Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Shares of Block traded slightly lower over the past month. This pullback follows profit-taking after earlier gains tied to holiday payment volumes and Cash App growth. Against that backdrop, we ran Block through an AI price-prediction agent powered by OpenAI’s GPT. The goal was not to chase a sensational long-term target, but to see how a data-driven model handicaps the next 60 days for a stock that has be ...

Core Insights - The fintech sector is undergoing significant transformation driven by innovations in digital payments, credit underwriting, and user experience, with Block, Inc. and Upstart Holdings emerging as key players due to their disruptive business models and strategic growth initiatives [2][3]. Block's Case - Block is developing a comprehensive fintech platform through its Square, Cash App, and Afterpay ecosystems, providing end-to-end solutions across various financial services [4]. - In Q3 2025, Block's net revenues increased by 2.3% year-over-year, with gross profit rising by 18.3%, driven by Cash App's growth of 24.3% and Square's increase of 9.2% [4][9]. - New product introductions, such as Cash App Pools and enhancements to Square's AI assistant, are aimed at deepening user engagement and expanding service offerings [5]. - Block is aggressively investing in partnerships to enhance its market position, including collaborations with Thrive and Blackbird Bakery to improve service delivery [6]. - Despite its growth, Block faces challenges from shifts in consumer spending and increasing competition from peers like PayPal and Shopify [7]. Upstart's Case - Upstart operates as an AI-driven lending marketplace, connecting consumers with over 100 banks and credit unions, and reported a 71% revenue increase year-over-year in Q3 2025, with loan originations climbing by 80% [8][9]. - The company has diversified its offerings beyond personal loans into auto lending, HELOCs, and small-dollar loans, which accounted for nearly 12% of total originations in Q3 2025 [10]. - Upstart's AI automation powered 91% of loans in Q3 2025, enhancing scalability and reducing approval times [12]. - The company continues to expand its lending partnerships, aiming to increase its market reach [11]. - However, Upstart's reliance on AI-driven models poses risks, particularly in economic downturns, though management has initiated upgrades to mitigate volatility [13]. Comparative Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Block's 2025 sales implies a modest growth of 0.8%, with EPS expected to decline by 28.2% [14]. - In contrast, Upstart's 2025 sales are projected to grow by 62.8%, with positive trends in EPS estimates over the past 60 days [16][17]. Valuation and Performance - Over the past month, Block and Upstart shares have increased by 1.8% and 1.6%, respectively, outperforming the S&P 500 [19]. - Block is trading at a forward Price/Sales (P/S) ratio of 1.48X, while Upstart's P/S ratio stands at 3.64X, both below their one-year medians [19]. Conclusion - Block has a strong payments ecosystem but faces short-term challenges from consumer spending and competition, while Upstart shows clearer operating leverage and growth potential through AI-driven innovations [21].

Key Takeaways Mastercard expects 2025 net revenue growth in the low teens, driven by digital trends and global expansion.Block's revenue streams span Square, Afterpay, and Cash App, but 2025 EPS is forecast to drop 28.2%.MA trades near its 3-year median P/E, while XYZ's multiple is well below its historical average of 44.2.As interest rates, travel demand, trade tensions, and consumer spending patterns reshape the financial environment, payment stocks are once again drawing investor interest as reliable lon ...

With prices rising and airfare still sky-high, the “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) boom has officially hit vacations. More than half of Americans now use BNPL, and nearly one in five plan to use it to pay for holidays, according to The New York Times (NYT). (1) But experts warn that while spreading out payments for a beach getaway may seem harmless, it can come with hidden risks. BNPL plans divide payments into installments. “Break anything into four and it’s more affordable, but life happens and people for ...

Core Viewpoint - Block, Inc. (NYSE:XYZ) is experiencing strong momentum in its Square and Cash App segments, leading to a bullish outlook from UBS analyst Timothy Chiodo, who has set a price target of $90 and reiterated a "Buy" rating [2]. Group 1: Financial Performance and Projections - Despite seasonal trends indicating a potential deceleration in Gross Payment Volume (GPV), Block, Inc. has maintained its Q4 2025 outlook, which suggests robust growth in gross profit and adjusted operating income [3]. - The company projects mid-teens annual gross profit growth through 2028, aiming to reach $15.8 billion, alongside approximately 30% annual growth in adjusted operating income and adjusted EPS [5]. - By 2028, non-GAAP cash flow is expected to reach 25% of gross profit, translating to over $4.0 billion on a non-GAAP cash flow basis [5]. Group 2: Growth Drivers - The Cash App ecosystem is identified as a key growth driver, with management projecting a mid-teen gross profit CAGR over the next three years, supported by rising active users and enhanced monetization strategies [4]. - The Square ecosystem is also expected to scale further domestically and internationally, driven by investments in telesales and field sales [3]. Group 3: Strategic Initiatives - Block, Inc. has increased its share repurchase program by $5 billion, reflecting management's confidence in the company's financial trajectory [6]. - The company is leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance its technology offerings across various platforms, including Square, Cash App, Afterpay, Bitkey, and Proto, thereby supporting global commerce and financial services [6].

Key Takeaways PYPL partners with Logicbroker and OpenAI for agentic commerce and payment solutions; Bilt for Venmo use.These partnerships enhance checkout, security, and in-app payments across key global platforms.Collaborations with major financial institutions broaden PayPal's reach and payment experiences.PayPal Holdings (PYPL) recently partnered with Logicbroker, allowing thousands of Logicbroker’s merchants to seamlessly activate PayPal’s agentic commerce services, including store sync and future agent ...

Core Insights - Block, Inc.'s subsidiary Afterpay has announced new partnerships to enhance payment flexibility for consumers ahead of the holiday shopping season [1] Group 1: Partnerships and Offerings - Afterpay has formed partnerships with various brands across multiple categories, including Fashion & Apparel (Jenni Kayne, Diesel), Footwear & Outdoors (Hibbett, Tecovas), Jewelry & Accessories (Effy Jewelry), Home & Creative (Z Gallerie), and Beauty (Caliray Beauty) [2][3] - Many of these brands will provide Afterpay services both online and in select retail locations, allowing customers to manage their budgets more effectively [3] Group 2: Consumer Trends and Research - Research indicates that 44% of financially stressed consumers plan to utilize Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services for holiday shopping this year, with 63% of Gen Z consumers preferring BNPL over credit cards due to its transparency [4] - Afterpay's "Pay in 4" service allows customers to split purchases into four interest-free installments, while "Pay Monthly" facilitates larger purchases over time [5] Group 3: Market Performance and Valuation - Block's shares have declined by 27.6% year to date, underperforming the broader industry and the S&P 500 Index [8] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Block's full-year 2025 EPS has been revised downward, indicating a projected 28.2% decrease year over year [11] - Block's current valuation is considered overvalued, reflected by a Value Score of C [10]

Key Takeaways Block shares are down 28.1% YTD amid intensifying competition across digital payments and consumer finance.Block faces macro pressures, rising wallet rivals and added volatility from its bitcoin-related strategy.Square posts steady GPV and gross profit gains while Cash App expands with new tools, services and features.Block (XYZ) shares have dropped 28.2% year to date, which can be attributed to intensifying competition in the fintech industry. XYZ stock has not only underperformed its peers, ...

Core Insights - Block, Inc. is a significant player in the fintech industry, specializing in financial services and digital payment solutions, with a market capitalization of $37.13 billion [1] Financial Performance - Block's stock reached a 52-week low of $44.27 in May but has since increased by 38% from that level [2] - The stock has underperformed, down 18.5% over the past three months, while the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) gained 11.5% during the same period [2] - Over the past 52 weeks, Block's stock has dropped 36.3%, and it is down 3.9% over the past six months, contrasting with the Technology Select Sector ETF, which is up 22.2% and 24.2% over the same periods [4] - Block reported a 2.3% year-over-year increase in revenue to $6.11 billion for Q3 2025, missing the expected $6.34 billion, and adjusted EPS increased 1.9% year-over-year to $0.54, missing the consensus estimate of $0.63 [5] Market Activity - Block's shares have been trading below their 50-day moving average since late October and below their 200-day moving average since early November [4] - During the Black Friday and Cyber Monday period, Block handled over 124 million transactions across its platforms, marking a 10% increase from the previous year [6] Comparative Analysis - Compared to Corpay, Inc. (CPAY), which has declined 15.5% over the past 52 weeks and 6.2% over the past six months, Block has been the clear underperformer [7]

Core Insights - Buy now, pay later (BNPL) providers experienced significant sales growth during the November shopping holidays, driven by consumer reliance on deferred payments amid ongoing inflation [1] - The sector generated $10.1 billion in sales from November 1 to December 1, marking a 9 percent increase from 2024, with projections indicating that this figure will double by the end of the year [2] - Shoppers are expected to spend $20.2 billion using BNPL tools between November 1 and December 31, reflecting an 11 percent increase from the previous year [2] Group 1: Company Performance - Klarna reported a 45 percent year-over-year growth in gross merchandise volume in the U.S. from November 1 to Black Friday on November 28 [3] - Block, the parent company of Afterpay, Square, and Cash App, noted a 10 percent year-over-year increase in transactions during the Black Friday-Cyber Monday weekend, processing 124 million purchases [5] - Approximately 49.8 million consumers utilized Afterpay, Square, and Cash App, engaging with 1.3 million businesses [6] Group 2: Consumer Behavior - Deferred payment plans gained popularity, with average basket sizes for Afterpay increasing by 10 percent year over year, indicating consumers are purchasing more items per transaction [6] - Spending on services surged by 91 percent compared to the same period in 2024, suggesting that higher retail prices may have limited consumer spending on goods [7] - Travel and experiences payments grew by 13 percent year over year, highlighting a shift in consumer spending patterns [7] Group 3: Product Trends - Growth was observed across various categories, particularly in footwear, technology, beauty, and home goods, with Birkenstock achieving the top position in adult footwear sales [4]