Two months into the year, the S&P 500 is little changed. Although inflation remains higher than ideal, the U.S. economy is proving resilient. But positive news is failing to move the market.These are the kinds of times when it's important to remember Benjamin Graham's famous saying: "In the short run, the market is a voting machine. But in the long run, it is a weighing machine." If you choose great stocks and hold them for a long time, it won't matter what happens in the first two months of 2026.Let's exam ...

Group 1: MercadoLibre - Shares of MercadoLibre have increased over 1,500% in the last decade, but recent pullbacks have led to the lowest valuation in years, presenting a compelling investment opportunity [4][8] - The company dominates Latin America's e-commerce and fintech markets, with a competitive moat built on valuable services such as payments, credit, and membership benefits, which enhance customer loyalty and shopping frequency [5][8] - Revenue rose by 45% year-over-year in the fourth quarter, while unit shipping costs in Brazil fell by 11% due to automation [7] - The stock is currently trading at a price-to-sales multiple of 3.1, the lowest in over 10 years, indicating potential undervaluation [8] Group 2: Coupang - Coupang is the leader in South Korea's e-commerce market and is beginning to expand profitably into other countries like Taiwan, with the stock down 21% year-to-date [9][12] - The company has invested billions in its fulfillment network and logistics, differentiating itself by efficiently delivering packages in densely populated urban areas [10] - Despite a deceleration in fourth-quarter revenue growth to 11% year-over-year, management has noted a recovery, suggesting this pullback may be a buying opportunity [13] Group 3: Airbnb - Airbnb has grown into a global platform since its inception in 2007, serving over 5 million hosts and more than 2.5 million guests, with the stock trading at 18 times free cash flow [14][18] - The travel industry is expected to contribute about 10% to the global economy, indicating significant long-term potential for Airbnb [15] - The company benefits from a capital-light model, generating $12.3 billion in annual revenue and converting it into $4.6 billion in free cash flow, with a high free-cash-flow margin of 37% [17] - Investments in AI are expected to drive margins higher, with a custom AI agent handling a third of customer support issues, leveraging a vast pool of data [18]

Core Insights - ACI Worldwide has launched ACI Connetic for Cards, a cloud-native card payments suite that integrates various payment functionalities into a unified platform, enhancing operational efficiency and resilience in payment processing [1][2] Group 1: Product Launch and Features - ACI Connetic for Cards is a next-generation card payments suite that combines account-to-account payments, card payments, and AI-driven fraud prevention on a single platform [1] - The platform processes over 300 billion card transactions annually, showcasing ACI's established capabilities in the payments industry [1] - Key benefits include unified operations, enhanced fraud management, and a modular architecture that supports the full transaction lifecycle [1] Group 2: Market Trends and Projections - Global card transactions reached 776 billion in 2024 and are projected to grow to 1.1 trillion by 2029, representing a 43% increase [1] - The rise of contactless payments, e-commerce, and B2B digitization is driving the demand for modernized card payment solutions [1] - Financial institutions are increasingly seeking unified, cloud-native architectures to streamline operations and foster innovation across payment types [1] Group 3: Industry Impact and Customer Feedback - ACI Connetic for Cards is positioned to help banks modernize their payment infrastructures without increasing risk, providing a future-ready foundation for new services and continuous innovation [1] - Customers, such as Solaris SE, have expressed that the unified, cloud-native approach simplifies operations and accelerates innovation across payment types [1]

Core Viewpoint - PhonePe, backed by Walmart, is targeting a valuation of $9 billion to $10.5 billion for its upcoming IPO in India, aiming to raise between $900 million and $1.05 billion, despite a previous valuation of $12 billion in 2023 [1][1]. Company Overview - PhonePe is the most used payments platform in India, processing nearly half of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions, with 10 billion out of 21.7 billion transactions in January [1][1]. - The company has over 650 million registered users, but faces challenges in monetizing its user base due to the low-margin nature of the payments business in India [1][1]. Financial Performance - PhonePe's losses increased to 14.44 billion rupees ($158 million) for the six months ending September 30, compared to 12.03 billion rupees a year ago, while revenue grew by approximately 22% to 39.18 billion rupees [1][1]. Market Context - The Indian fintech market is perceived as overcrowded, with limited differentiation among competitors, which raises concerns about PhonePe's ability to achieve its targeted valuation [1][1]. - The excitement around the fintech sector in India has cooled, leading to skepticism regarding PhonePe's monetization strategy and user growth [1][1].

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Skip to main content Exclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionalsLearn more aboutRefinitiv Adidas expects operating profit to rise to 2.3 billion euros in 2026 March 4, 20266:36 AM UTCUpdated ago By Reuters Adidas products are displayed at the company headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany March 5, 2025. REUTERS/Helen Reid Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab March 4(Reuters) - German sportswear maker Adidas (A ...

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Core Viewpoint - The discussion at the 2026 Morgan Stanley TMT Conference features Sanjay Datta, President of Upstart, indicating a focus on the company's future outlook and performance [1]. Group 1: Company Overview - Upstart is participating in the Morgan Stanley TMT Conference, highlighting its engagement with investors and analysts [1]. - The presentation may include forward-looking statements regarding Upstart's future results and events, which are based on current information and subject to risks and uncertainties [3]. Group 2: Financial Disclosures - The discussion may also feature non-GAAP financial measures, which should not be considered a substitute for GAAP results, emphasizing the importance of understanding both financial metrics [3]. - Upstart encourages stakeholders to refer to its SEC filings and investor relations website for additional information, including reconciliations between GAAP and non-GAAP results [3].

Upstart 2026 Conference Summary Company Overview - **Company**: Upstart (NasdaqGS: UPST) - **Event**: 2026 Morgan Stanley TMT Conference - **Date**: March 03, 2026 Key Points Leadership Transition - Upstart has undergone a leadership transition with Paul taking over as CEO from Dave, who remains as chairman and largest shareholder, ensuring continuity in strategic direction [14][19] Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Disclosure - Upstart is shifting from quarterly to monthly transaction volume disclosures to enhance transparency and reduce speculation in the market [21][24] - The company aims to help investors differentiate between significant trends and noise in monthly data, emphasizing the importance of annual outlooks [28][30] Multi-Year Framework - Upstart's long-term targets are based on a macro-neutral environment, focusing on improving risk models and automation to enhance growth [42][48] - The company is confident in maintaining a strong growth trajectory over the next three years, despite potential macroeconomic fluctuations [50][52] Secured Lending Strategy - Upstart is expanding into secured lending, which presents a larger total addressable market (TAM) compared to unsecured lending [55][56] - The company sees a first-mover advantage in applying AI to new credit segments, aiming to generate unique training data for better risk assessment [62][64] Product Mix and Growth Expectations - The timeline for secured products to surpass personal loans in volume is uncertain, as the core business continues to grow rapidly [70][72] - The company is focused on improving conversion rates and distribution strategies across different lending products [82][86] Unit Economics - Upstart anticipates a blended take rate for secured products around 4%, with a higher component of servicing economics compared to unsecured lending [118][122] - The company expects take rates to moderate over time as it balances competitive pricing with sustainable growth [128][130] Competitive Landscape - Upstart aims to compete effectively in the secured lending market by leveraging better underwriting and automation to reduce friction in the lending process [132][140] - The company is focused on improving the customer experience, particularly in HELOCs, where it has significantly reduced processing times compared to traditional lenders [142][144] Funding and Capital Partners - Upstart's capital partners are currently optimistic, with no signs of reticence despite broader market concerns [167][170] - The company is working to establish partnerships for new products, aiming to normalize balance sheet exposure while scaling third-party funding [192][194] Profitability Drivers - Upstart expects the majority of its profitability to come from operating leverage as it scales, with AI productivity contributing to efficiency improvements [201][205] - The company aims to maintain a controlled expense base while growing revenue rapidly [203][207] Data Utilization and Bias Reduction - Upstart has improved its model by incorporating outcomes from declined applicants, reducing selection bias and enhancing approval rates [218][222] - The company is focused on expanding its data capture capabilities to further improve underwriting accuracy [230][232] Conclusion - Upstart is strategically positioned for growth through leadership continuity, enhanced transparency in performance metrics, and a focus on expanding into secured lending markets. The company is optimistic about its long-term growth potential while navigating the complexities of the credit market.

Summary of Affirm's 2026 Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Affirm (NasdaqGS:AFRM) - **Event**: Morgan Stanley TMT Conference 2026 - **Date**: March 03, 2026 Key Points Industry Insights - **BNPL Market Growth**: The Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) sector is experiencing significant growth, particularly in e-commerce, with current penetration in the U.S. at approximately 8%-9% compared to over 20% in other markets [41][42] - **Consumer Credit Trends**: Affirm's approach to consumer credit is positioned as a better alternative to revolving credit cards, emphasizing transparency with no late fees or deferred interest [42][43] Financial Performance - **GMV Growth Outlook**: Affirm anticipates a deceleration in Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) growth in the second half of the year, primarily due to high year-over-year growth comparisons from the previous year [7][10] - **Consumer Demand**: Current consumer demand remains healthy, with repayment data aligning with expectations, indicating stability in the credit market [39][40] Promotional Strategies - **0% Promotions**: The implementation of 0% promotions has proven to be dollar accretive, driving user engagement and retention, and is seen as a valuable tool for merchants to manage inventory and enhance conversion rates [21][25][30][101] - **Customer Retention**: Affirm reports a high retention rate of approximately 80% for users over a four-year horizon, indicating strong customer loyalty [29] Market Expansion - **TAM Expansion**: The total addressable market (TAM) for BNPL is estimated at $1.1 trillion to $1.2 trillion, with Affirm focusing on expanding its services beyond retail goods into high-ticket items and services [43][44] - **Distribution Channels**: Affirm is actively expanding its partnerships with various merchants and payment service providers, including recent collaborations with Intuit and ServiceTitan [55] Underwriting and Risk Management - **Vertical Integration**: Affirm emphasizes the importance of vertical integration in underwriting, allowing for better visibility and control over the entire consumer journey, from shopping to servicing [77][79] - **Funding Strategy**: The company has maintained strong relationships with capital partners, achieving favorable terms in recent asset-backed securities (ABS) deals, with spreads under 100 basis points [85][89] Future Outlook - **Agentic Commerce**: Affirm sees potential growth in agentic commerce, where AI assistants facilitate consumer purchases, positioning BNPL as a preferred financing option [58][62] - **Consumer Health**: Despite market concerns, Affirm reports that consumer health remains stable, with no significant issues in repayment or spending patterns [39][122] Misconceptions and Clarifications - **Consumer Concerns**: There is a prevalent concern regarding consumer health, which Affirm addresses by highlighting the current stability and positive trends in consumer spending [122] - **Role in Agentic Commerce**: Affirm's products are expected to thrive in an agentic commerce environment, providing value to both consumers and merchants [123] Additional Insights - **Card Growth**: Affirm's card product is experiencing impressive growth, with plans to enhance user experience by tailoring offerings to different consumer segments [111] - **Offline Market Potential**: The offline market for BNPL is seen as a significant growth opportunity, with current penetration below 1% [116] This summary encapsulates the key insights and strategic directions discussed during Affirm's conference call, highlighting the company's position in the evolving BNPL landscape and its focus on consumer value and market expansion.

Core Insights - Sea Limited's shares fell over 23% intra-day after reporting fourth-quarter earnings that missed analyst expectations despite revenue exceeding forecasts [1] - Adjusted earnings per share were $0.63, below the consensus estimate of $0.80, while revenue reached $6.9 billion, surpassing the forecast of $6.49 billion and representing a 38.4% year-over-year increase from $5.0 billion [1][2] Financial Performance - Net income increased by 72.9% year over year to $410.9 million, and adjusted EBITDA rose 33.2% to $787.1 million, but the earnings miss triggered a significant selloff [2] - For fiscal 2026, Sea projects Shopee's gross merchandise value growth at approximately 25% year over year, with full-year adjusted EBITDA expected to be no lower than 2025 levels in absolute dollar terms [2] Segment Performance - Shopee's revenue grew 35.8% year over year to $4.3 billion, driven by GMV growth of 28.6% to $36.7 billion, with gross orders increasing by 30.5% to 4.0 billion [3] - Adjusted EBITDA for Shopee reached $202.5 million, up 33.0% year over year [3] - The fintech segment, Monee, reported revenue of $1.1 billion, a 54.3% year-over-year increase, with adjusted EBITDA rising 24.7% to $263.1 million [3] - Garena gaming revenue increased by 35.1% to $701.0 million, while adjusted EBITDA climbed 25.6% to $363.8 million [3] Annual Overview - For the full year 2025, Sea generated revenue of $22.9 billion, reflecting a 36.4% year-over-year increase, with net income rising to $1.6 billion compared to $447.8 million in 2024 [4]