Core Insights - The earnings season is progressing positively, with major banks setting a strong tone and other companies following suit [1] - Visa and PayPal are significant players reporting next week, with expectations remaining stable [6] Visa - Visa is expected to see an 18% increase in earnings and an 11% rise in sales, reflecting strong investor confidence [2] - Total Payments Volume (TPV) grew 8% year-over-year, indicating healthy consumer spending despite macroeconomic uncertainties [3] - The current forward 12-month earnings multiple for Visa is 28.2X, which is above its five-year median of 26.9X, suggesting shares are relatively expensive [4][13] PayPal - PayPal is projected to achieve 9% EPS growth and a 2.7% increase in sales, with sales growth expected to accelerate [7] - PayPal's TPV reached $417 billion, a 3% increase year-over-year, with a consensus estimate of $434.4 billion for the next period [11] - The current forward 12-month earnings multiple for PayPal is 14.3X, reflecting a 37% discount compared to the S&P 500 [12][14]

Group 1 - Multiple companies are scheduled to release their earnings reports throughout the week, indicating a busy earnings season [1] - On Monday, companies like 铿腾电子 are set to report their performance [1] - On Tuesday, Stellantis and AstraZeneca will release their earnings before the European market opens [1] Group 2 - Major U.S. companies such as Boeing, UnitedHealth, and Procter & Gamble are expected to report earnings before the U.S. market opens on Tuesday [1] - Following that, Visa, Booking, and Starbucks will report their earnings after the U.S. market closes on Tuesday [1] - On Wednesday, significant tech companies including Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Qualcomm, and Arm Holdings are scheduled to release their earnings after the U.S. market closes [1] Group 3 - Mastercard is set to report its earnings before the U.S. market opens on Thursday [1] - Apple, Amazon, MicroStrategy, Coinbase, and Coherent will report their earnings after the U.S. market closes on Thursday [1] - On Friday, ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals are expected to release their earnings before the U.S. market opens [1]

Core Insights - Visa is a dominant player in the financial services industry, operating a leading payments platform that connects consumers, banks, and merchants globally [1][2] - Despite trading near all-time highs, Visa is considered an outstanding company worthy of investment [2] Competitive Position - In fiscal 2024, Visa processed 233.8 billion transactions valued at $15.7 trillion, with 4.8 billion active cards accepted at 150 million merchants worldwide, showcasing its unmatched scale and competitive strength [4] - The company benefits from a powerful network effect, where an increase in merchants accepting Visa enhances the card's value, and more cardholders create additional sales opportunities for merchants [5] Market Threats - The introduction of stablecoins through the Genius Act raises concerns about potential competition for Visa's business model, but current conditions do not warrant significant concern [6] - While favorable legislation may encourage merchants to explore stablecoins, consumer loyalty to credit cards and their associated perks suggests that Visa's entrenched position in the economy is difficult to disrupt [7]

Core Insights - Capital One recently reported strong Q2 results, leading to increased investor interest in upcoming quarterly reports from Visa and Mastercard [1][2] Mastercard & Visa's Quarterly Expectations - Mastercard's Q2 sales are expected to rise 15% year-over-year to $7.99 billion, with earnings projected to increase 13% to $4.05 per share [3] - Visa's Q3 sales are anticipated to grow 11% to $9.87 billion, while earnings are expected to spike 18% to $2.86 per share [4] Future Earnings Projections - Mastercard's annual earnings are projected to grow 10% in fiscal 2025 and 16% in FY26 to $18.71 per share [7] - Visa's annual earnings are expected to increase 13% in fiscal 2025 and 12% in FY26 to $12.81 per share [8] Stock Performance & Valuation Comparison - Over the last three years, both Mastercard and Visa stocks have gained over 65%, outperforming the S&P 500 and Zacks Financial Transaction Services Market [9] - Visa stock is currently trading at 31X forward earnings, which is a premium compared to the industry average of 15X, but lower than Mastercard's 35X [11] Investment Outlook - Both Mastercard and Visa are dominant players with strong growth prospects, but Visa has a slight edge in valuation and a consistent record of meeting or exceeding earnings expectations, currently holding a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) compared to Mastercard's Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) [13]

Group 1: Company Overview - Visa is a payment processor in the financial sector, collecting small fees for facilitating transactions via its branded cards [2] - Costco operates as a warehouse club retailer and issues credit cards within the Visa system, charging an annual membership fee for shopping [5] Group 2: Financial Performance - In Q2 2025, Visa processed 60.7 billion transactions, a 9% year-over-year increase, resulting in a revenue of $9.6 billion, also up 9% [3] - Costco's revenue in the fiscal Q3 2025 increased by 8% to nearly $62 billion, with membership fees contributing significantly to operating income [5] Group 3: Growth Potential - Both Visa and Costco are well-managed companies with strong growth prospects; Visa benefits from the shift to digital transactions, while Costco is expanding its store base due to high demand [6] Group 4: Valuation Concerns - Both companies are currently considered expensive, with Visa's price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio about 5% above its five-year average, while Costco's is approximately 25% above [9][10] - Visa's dividend yield is 0.7%, and Costco's is less than 0.6%, indicating limited income generation for value investors [8] Group 5: Investment Considerations - Visa appears to be the better value option compared to Costco for growth investors, given its relatively lower valuation metrics [10] - Caution is advised for investors, as economic downturns could negatively impact both companies [12]

Market Overview - The market capitalization of major US stocks shows varied performance, with Oracle at 762.30 billion, Mastercard at 321.36 billion, and Visa at 770.15 billion, reflecting increases of +0.66%, +0.86%, and +0.68% respectively [3] - Exxon Mobil's market cap is 679.53 billion, with a slight decrease of -0.98%, while Johnson & Johnson and Netflix show minor changes of -0.08% and -0.05% respectively [3] - Companies like Wells Fargo and Cisco have market caps of 270.15 billion and 279.59 billion, with respective increases of +0.98% and -0.58% [3] Notable Stock Movements - T-Mobile US Inc experienced a significant increase of +6.20%, reaching a market cap of 272.19 billion [3] - General Electric and Coca-Cola saw market caps of 285.05 billion and 298.76 billion, with increases of +0.37% and +0.91% respectively [3] - Companies like Disney and Goldman Sachs have market caps of 229.06 billion and 221.80 billion, with slight changes of +0.01% and -0.60% [3] Sector Performance - The technology sector shows mixed results, with Intel at 991.05 billion, down -3.28%, while AMD increased by +2.46% to 254.92 billion [5] - The consumer goods sector is represented by companies like Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola, with market caps of 371.68 billion and 298.76 billion, showing slight increases [3][4] - The energy sector, represented by Exxon Mobil and Chevron, shows varied performance, with Exxon down -0.98% and Chevron up +0.66% [3] Summary of Key Companies - Oracle's market cap stands at 762.30 billion, reflecting a positive trend [3] - Mastercard and Visa show strong performance with market caps of 321.36 billion and 770.15 billion, both increasing [3] - Companies like Pfizer and Comcast have market caps of 1579.81 billion and 1332.00 billion, with Pfizer showing minimal change and Comcast down -3.16% [4][5]

Group 1 - The "Golden Enterprise Project" aims to promote the integration of culture, commerce, and tourism in Hangzhou, supporting the city's goal of becoming a globally influential international consumption center [1][3] - The event featured over 50 representatives from various sectors, including experts, financial institutions, and small and medium-sized enterprises, highlighting the collaborative effort in advancing Hangzhou's digital consumption strategy [1][3] - The initiative emphasizes the transition of Hangzhou's cultural tourism industry from "single-point breakthroughs" to "ecological co-construction," leveraging technology and AI to enhance consumer experiences [3][4] Group 2 - The event included discussions on how Hangzhou enterprises can utilize digital tools for cultural IP export, extending consumption scenarios, and integrating financial support [3][4] - Practical methodologies for building foreign trade systems and scaling operations through digital capabilities were shared, focusing on the importance of AI and financial services in driving the tourism industry's growth [4] - Visa's role in facilitating cross-border tourism payment solutions was highlighted, aiming to enhance shopping convenience for inbound tourists [4]

Core Insights - Wall Street analysts expect Visa to report quarterly earnings of $2.86 per share, reflecting an 18.2% year-over-year increase, with revenues projected at $9.87 billion, up 10.8% from the previous year [1] - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised upward by 0.1% in the last 30 days, indicating a reassessment of initial estimates by analysts [1][2] Revenue Estimates - Analysts project 'Service revenues' to reach $4.29 billion, marking an 8.2% increase from the year-ago quarter [4] - 'Data processing revenues' are expected to be $5.05 billion, indicating a year-over-year change of 12.5% [4] - 'Other revenues' are forecasted to be $955.70 million, reflecting a significant increase of 22.5% [4] International and Transaction Revenues - 'International transaction revenues' are estimated at $3.60 billion, showing a 12.8% increase from the prior year [5] - 'Total transactions' are projected to reach 64.47 billion, compared to 59.32 billion in the same quarter last year [5] Volume Projections - Total volume is expected to be $4,095.82 billion, up from $3,949.00 billion in the same quarter of the previous year [6] - 'Total payments volume' is forecasted at $3,583.74 billion, compared to $3,325.00 billion a year ago [6] Regional Payments Volume - 'Payments volume - CEMEA' is projected at $219.74 billion, up from $189.00 billion in the same quarter last year [7] - 'Payments volume - U.S.A' is expected to reach $1,762.94 billion, compared to $1,652.00 billion in the same quarter last year [7] - 'Payments volume - Asia Pacific' is estimated at $499.49 billion, slightly up from $490.00 billion [8] - 'Payments volume - Canada' is projected at $111.83 billion, compared to $106.00 billion last year [8] - 'Payments volume - Europe' is expected to be $733.83 billion, up from $665.00 billion in the previous year [8] Stock Performance - Visa shares have increased by 2.9% over the past month, while the Zacks S&P 500 composite has moved up by 5.7% [10] - With a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), Visa is anticipated to outperform the overall market in the near future [10]

Market Performance - The US stock market saw significant gains on July 23, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising by 507.85 points, or 1.14%, closing at 45010.29 points. The Nasdaq Composite increased by 127.33 points, or 0.61%, closing at 21020.02 points, marking its first close above the 21000-point threshold. The S&P 500 index rose by 49.29 points, or 0.78%, closing at 6358.91 points [1][3][4]. Trade Agreements - President Trump announced a trade agreement between the US and Japan, which has heightened market expectations for further trade agreements before the August 1 tariff deadline. The agreement includes a reduction of the reciprocal tariff rate from 25% to 15% and Japan's commitment to invest $550 billion in the US [2][6][7]. Sector Performance - In the S&P 500, nine out of eleven sectors experienced gains, with the healthcare and industrial sectors leading with increases of 2.03% and 1.75%, respectively. The utilities and consumer staples sectors saw declines of 0.79% and 0.07% [8]. - Major technology stocks mostly rose, with AMD increasing over 3%, and other companies like NVIDIA, Boeing, and TSMC rising over 2%. Financial stocks also saw gains, with Mizuho Financial up over 6% and UBS Group up over 3% [8]. Chinese Stocks - The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index rose by 0.75%, with notable increases in stocks such as iQIYI, which rose over 4%, and Tiger Brokers, which increased over 3%. However, some stocks like NIO and Li Auto saw declines of over 1% [9].

Core Viewpoint - Visa Inc. is expected to report strong fiscal Q3 2025 results, with earnings projected at $2.86 per share and revenues at $9.87 billion, reflecting year-over-year growth of 18.2% and 10.9% respectively [1][6]. Financial Estimates - The earnings estimate for fiscal Q3 has been revised upward by 2 cents over the past 60 days, indicating a positive trend [2]. - For fiscal 2025, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Visa's revenues is $39.63 billion, suggesting a year-over-year increase of 10.3%, while the EPS is projected at $11.37, indicating a 13.1% rise [3]. Earnings Predictions - Visa has a positive Earnings ESP of +0.39% and a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), which increases the likelihood of an earnings beat [4]. - The company is expected to benefit from strong growth in payment volumes, processed transactions, and cross-border activity, despite rising expenses and client incentives exceeding $4 billion [6][12]. Growth Metrics - The Zacks Consensus Estimate suggests a 3.6% increase in total Gross Dollar Volume year-over-year, while the model predicts a 4.6% growth [7]. - Total processed transactions are expected to grow by 8.7% year-over-year, with the model predicting a 9.6% increase [8]. - Payment volumes are projected to increase by 7.7% year-over-year, with U.S. operations expected to rise by 6.3% and Latin America and CEMEA by 15% each [9]. Revenue Breakdown - Data processing revenues are estimated to grow by 12.5% year-over-year, while service revenues are expected to increase by 8.2% [10]. - International transaction revenues are projected to grow by 12.8% year-over-year, supported by continuous growth in cross-border volumes [11]. Expense Outlook - Adjusted total operating expenses are expected to increase by more than 10% year-over-year due to higher personnel, marketing, and processing expenses [13]. Stock Performance - Visa's stock has gained 11.4% year-to-date, outperforming the industry and S&P 500, which rose by 3.7% and 6.8% respectively [14]. - The company's valuation is currently at 28.08X forward 12-month earnings, above its five-year median of 26.92X and the industry's average of 22.02X [16]. Strategic Positioning - Visa is well-positioned for long-term growth in emerging markets and digital payment trends, supported by resilient consumer spending and robust travel demand [18]. - The company is focusing on AI-powered commerce and stablecoin settlement to enhance cross-border efficiency and security, positioning itself as a leader in digital finance [21].