What moves each company
Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.
What moves GPN
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for GPN. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-02-20.
What moves PYPL
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for PYPL. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-02-03.
The investment question
You now know PYPL reports about 4.3× GPN's revenue, and GPN keeps more of each dollar as net income. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about the services-business services, nec cycle, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.
Members-only research
What members are reading this month
- Issue 07: The Vote That Knocked Almost a Quarter off Data Center Stocks
Texas has frozen new data center approvals since the summer. The vote extends that freeze, but it cannot unplug campuses that already have power. We map who is exposed, test whether the sell-off overshot and say where the real risk sits.
- Citadel bought the AI fire sale. The seller had run out of time.
Up 439% in the first half, down about 67% in July: how an AI hedge fund ended up selling a roughly $16 billion stock book to Citadel at a discount.
The thesis, the numbers behind it, and what would break it. Full access is $39 a month.
Read the full researchSEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. Both fiscal years end December 31, so annual reports line up, but check segment definitions before comparing growth or margins.
The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 6 matched transaction rows for GPN and 36 matched transaction rows for PYPL. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
GPN primary filings
PYPL primary filings
What this comparison cannot tell you
This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.
A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.
More comparisons involving GPN or PYPL
GPN vs PYPL FAQs
Are GPN and PYPL direct competitors?
Global Payments and PayPal share the SEC industry classification “Services-Business Services, NEC.” That makes the operating comparison relevant, but it does not prove that every product, customer, or revenue stream competes directly.
Is GPN or PYPL the bigger company by revenue?
PayPal (PYPL) is the larger business by reported revenue: $33.2B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 4.3× GPN's $7.7B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). GPN's net margin was 18.2% and PYPL's 15.8%. Both file with the SEC under the same industry code, SIC 7389 (Services-Business Services, NEC). Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.
Which is better, GPN or PYPL?
There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.
Does this GPN vs PYPL comparison include live prices?
No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Global Payments Inc. and PayPal Holdings, Inc. tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.
Where does the company information come from?
Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-11-09. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-11-09. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?
GPN vs PYPL compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.
Members-only research
$39/mo or $249/yr · cancel future renewals anytime · sources included