Investors interested in Business Services stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Is PagSeguro Digital Ltd. (PAGS) one of those stocks right now? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Business Services peers, we might be able to answer that question. PagSeguro Digital Ltd. is a member of our Business Services group, which includes 258 different companies and currently sits at #4 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Ran ...

Fiserv (FI) came out with quarterly earnings of $2.47 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.41 per share. This compares to earnings of $2.13 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +2.49%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this financial services technology company would post earnings of $2.08 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.14, delivering a surprise of +2.88%.Over the last four qua ...

Company Overview - Western Union (WU) shares increased by 6.2% to close at $8.6, supported by strong trading volume, contrasting with a 4.1% decline over the past four weeks [1][2] - The company is focusing on stablecoins as a growth area, aiming to enhance cross-border money transfers and maintain value stability in volatile markets [2] Earnings Expectations - WU is projected to report quarterly earnings of $0.44 per share, unchanged from the previous year, with revenues expected to be $1.04 billion, a decrease of 2.9% year-over-year [3] - The consensus EPS estimate has been slightly revised higher in the last 30 days, indicating a potential for price appreciation [4] Industry Context - Western Union operates within the Zacks Financial Transaction Services industry, which includes other companies like Shift4 Payments (FOUR) [5] - Shift4 Payments has seen a 13.2% return over the past month, with its EPS estimate for the upcoming report revised down by 1.2% to $1.23, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 28.1% [6]

Market Overview - The stock market reached new highs as Wall Street reacts positively to the start of the second-quarter earnings season, with many companies exceeding lowered estimates due to tariffs [1] - Management commentary on current business trends has been favorable, enhancing earnings expectations for Q3 and beyond [2] - The improving earnings outlook, along with projections of potential Federal Reserve rate cuts in the second half of the year, creates a bullish environment extending beyond July [2] Investment Opportunities - Investors are encouraged to consider adding exposure to highly-ranked cheap stocks trading for $10 or less, which are driven by improving earnings outlooks [3] - Stocks priced under $10 are seen as having potential, especially those with strong Zacks Ranks (1 Strong Buys or 2 Buys) [3][9] Penny Stocks - The SEC defines penny stocks as those trading for less than $5, which are often avoided by investors due to their speculative nature [4] - Penny stocks typically trade infrequently and exhibit wide bid/ask spreads, leading to excessive volatility, although some can perform exceptionally well [5] Stocks Under $10 - Stocks in the $5 to $10 range are generally considered less risky than penny stocks, and investors may be more familiar with these companies [6] - A selective approach can yield winning stocks under $10, with specific screening parameters to identify potential investments [7][10] Featured Stock: PaySign, Inc. (PAYS) - PaySign, Inc. specializes in prepaid card programs and is projected to grow its revenue by 24% in 2025 and 11% in the following year, with a historical average sales expansion of 25% over the past four years [13] - The company is expected to see a significant increase in adjusted earnings, projected to grow by 400% in 2025 from $0.07 to $0.35, and further to $0.47 the next year [13] - PaySign's stock has surged 270% in the past three months, currently trading around $8.05, which is 5% below its recent peaks and 55% under its all-time highs from summer 2019 [13][15] - The stock trades at a 15% discount compared to its industry average, indicating potential value [14]

Investors interested in Financial Transaction Services stocks are likely familiar with PagSeguro Digital Ltd. (PAGS) and Corpay (CPAY) . But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? Let's take a closer look.There are plenty of strategies for discovering value stocks, but we have found that pairing a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system produces the best returns. The Zacks Rank is a proven strategy that ta ...

Core Insights - PayPal is expanding its cryptocurrency services, including the addition of Chainlink (LINK) and Solana (SOL) to its platforms, aiming to become a key player in tokenized finance [1][8] - The launch of PayPal USD (PYUSD) in August 2023 is central to its crypto strategy, with recent expansions to Layer-2 blockchains like Arbitrum and plans for Stellar integration [2][3] - A partnership with Coinbase allows fee-free PYUSD purchases and enhances its use in decentralized finance (DeFi) and on-chain platforms [4][8] Company Developments - PayPal has deepened its involvement in the crypto space since 2020, now offering major tokens and stablecoin services [1] - The integration of PYUSD into Arbitrum provides a low-cost, high-speed option for developers, enhancing transaction capabilities [2] - The planned expansion of PYUSD to the Stellar blockchain aims to improve payment capabilities with faster transactions and lower fees [3] Strategic Partnerships - The collaboration with Coinbase enables fee-free access to PYUSD, promoting its adoption among consumers, merchants, and institutions [4] - PayPal's rollout of crypto services for business accounts allows merchants to manage crypto assets directly [4] Market Position - PayPal shares have declined 13.1% year to date, underperforming the broader industry and the S&P 500 Index [7] - The stock is trading at a forward 12-month P/E of 13.70X, significantly lower than the industry average of 21.96X, indicating a potentially undervalued position [10] Earnings Estimates - Recent revisions to earnings estimates show a positive trend, with a projected 9.46% growth in EPS for 2025 and 11.46% for 2026 [12] - Current estimates for the upcoming quarters indicate slight upward adjustments, reflecting improved expectations [13]

Core Insights - PagSeguro Digital Ltd. has consistently surpassed earnings estimates, averaging a 12.07% beat over the last two quarters [1][5] - The company reported earnings of $0.29 per share for the most recent quarter, missing the expectation of $0.31 per share, but still achieving a surprise of 6.90% [2] - In the previous quarter, PagSeguro exceeded the consensus estimate of $0.29 per share by reporting $0.34 per share, resulting in a surprise of 17.24% [2] Earnings Estimates and Predictions - Recent changes in earnings estimates for PagSeguro Digital have been favorable, with a positive Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) indicating a strong likelihood of an earnings beat [5][8] - The current Earnings ESP for PagSeguro is +9.09%, suggesting that analysts are optimistic about the company's earnings prospects [8] - Stocks with a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) or better have a nearly 70% chance of producing a positive surprise [6][8] Importance of Earnings ESP - The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, with the Most Accurate Estimate reflecting the latest analyst revisions [7] - A positive Earnings ESP combined with a strong Zacks Rank indicates a higher probability of an earnings beat, while a negative Earnings ESP may reduce predictive power but does not necessarily indicate a miss [8][10]

Core Insights - Evertec (EVTC) has a strong track record of beating earnings estimates, particularly in the last two quarters with an average surprise of 14.12% [1] - The company reported earnings of $0.81 per share for the most recent quarter, falling short of the expected $0.87, resulting in a surprise of 7.41% [2] - In the previous quarter, Evertec exceeded expectations by reporting $0.87 per share against a consensus estimate of $0.72, achieving a surprise of 20.83% [2] Earnings Estimates and Predictions - Earnings estimates for Evertec have been trending higher, supported by its history of earnings surprises [5] - The stock currently has a positive Zacks Earnings ESP of +1.16%, indicating bullish sentiment among analysts regarding its near-term earnings potential [8] - The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) suggests a high likelihood of another earnings beat in the upcoming report [8] Earnings ESP and Market Behavior - Research indicates that stocks with a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank of 3 or better have a nearly 70% chance of producing a positive surprise [6] - The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, reflecting the latest analyst revisions [7] - A negative Earnings ESP can diminish predictive power but does not necessarily indicate an earnings miss [9]

Core Viewpoint - Wall Street anticipates a year-over-year increase in earnings for FirstCash Holdings despite lower revenues, with a focus on how actual results compare to estimates impacting stock price [1][2]. Earnings Expectations - FirstCash is expected to report quarterly earnings of $1.66 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of +21.2% [3]. - Revenues are projected to be $824.3 million, a decrease of 0.8% from the previous year [3]. Estimate Revisions - The consensus EPS estimate has remained unchanged over the last 30 days, indicating stability in analyst expectations [4]. - The Most Accurate Estimate for FirstCash is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, resulting in an Earnings ESP of +2.41% [12]. Earnings Surprise Prediction - A positive Earnings ESP reading suggests a potential earnings beat, particularly when combined with a strong Zacks Rank [10]. - FirstCash currently holds a Zacks Rank of 4, which complicates the prediction of an earnings beat despite the positive Earnings ESP [12]. Historical Performance - In the last reported quarter, FirstCash exceeded expectations by delivering earnings of $2.07 per share against an expected $1.75, resulting in a surprise of +18.29% [13]. - The company has beaten consensus EPS estimates in all of the last four quarters [14]. Industry Comparison - Another player in the financial transaction services industry, Wex, is expected to report earnings of $3.69 per share, indicating a year-over-year decline of -5.6% [18]. - Wex's revenues are anticipated to be $653.38 million, down 3% from the previous year, with a higher Most Accurate Estimate leading to an Earnings ESP of +0.88% and a Zacks Rank of 2 [19].

Company Performance - PagSeguro Digital Ltd. closed at $8.43, reflecting a -1.86% change from the previous day, underperforming the S&P 500 which gained 0.32% [1] - Over the past month, shares of PagSeguro Digital Ltd. have decreased by 7.24%, compared to a loss of 1.01% in the Business Services sector and a gain of 4.51% in the S&P 500 [1] Upcoming Earnings - The upcoming earnings release is expected to show an EPS of $0.3, which represents a 6.25% decline from the same quarter last year [2] - Revenue is projected to be $913.21 million, indicating a 4.44% increase from the previous year [2] Full Year Estimates - For the full year, analysts expect earnings of $1.22 per share and revenue of $3.7 billion, reflecting changes of +0.83% and +5.98% respectively from last year [3] - Recent revisions in analyst estimates suggest a positive outlook for the business [3] Valuation Metrics - PagSeguro Digital Ltd. is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 7.06, significantly lower than the industry average of 16.08, indicating a discount [6] - The company has a PEG ratio of 0.63, compared to the Financial Transaction Services industry's average PEG ratio of 1.27 [7] Industry Context - The Financial Transaction Services industry is part of the Business Services sector, which holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 91, placing it in the top 37% of over 250 industries [7] - The Zacks Rank system indicates that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [8]