Core Insights - The average active balance on UK credit cards has increased to £1,895, which is 5.1% higher year-on-year [1] - The percentage of the balance being paid off by customers has decreased by 7.7% year-on-year [1] - These trends indicate ongoing affordability challenges faced by UK consumers, highlighting a growing latent issue [1]

Group 1: Nasdaq-100 Overview - The Nasdaq-100 index includes 100 large non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, with Palantir Technologies, Zscaler, and MercadoLibre being the top performers year to date [1] - Wall Street forecasts indicate a downside for Palantir and Zscaler, while MercadoLibre is recommended as a buy [1] Group 2: Palantir Technologies - Palantir's stock has increased by 69% year to date, but the median target price of $100 per share suggests a 21% downside from the current price of $127 [6] - The company reported a 39% increase in revenue to $884 million for the first quarter, marking the seventh consecutive acceleration, and a 62% increase in non-GAAP net income to $0.13 per diluted share [3] - IDC recognized Palantir as a leader in decision intelligence platforms, and it is noted as the most expensive software stock based on its forward price-to-sales ratio [2][4] - Analysts suggest avoiding Palantir due to its high valuation, even if growth rates remain strong [5] Group 3: Zscaler - Zscaler's stock is up 68% year to date, with a median target price of $300 per share implying a 1% downside from the current price of $303 [6] - The company reported a 23% increase in revenue to $678 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2025, with non-GAAP net income rising 18% to $0.84 per diluted share [9] - Zscaler is recognized as a leader in security service edge platforms, with the SSE market expected to grow at 27% annually through 2030 [10] - Despite strong growth, Wall Street anticipates adjusted earnings growth of only 9% annually through fiscal 2026, making the current valuation appear expensive [11] Group 4: MercadoLibre - MercadoLibre's stock has increased by 46% year to date, with a median target price of $2,875 per share indicating a 15% upside from the current price of $2,485 [6] - The company dominates the Latin American e-commerce market, accounting for 28.5% of regional retail e-commerce sales, projected to reach 30% by 2026 [12] - MercadoLibre reported a 37% increase in revenue to $5.9 billion in the first quarter, driven by strong growth in its fintech segment, with GAAP net income rising 44% to $9.74 per diluted share [14] - Wall Street expects MercadoLibre's earnings to grow at 36% annually through 2026, making its current valuation of 61 times earnings reasonable [15]

The revenue growth acceleration theme continued to impress for Palantir Technologies (PLTR 8.38%) last quarter. Revenue in the first quarter of 2025 grew 39% year over year compared to 36% growth in the fourth quarter of 2024, a trend that has been going on for many quarters now. Investors are pleased with Palantir's booming growth from the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, which is leading to increased spending from both government and commercial clients for its analytics software. In the last five ...