Core Insights - Rainforest, an embedded payment provider, has raised $29 million in an oversubscribed Series B funding round, bringing total funding to $57.5 million [1][2][3] Funding and Financial Growth - The Series B round was led by Matrix Partners and Infinity Ventures, with participation from Accel and Tech Square Ventures, all of whom were also involved in the Series A round [1] - Following the previous funding round, Rainforest has experienced a more than tenfold increase in revenue, driven by substantial annual processing volume [3] Use of Funds - The new funds will be allocated towards hiring, expanding into the Canadian market, and developing new payment technologies, including tap-to-phone and alternative payment methods [2] Product Enhancements - Rainforest has introduced several product enhancements aimed at increasing payment adoption, volume, and revenue for software platforms, including an embeddable chargeback management system and real-time bank validation for ACH payments [4] - The company's objective is to assist vertical software companies in integrating payment systems into their platforms, thereby enhancing revenue and customer retention [4] Market Positioning - Rainforest aims to address challenges faced by software platforms in embedded payments, such as legitimate merchant rejections and onboarding visibility, differentiating itself from competitors like Stripe Connect and Ayden Platforms [5]

Core Viewpoint - Rosen Law Firm is reminding investors who purchased Fiserv, Inc. common stock during the specified Class Period of the upcoming lead plaintiff deadline for a class action lawsuit [1][2]. Group 1: Class Action Details - The Class Period for the Fiserv common stock purchases is from July 24, 2024, to July 22, 2025 [1]. - Investors may be entitled to compensation without any out-of-pocket fees through a contingency fee arrangement [1]. - A class action lawsuit has already been filed, and interested parties must move the Court by September 22, 2025, to serve as lead plaintiff [2]. Group 2: Rosen Law Firm's Credentials - Rosen Law Firm has a strong track record in securities class actions, having achieved the largest securities class action settlement against a Chinese company at the time [3]. - The firm was ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for the number of securities class action settlements in 2017 and has consistently ranked in the top 4 since 2013 [3]. - In 2019, the firm secured over $438 million for investors, showcasing its capability in recovering significant amounts for clients [3]. Group 3: Case Allegations - The lawsuit alleges that Fiserv made false and misleading statements regarding its Clover platform, which was forced upon Payeezy merchants due to issues with the older Payeezy platform [4]. - It is claimed that Clover's revenue growth was artificially inflated by these forced migrations, masking a slowdown in new merchant business [4]. - The lawsuit further states that many former Payeezy merchants switched to competitors due to Clover's high pricing and compatibility issues, leading to a significant slowdown in Clover's growth [4].

Group 1: Consumer Expectations and Trends - Consumers are increasingly expecting rewards and personalized offers in both online and offline commerce [1] - The use of restaurant loyalty programs has risen to 51% from 45% year-over-year, with participation in quick-service at 49% and full-service at 34% [3] - Immediate and tangible loyalty mechanics are resonating well with restaurant customers [3] Group 2: Loyalty in Hospitality and Travel - Guests value rewards but prioritize immediacy and clear dollar-equivalent benefits when booking travel, with about half factoring rewards into their online travel bookings [6] - Loyalty is critical for guest retention and spending in the hotel industry, with opportunities to embed loyalty offers into guest interactions [9] Group 3: Fiserv's Acquisition of CardFree - Fiserv's acquisition of CardFree introduces a suite of loyalty and payment options tailored for restaurants, allowing seamless integration of reward programs into ordering flows [7] - CardFree's technology enables automatic rewards at checkout across various ordering methods, enhancing customer engagement [8] - The integration of CardFree can also extend loyalty capabilities to hotels, making guest interactions more rewarding [9][10] Group 4: Clover's Enhanced Capabilities - Fiserv's Clover platform gains enhanced loyalty capabilities through the CardFree acquisition, supporting mobile pay-and-earn flows and kiosk-based redemption [11] - The company is focused on expanding Clover's functionalities beyond a point of sale device, with plans to incorporate more AI [12]

Core Insights - The article discusses the author's long-term investment strategy, focusing on Visa as a significant holding in their portfolio, emphasizing the importance of intrinsic value in investment decisions [1]. Group 1: Investment Strategy - The company has a long-term investment approach, preferring to hold positions unless there is a compelling reason to sell [1]. - The author aims to maximize total return over time by purchasing assets when their price is low relative to intrinsic value [1]. Group 2: Personal Background - The author has 22 years of experience in the energy industry, with roles in engineering, planning, and financial analysis, and has managed their own portfolio since 1998 [1]. - The author has successfully matched the S&P 500 return over the long term with lower volatility and higher income [1].

Core Insights - Visa shares have been trading sideways since the June quarter report despite strong results and elevated growth, indicating a narrowing growth gap with Mastercard [1] Company Performance - Visa reported very strong results in the June quarter, showcasing elevated growth [1] - The growth gap between Visa and Mastercard is continuing to narrow, suggesting competitive improvements for Visa [1] Investment Strategy - The investment strategy focuses on companies with perfect qualitative attributes, aiming to buy at attractive prices based on fundamentals and hold long-term [1] - The portfolio management approach is concentrated on avoiding losers while maximizing exposure to significant winners, which may lead to rating great companies as 'Hold' if growth opportunities are below a certain threshold or if downside risks are too high [1]

Group 1 - Mastercard has partnered with Zain Cash to enhance digital payment solutions in Jordan, focusing on secure and user-friendly financial transaction management [1][2] - The partnership aims to accelerate the adoption of digital payments and expand Zain Cash's Mastercard-powered offerings, including prepaid and credit cards for SMEs [2][3] - Mastercard will support the launch of Zain Cash's Innovation Hub in Jordan, aimed at co-developing next-generation payment technologies [3][4] Group 2 - Zain Cash is a significant player in Jordan's prepaid market and is currently Mastercard's leading cross-border issuer in the country [4] - The initiative is expected to increase the reach of Zain Cash's Mastercard-branded card portfolio, contributing to Mastercard's net revenues, which saw a 17% year-over-year increase in Q2 2025 [5] Group 3 - Competitors such as American Express and Visa are also performing well, with American Express reporting a 9% revenue increase and Visa a 14% increase year-over-year [6][7] - Mastercard's stock has outperformed the industry, gaining 22.3% over the past year compared to the industry's 17% growth [8] Group 4 - Mastercard trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 32.67, above the industry average of 22.11 [11] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Mastercard's 2025 earnings indicates an 11.7% rise year-over-year, with revenue growth projected at 15.1% [12]

Core Viewpoint - Rosen Law Firm is reminding investors who purchased Fiserv, Inc. common stock between July 24, 2024, and July 22, 2025, of the September 22, 2025, deadline to become a lead plaintiff in a class action lawsuit [1] Group 1: Class Action Details - Investors who bought Fiserv common stock during the specified Class Period may be entitled to compensation without any out-of-pocket fees through a contingency fee arrangement [1] - A class action lawsuit has already been filed, and interested parties must move the Court by September 22, 2025, to serve as lead plaintiff [2] - The Rosen Law Firm emphasizes the importance of selecting qualified counsel with a successful track record in securities class actions [3] Group 2: Allegations Against Fiserv - The lawsuit alleges that Fiserv made false and misleading statements regarding its Clover platform, which was forced upon Payeezy merchants due to issues with the older Payeezy platform [4] - It is claimed that Clover's revenue growth and gross payment volume (GPV) were artificially inflated by these forced migrations, masking a slowdown in new merchant business [4] - The lawsuit further alleges that many former Payeezy merchants switched to competitors due to Clover's high pricing and compatibility issues, leading to a significant slowdown in Clover's GPV growth and unsustainable revenue growth [4]

Group 1 - The article discusses the Brazilian payment processor's business model, highlighting its interesting yet potentially maturing aspects [1] - The quarter revealed challenges in two areas of long-only investment, focusing on operational evaluations rather than market-driven dynamics [1] - The analysis emphasizes understanding long-term earnings power and competitive dynamics within the industry, advocating for a buy-and-hold strategy [1] Group 2 - The author has a beneficial long position in the shares of PAGS, indicating a personal investment interest [2] - The article expresses the author's opinions without any compensation from companies mentioned, ensuring an independent viewpoint [2] - There is a clear distinction that past performance does not guarantee future results, underscoring the importance of individual due diligence [3]

Core Viewpoint - PayPal's stock has declined nearly 20% year-to-date, indicating a deterioration in the company's fundamentals despite a general market rally [1]. Group 1: Stock Performance - PayPal's stock is under pressure, down nearly 20% YTD [1]. Group 2: Market Context - The overall market is experiencing a rally, contrasting with PayPal's stock performance [1].

Core Insights - Visa is a leading payment processor, facilitating a significant volume of transactions and benefiting from the shift towards digital payments [2][6][10] Group 1: Company Overview - Visa is primarily known as a payment processor, providing technology for safe credit and debit card transactions [2] - The company operates in a market characterized by an oligopoly, sharing dominance with a few other firms [6] Group 2: Financial Performance - In the fiscal third quarter of 2025, Visa's payment volume increased by 10% year over year, handling 65.4 billion transactions [4] - Revenue rose by 14% and adjusted earnings jumped by 23% in the same quarter [7] Group 3: Market Position and Valuation - Visa's price-to-sales (P/S) ratio is around 16.8x, slightly below its five-year average of 17.7x, while the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 33.5x, compared to a longer-term average of 34.1x [8] - The current valuation suggests that while Visa is not cheap, it is reasonably priced for growth-oriented investors [9][10]