PayPal Stock Falls 31% as New CEO Inherits Execution Crisis

Core Viewpoint - PayPal's stock has fallen 31% as the company faces an execution crisis, highlighted by a significant earnings miss and a leadership change [1] Financial Performance - PayPal reported Q4 revenue of $8.676 billion, missing estimates by $304 million, and EPS of $1.23, falling short by $0.08 [1] - The company's stock is currently trading at $40.46, down 46.79% over the past year, and is near its 52-week low of $38.88 [1] Leadership Change - Enrique Lores has been appointed as the new CEO, effective March 1, 2026, following dissatisfaction from the board regarding the pace of change and execution under outgoing CEO Alex Chriss [1] Market Sentiment - Retail investor sentiment on Reddit has turned sharply negative, with the sentiment score dropping to 37 from a neutral 57.4 over the past month [1] - Daiwa Securities has reduced its price target for PayPal from $61 to $42, reflecting a 31% cut in expectations [1] Competitive Position - PayPal's branded checkout performance has deteriorated, and its defensive Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) strategy has lost market share to competitors like Affirm and Klarna [1] - Former PayPal President David Marcus criticized the company's current strategy, indicating concerns about its competitive position [1] Future Outlook - Analysts maintain a consensus target price of $51.88 for PayPal, suggesting a potential upside of 27% [1] - PayPal is expected to generate over $6 billion in free cash flow for 2026, with a current P/E ratio of 7.48x, indicating a critical period for the company to prove its turnaround strategy [1]