We recently published 13 Stocks Jim Cramer Commented On. Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer commanded on. Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is a payment processing firm. The shares are down by 2.5% over the past year and by 5.9% year-to-date. A key theme in the card market these days has been President Trump’s proposal to cap credit card interest rates at 10%. On this front, Cramer initially remarked that Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) was a processing company and not a credit card company. More recently, JPMorgan C ...

Core Viewpoint - Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) has faced a decline in share price, with a 4% drop over the past year and a 6.8% decrease year-to-date, amidst discussions of potential regulatory changes affecting credit card interest rates [2][3]. Group 1: Share Price Movements and Analyst Ratings - Compass Point upgraded Mastercard's shares to Buy from Neutral, raising the price target to $735 from $620, indicating a belief that the sector is nearing a bottom after the fourth quarter earnings cycle [2]. - Truist reduced its price target for Mastercard to $609 from $630 while maintaining a Buy rating, reflecting a cautious outlook on the broader financial sector [2]. - TD Cowen increased its price target for Mastercard to $668 from $654, also keeping a Buy rating, suggesting a positive sentiment despite recent struggles [2]. Group 2: Regulatory Environment and Market Sentiment - The company's shares have been impacted by President Trump's suggestion of a 10% cap on credit card interest rates, which has raised concerns about profitability in the credit card sector [2][3]. - Jim Cramer emphasized the need for Mastercard and similar companies to respond quickly to regulatory discussions, highlighting the ongoing relationship between credit card companies and Congress [3].

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Core Insights - The earnings season for Q4 2025 is highlighted by the performance of Mastercard (MA) and Visa (V), both of which have underperformed relative to the S&P 500 over the last three months [1] - Sales and EPS expectations for Visa are projected at 14% EPS growth and 12% higher sales, while Mastercard is expected to see 16% EPS growth and 10% higher sales [1] Quarterly Expectations - Visa's EPS growth is expected to be 14% with sales increasing by 12% [1] - Mastercard is anticipated to achieve 16% EPS growth alongside a 10% rise in sales [1] Growth Rates - The growth rates for both companies are commendable given their mature status, indicating underlying consumer strength [2] Valuation Picture - MA shares are trading at a 27.2X forward 12-month earnings multiple, while Visa trades at 24.4X, both below their five-year medians and highs [3] - The PEG ratios for both companies are also below five-year medians and not near five-year highs [3] Consumer Strength - The expected growth for both companies is driven by continued consumer strength and a resilient U.S. economy, reflected in higher volumes across key segments [4] Comparative Attractiveness - Revisions for Mastercard are more bullish compared to Visa, although both stocks have shown similar performance over the past five years, each gaining approximately 70% [5] - The favorable revisions trend for Mastercard provides it with a slight edge over Visa [5] Historical Valuation - Both stocks are considered cheap on a historical basis, with MA shares trading at a premium due to stronger forecasted EPS growth [6] - Guidance will be crucial for future decisions, as positive commentary could enhance EPS and sales outlooks for both companies [6]

Core Insights - Visa launched its Milano Cortina 2026 U.S. campaign featuring athletes Mikaela Shiffrin and Oksana Masters, highlighting their stories of perseverance and support networks [1] Group 1: Campaign Details - The campaign is athlete-led and focuses on storytelling, showcasing the human moments behind the athletes' successes [1] - Newly released anthem films are central to the campaign, emphasizing Visa's belief in the journey of reaching one's goals [1]

Group 1: Corporate Earnings Insights - The earnings reports from Tesla, Microsoft, Meta, and Apple represent a critical test for technology sector leadership and AI infrastructure investment narratives [1][2] - Microsoft's Azure cloud growth and AI monetization through Copilot will be crucial for validating the AI infrastructure investment thesis [1] - Meta's results will assess whether Reality Labs losses are justified by metaverse progress while digital advertising continues to fund innovation [1] - Tesla's delivery numbers, automotive margins, and energy storage performance will be closely scrutinized amid ongoing questions about EV demand and autonomous driving timelines [1] - Apple's iPhone demand in China and services revenue growth will be particularly important given trade tensions [1] Group 2: Federal Reserve Meeting and Economic Context - The Federal Reserve meeting represents a critical juncture for policymakers to decide on interest rate adjustments amid persistent inflation concerns [3] - Chair Powell's press conference will provide insights into the Fed's policy trajectory and economic projections, influencing market expectations [3] - The timing of the Fed decision coinciding with major tech earnings creates a complex environment where monetary policy and corporate fundamentals will compete for market attention [3] Group 3: Trade Policy and Supply Chain Implications - President Trump's threat of 100% tariffs on Canadian goods marks a significant escalation in protectionist rhetoric, creating uncertainty for North American supply chains [4] - The potential impact of tariff threats on sectors with cross-border operations, such as automotive and aerospace, will be closely monitored [4] - Trump's speeches preceding major industrial earnings could amplify reactions if companies address trade policy impacts on their operations [4] Group 4: Industrial and Energy Sector Perspectives - Earnings from UnitedHealth, Boeing, General Motors, and UPS will provide insights into healthcare costs, aerospace manufacturing, automotive demand, and logistics activity [5][6] - The industrial earnings cluster will help assess business investment and capital spending resilience amid economic and trade policy uncertainties [6] - Earnings from Exxon and Chevron will offer perspectives on oil and gas markets, refining margins, and energy sector capital allocation amid volatile commodity prices [7] - Visa and Mastercard earnings will test payment network health and consumer spending resilience through transaction volume trends [7]

Core Insights - Businesses in Las Vegas Valley are increasingly adopting Bitcoin payments to avoid credit card processing fees, which average between 2.5% to 3.5%, while also attracting a growing customer base interested in crypto-friendly merchants [1] Group 1: Adoption of Bitcoin Payments - Cane Juice Bar and Cafe has implemented Bitcoin payments for eight months, allowing customers to pay with cash, card, or Bitcoin [2] - The popularity of Bitcoin is rising among mainstream consumers, not just cryptocurrency enthusiasts, helping businesses attract new customers [3] - Customers who typically wouldn't know about certain shops are visiting specifically to use Bitcoin, aided by Bitcoin maps that help consumers locate accepting businesses [4] Group 2: Technology and Ease of Use - Businesses accepting Bitcoin range from medical practices to juice bars, with payment processing requiring just a few taps on a phone [5] - The checkout process involves scanning a QR code with a Bitcoin app, and the technology is expected to become easier over time [5] Group 3: Corporate Adoption - Major restaurant chains are also adopting Bitcoin, with Steak 'n Shake announcing plans to pay hourly employees a Bitcoin bonus of $0.21 for every hour worked starting March 1, with a two-year vesting period [6] - The CEO of Steak 'n Shake emphasizes the company's transformation into a "real bitcoin company," aiming to provide sound money to working Americans [7]

Group 1: Stock Performance in 2025 - The market saw strong gains in 2025, with seven out of ten recommended stocks outperforming the S&P 500, and six of these stocks increasing by over 25% [1][2] - The top-performing stocks included Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC), ASML, Meta Platforms, Alphabet, Amazon, CrowdStrike, dLocal, PayPal, MercadoLibre, and Nvidia [2][3] Group 2: Future Outlook for Selected Stocks - Nvidia, TSMC, and dLocal are expected to repeat their 2025 performance and achieve at least a 25% increase in 2026 due to their roles in the AI sector [5][6] - Nvidia specializes in GPUs, which are essential for generative AI workloads, while TSMC manufactures the logic chips for these devices, both benefiting from significant AI spending [6] Group 3: Valuation and Investment Considerations - CrowdStrike, ASML, and Alphabet are still considered good investments, but they may not replicate the 25% or greater rise seen in 2025 due to their current valuations [9][11] - ASML and Alphabet have forward earnings multiples of 43 and 29, respectively, which may limit further gains [9] - CrowdStrike is valued at 25 times sales, which is typical for a software company, but high valuations could pose challenges in 2026 [11]

Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) and Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) are expected to report earnings results on January 29.JP Morgan analyst Tien-tsin Huang says that the spending data indicate only a slight slowdown in the fourth quarter, and given the tough year-over-year comparison, this suggests that the domestic consumer remains healthy.Last week, President Donald Trump posted on social media encouraging support for the Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA). The analyst writes that headlines around CCCA have fueled c ...