Is PayPal Holdings Stock Underperforming the Nasdaq?

Company Overview - PayPal Holdings, Inc. is a leading global fintech company based in San Jose, California, providing digital and mobile payment solutions for consumers and merchants to manage money across online and in-person channels [1] - The company has a market capitalization of $58.7 billion and operates a broad payments ecosystem that includes services like Venmo, Braintree, Xoom, and Honey, supporting e-commerce and global transactions [1][2] Stock Performance - PayPal's stock (PYPL) has experienced a significant decline, dropping 33.1% from its 52-week high of $93.66 on December 9, 2024, and has fallen 10.5% over the past three months, underperforming the Nasdaq Composite's 7.7% increase during the same period [3] - Year-to-date, PYPL stock has plunged 26.6%, and over the past 52 weeks, it has decreased by 27.6%, notably lagging behind the Nasdaq's 21% surge in 2025 [4] Market Sentiment - On November 21, shares of PayPal rose by 4.4% due to increased investor optimism regarding a potential Federal Reserve interest rate cut in December, following comments from New York Fed President John Williams [5] - Market expectations for a December rate cut increased from 37% to 70%, contributing to a rally in financial stocks, which positively influenced sentiment around PayPal [5] Competitive Position - Compared to its peer Block, Inc., PayPal has underperformed, with Block achieving a 24.8% gain over the past 52 weeks and a 21.4% rise in 2025 [6] - Despite the underperformance, PayPal maintains a consensus "Moderate Buy" rating among 42 analysts, with a mean price target of $80.88, indicating a 29% upside potential from current price levels [6]