Fundamental analysis · SEC EDGAR · TTM through 31/03/2026

Fundamental analysis of PayPal Holdings, Inc.

PYPL · Nasdaq · Financial

Fundamental quality

ATTRACTIVE

78

out of 100

PayPal Holdings, Inc. fits the profile of a quality compounder: it pairs high return on capital (ROE 25.3%) with wide margins (net margin 15%) and a business that keeps growing (9% a year). On fundamental quality it scores 78 out of 100, profiling it as a company with solid fundamentals. Its weakest area is its growth (revenue +9%/yr). Whether it's cheap or expensive depends on the current price, which you can compute in the tool.

What the company does

PayPal is one of the world's most widespread digital-payments platforms: it processes online purchases through its checkout buttons (PayPal, Venmo, Braintree) and takes a fee per transaction. A sector pioneer, it now fights to reignite growth.

What will shape its future

  • Brutal payments competition (Apple Pay, Google Pay, embedded cards), which erodes its checkout share.
  • Its ability to better monetize Venmo and its merchant services (Braintree).
  • Global e-commerce volume, the tide that rises or falls for the whole sector.

Breakdown by area

I.Growth
56

EPS growth: 8.1% · Revenue growth: 9%

II.Profitability
85

Net margin: 15% · ROE: 25.3% · ROIC: 21.2%

III.Financial health
92

Net debt/EBITDA: 0.35x · FCF: 16.3%

Source: SEC EDGAR · TTM through 31/03/2026

The score combines growth, profitability and financial strength. Here its financial strength weighs in its favor, while its growth drags it down the most.

Versus its sector

Percentile against the other 71 Financial companies in our coverage: how far it beats them on each metric (100 = best in sector).

Net marginbeats 49%
ROEbeats 86%
Growthbeats 51%
Cash generationbeats 42%
Less debtbeats 64%

Computed from the daily dataset scores. A high percentile places the company among the best in its sector on that metric; it is not a buy recommendation.

Key concepts

What do these metrics mean? Fundamental analysis · What is the P/E · What is EPS · What is ROE · Net & gross margin · Free cash flow

PayPal Holdings, Inc. strengths

  • Outstanding return on equity (ROE of 25.3%): it puts shareholder capital to good use.
  • Strong free-cash-flow generation (FCF margin of 16.3%): profit turns into real cash.
  • High net margin (15%): the business is clearly profitable.
  • Revenue rising without interruption since 2020.

PayPal Holdings, Inc. risks and weaknesses

  • Shrinking margins: net margin has fallen from 20% to 16% in recent years.

PayPal Holdings, Inc. historical evolution

YearRevenueNet incomeFree cash flowNet debt
202021,4544,2025,3534,145
202125,3714,1694,8892,852
202227,5182,4195,1072,641
202329,7714,2464,220595
202431,7974,1476,7673,217
202533,1725,2335,5641,938

Between 2020 and 2025, revenue went from $21,454M to $33,172M (+55%) and net income went from $4,202M to $5,233M (+25%). Meanwhile, its margins have narrowed (from 20% to 16%).

Annual figures in millions of U.S. dollars ($M) per SEC filings. Net debt is total debt minus cash.

Latest results

Versus the same period a year earlier

Figures for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, versus the quarter ended March 31, 2025 (SEC filings):

  • Revenue+7.2%
  • Net income-13.5%

Automatic comparison between the two most recent periods filed with the SEC. One quarter doesn't make a trend: read it alongside the historical evolution above.

Dividend

$0.14

per share, yearly

2.5% of earnings

Payout

The dividend yield depends on today's price. Compute it in the analyzer → · See all dividend-paying stocks →

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Is PayPal Holdings, Inc. cheap or expensive?

That depends on the current price. Look it up, enter it in the tool and get the full valuation verdict (P/E against its sector).

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Frequently asked questions

Is PayPal Holdings, Inc. a good company to invest in?

In terms of business quality, PayPal Holdings, Inc. scores 78 out of 100 in our analysis, placing it as a company of high fundamental quality. That said, this isn't a recommendation: whether it's a good investment also depends on its current price and your goals.

Is PayPal Holdings, Inc. a profitable company?

Yes. PayPal Holdings, Inc. shows a net margin of 15% and an ROE of 25.3%, a sign of a profitable business.

Does PayPal Holdings, Inc. have a lot of debt?

Not particularly. Its net debt is 0.35 times its EBITDA, a low level.

Is PayPal Holdings, Inc. growing?

Its revenue has grown 9% annualized in recent years and its earnings per share 8.1%, and without interruption since 2020.

Does PayPal Holdings, Inc. generate cash?

Yes. It converts about 16.3% of its revenue into free cash flow, and has done so positively year after year.

The thresholds are general and the system doesn't judge qualitative factors. See the full methodology and use this analysis as a first filter, never as a final decision.

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