Discover Financial Services (DFS) vs PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL)
A side-by-side comparison of Discover Financial Services and PayPal Holdings, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of September 11, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
DFS
Discover Financial Services
$200.05Financial ServicesDelayed quote: May 16, 2025, 4:00 PM EDT
PYPL
PayPal Holdings, Inc.
$53.72Financial ServicesDelayed quote: Sep 11, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — DFS vs PYPL
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10yDFS +333.2% (+15.8%/yr)PYPL +95.0% (+6.9%/yr)DFS compounded faster over this window
DFS PYPL
DFS vs PYPL: by the numbers
- •DFS is the larger company ($50.34B vs $45.96B market cap).
- •PYPL trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (10.16 vs 10.67 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •DFS converts more revenue to profit (21.65% vs 14.36% net margin).
- •DFS grew revenue faster over the past five years (13.84% vs 7.43% CAGR).
- •PYPL pays a dividend (0.81% yield), while DFS is a former payer with no current dividend run rate.
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | DFS | PYPL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 10.67 | 10.16 |
| Forward P/E | 12.59 | 9.97 |
| P/S ratio | 2.27 | 1.35 |
| P/B ratio | 2.65 | 2.32 |
Profitability
| Metric | DFS | PYPL |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 89.46% | 45.75% |
| Operating margin | 88.29% | 18.78% |
| Net margin | 21.65% | 14.36% |
| ROE | 25.29% | 24.73% |
Dividends
| Metric | DFS | PYPL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | N/A | 0.81% |
| Payout ratio | N/A | 7.94% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | DFS | PYPL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 13.84% | 7.43% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 14.26% | 8.81% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 42.81% | -28.73% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, DFS or PYPL?
- PYPL has the lower trailing P/E: DFS trades at 10.67 and PYPL at 10.16. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, DFS or PYPL?
- Over the past five years, DFS grew revenue faster — DFS at a 13.84% CAGR versus PYPL at 7.43%.
- Does DFS or PYPL pay a bigger dividend?
- PYPL pays a dividend (0.81% yield), while DFS is a former payer with no current dividend run rate.
- Is DFS or PYPL more profitable?
- DFS runs the higher net margin — DFS at 21.65% versus PYPL at 14.36%.
- How have DFS and PYPL total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, DFS delivered 15.41% and PYPL delivered 3.33% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Discover Financial Services P/E ratioPayPal P/E ratioPayPal dividend yieldDiscover Financial Services ROEPayPal ROEDiscover Financial Services operating marginPayPal operating marginDiscover Financial Services revenue growthPayPal revenue growth
Discover Financial Services & 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 September 11, 2026.