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Klarna Confirms Recycled Phone Numbers Caused Technical Issue
Forbes· 2025-11-21 20:40
Core Insights - Klarna experienced a technical issue related to recycled phone numbers, which exposed limited personal details for a small number of users, but it was not a data breach [2][4][7] - The company has resolved the issue and implemented additional verification steps to prevent future occurrences [6][9] Incident Details - The problem arose from mobile providers reassigning old phone numbers, which were not immediately recognized by Klarna's identity systems [3][5] - Klarna estimates that fewer than a few thousand users were affected and will notify each individual directly [4][6] Security Measures - Klarna employs multiple security measures, including device fingerprinting, behavioral analysis, geolocation signals, and dynamic risk scoring to identify and block recycled numbers [5][9] - The company confirmed that no sensitive card details were exposed during the incident [7] Ongoing Actions - Klarna is conducting an internal investigation and maintaining direct communication with impacted customers [8] - The incident highlights the complexity of digital identity systems and the necessity for layered verification checks [8][9]
PayPal Stock Ready To Surge?
Forbes· 2025-11-21 19:25
Core Insights - PayPal (PYPL) stock has underperformed in recent years due to softer growth and increased competition, but its large user base, strong brand, and solid margins keep it relevant for investors [2][3] - The stock is currently trading at a lower than average valuation, with a significant decrease in its Price-to-Sales (P/S) ratio, making it a potential value buy [3][5] - Despite a 32% decline in stock price this year, operational efficiency and strategic pricing are enhancing margins, with a reported 7% revenue increase in Q3 2025 [5][6] Valuation and Performance - PYPL is trading at a P/E ratio below the median of the S&P 500, indicating a potentially attractive valuation [5][10] - The stock's current P/S ratio is 37% less expensive compared to one year ago, suggesting a significant discount [5][10] - The company has maintained strong operating margins, averaging 17.9% over the past three years, despite facing challenges in transaction volume growth [10] Growth and Competition - The company has experienced modest growth, with management raising its full-year EPS forecast to $5.35-$5.39, although the stock remains down over 30% year-to-date [6] - Ongoing competition and concerns regarding transaction volume growth in core segments are contributing to its discounted valuation [6][8] - The favorable aspects for the company include operational efficiency improvements and strategic pricing, particularly in its Braintree segment [6] Historical Context - PayPal has faced significant historical drawdowns, including a 20% decline during the 2018 correction and a 31% drop during the Covid pandemic, highlighting the stock's volatility [8] - Despite strong fundamentals, the stock has experienced substantial declines in adverse market conditions, indicating that risk remains a factor even in favorable environments [8]
Is Walmart Stock Outperforming Its Rivals?
Forbes· 2025-11-21 19:25
Core Insights - Walmart's stock has significantly outperformed its competitors over the past year, showcasing robust profitability and consistent revenue growth, although its premium valuation and slower growth compared to e-commerce giants like Amazon may limit future potential [2] Revenue Growth Comparison - Walmart achieved a revenue growth of 4.2%, which is behind Amazon's and Costco's growth rates but ahead of Kroger, Target, and Best Buy, indicating resilience in traditional retail amidst market changes [2] Profitability Metrics - Walmart's operating margin stands at 4.2%, which is lower than Amazon's 11.4% but higher than its retail peers, highlighting tighter profitability in the retail sector compared to e-commerce and cloud sectors [2] Valuation Insights - Walmart's stock has seen a 24.1% increase over the past year, outpacing its peers, with a price-to-earnings (PE) ratio of 40.0, reflecting investor confidence in its developing omni-channel strategy [2]
Buy Or Sell Salesforce Stock?
Forbes· 2025-11-21 18:55
Core Insights - Salesforce (CRM) is focusing on AI-powered products and operational discipline, prompting investors to reassess its long-term potential [2] - The main concern is whether the recent positive momentum can be sustained amid increasing market volatility [2] Financial Performance - Despite a 32% decline in stock value this year, CRM's current Price-to-Sales (P/S) ratio is significantly lower than its 3-month and 2-year peaks, as well as below its 3-year average [4] - Revenue growth has slowed to single digits, but the Data Cloud saw a 140% increase in customer adoption in Q2 FY26, with over half of Fortune 500 companies using the platform [5] - AI-related orders, particularly from Agentforce, grew over 200% year-over-year in Q3 FY25, leading to an upgraded full-year FY25 revenue forecast with a projected 20% growth for FY26 [5] Investment Appeal - CRM stock is characterized by a high cash yield of 5.8%, a strong operating margin of 21.2%, and a modest revenue growth of 8.3% over the last 12 months [10] - The stock is currently trading at 38% below its 2-year peak and 14% below its 1-month high, indicating a favorable valuation for potential investors [10] Market Position - The merger of Data Cloud with products like Slack is enhancing enterprise value, despite competition from major players like Microsoft and Snowflake [5] - CRM's fundamentals are strong, making it an attractive option for investors looking for companies with solid cash flow and growth potential [6][10]
Robinhood Shares Are Down 11% This Week—Here's Why
Forbes· 2025-11-21 18:50
Core Insights - Robinhood's stock experienced a significant decline of over 11% this week due to investor uncertainty regarding rate cuts and a drop in bitcoin prices, which reached an eight-month low [1] - The stock fell 12.7% on Thursday, closing at $106.21, but saw a slight recovery of more than 1% on Friday morning [2] - The overall market cap of Robinhood decreased by $35.4 billion in November, dropping from $130.7 billion at the beginning of the month to $95.3 billion by Friday [4] Company Actions - Cofounder Baiju Bhatt sold 418,338 shares valued at $48.7 million this week, contributing to the negative sentiment surrounding the stock [3]
From Hero To Zero? How Far Could Palantir Fall
Forbes· 2025-11-21 16:55
Core Insights - Palantir Technologies (PLTR) stock has experienced a 5.8% decline in a single day, raising concerns about its high valuation and potential slowdown in the AI market [2] - The company is facing challenges in international commercial growth and remains heavily reliant on government contracts, exposing it to political and budget risks [3] - Increased competition from major players like Microsoft and AWS, as well as emerging AI startups, threatens Palantir's pricing power and long-term margins [3] Financial Metrics - Palantir Technologies is valued at $370 billion with $3.9 billion in revenue, currently trading at $155.75 [10] - The company has reported a revenue growth of 47.2% over the past 12 months and an operating margin of 21.8% [10] - The stock is currently valued at a P/E multiple of 338.0 and a P/EBIT multiple of 435.8, indicating a very high valuation [10] Historical Performance - PLTR stock has seen significant volatility, with an 84.6% drop from a peak of $39.00 on January 27, 2021, to $6.00 on December 27, 2022, compared to a 25.4% decline for the S&P 500 during the same period [11] - The stock fully rebounded to its pre-crisis peak by October 3, 2024, and reached a high of $207.18 on November 3, 2025, currently trading at $155.75 [11] - In a previous downturn, PLTR stock dropped by 22.5% from a high of $29.05 on November 25, 2020, to $22.51 on December 2, 2020, but regained its pre-crisis peak by January 22, 2021 [12]
How Bad Can Things Go For Palantir Stock?
Forbes· 2025-11-21 16:30
Core Insights - Palantir Technologies (PLTR) stock has experienced a 5.8% decline in a single day, raising concerns about its high valuation and potential slowdown in the AI market [2] - The company is facing challenges in international commercial growth and remains heavily reliant on government contracts, exposing it to political and budget risks [3] - Increased competition from major players like Microsoft and AWS, as well as emerging AI startups, threatens Palantir's pricing power and long-term margins [3] Financial Metrics - Palantir Technologies is valued at $370 billion with $3.9 billion in revenue, currently trading at $155.75 [10] - The company has reported a revenue growth of 47.2% over the past 12 months and an operating margin of 21.8% [10] - The stock is currently valued at a P/E multiple of 338.0 and a P/EBIT multiple of 435.8, indicating a very high valuation [10] Historical Performance - PLTR stock has seen significant volatility, with an 84.6% drop from a peak of $39.00 on January 27, 2021, to $6.00 on December 27, 2022, compared to a 25.4% decline for the S&P 500 during the same period [11] - The stock fully rebounded to its pre-crisis peak by October 3, 2024, and reached a high of $207.18 on November 3, 2025, currently trading at $155.75 [11] - In another instance, PLTR stock dropped by 22.5% from a high of $29.05 on November 25, 2020, to $22.51 on December 2, 2020, but regained its pre-crisis peak by January 22, 2021 [12]
GDDY Looks Like A Smarter Buy Than Akamai Technologies Stock
Forbes· 2025-11-21 16:25
Core Insights - GoDaddy (GDDY) has a lower valuation (P/OpInc) compared to Akamai Technologies (AKAM) but demonstrates stronger revenue and operating income growth [2][3] - The discrepancy in valuation and performance suggests that investing in GDDY may be more advisable than in AKAM [3] Comparative Key Metrics - Akamai Technologies offers cloud services that secure, deliver, and optimize content and applications, protecting against cyberattacks and online threats globally [5] - A review of metrics from one year ago may indicate whether AKAM is currently overpriced relative to its peers [7] - Consistent underperformance in revenue and operating income growth for Akamai could reinforce the notion that its stock is overpriced compared to competitors [7] Additional Considerations - Valuation-based purchasing requires careful consideration from multiple perspectives [8] - Trefis portfolio strategies aim to minimize stock-specific risk while providing exposure to upside potential [6][8]
Why Visa Could Be A Smart Addition To Your Portfolio
Forbes· 2025-11-21 16:25
Core Insights - Visa (V) stock is considered a wise investment due to its high margins, indicative of pricing power and cash generation, currently offered at a discounted rate [1] - The stock has increased by 3.2% this year but is 39% less expensive based on its Price-to-Sales (P/S) ratio compared to one year ago [3] Financial Performance - Fiscal 2025 saw a net revenue increase of 11%, driven by a 13% rise in high-margin cross-border transaction volume and a 10% boost in processed transactions [4] - Projections for Q1 2026 anticipate net revenue growth at the higher end of low double-digits, with a year-to-date return of 3.29% [4] - Recent profitability metrics include a 57.6% operating cash flow margin and a 66.4% operating margin in the last twelve months [9] - Long-term profitability metrics show approximately 58.9% operating cash flow margin and 66.8% operating margin based on the last three-year average [9] - Visa experienced 11.3% revenue growth in the last twelve months and 10.9% over the last three-year average [9] Valuation - Visa stock is currently available at a P/S multiple of 10.5, representing a 39% discount compared to one year ago [9] - The company has a market capitalization of over $10 billion and high cash flow from operations margins [10] Investment Criteria - Visa meets several investment criteria, including high CFO margins, significant valuation decrease over the past year, and a historical average of 12-month forward returns of nearly 19% with a win rate of about 72% [10]
General Motors Is All Gassed Up For Profit Growth
Forbes· 2025-11-21 16:25
Core Insights - The performance of legacy auto companies, particularly General Motors (GM), in Q3 2025 has exceeded investor expectations, with GM's stock rising 44% after beating earnings estimates and raising guidance for the full year [3][4][8] - Despite a significant decline in electric vehicle (EV) adoption, GM continues to grow its market share in internal combustion engine (ICE) and hybrid vehicles, demonstrating resilience in a challenging market [5][12] Company Performance - GM's stock remains undervalued with strong upside potential, driven by its ability to generate profits across different market conditions [4][10] - In Q3 2025, GM achieved a 41% market share in full-size pickups and 60% in full-size SUVs, contributing to a total U.S. market share increase from 14.4% in 2021 to 17.2% in the TTM ended Q3 2025 [7][8] - GM's total U.S. vehicle deliveries reached 710,000 in Q3 2025, marking an 8% year-over-year increase [8] EV Market Dynamics - The EV market has seen a slowdown, with GM managing to grow its EV market share despite scaling back production; GM holds the 2 position in the U.S. EV market [12][13] - Year-to-date EV unit sales for GM's brands (Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac) grew significantly, with Chevrolet being the 2 U.S. EV brand [14][15] Financial Health - GM has generated $45 billion in free cash flow from 2014 through Q3 2025, with $7.9 billion in free cash flow over the TTM [22][26] - The company has reinstated and increased its dividend, currently providing a yield of 0.9%, and has repurchased $24.2 billion in shares since 2022 [24][25] Challenges and Outlook - GM recorded a $1.6 billion charge related to EV operations in Q3 2025, but management expects to reduce these losses in 2026 and beyond [29] - Tariffs continue to impact profitability, although GM is taking steps to mitigate these effects by expanding U.S. production [30][31] Valuation Perspective - GM's current stock price implies a pessimistic outlook, expecting a 40% decline in NOPAT, which contrasts with the company's historical growth rates [33][34] - Scenarios suggest that GM's stock could rise over 40% even with a decline in profits, indicating potential for significant upside if the company performs in line with historical trends [36][38]