Core Insights - Mastercard exceeded Wall Street expectations for Q4 profit due to resilient consumer spending and announced a layoff of about 4% of its global workforce to refocus investments [1][2] Financial Performance - Mastercard reported an adjusted profit of $4.76 per share, surpassing analysts' expectations of $4.25, and revenue of $8.81 billion, exceeding estimates of $8.78 billion [5] - The company's gross dollar volume rose by 7% in the quarter, driven by strong spending in travel, leisure, and everyday essentials [3][4] Workforce Restructuring - The restructuring will lead to a charge of approximately $200 million in the current quarter and could affect over 1,400 employees from a total workforce of about 35,300 as of December 2024 [2] Consumer Spending Trends - Consumer spending has remained resilient despite economic uncertainties, with households prioritizing necessities while high earners continue to spend on discretionary items [3][4] - There was a 14% increase in cross-border volumes, indicating robust spending on cards outside the country of issuance [4]

Core Insights - Visa Inc. is set to release its first-quarter earnings on January 29, with analysts predicting earnings of $3.14 per share, an increase from $2.75 per share in the same period last year [1] - The consensus estimate for Visa's quarterly revenue is $10.69 billion, up from $9.51 billion reported last year [1] Dividend Insights - Visa currently has an annual dividend yield of 0.82%, translating to a quarterly dividend of 67 cents per share, or $2.68 annually [2] - To generate $500 monthly or $6,000 annually from dividends, an investment of approximately $732,108 or around 2,239 shares is required [2] - For a more modest income of $100 monthly or $1,200 annually, an investment of $146,487 or around 448 shares is necessary [2] Dividend Calculation Methodology - The calculation for the number of shares needed for desired annual income is done by dividing the income by the annual dividend payment [3] - The dividend yield is computed by dividing the annual dividend payment by the stock's current price, which can fluctuate based on stock price changes [4] Market Performance - Visa's shares increased by 0.5%, closing at $326.98 on Wednesday [5] - Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Ramsey El-Assal has initiated coverage of Visa with an Overweight rating and a price target of $400 [5]

PURCHASE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mastercard (NYSE: MA) announced its fourth quarter and full year 2025 financial results through a release available at investor.mastercard.com. ...

Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) will release earnings for the fourth quarter before the opening bell on Thursday, Jan. 29.Analysts expect the Purchase, New York-based company to report fourth-quarter earnings of $4.24 per share. That's up from $3.82 per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for Mastercard's quarterly revenue is $8.78 billion (it reported $7.49 billion last year), according to Benzinga Pro.On Dec. 9, Mastercard raised its quarterly cash dividend from 76 cents to 87 cents per ...

Core Viewpoint - Mastercard is expected to report strong fourth-quarter earnings, reflecting growth in both earnings per share and revenue compared to the previous year [1]. Group 1: Earnings Expectations - Analysts anticipate Mastercard will report fourth-quarter earnings of $4.24 per share, an increase from $3.82 per share in the same period last year [1]. - The consensus estimate for Mastercard's quarterly revenue is $8.78 billion, up from $7.49 billion reported in the previous year [1]. Group 2: Dividend and Share Repurchase - On December 9, Mastercard increased its quarterly cash dividend from 76 cents to 87 cents per share [2]. - The company announced a $14 billion share repurchase program [2]. - Following these announcements, Mastercard's shares rose by 0.2%, closing at $521.37 [2].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for 2025 was $2.133 billion, a 0.5% increase compared to 2024, and a 1.1% increase on a comparable adjusted basis [18] - GAAP net income improved to $85.3 million, or $1.87 per share, up from $52.9 million, or $1.18 per share in 2024 [18] - Comparable adjusted EBITDA was $431.5 million, a 6.2% increase from the previous year, with adjusted EBITDA margins expanding by 90 basis points to 20.2% [18][19] - Comparable adjusted EPS grew by 12.6% to $3.67 from $3.26 in 2024 [19] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Merchant Services revenue reached $398.6 million, growing by 3.8% year-over-year, with adjusted EBITDA at $85.9 million, a 9.4% increase [19][20] - B2B Payment segment revenue was $290.5 million, reflecting a 0.9% growth, with adjusted EBITDA at $64.4 million, a 12.8% increase [22][24] - Data segment revenue finished at $307.3 million, a 31.3% increase year-over-year, with adjusted EBITDA at $86.4 million, reflecting a 42.8% growth [25] - Print business revenue was $1.14 billion, a decline of 5.7% compared to the previous year, with adjusted EBITDA at $366.9 million [28][29] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Payments and Data now account for 47% of total revenue, up from 43% a year ago, with expectations to achieve revenue parity with Print businesses later this year [5][7] - The Data segment's revenue growth was driven by strong demand for marketing capabilities, with a significant increase in campaign performance [8][25] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on shifting revenue mix towards Payments and Data, driving operational efficiencies, and increasing cash flow to lower net debt and improve leverage ratios [6][14] - The strategic goal is to transform Deluxe into a payments and data company, leveraging its history in paper-based payments to build a leading position in digital payments [7][8] - The company aims to achieve a leverage ratio of 3x or lower, with a year-end leverage ratio of 3.2x achieved ahead of schedule [15][32] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about consumer health and traditional patterns of consumer behavior stabilizing, which is expected to benefit overall business performance [47][48] - The Data segment is anticipated to maintain double-digit growth in the first half of 2026, despite facing tough comparisons in the second half [50] Other Important Information - Free cash flow for 2025 was $175 million, exceeding the 2026 goal a year early, with net debt reduced by $76 million [5][32] - The company has a strong sales pipeline and is optimistic about growth opportunities in the ISV space [10][22] Q&A Session Summary Question: How is Deluxe positioned to respond to trends in AI and agentic commerce? - Management highlighted that Deluxe has applied AI technology across multiple business areas, improving performance and campaign outcomes [44][45] Question: What are the primary objectives for the business in 2026? - The main objectives include shifting the revenue mix towards Payments and Data, driving operational efficiency, and generating cash flow to reduce debt [55][56] Question: What does the pipeline look like for 2026 in terms of distribution growth? - Management indicated a robust pipeline for the ISV distribution channel, with ongoing investments to enhance API offerings and reporting tools [58][59] Question: What are the opportunities for build versus buy decisions in investments? - Management emphasized a balanced approach, making responsible acquisitions while also focusing on internal capability development [66][67] Question: Are there specific areas where AI is seeing greater client receptivity? - Management noted that AI is applied across various business segments to solve specific customer problems, leading to strong receptivity [75]

The most talked about and market moving research calls around Wall Street are now in one place. Here are today's research calls that investors need to know, as compiled by The Fly.Top 5 Upgrades: HSBC upgraded UPS (UPS) to Buy from Hold with a price target of $125, up from $100. Q4 results beat expectations and while in-line 2026 guidance implies a weak Q1, it also points to strong margins by the end of 2026 when the Amazon (AMZN) glide down and tariff disruptions fade, the firm tells investors in a post ...

Group 1 - The fourth quarter earnings season is gaining momentum, with major tech companies like Microsoft, Meta, Tesla, and Apple leading the earnings calendar [1] - A consensus is forming among analysts, with 13% of S&P 500 companies having reported fourth quarter results, and an estimated 8.2% increase in earnings per share for the quarter, marking the potential for the 10th consecutive quarter of annual earnings growth for the index [2] - Analysts had initially expected an 8.3% increase in earnings per share, a decrease from the previous quarter's 13.6% growth rate, but have since raised expectations, particularly for tech companies [3] Group 2 - The earnings season will not only focus on Big Tech but will also include updates from a diverse range of companies such as UnitedHealth, Boeing, General Motors, IBM, Starbucks, and others, indicating a broad economic impact [4][5]

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of identifying high-quality dividend-growing and undervalued investment opportunities to achieve strong total returns through cash dividends and capital gains [1] Company Insights - Scott Kaufman, known as Treading Softly, has over a decade of experience in the financial sector and serves as the lead analyst for Dividend Kings, focusing on actionable investment insights [1] Investment Strategy - The strategy revolves around achieving a robust total return by focusing on both cash dividends and capital gains, indicating a dual approach to investment [1]

Core Insights - Whales have adopted a bearish stance on Visa, with 52% of trades being bearish and only 23% bullish [1] - The predicted price range for Visa is between $185.0 and $345.0 based on recent options activity [2] - Visa processed nearly $17 trillion in total volume in fiscal 2025, making it the largest payment processor globally [7] Options Trading Analysis - A total of 17 trades were detected for Visa, with 4 puts totaling $630,156 and 13 calls totaling $694,047 [1] - Significant options activity includes bearish puts and bullish calls, indicating mixed sentiment among traders [6] - The trading volume for Visa stands at 2,913,794, with the stock price currently at $326.88, reflecting a decrease of -0.49% [9] Market Position and Expert Opinions - Analysts have set a consensus target price of $400.0 for Visa, with a recent downgrade to Overweight by Cantor Fitzgerald [8] - The stock may be oversold according to RSI indicators, suggesting potential for price recovery [9] - Visa operates in over 200 countries and processes transactions in more than 160 currencies, highlighting its extensive market reach [7]