CPAY operates in the business services industry, providing various support solutions for other companies.
It is positioned as a versatile partner, helping businesses streamline their non-core operations to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Updated: February 19, 2026, 16:00 EST
Based on the provided technical and fundamental analysis, here is a comprehensive assessment of Corpay (CPAY).
Technical Analysis: CPAY is exhibiting a bullish technical trend, demonstrating strong outperformance against the market with notably lower volatility. It is in a healthy uptrend, although its significant past drawdown signals that investors should be prepared for potential corrections even during periods of strength.
Fundamentals & Valuation: Fundamentally, the company shows solid revenue growth and high profitability margins. However, this is tempered by modest operational efficiency and significant financial leverage. Valuation is a primary concern; the stock appears moderately overvalued based on its high EV/EBITDA and negative PEG ratio, suggesting the current price may not be fully supported by its earnings growth.
Risk Assessment: The risk profile is mixed. The stock's low beta provides some defensive characteristics, but its history of deep drawdowns indicates it is not immune to sharp declines. The lack of a substantial short interest removes one potential headwind.
Recommendation:
CPAY presents a compelling profile of strong momentum and high profitability, making it an attractive candidate for growth-oriented investors. However, its elevated valuation and high leverage warrant caution, suggesting it may be more suitable for investors with a higher risk tolerance. For a balanced portfolio, it may be prudent to initiate a small position or await a more attractive entry point that better aligns with its fundamental growth prospects.
Based on the comprehensive analysis provided, here is a 12-month outlook for Corpay (CPAY):
12-Month Outlook for CPAY
The outlook for CPAY over the next year is cautiously optimistic, hinging on its ability to sustain its strong revenue growth and high profitability. Key catalysts include the continued execution of its business model, which could drive further market outperformance if its growth justifies the current premium valuation. The primary risks are twofold: a significant market correction that could trigger one of its characteristic deep drawdowns, and a failure to meet growth expectations, which would heavily pressure its overvalued stock price. Without a specific analyst target, the price action is likely to be driven by earnings reports; a reasonable target range would be contingent on a pullback to a more attractive valuation, perhaps toward the $300-$320 level, before attempting new highs if growth persists.
Most Wall Street analysts are optimistic about Corpay, Inc.'s 12-month outlook, with consensus target around $347.20, indicating expected upside potential.
Overall, CPAY has investment potential but also faces challenges. Here are key factors to weigh before investing.
CPAY has demonstrated strong outperformance with substantial gains across multiple timeframes. The stock has significantly exceeded market returns while maintaining below-average volatility.
Over the past three months, CPAY has surged 21.8%, dramatically outperforming the market by 21.36%, with a solid 8.91% gain in the past month alone. This bullish momentum, coupled with a beta of 0.808, indicates the stock has delivered strong returns with relatively low volatility compared to the broader market.
Currently trading at $349.22, CPAY sits approximately 62% above its 52-week low but remains about 9.7% below its 52-week high of $386.88. The stock appears to be in a healthy uptrend, though the 34.06% maximum drawdown over the past year highlights its susceptibility to meaningful corrections despite recent strength.
| Period | CPAY Return | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1m | +13.7% | +1.0% |
| 3m | +22.6% | +1.9% |
| 6m | +12.2% | +6.5% |
| 1y | -5.9% | +12.1% |
| ytd | +15.5% | +0.2% |
Revenue & Profitability: CPAY demonstrated solid revenue growth, increasing from $1.17 billion in Q3 to $1.25 billion in Q4 2025. Profitability remained strong with a robust gross profit margin of 69.8% and a net income margin of 21.2% in Q4, though both margins saw a slight moderation from the preceding quarter.
Financial Health: The company maintains a moderate debt level with a debt ratio of 31%, though a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.1 indicates significant leverage. The interest coverage ratio of 4.5 shows adequate, but not substantial, capacity to service its debt obligations from operating earnings.
Operational Efficiency: With a return on equity of 6.8%, operational returns appear modest, which is partly explained by a low asset turnover of 0.047. This suggests the company is asset-heavy, and its capital is not being deployed with high efficiency in generating sales.
Get real-time data, AI-driven personalized investment analysis to make smarter investment decisions
Try Now & Get Tesla Stock RewardBased on the available metrics, CPAY appears moderately valued to modestly overvalued. The TTM PE ratio of 22.13 and a slightly lower forward PE of 19.73 suggest stable earnings expectations. However, the elevated EV/EBITDA of 42.30 and the negative PEG ratio, which signals a disconnect between the stock price and its earnings growth prospects, are significant points of concern for valuation.
A direct peer comparison is not possible due to the unavailability of industry average data. Consequently, the analysis relies solely on absolute valuation metrics. The combination of a high price-to-book ratio of 5.82 and the negative PEG ratio further supports a cautious view, implying the stock's price may not be fully justified by its underlying fundamentals in the absence of a clear industry benchmark.
Volatility Risk: CPAY's beta of 0.808 indicates it exhibits lower volatility than the broader market, typically offering a degree of insulation during broad downturns. However, its significant one-year maximum drawdown of -34.06% demonstrates that the stock can still experience substantial individual price declines, representing notable volatility risk for shareholders.
Other Risks: The apparent absence of a meaningful short interest percentage removes a common near-term risk of a short squeeze or significant bearish pressure. Nevertheless, investors should assess liquidity metrics such as average trading volume to gauge potential risks related to ease of entry or exit from a position.
Bullish. CPAY offers strong revenue/EPS growth, strategic partnerships driving expansion, and lower-than-market volatility, though its valuation is somewhat elevated. This stock is suitable for growth-oriented investors comfortable with moderate leverage and able to tolerate potential corrections.
Based on a holistic analysis, CPAY stock appears modestly overvalued. Its valuation metrics send mixed signals when compared to absolute standards rather than a specific industry average. The forward P/E of 19.73 is reasonable for a stable company, but the elevated Price-to-Book (P/B) ratio of 5.82 and negative PEG ratio are significant concerns.
Key valuation metrics indicating overvaluation include: 1. Negative PEG Ratio (-5.57): This is the most critical red flag, suggesting the stock's price is not justified by its earnings growth prospects. 2. High P/B Ratio (5.82): This indicates the market price is significantly higher than the company's book value, often implying premium pricing. 3. High EV/EBITDA (42.30): This points to a rich valuation relative to the company's core operating profitability.
The primary reasons for this assessment are the disconnect between price and growth (highlighted by the negative PEG) and the premium multiples attached to its assets. While profitability is strong, the modest return on equity (6.8%) and low asset turnover suggest the company's operational efficiency does not fully support its current valuation levels.
Based on the provided information, here are the key risks of holding CPAY stock, ordered by importance:
1. Financial Risk: The company's significant leverage, indicated by a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.1, poses a risk to financial flexibility and increases vulnerability to rising interest rates or earnings declines. 2. Business/Operational Risk: A low return on equity of 6.8% and an extremely low asset turnover of 0.047 suggest operational inefficiency, raising concerns about the company's ability to effectively utilize its capital to drive growth. 3. Market/Volatility Risk: Despite a low beta, the stock's significant 34.06% maximum drawdown over the past year demonstrates its potential for substantial price corrections even during a strong uptrend.
Based on the provided analysis, here is a forecast for Corpay (CPAY) stock performance through 2026.
I forecast a base case target range of $340-$380, contingent on its ability to steadily execute its strategy, but see a potential bull case of $400+ if it successfully improves its operational efficiency and leverages its high-margin business model for accelerated growth. Key growth drivers include the continued expansion of its core payment solutions and the potential for improved asset turnover to boost returns. The main assumptions are stable economic conditions supporting B2B payment volumes and that the company's significant leverage does not become a major headwind. This forecast is highly uncertain, as the stock's premium valuation makes it particularly sensitive to any earnings disappointments or a broader market downturn.