In-Store Tap: Klarna Plants Its Flag in 14 European Markets
KlarnaKlarna(US:KLAR) ZACKS·2025-12-02 14:31

Core Insights - Klarna Group plc has launched Tap to Pay in 14 European markets, enhancing its flexible-payment ecosystem in physical retail, addressing the fact that over 80% of European shopping occurs in stores [1][3] - The Klarna Card has gained significant traction, with over 4 million users and acceptance at more than 150 million merchant locations globally, indicating strong customer engagement [2] - Klarna's user base has reached 114 million active users, with 3.4 million daily transactions, showcasing the effectiveness of its product innovations [2] Expansion and Performance - The 14 European countries where Tap to Pay has been introduced include Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden [3] - In the U.S., Klarna reported a record Black Friday performance, with gross merchandise volume increasing by 45% year-over-year from November 1 to November 28, driven by strong sales in footwear, technology, beauty, and home goods [4] - Klarna is facing increasing competition from companies like Affirm and PayPal, which are expanding their offerings and market presence [5][6] Financial Metrics and Valuation - Klarna's stock has seen a decline of 19.6% over the past month, underperforming the broader industry, which fell by 0.4% [7] - The company trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 72.22X, significantly higher than the industry average of 20.37X, and has a Value Score of D [9] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate predicts a loss of 57 cents per share for Klarna in 2025, with an expected improvement of 188.5% in the following year [9][10]