Visa and Mastercard have agreed to pay a combined $167.5m to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing them of conspiring to keep ATM access fees artificially high. The proposed settlement was filed on Thursday in the federal district court in Washington and requires a judge’s approval.The accord would pay potentially millions of ATM users who were charged an unreimbursed access fee to withdraw cash from independent, non-bank ATMs. Visa would contribute about $88.8m and Mastercard about $78.7m to a settlement ...

Investing in stocks is inherently exciting because it keeps us on our toes. Although buying and holding stocks for a long period of time is a tried and tested strategy, it doesn't mean that active investorsDilantha De Silva is an experienced equity analyst and investment researcher with over 10 years in the investment industry. He writes insightful articles for Seeking Alpha, GuruFocus, TipRanks, and ValueWalk, with a significant following on Seeking Alpha. Dilantha’s expertise spans across various sectors, ...

Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is one of the most profitable NYSE stocks to buy right now. On December 12, Evercore ISI maintained an In Line rating on Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) and lifted the price target to $380 from $375. The firm also added the stock to its “Tactical Outperform” list going into the year-end and the Q4 earnings season. Is Visa Inc. (V) the Best Blue Chip Stock to Buy for 2025? In addition to Evercore ISI, BofA also upgraded Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) to Buy from Neutral on December 11 and set a $382 price targe ...

Fifty-three percent of respondents said they were at least somewhat concerned about covering an emergency expense, according to a survey of more than 7,000 consumers conducted earlier this year by PYMNTS Intelligence and Splitit, a payment platform that enables installment plans. Key Takeaways More than half of Americans say they worry about their ability to pay emergency expenses that could pop up this year, according to a recent survey. Related Stories How Much Holiday Debt Do You Expect This Year? Survey ...

Core Viewpoint - Bank of America downgraded PayPal Holdings' rating from "Buy" to "Neutral" due to delays in the recovery of its core checkout business growth [1] Summary by Categories Rating and Price Target - The target price for PayPal's stock was reduced from $93 to $68 [1] Business Performance - Analysts initially expected product innovation and an upgraded checkout experience to increase the usage rate of the PayPal button during checkout, but growth in the brand's checkout business is anticipated to slow in Q4 [1] - The year 2026 is projected to be a year of increased investment for PayPal [1] Company Strengths - PayPal has over 400 million consumer and merchant accounts, and innovation is accelerating under new management, which are considered positive factors [1] - However, until a clear improvement trend in business is established, the risk and reward are viewed as balanced [1]

Core Insights - PayPal Holdings, Inc. is experiencing ongoing softness in consumer spending, raising concerns about its turnaround pace [1][4] - Bank of America Securities analyst Mihir Bhatia downgraded PayPal from Buy to Neutral, reducing the price target from $93 to $68 due to slower progress in revitalizing branded checkout growth [1][2] Company Performance - Product upgrades and a refreshed checkout experience have not yet led to the anticipated increase in button usage [2] - The fourth quarter is expected to show a significant slowdown in branded checkout growth, marking the weakest expansion in several years [3][5] - PayPal has flagged continued softness in consumer spending into November, which contrasts with generally positive retail updates [4][6] Market Position - Concerns are growing that PayPal may be losing market share to rival digital wallets and alternatives, as its branded checkout volumes have lagged behind broader e-commerce benchmarks [5] - The risk-reward profile appears balanced until clearer evidence of a turnaround is observed [3] Financial Outlook - Earnings forecasts for 2026 and 2027 have been lowered to reflect slower growth and increased investment spending, with potential downside risk if 2027 remains investment-heavy [6] - PayPal's customer base is primarily middle- and lower-income households, which are more exposed to retail and discretionary spending [6]

Core Insights - PayPal Holdings, Inc. is experiencing ongoing softness in consumer spending, raising concerns about the pace of its turnaround [1][4] - Bank of America Securities analyst Mihir Bhatia downgraded PayPal from Buy to Neutral, lowering the price forecast from $93 to $68 due to slower progress in revitalizing branded checkout growth [1][2] Company Performance - The company has not seen the expected increase in button usage from product upgrades and a refreshed checkout experience [2] - Management views 2026 as an investment year, which limits near-term upside for the shares [2][3] - Branded checkout growth is expected to slow significantly in the fourth quarter, marking the weakest expansion in several years [3][5] Market Position - There are concerns that PayPal may be losing market share to rival digital wallets and alternatives, as branded checkout volumes have grown more slowly than broader e-commerce benchmarks [5][6] - The company has flagged continued softness in spending into November, contrasting with generally positive retail updates [4][6] Financial Outlook - Bhatia has lowered his earnings forecasts for 2026 and 2027, reflecting slower growth and higher investment spending, with downside risk if 2027 remains investment-heavy [6] - PayPal's customer base skews toward middle- and lower-income households, which are more exposed to retail and discretionary spending [6]

Core Insights - Whales have adopted a bullish stance on PayPal Holdings, with 48% of trades being bullish and 36% bearish, indicating strong investor interest [1] - The major market movers are focusing on a price range between $30.0 and $115.0 for PayPal Holdings over the last three months [2] - Recent options activity shows significant trading volumes, with a total of 41 trades detected, including 30 calls worth $3,435,007 and 11 puts worth $607,899 [1][3] Options Activity - Noteworthy options activity includes bullish trades with significant volumes, such as a call trade for $1.0 million at a strike price of $65.00, and a bearish sweep for $380.1K at a strike price of $115.00 [7] - The volume and open interest metrics provide insights into liquidity and investor interest in PayPal's options, particularly within the strike price range of $30.0 to $115.0 over the past 30 days [3][4] Company Overview - PayPal Holdings, spun off from eBay in 2015, offers electronic payment solutions and had 434 million active accounts by the end of 2024 [8] - The company also owns Venmo, a popular person-to-person payment platform, which contributes to its market presence [8] Analyst Insights - Analysts have set an average price target of $67.33 for PayPal Holdings, with varying ratings from different firms, including a target of $65 from Evercore ISI Group and $70 from JP Morgan [9][10] - The stock is currently trading at $60.51, down by -0.44%, with a trading volume of 6,253,817, indicating potential oversold conditions [12]

Core Insights - Worldline is divesting PaymentIQ, a payment orchestration platform, to Incore Invest for approximately €160 million, marking a strategic refocus on core European payment activities [1] - The divestment is part of Worldline's North Star transformation plan aimed at simplifying operations and optimizing resource allocation [1] - The expected financial impact of the divestment includes an estimated €50 million in revenue, €40 million in Adjusted EBITDA, and €30 million in free cash flow for 2026 [1] Financial Overview - The total expected cash proceeds from various disposals, including PaymentIQ, are projected to be in the range of €510-560 million [1] - Worldline generated €4.6 billion in revenue in 2024, indicating strong business performance [2] Strategic Focus - The divestment aligns with Worldline's strategy to enhance its financial profile and support the redeployment of capital towards core activities [1] - Worldline aims to design and operate digital payment solutions that promote sustainable economic growth and reinforce trust and security [2]

Core Insights - Klarna has expanded its flexible payment products to be available at checkout on Apple Pay in France and Italy, enhancing convenience and control for millions of eligible shoppers [1][2][3] Expansion and Adoption - The expansion follows strong consumer adoption in Denmark, Spain, Sweden, the U.S., UK, and Canada, where Klarna's payment options have gained popularity [2] - With this launch, Klarna's services are now accessible in eight major markets, providing consumers with more choices and flexibility in payment methods [2] Payment Options - Eligible customers can split purchases into three monthly installments or pay up to 30 days later, all interest-free. For higher-value purchases, longer payment periods are available with competitive interest rates starting from 0% [3][4] - Klarna applies industry-leading underwriting to ensure responsible lending before approving payments [4] Security and Privacy - Payments made with Klarna through Apple Pay are secure and private, with Apple not retaining any transaction information linked to users [4] User Base and Market Position - Klarna boasts over 114 million active consumers globally and processes approximately 3.4 million transactions daily, aiming to be available at every checkout [5][7] - The company partners with over 850,000 retailers, including major brands like Uber, H&M, and Nike, to drive growth and customer loyalty [7][8]