PYPL vs. SO
PYPL (PayPal Holdings, Inc.) and SO (The Southern Company) are both stocks. PYPL operates in Credit Services (Financial Services), while SO operates in Utilities - Regulated Electric (Utilities). Over the past 10 years, PYPL returned 1.21%/yr vs 10.77%/yr for SO. At a 0.09 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
PYPL vs. SO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PYPL achieves a -28.41% return, which is significantly lower than SO's 10.02% return. Over the past 10 years, PYPL has underperformed SO with an annualized return of 1.21%, while SO has yielded a comparatively higher 10.77% annualized return.
PYPL
- 1D
- 0.70%
- 1M
- -6.18%
- YTD
- -28.41%
- 6M
- -32.22%
- 1Y
- -40.86%
- 3Y*
- -12.98%
- 5Y*
- -31.18%
- 10Y*
- 1.21%
SO
- 1D
- 1.22%
- 1M
- 2.86%
- YTD
- 10.02%
- 6M
- 13.62%
- 1Y
- 7.91%
- 3Y*
- 14.19%
- 5Y*
- 12.20%
- 10Y*
- 10.77%
PYPL vs. SO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PYPL PayPal Holdings, Inc. | -28.41% | -31.44% | 38.98% | -13.77% | -62.23% | -19.48% | 116.51% | 28.64% | 14.22% | 86.52% |
SO The Southern Company | 10.02% | 9.47% | 21.72% | 2.21% | 8.24% | 16.34% | 0.63% | 51.65% | -3.75% | 2.42% |
Correlation
The correlation between PYPL and SO is -0.05, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.05 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.04 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.08 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 20, 2015 | 0.09 |
The correlation between PYPL and SO shifts across timeframes, from -0.05 (1 year) to 0.09 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
PYPL:
$38.21B
SO:
$106.03B
PYPL:
$5.31
SO:
$3.92
PYPL:
7.83
SO:
23.98
PYPL:
0.38
SO:
1.49
PYPL:
1.17
SO:
3.47
PYPL:
1.91
SO:
2.86
PYPL:
$33.73B
SO:
$30.17B
PYPL:
$15.56B
SO:
$13.01B
PYPL:
$7.23B
SO:
$14.44B
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Return for Risk
PYPL vs. SO — Risk / Return Rank
PYPL
SO
PYPL vs. SO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL) and The Southern Company (SO). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| PYPL | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.62 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.34 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.79 | 1.10 | -0.31 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.88 | 0.53 | -1.41 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.54 | 1.24 | -2.78 |
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Drawdowns
PYPL vs. SO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PYPL drawdown since its inception was -87.30%, which is greater than SO's maximum drawdown of -38.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PYPL and SO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PYPL | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -87.30% | -38.43% | -48.87% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -49.92% | -14.99% | -34.93% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -57.34% | -14.99% | -42.35% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -87.30% | -23.28% | -64.02% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -87.30% | -38.43% | -48.87% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -86.42% | -3.95% | -82.47% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -35.90% | -6.87% | -29.03% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 28.60% | 6.39% | +22.21% |
Volatility
PYPL vs. SO - Volatility Comparison
PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL) has a higher volatility of 7.01% compared to The Southern Company (SO) at 6.03%. This indicates that PYPL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PYPL | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.01% | 6.03% | +0.98% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 31.72% | 13.07% | +18.65% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 39.10% | 16.21% | +22.89% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 42.08% | 18.67% | +23.41% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 38.77% | 21.96% | +16.81% |
Dividends
PYPL vs. SO - Dividend Comparison
PYPL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.01%, less than SO's 3.60% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PYPL PayPal Holdings, Inc. | 1.01% | 0.24% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SO The Southern Company | 3.60% | 3.37% | 3.47% | 3.96% | 3.78% | 3.82% | 4.13% | 3.86% | 5.42% | 4.78% | 4.52% | 4.60% |
Financials
PYPL vs. SO - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between PayPal Holdings, Inc. and The Southern Company. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
PYPL vs. SO - Profitability Comparison
PYPL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, PayPal Holdings, Inc. reported a gross profit of 3.81B and revenue of 8.35B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 45.6%.
SO - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Southern Company reported a gross profit of 3.90B and revenue of 8.40B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 46.5%.
PYPL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, PayPal Holdings, Inc. reported an operating income of 1.49B and revenue of 8.35B, resulting in an operating margin of 17.8%.
SO - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Southern Company reported an operating income of 2.02B and revenue of 8.40B, resulting in an operating margin of 24.0%.
PYPL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, PayPal Holdings, Inc. reported a net income of 1.11B and revenue of 8.35B, resulting in a net margin of 13.3%.
SO - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Southern Company reported a net income of 1.36B and revenue of 8.40B, resulting in a net margin of 16.2%.
Frequently Asked Questions
PYPL and SO have a correlation of -0.05, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PYPL has higher volatility (7.01%) compared to SO (6.03%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PYPL dropped -87.30% vs SO's -38.43%.
SO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.49 vs -1.13), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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