First Data's Competitiveness
A competitive positioning analysis and financial ratio benchmarking of First Data (FDC) against its publicly traded competitors: sales growth, net income, profitability, valuation and market share, plus each peer's market capitalization, revenue, income and employees. Free below: the top 5 peers. Subscriber access adds the full competitor list and CSV downloads.
Key Findings: First Data vs Its Competitors
- TTM: Trailing 12-month revenue of 9,569M vs 13,344M combined for its competitors (41.8% combined share).
- Trending: Latest-quarter revenue run-rate is accelerating (+26.4% annualized vs trailing 12 months), vs decelerating (-46.7%) for its tracked peer group.
- Growth: First Data generated 3.3% revenue growth year over year in Q2 2017, vs -1.4% for its competitors combined.
- Profitability: Its 8.0% net margin compares with 30.5% for the peer group.
- Peer revenue share: First Data accounted for 63.0% of combined revenue among its tracked peer group, up from 61.9% a year earlier.
Every figure above is sourced and cited in detail further down this page (Market Structure, Profitability & Cost Structure, Productivity vs Peers).
FDC Sales vs. its Competitors, Q2 2017
First Data reported revenue growth of 3.31 % year on year in Q2 2017, above its competitors' combined revenue change of -1.35 %.
With a net margin of 8.03 %, First Data reported lower profitability than its competitors (30.54 %).
First Data generated 62.96 % of the combined sales of its peer group, up from 61.88 % a year earlier.
API endpoints for this dataset
First Data vs. its Competitors, Q2 2017
Revenue growth, year on year
Net income growth, year on year
Net margin
Revenue run-rate vs trailing 12 months
TTM net margin
TTM = trailing twelve months. Run-rate annualizes the latest quarter (×4) and compares it to TTM. In millions of $. High-Confidence Competitors are named as a competitor directly in First Data reports; Similar-Size Competitors are the closest peers by market-cap rank within the same industry; Similar Growth & Profitability Competitors are the closest peers by combined revenue growth, operating margin and ROIC, all independent of the competitor list.
TTM revenue, latest-quarter run-rate and net income/margin benchmarked across First Data and its 4 competitor groupings. Available under Commercial License.
| Entity | TTM Revenue | Rev Run-rate vs TTM |
|---|---|---|
| First Data Corp | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
| Competitors combined | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
| High-Confidence Competitors (12) | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
| Similar Growth & Profitability (8) | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
TTM revenue, run-rate and net margin benchmarking across First Data's competitor groups requires a Commercial License.
For context: the Professional Services industry grew revenue 7.1% year over year, combined, vs 3.3% for First Data. First Data's share of combined industry revenue moved from 0.55% to 0.53%, a loss of 0.02 percentage points.
First Data's Competitor Quality Breadth
Group definitions: see Methodology: Performance Group Definitions.
| Entity | Profitable | Expanding | Above Industry Growth | Distressed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Data Corp | Yes | No | No | No |
| Competitors combined (3) | ||||
| High-Confidence Competitors (16) | ||||
| Similar Growth & Profitability (8) | 100.00 % (8 of 8) | 0.00 % (0 of 8) | 0.00 % (0 of 8) | 0.00 % (0 of 8) |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. Altman Z-Score is not shown here: it is not populated in the underlying data for any company. Percentages are of companies in each group that report the relevant metric, not of the full group size.
FDC Stock Performance relative to its Competitors
FDC Stock Performance relative to High-Confidence Competitors
FDC Stock Performance relative to Similar Growth & Profitability Competitors
5 Best-Performing Tracked Competitors, Trailing 12 Months
| # | Competitor | TTM Share Price Return | vs U.S.A. 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Discover Financial Services | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 2 | Informatica Inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
TTM share price return and U.S.A. 500 outperformance for First Data's best-performing competitors requires a Commercial License.
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months.
Publicly Traded Peers of First Data Corp
Revenue and income for trailing 12 months, in millions of $, except employees| Company | Market Cap | Revenues |
|---|---|---|
 First Data Corp |
30,770.99 | 9,569.00 |
 Discover Financial Services |
50,412.60 | 13,343.00 |
 Informatica Inc |
7,796.83 | 1,679.48 |
 Cuentas Inc |
1.32 | 0.71 |
| SUBTOTAL | 88,981.74 | 24,592.19 |
Sources: see Methodology: Peer & Competitor Identification, Sourcing.
Updated on:
Focus of this report: publicly traded companies. Ten additional tables on First Data Corp versus competitors, including market share analysis, are in the navigation menu under Competition. To download the tables, please subscribe.
First Data's Competitors Named by the Company
Competitive relationships identified from First Data reports and corroborating sources, each with a basis and confidence.| Competitor | Basis | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Cuentas Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Bottomline Technologies Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Diebold Nixdorf Incorporated | Company report | 85% |
| Marqeta Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Ncr Atleos Corporation | Company report | 85% |
| Ncr Voyix Corporation | Company report | 85% |
| Usio Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Global Payments Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Meridianlink inc | Company report | 85% |
| Q2 Holdings Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Corpay Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Nelnet Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Shift4 Payments Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Wex Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Csg Systems International Inc | Company report | 85% |
| United Community Banks Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Cpi Card Group Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Evertec Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Discover Financial Services | Company report | 85% |
| Jack Henry and Associates Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Alkami Technology Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Informatica Inc | Company report | 85% |
| The Western Union Company | Company report | 85% |
| Block Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Aci Worldwide Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Ncino Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Fidelity National Information Services Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Paypal Holdings Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Paymentus Holdings Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Blend Labs Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Everi Holdings Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Visa Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Euronet Worldwide Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Black Knight inc | Company report | 85% |
| Mastercard Incorporated | Company report | 85% |
Company report basis, confidence, active dates and source counts for First Data's named competitors require a Commercial License.
Methodology: see Methodology: Peer & Competitor Identification, Sourcing.
First Data's Productivity vs Peers Comparison
Revenue and income per employee, trailing 12 months, in $; market cap in millions of $| Company | Market Cap | Revenue / Employee | Income / Employee |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Data Corp | 30,771 | - | - |
| Discover Financial Services | 50,413 | 632,370 | 222,844 |
| Informatica Inc | 7,797 | 335,896 | 20,858 |
| Cuentas Inc | 1 | 142,400 | -452,200 |
| PEERS TOTAL | 58,211 | 575,491 | 184,027 |
First Data's Geographic Revenue Exposure vs Peers
Revenue by country/region as reported in each company's most recent report. Disclosure granularity varies by filer (some report by country, others by broad region) and is shown as disclosed.| Company | Largest Market |
|---|---|
| Informatica Inc | North America 65.69 % |
Source: revenue geography as reported in each company's reports (10-K/10-Q), via the CSIMarket API. Percentages are of that company's own total consolidated revenue for its most recent reported period.
First Data's Profitability & Cost Structure
Trailing 12-month margins from SEC-filed financials. Operating margin is compared to the Professional Services industry median; gross margin, EBITDA margin and capital intensity are compared to the live industry average (292 companies). See the full Professional Services industry profitability benchmarks.| Metric | Company | Industry | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 68.76 % | 33.63 % (avg) | +35.1 pp |
| Operating Margin | 20.91 % | industry median | +16.6 pp |
| EBITDA Margin | 25.98 % | 6.18 % (avg) | +19.8 pp |
| Capital Intensity (Capex / Revenue) | 7.29 % | 4.36 % (avg) | +2.9 pp |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. SG&A and R&D as a share of revenue have limited coverage as this data is backfilled and appear only where reported. Higher capital intensity is not inherently negative; it reflects the industry's asset requirements.
First Data's Valuation vs Competitive Position
Valuation multiples vs the Professional Services industry average (292 companies, excluding loss-making/negative-equity outliers), alongside returns on capital for context on whether a premium or discount lines up with measurably stronger or weaker returns. See the full Professional Services industry valuation benchmarks.| Metric | Company | Industry Average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| P/E | 25.0x | 26.6x | -1.6x |
| EV / EBITDA | 16.9x | 14.1x | +2.9x |
| P/B | 3.6x | 3.5x | +0.1x |
| Return on Equity | 17.07 % | industry aggregate | -5.10 % |
| Return on Invested Capital | 6.37 % | 1.09 % (avg) | 5.28 % |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. A valuation premium or discount is not, by itself, a judgment of over- or under-valuation. Compare it against the return and growth context shown elsewhere on this page.
First Data's Multi-Year Financial Trajectory
Fiscal-year revenue growth, operating margin, return on invested capital and P/E, as reported in company reports.| Metric | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth | 7.95 % | 1.98 % | 2.68 % | 1.16 % | 4.04 % | -21.19 % |
| Operating Margin | 10.29 % | 12.91 % | 10.22 % | 13.83 % | 14.22 % | 19.95 % |
| Return on Invested Capital | 6.45 % | 4.72 % | 4.37 % | 5.73 % | 5.89 % | 6.06 % |
| P/E | - | - | - | 30.9x | 11.0x | 18.5x |
Source: CSIMarket API, fiscal-year figures. P/E is this company's own historical ratio at each fiscal year end and can swing sharply around an earnings trough: that is real, not a data error.
First Data's Strategic Group Map
First Data is shown in red; its closest peers by combined growth, margin and ROIC are labeled. See Methodology: Strategic Group Map for how this chart is built.
First Data's trailing-12-month revenue growth of -12.7% and operating margin of 20.9% compares with an average of -8.5% growth and 19.7% margin across its 8 closest peers by combined growth, margin and ROIC -- First Data sits below that peer average on growth and above it on margin.
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. Extreme outlier values (from near-zero-revenue companies) are excluded from the plotted cloud but never from the highlighted company or its labeled peers.
First Data's Competitive Forces (Porter's Five Forces)
Only the forces this data can support honestly are shown; the other three are marked as such rather than guessed.| Force | Assessment | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Barriers to Entry | High (capital intensive) | Capital intensity (capex / revenue) of 7.29 % vs industry average 4.36 % (see Profitability & Cost Structure above) |
Note: see Methodology: Porter's Five Forces. Supplier power and buyer power are covered on First Data's dedicated Suppliers and Customers pages, not here.
First Data's Industry Attractiveness & Competitive Strength
See Methodology: GE/McKinsey Matrix for how the two axes are built.
First Data falls in the Low attractiveness / Medium strength cell: Harvest.
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. Each axis score is a simple 1(low)/2(medium)/3(high) average across its three inputs -- a transparent, disclosed simplification, not a validated academic scoring model.
First Data's SWOT
Every point below is a fixed rule applied to a metric already shown elsewhere on this page (Market Structure, Profitability, Valuation, Run-Rate, Stock Performance, Quality Breadth) not an independent strategic assessment. A blank quadrant means no rule was met, not that none apply.Strengths
- Operating margin 16.6 points above the industry median.
- Latest-quarter revenue run-rate is accelerating (+26.4% annualized vs trailing 12 months).
Weaknesses
- Return on equity 5.1 points below the industry aggregate.
Opportunities
- Trades at a lower P/E than the industry average (25.0x vs 26.6x) despite a higher return on invested capital -- a possible re-rating opportunity.
- A meaningful share of competitors (33.30 %) show financial-distress signals, a possible opening to gain share.
Threats
- Tracked peer group's revenue run-rate is broadly decelerating (-46.7% annualized).
- High capital intensity requires continuous reinvestment just to keep pace with the industry.
Methodology: see Methodology: SWOT Analysis.
First Data's Financial Strength vs Peers Comparison
Quick ratio, working capital, debt to equity and asset turnover, trailing 12 months| Company | Quick Ratio | Working Capital | Debt / Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Data Corp | 0.03 | 1.01 | 2.45 |
| Discover Financial Services | 0.13 | 1.36 | 0.04 |
| Informatica Inc | 1.09 | 1.97 | 0.77 |
| Cuentas Inc | 0.01 | 0.13 | - |
Quick ratio = cash / current liabilities; working capital ratio = current assets / current liabilities; asset turnover = revenue / total assets. Peers in the Blank Checks industry are excluded.
First Data's Revenue and Income Growth vs Peers
Quarterly revenue and net income growth, year over year and quarter over quarter| Company | Period | Revenue Y/Y | Income Y/Y |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Data Corp | Q2 2017 | +1.5 % | -16.9 % |
| Discover Financial Services | Q1 2025 | +12.9 % | +25.6 % |
| Informatica Inc | Q3 2025 | +3.9 % | +3,633.4 % |
| Cuentas Inc | Q2 2026 | - | - |
| PEERS TOTAL | +7.2 % | +16.0 % |
Growth is shown only where both periods are positive. Peers in the Blank Checks industry are excluded.
First Data's Peers' Costs of Sales and Capital Expenditures
Context for revenue growth: peer costs and capex, year over year and quarter over quarter| Company | Period | Costs Y/Y | Capex Y/Y |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Data Corp | Q2 2017 | +0.8 % | +44.4 % |
| Discover Financial Services | Q1 2025 | -16.9 % | -9.9 % |
| Informatica Inc | Q3 2025 | -1.2 % | +131.0 % |
| Cuentas Inc | Q2 2026 | - | - |
First Data's Returns and Turnover vs Peers
ROA, ROI and ROE (trailing 12 months), receivables and inventory turnover| Company | ROA | ROI | ROE |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Data Corp | 2.60% | 4.99% | 17.07% |
| Discover Financial Services | 3.14% | 3.18% | 26.87% |
| Informatica Inc | 1.99% | 2.45% | 4.43% |
| Cuentas Inc | - | - | - |
ROA = net income / total assets; ROI = net income / investments; ROE = net income / equity; turnover ratios use trailing 12 month revenue (receivables) and cost of sales (inventory).
First Data's Valuation vs Peers
P/E, price to sales, PEG, price to cash flow and price to book| Company | P/E | Price / Sales |
|---|---|---|
| First Data Corp | 30.47 | 3.22 |
| Discover Financial Services | 10.69 | 3.78 |
| Informatica Inc | 838.64 | 4.64 |
| Cuentas Inc | - | 1.85 |
| PEERS AVERAGE | 14.79 | 3.62 |
P/E = price / diluted EPS (trailing 12 months); PEG = P/E divided by EPS growth; the average row divides the peers' combined market cap by their combined income, sales, cash flow and equity.