Core Insights - Visa Inc. is recognized as one of the 12 Best Stocks to Buy for the Long Term [1] - Piper Sandler has adjusted its price target for Visa shares from $165 to $160 while maintaining an Overweight rating [2] - Visa's revenue is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 12.9% from fiscal 2020 to fiscal 2025, with expectations of continued double-digit growth in the coming years [3] Market Dynamics - The U.S. remains Visa's largest market, but faster growth is anticipated in emerging economies such as parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, where digital payments are still evolving [4] - The shift towards cashless and electronic payments, along with Visa's value-added services like analytics, consulting, and cybersecurity, are key drivers of growth as commerce becomes more digital [2][4] Company Overview - Visa Inc. operates as a global payments technology company, facilitating commerce and money movement across over 200 countries and territories [5]

SINGAPORE, Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- MAMA AWARDS, the world’s No.1 K-pop awards, made its return to Hong Kong in 2025 and Visa, a global leader in digital payments, led its comeback as title sponsor.  Building on the success of this collaboration, Visa will renew its partnership with South Korea’s leading entertainment company CJ ENM to extend its title sponsorship of the MAMA AWARDS through to 2029.The renewal underscores Visa’s commitment to cultural commerce, cross-border engagement, and supporting m ...

Core Insights - Euronet Worldwide (EEFT) is a US-based payment processing company with a significant presence in Europe, focusing on ATM ownership and leasing while expanding into digital payments [1] Group 1: Company Overview - Euronet Worldwide specializes in payment processing, particularly through ATMs, and is transitioning into the digital payments sector [1] Group 2: Challenges - The company faced challenges during the pandemic, impacting its operations and strategic direction [1]

Core Viewpoint - Mastercard Incorporated is set to release its fourth quarter and full year 2025 financial results on January 29, 2026, and will host a conference call to discuss these results [1]. Group 1: Financial Results Announcement - The financial results will be available on the company's investor website [1]. - An alert will be issued over a news wire when the earnings materials are publicly available, including a link to those documents [1]. Group 2: Conference Call Details - The conference call will take place at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time [1]. - Toll-free and toll dial-in numbers for the conference call are provided, along with a conference ID [2]. - A replay of the call will be available for 30 days, with specific dial-in numbers and conference ID for access [2]. - A webcast of the call can also be accessed on the investor website [2]. Group 3: Company Overview - Mastercard operates in over 200 countries and territories, focusing on building a resilient economy [3]. - The company supports a wide range of digital payment options, ensuring transactions are secure, simple, smart, and accessible [3]. - Mastercard combines technology, innovation, partnerships, and networks to deliver unique products and services that help various stakeholders realize their potential [3].

They accept deposits like banks, but unlike full-service lenders, they are not allowed to lend. Instead, customer deposits are invested in government securities, generating a modest interest spread and occasional treasury gains. Beyond this, payments banks earn fees and commissions from a wide range of activities: digital payments, remittances, micro-ATM and Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS) transactions, debit cards, sale of third-party products such as insurance, gold loans and fixed deposits, busin ...

Core Insights - The article highlights recent research reports on major stocks including Visa Inc., The Charles Schwab Corp., and Amphenol Corp., as well as micro-cap stocks Autoscope Technologies Corp. and United-Guardian, Inc. [2][4] Visa Inc. - Visa's shares have outperformed the Zacks Financial Transaction Services industry over the past year, with a gain of +11.1% compared to the industry's decline of -8.7% [4] - Total revenue rose 11% year-over-year in FY25, with cross-border growth at 13% [5] - The company faces rising client incentives and expenses, which may impact margin growth, with adjusted costs expected to rise nearly 11% in FY26 [6] The Charles Schwab Corp. - Charles Schwab's shares gained +21.8% over the past year, while the Zacks Financial - Investment Bank industry gained +37% [7] - The company is expected to maintain elevated expenses due to ongoing marketing investments, with a projected CAGR of 7% in expenses by 2027 [7][9] - Strategic buyouts and branch expansion efforts are anticipated to drive client assets, with total client assets expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.2% by 2027 [8][9] Amphenol Corp. - Amphenol's shares increased by +88.5% over the past year, slightly underperforming the Zacks Electronics - Connectors industry, which gained +89.8% [10] - The company benefits from a diversified business model and strong demand for high-speed and power interconnect products, with fourth-quarter 2025 earnings expected to grow between 62% and 65% year-over-year [12] - However, macroeconomic uncertainty and competition pose significant challenges [12] Autoscope Technologies Corp. - Autoscope Technologies has underperformed the Zacks Technology Services industry, with a decline of -5.5% compared to the industry's gain of +20.6% [13] - The company is focusing on AI-driven detection and multi-sensor integration, which supports future upgrades and broader use cases [13][14] - A new long-duration contract in Georgia enhances revenue visibility and diversifies its income sources [14][15] United-Guardian, Inc. - United-Guardian's shares have underperformed the Zacks Medical - Products industry, with a decline of -34.4% compared to -0.5% for the industry [16] - The company faces challenges such as declining profitability and operational strain, but it has strengths in expanding its pharmaceutical portfolio and stable medical products [17] - The upcoming launch of Natrajel is expected to provide a differentiated growth avenue [17]

PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) is one of the 14 Most Promising Fintech Stocks to Invest In. On December 12, Baird downgraded PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) from Outperform to Neutral and lowered the price target from $83 to $66. The firm pointed to “uneven” transaction volumes in the fourth quarter. Baird also sees another investment cycle ahead in 2026. Additionally, the research firm pointed out that broader platform improvements have unclear timing. Baird believes that this means a “clearing ...

Core Insights - Visa Inc. has historically been valued based on investor belief in its long-term potential rather than strict fundamentals, establishing itself as a leader in the digital payments space [1] - The competitive landscape is rapidly evolving, with fintechs and upgraded legacy systems challenging Visa's pricing power, while governments seek to disrupt the Visa-Mastercard duopoly [2] Financial Performance and Valuation - Visa trades at 25.14X forward 12-month earnings, below its five-year median of 26.59X, indicating a more reasonable valuation for long-term investors [4] - Recent share performance shows a 3.1% decline over the past month, underperforming the industry and S&P 500, but analysts project a potential upside with an average target price of $402.27, suggesting a 22% upside [6][9] Growth Drivers - Visa's processed transactions rose 10% to 67.7 billion, with cross-border volumes increasing 12% and Value-Added Services (VAS) revenues expanding 25% to $3 billion, indicating strong growth momentum [14] - The company has integrated digital currencies into its operations, handling over $140 billion in crypto and stablecoin flows since 2020, with over 130 stablecoin-linked card programs across more than 40 countries [3] Regulatory Environment - Recent regulations, such as the GENIUS Act, may benefit Visa by providing a clearer framework for stablecoin settlement, allowing Visa to settle across multiple stablecoins and blockchains [15] - Visa's network effects are expected to strengthen as regulatory complexities increase for individual institutions, positioning Visa favorably in the evolving digital asset landscape [15] Capital Returns - Visa returned $6.1 billion to shareholders in the last quarter, including $4.89 billion in buybacks and $1.2 billion in dividends, with a remaining repurchase authorization of $24.9 billion [16] - The dividend yield of 0.81% exceeds the industry average, reflecting confidence in Visa's durable free cash flow [16]

Core Insights - The global fintech industry is transitioning from rapid expansion to sustainable growth, characterized by increased collaboration and broader market reach [21][22][30] - Customer growth rate from 2022-2023 is 37%, down from 55% in 2020-2021, indicating market normalization post-pandemic [24][62] - Revenue growth remains strong at 40% and profit growth at 39%, reflecting the industry's shift from user acquisition to value enhancement [24][72][79] Market Performance - The fintech industry shows robust performance metrics, with average customer growth at 37% from 2022-2023, a decline from previous years [24][62] - Revenue growth rates are highest in Latin America and the Caribbean (46%), followed by Asia-Pacific (44%) and the Middle East and North Africa (43%) [71] - Digital banking and savings lead revenue growth at 67%, while digital capital raising and insurtech report the lowest growth rates at 18% and 31% respectively [72][79] Financial Inclusion - Financial inclusion is central to fintech's value proposition, with micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) making up 57% of customer bases [26] - Low-income populations account for 47% of customers, and women represent 41%, particularly in emerging markets [26][30] Partnerships and Regulatory Environment - 84% of fintechs partner with traditional financial institutions, primarily through API integrations (52%) and technology collaborations (41%) [27] - 62% of fintechs find the regulatory environment adequate for their operations, with 35% citing clarity in regulatory approaches [28] AI Adoption - 80% of fintechs are implementing AI across various business functions, with significant improvements in customer experience (83%) and cost reduction (75%) reported [29] - Despite the benefits, 87% of fintechs express concerns over high deployment and maintenance costs associated with AI [29][30] Future Directions - The industry is focusing on three main areas for development: AI integration, regional interoperability, and open banking [30] - Emerging markets prioritize the need for integrated anti-money laundering platforms and localized digital identity systems, reflecting urgent demands for foundational financial infrastructure [30]

Group 1 - Banco Santander, S.A. is the largest bank in Europe, led by Ana Botín, and is considered a strong investment option despite recent stock price fluctuations [1] - Current stock price is at $10, with a recommendation to wait for a drop to $9 for better entry [1] - The bank offers a good yield, making it an attractive option for investors [1] Group 2 - Banco Santander provides a wide range of financial services, including retail and commercial banking, consumer finance, corporate and investment banking, wealth management, insurance, and digital payments [2] - The firm's activities also encompass asset management, leasing, real estate, technology services, and various financial advisory solutions [2]