COMPARE · Data as of August 28, 2026
ECPG vs PYPL
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. ECPG scored 86.0, PYPL scored 91.0 — PYPL leads.
Compare another set
Different reporting periods. ECPG's fundamentals are as of June 2026, but PYPL's are as of March 2026 — a 3-month gap. Growth, margin and valuation figures below therefore describe different windows and aren't strictly like-for-like.
ECPG
Encore Capital Group, Inc.
66.8Fin
$102.36 · $2.2B
fundamentals as of
Strength gap
3.2
ECPG leads
PYPL
PayPal Holdings, Inc.
63.6Fin
$54.00 · $46.2B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
- CheapestECPG7.8x
- Fastest growthECPG+34.4%
- Strongest balance sheetPYPL0.72
- Largest discount to fair valuePYPL-36%
Side by side · every name on one set of axes
Growth against the P/E multiple. Up and to the right is cheaper and faster — the quality-growth idea in one picture. Points beyond the axis are pinned to the edge and marked off-scale rather than allowed to compress everything else.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
ECPG
PYPL
$125mC
FCF
$5.5bB+
+34.4%A
Rev
+5.8%C+
3.88C
D/E
0.72B
7.8xA
P/E
10.2xA-
0.17A
PEG
1.14B+
Winner per row is the stronger grade; where grades tie, the better figure breaks it. A true tie or a missing value shows no highlight.
Valuation · DCF cross-check
ECPG
PYPL
9% below
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
36% below
~12%/yr
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
~-6%/yr
-16%
1-yr DCF upside
+48%
+10%
5-yr DCF upside
+57%
+62%
10-yr DCF upside
+70%
The DCF is a cross-check on intrinsic value, separate from the quality-growth score above.
The companies
ECPGEncore Capital Group, Inc.
Why now
Credit Services · market cap $2.2b. Trading near 52-week high of $104.98 — momentum setup, limited technical margin of safety. Revenue growing +34% — in hypergrowth territory. PEG 0.17 — paying under fair value for the growth rate. 3 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $115.67 (implying +13% upside).
Moat
Net margin 16% beats the market median by a meaningful margin — the company is keeping more of every revenue dollar than the average S&P constituent. ROE 31% — top-decile capital efficiency. Either pricing leverage, low capital intensity, or aggressive buybacks; the durability story depends on which.
Risk
D/E 3.88 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer. Trading within 2% of the 52-week high — limited technical margin of safety; a momentum reversal would test conviction. Credit-cycle exposure — provisions tend to lag actual loan deterioration by 2-3 quarters; a sharp uptick in net charge-offs is a leading indicator the market often misses until it's already priced.
PYPLPayPal Holdings, Inc.
Why now
Credit Services · market cap $46.2b. Down 32% from 52-week high of $79.22 — deep drawdown territory. 33 sell-side analysts rate this a Hold with a mean 1-yr target of $60.20 (implying +11% upside).
Moat
Net margin 15% beats the market median by a meaningful margin — the company is keeping more of every revenue dollar than the average S&P constituent. ROE 25% — top-decile capital efficiency. Either pricing leverage, low capital intensity, or aggressive buybacks; the durability story depends on which. FCF converts 109% of net income — earnings translate cleanly into cash, a sign that working capital and capex are well-disciplined.
Risk
Down 32% from the 52-week high — the market is pricing in something the screen can't see; verify the bear case before sizing up. Balance-sheet financial — book value, net interest margin, and credit loss provisions are the lever points; a rates regime change or a deterioration in the loan book moves the stock more than EPS does.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
Generating verdict… typically 5–10 seconds
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