Global Payments Inc vs Alliant Energy Corporation — how do they compare? Global Payments Inc trades at $79.16 (market cap $21.40B), while Alliant Energy Corporation trades at $75.35 (market cap $19.25B). The key difference: Global Payments Inc and Alliant Energy Corporation are close in size by market cap, and Alliant Energy Corporation pays the higher dividend (2.8%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| GPN | LNT | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $21.40B | $19.25B |
Sector | Industrials | Utilities |
52-Week High | $90.01 | $78.03 |
52-Week Low | $62.47 | $62.87 |
Enterprise Value | $39.11B | $30.98B |
Dividend Yield | 1.28% | 2.8% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Global Payments (GPN) trades at $75.89, down 1.25% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and strong earnings beats in recent quarters. The company maintains solid cash flow generation ($2.66B operating cash flow in 2025) and recently announced a $0.25 dividend. Despite negative net income margin and ROE, revenue trends show recovery potential with 2026 projections at $8.9B. Analyst consensus remains positive with 58% buy ratings and $81.56 price target.
GPN presents a mixed outlook with strong operational execution offset by profitability challenges. The Worldpay integration and AI-powered POS expansion offer growth catalysts, but margin pressure and rising debt levels pose risks. Current valuation at 28.76 P/E appears reasonable given the company's market position in payment technology, though investors should monitor competitive pressures in the fintech space.
LNT trades at $76.31, down 0.42% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a consensus analyst price target of $78.50. The company reported Q1 2026 EPS of $0.82, beating estimates, with revenue growth and a net income margin of 18.58%. Recent news highlights a $13.4 billion clean energy investment plan targeting 5-7% annual earnings growth, supported by rising data center demand.
The outlook for LNT is positive, driven by strategic capital investments and regulatory support for utilities. Key opportunities include earnings growth from data center expansion and renewable projects, while risks involve execution of large-scale investments and rising debt levels, with the debt-to-asset ratio increasing to 48.48% in 2025.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Global Payments is a leading provider of payment processing and software solutions and focuses on serving small and midsize merchants. The company operates in 30 countries and generates about one fourth of its revenue from outside North America, primarily in Europe and Asia. In 2019, Global Payments merged with Total System Services in an all-stock deal that gave Total System Services shareholders 48% of the combined company's shares.
Read more on GPN →Alliant Energy is the parent of two regulated utilities, Interstate Power and Light and Wisconsin Power and Light, serving nearly 1 million electricity and natural gas customers and approximately 420,000 natural gas-only customers. Both subsidiaries engage in the generation and distribution of electricity and the distribution and transportation of natural gas. Alliant also owns a 16% interest in American Transmission Co.
Read more on LNT →