American Express Company (AXP) vs PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL)
PYPL leads on 9 of 17 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of American Express Company and PayPal Holdings, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 13, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
AXP
American Express Company
$325.44Financial Services
PYPL
PayPal Holdings, Inc.
$41.53Financial Services
Total return — AXP vs PYPL
growth of $100 · last 11yAXP +319.4%PYPL +13.1%AXP compounded faster
AXP PYPL
AXP vs PYPL: by the numbers
- •AXP is the larger company ($222.06B vs $36.63B market cap).
- •PYPL trades at the lower earnings multiple (7.79 vs 20.30 P/E).
- •PYPL converts more revenue to profit (15.00% vs 13.61% net margin).
- •AXP grew revenue faster over the past five years (17.35% vs 8.09% CAGR).
- •AXP pays the higher dividend yield (1.05% vs 1.01%).
Which is better, AXP or PYPL?
Metric tally: AXP 8 · PYPL 9It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValuePYPL(lower P/E)
GrowthAXP(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeAXP(higher dividend yield)
QualityPYPL(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | AXP | PYPL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 20.30 | 7.79● |
| Forward P/E | 16.15 | 7.21● |
| P/S ratio | 2.71 | 1.13● |
| P/B ratio | 6.57 | 1.91● |
| PEG ratio | 2.43 | 0.30● |
| EV / EBITDA | 12.49 | 5.62● |
| FCF yield | 6.41% | 14.43%● |
Profitability
| Metric | AXP | PYPL |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 83.50%● | 46.12% |
| Operating margin | 20.70%● | 17.85% |
| Net margin | 13.61% | 15.00%● |
| ROE | 33.00%● | 25.26% |
| ROIC | 8.29% | 14.95%● |
Dividends
| Metric | AXP | PYPL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.05%● | 1.01% |
| Payout ratio | 22.13% | 7.69% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | AXP | PYPL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 17.35%● | 8.09% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 32.53%● | 8.81% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 10.67%● | 0.75% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 16.01%● | -31.17% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, AXP or PYPL?
- It depends on your goal. value: PYPL (lower P/E); growth: AXP (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: AXP (higher dividend yield); quality: PYPL (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, PYPL leads 9 to 8.
- Is AXP or PYPL cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, PYPL is cheaper: AXP trades at a 20.30 P/E and PYPL at 7.79.
- Which has grown faster, AXP or PYPL?
- Over the past five years, AXP grew revenue faster — AXP at a 17.35% CAGR versus PYPL at 8.09%.
- Does AXP or PYPL pay a bigger dividend?
- AXP yields 1.05% and PYPL yields 1.01% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is AXP or PYPL more profitable?
- PYPL runs the higher net margin — AXP at 13.61% versus PYPL at 15.00%.
- Which has been the better investment, AXP or PYPL?
- Over the past 10-year, AXP delivered the higher annualized total return — AXP at 19.13% versus PYPL at 1.31%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
American Express P/E ratioPayPal P/E ratioAmerican Express dividend yieldPayPal dividend yieldAmerican Express ROEPayPal ROEAmerican Express operating marginPayPal operating marginAmerican Express revenue growthPayPal revenue growthAmerican Express free cash flowPayPal free cash flow
American Express & PayPal appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 13, 2026.