Takeover interest from "at least one suitor" is moving this payments giant’s stock higher, today, Feb. 23, 2026.NASDAQ : PYPLPayPalToday's Change( 5.74 %) $ 2.39Current Price$ 44.04Key Data PointsMarket Cap$38BDay's Range$ 40.53 - $ 45.6752wk Range$ 38.46 - $ 79.50Volume3.4MAvg Vol20MGross Margin41.78 %Dividend Yield0.34 %PayPal (PYPL +5.74%), a digital payments platform for merchants and consumers worldwide, closed Monday at $44.05, up 5.76%. The stock climbed after reports of unsolicited takeover interest ...

Company Overview - PayPal Holdings, Inc. is a leading financial technology company that operates a global digital payments platform, facilitating online and in-person transactions, money transfers, and various payment services, with a market cap of approximately $55.1 billion [1] Earnings Expectations - The company is set to unveil its fourth quarter 2025 earnings on February 3, 2026, with analysts expecting an EPS of $1.29, reflecting an 8.4% increase from the prior-year quarter value of $1.19 [2] - For the full fiscal 2025, PayPal's EPS is projected to be $5.36, up 15.3% from $4.65 in fiscal 2024, and is expected to rise further to $5.86 in fiscal 2026, marking a 9.3% year-over-year increase [3] Stock Performance - PayPal's stock has declined by 34.4% over the past 52 weeks, significantly underperforming the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund's 14.9% increase and the S&P 500 Index's 17.7% gains during the same period [4] Growth Concerns - The stock's decline is attributed to investor concerns regarding slowing growth and increasing competitive pressure in the digital payments sector, with active accounts growing only about 1% year-over-year, total payment transactions declining by 5%, and transactions per active account falling by 6% [5] Analyst Ratings - Analysts maintain a cautious "Hold" rating overall, with 42 analysts covering the stock: eight recommend a "Strong Buy," two suggest a "Moderate Buy," 27 advocate a "Hold," one gives a "Moderate Sell," and four suggest a "Strong Sell." The average analyst price target is $74.73, indicating a potential upside of 29.6% from current levels [6]

Core Insights - PayPal Holdings, Inc. has experienced a significant decline, being down over 31% last year, and is currently viewed as undervalued with a price-to-earnings ratio of 10 times this year's earnings estimates [1] - The company has struggled to keep pace with new technologies such as buy now, pay later and stablecoins, leading to a commoditization of its classic payment offerings [1] - Despite these challenges, PayPal continues to grow, and there is speculation that 2026 may be a turning point for the stock as it becomes too cheap to ignore [1] Company Performance - PayPal operates a digital payments platform that facilitates online and in-person transactions for consumers and merchants, offering services such as payments, checkout, credit, and money transfer products [2] - The current CEO has faced criticism for not delivering satisfactory financial results, drawing a comparison to an NFL team that fails to perform [2] Investment Perspective - While PayPal is recognized for its potential as an investment, there are opinions suggesting that certain AI stocks may offer greater upside potential with less downside risk [2]

Investment Strategy - Investors should focus on owning high-quality stocks and holding them long-term rather than engaging in frequent trading based on market volatility [1][2] - The emphasis is on managing personal investments and leveraging the power of compounding through individual stock ownership alongside index funds [2] Market Insights - Cramer advises investors to concentrate on stocks that open flat or decline early in the trading session, as these conditions may present buying opportunities at lower prices [3] - The importance of price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios is highlighted, with plans to educate investors on its significance for identifying potential upside in 2026 [3] Stock Analysis - PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) is noted for its significant decline of over 31% last year, attributed to commoditization of its services and slow adaptation to new technologies, yet it remains a cheap stock at 10 times this year's earnings estimates [8] - Copart, Inc. (NASDAQ:CPRT) has faced a 32% drop due to market share loss, with its current valuation at over 23 times this year's earnings estimates, making it less attractive for investment at this time [9]