Global Payments Inc vs Unilever plc — how do they compare? Global Payments Inc trades at $80.4 (market cap $21.40B), while Unilever plc trades at $61.4 (market cap $129.57B). The key difference: Unilever plc is far larger — about 6.1× Global Payments Inc's market cap, and Unilever plc pays the higher dividend (3.71%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| GPN | UL | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $21.40B | $129.57B |
Sector | Industrials | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $90.01 | $74.59 |
52-Week Low | $62.47 | $55.05 |
Enterprise Value | $39.11B | $155.02B |
Dividend Yield | 1.28% | 3.71% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Global Payments (GPN) trades at $79.67, up 4.98% today, with a bullish technical outlook and strong earnings beats in recent quarters. The company shows robust operating cash flow of $2.66B in 2025 and benefits from strategic initiatives like the Worldpay integration and AI-powered POS expansions. However, net income margin turned negative at -7.97% for 2026, reflecting margin pressures amid rising costs and competitive fintech landscape.
GPN presents a mixed outlook: analyst consensus is bullish with a $81.56 price target (58% buy ratings), but investors face risks from debt growth (debt-to-asset ratio rising to 41.57% in 2025) and profitability challenges. Near-term catalysts include continued execution on commerce technology deals, while volatility may persist from macroeconomic headwinds.
Unilever (UL) trades at $62.49, up 2.71% with a bullish technical signal. Recent earnings misses contrast with strong profitability margins and a 53.32% ROE. The company is divesting its food business to McCormick and investing in innovation, while maintaining a $0.54 dividend. Cash flow improved to $1.91B net in 2024 after a volatile period.
Outlook remains mixed: valuation appears fair with a P/E of 20.83, but revenue declines and execution risks on strategic deals pose challenges. Analyst sentiment is cautious with only 24% buy ratings. The stock offers stability through dividends but faces headwinds in sales growth and competitive pressures.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →Unilever is a diversified personal product (42% of 2021 sales by value), home care (20%), and packaged food (38%) company. Its brands include Knorr soups and sauces, Hellmann's mayonnaise, Lipton teas, Axe and Dove skin products, and the TRESemme haircare brand. The firm has been acquisitive in recent years
Read more on UL →