2 Stocks Down 14% and 21% to Buy and Hold

Group 1: Industry Overview - The fintech industry is expected to experience rapid growth due to the shift to online commerce and increasing demand for digital payment methods [1] - Investing in companies like Block and PayPal, which are leaders in the fintech space, is considered a promising opportunity despite recent challenges [1] Group 2: Block Performance - Block's revenue decreased by nearly 2% year-over-year to $6.05 billion in Q2, but gross profit increased by 14% to $2.54 billion, and adjusted earnings per share rose by 32% to $0.62 [2] - The core businesses of Block, Square and Cash App, both showed significant growth, with Cash App expanding its services to compete with banks [4][5] - Cash App's buy-now-pay-later options have gained popularity, contributing to strong gross profit growth, and existing customers are increasingly engaging with more services [6] Group 3: Future Prospects - Block's focus on younger consumers, particularly through Cash App, is seen as a long-term growth opportunity as these customers mature and increase their spending [5] - Despite concerns over Block's reliance on Bitcoin trading, which impacted revenue in Q2, the core business remains strong and presents attractive long-term prospects [7] - The stock, having declined 14% this year, is viewed as a buy due to its solid core ecosystems [7]