Analyst's Disclosure:I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or a ...

I assigned a Strong Buy rating to Visa Inc. ( V ) in April 2025, discussing the trend of consumer spendings. Its stock price pulled back recently due to the concerns about stablecoins. I don’t think stablecoins willAnalyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of V either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business rel ...

Visa (NYSE: V ) is among the few names that I have earmarked as a true retirement asset. A retirement asset may not double in 2–3 years, but it reduces drawdowns and compounds wealth in a stable manner. This makes it anI am a stock analyst with over 20 years of experience in quantitative research, financial modeling, and risk management. My focus is on equity valuation, market trends, and portfolio optimization to uncover high-growth investment opportunities. As a former Vice President at Barclays, I led te ...

Core Viewpoint - Wex (WEX) is anticipated to report a year-over-year decline in earnings due to lower revenues, with the upcoming earnings report expected to significantly influence its stock price [1][2]. Earnings Expectations - The consensus estimate for Wex's quarterly earnings is $3.69 per share, reflecting a year-over-year decrease of 5.6%. Revenues are projected to be $653.38 million, down 3% from the previous year [3]. - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised 1.2% higher in the last 30 days, indicating a slight bullish sentiment among analysts [4]. Earnings Surprise Prediction - The Zacks Earnings ESP model shows a positive Earnings ESP of +0.88% for Wex, suggesting that analysts are optimistic about the company's earnings prospects [12]. - Wex currently holds a Zacks Rank of 2, indicating a strong likelihood of beating the consensus EPS estimate [12]. Historical Performance - In the last reported quarter, Wex exceeded the expected earnings of $3.4 per share by delivering $3.51, resulting in a surprise of +3.24% [13]. - Over the past four quarters, Wex has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times [14]. Conclusion - Wex is positioned as a compelling candidate for an earnings beat, but investors should consider additional factors beyond earnings expectations when making investment decisions [17].

Group 1 - Elliott Management has acquired a significant position in Global Payments, leading to an increase in the company's stock price during extended trading sessions [1][3] - Global Payments is working to regain investor confidence after its $24.2 billion acquisition of Worldpay, which caused its shares to hit a decade-low [2] - Elliott Management, managing $72.7 billion in assets, is known for taking high-profile activist positions in various companies, including BP and Hewlett Packard Enterprise [3] Group 2 - Following the news of Elliott's stake, Global Payments shares rose by 5.66%, reaching $82 in extended trading [3]

Core Insights - As of mid-2025, 135 publicly traded companies collectively hold over 657,000 BTC, representing approximately 3.3% of all Bitcoin in existence [2][10] - Companies view Bitcoin either as a speculative asset, an inflation hedge, or a strategic reserve similar to digital gold [2][10] - The corporate adoption of Bitcoin spans various sectors, including crypto mining, fintech, healthcare, and retail [9] Bitcoin Treasury Firms - Companies in this category treat Bitcoin as a core treasury asset [3] Bitcoin Mining Companies - Publicly traded miners often retain a portion of their mined BTC [4] - Notable holders include Marathon Digital Holdings (~49,000 BTC), Riot Platforms (~19,200 BTC), and CleanSpark (~12,600 BTC) [5] Fintech, Crypto & Exchange Platforms - Payment firms, trading platforms, and custodians directly holding Bitcoin include Tesla (~11,500 BTC), Coinbase Global (~9,300 BTC), and Block Inc. (~8,600 BTC) [8] Other Public Companies - Companies from non-crypto industries with Bitcoin allocations include MercadoLibre, NEXON, and Alliance Resource Partners [8][9] - The list of Bitcoin holders now includes a diverse range of sectors beyond traditional crypto firms [9]

Group 1 - Visa is set to announce its Q3 FY'25 earnings on July 29, with revenues expected to rise by approximately 10% year-over-year to $9.82 billion and adjusted earnings predicted to be around $2.83 per share, reflecting a 17% increase compared to last year [2] - The anticipated growth is driven by increasing payment volumes and greater cross-border transactions, which are typically more profitable, along with strong performance in the value-added services segment [2] - The company currently has a market capitalization of $680 billion, with total revenue over the past twelve months at $38 billion, operating profits of $25 billion, and a net income of $20 billion [2] Group 2 - Historical data indicates that Visa has recorded 20 earnings data points over the last five years, with 11 positive and 9 negative one-day post-earnings returns, resulting in positive returns approximately 55% of the time [3] - The median of the 11 positive returns is 2.2%, while the median of the 9 negative returns is -1.6% [3] Group 3 - A correlation analysis between 1D, 5D, and 21D historical returns post-earnings suggests that understanding these correlations can help in making informed trading decisions [4] - If the 1D post-earnings return is positive, traders may consider going long for the subsequent 5 days if there is a strong correlation between 1D and 5D returns [4]

Group 1 - The article discusses the investment potential of PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: PYPL), initially rated as a "Strong Buy" and later adjusted to a "Buy" due to positive sentiment towards the new management [1] - The investment group Beyond the Wall Investing offers features such as a fundamentals-based portfolio, weekly analysis from institutional investors, and alerts for short-term trade ideas based on technical signals [1] - The analyst has a beneficial long position in PYPL shares, indicating confidence in the stock's future performance [1]

Core Viewpoint - Apple, Visa, and Mastercard achieved a legal victory in an antitrust lawsuit, with a federal judge dismissing the case due to insufficient evidence from the plaintiffs [2][3]. Group 1: Legal Proceedings - U.S. District Judge David Dugan ruled that the merchants did not provide adequate evidence to support their claims against Apple for not launching a competing payment network [2]. - The judge allowed the plaintiffs to amend their lawsuit to strengthen their claims, despite finding their initial allegations to be circumstantial [3]. - The defendants, Apple, Visa, and Mastercard, denied any wrongdoing and sought dismissal of the lawsuit [3]. Group 2: Allegations and Defense - The lawsuit, filed in 2023, accused Apple of conspiring with Visa and Mastercard to avoid competition, claiming that Visa and Mastercard paid Apple a significant portion of transaction fees for purchases made using Apple Pay [4]. - The plaintiffs alleged that these payments constituted a "very large and ongoing cash bribe" amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars annually [5]. - Apple contended that the complaint did not demonstrate any intention to enter the payments network market to compete with Visa or Mastercard [5]. Group 3: Industry Context - The ruling comes at a time when mobile wallets are increasingly influencing consumer in-store transactions globally, accounting for 21% of all in-store transactions, reflecting a 10.9% increase since 2022 [6].

Core Insights - Mastercard's shares have increased by 12.7% over the past three months, outperforming Visa and the broader industry, which rose by 9.2% and 10.1% respectively, while American Express surged by 28.4% [2][7] - The company is navigating significant legal and regulatory challenges, particularly concerning interchange and network fees, which are critical to its revenue model [5][6] - Mastercard is proactively integrating stablecoins into its payment ecosystem, aiming to enhance transaction efficiency while maintaining its competitive edge [9][10] Regulatory and Competitive Landscape - Recent rulings in the U.K. have deemed Mastercard and Visa's interchange fees as violations of European competition laws, potentially leading to regulatory caps [5] - In the U.S., the Department of Justice has accused Mastercard and Visa of overcharging merchants, with proposed legislation that could disrupt Mastercard's pricing power [6] - The company faces increasing competition from fintechs and major retailers exploring alternative payment systems, including stablecoin-based solutions [8] Financial Performance and Growth Drivers - Mastercard's forward P/E ratio stands at 32.32X, above the industry average of 22.87X, indicating strong investor confidence [12] - The company's Value-Added Services have seen revenue growth of 17.7% in 2023, with continued growth projected for 2024 and 2025 [15] - In Q1 2025, Mastercard generated $2.4 billion in operating cash flow, up from $1.7 billion a year ago, and repurchased shares worth $2.5 billion [16] Future Outlook - Analyst estimates suggest EPS growth of 9.5% in 2025 and 16.6% in 2026, with revenue growth expected at 13.1% and 11.9% respectively [17] - The company has consistently outperformed earnings expectations, with an average earnings surprise of 3.7% over the last four quarters [17] - Mastercard's ability to innovate and adapt to market changes positions it favorably for long-term growth despite current challenges [18][19]