COVID-19 Impacting PayPal and Visa

In this note, we cover how the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is impacting two of the holdings within our Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio: PYPL and V. By Callum Turcan PayPal On February 27, Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio holding PayPal Holdings Inc (PYPL) provided an update on its guidance for the first quarter of 2020. Management noted that the ongoing novel coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic (the World Health Organization upgraded COVID-19 to a pandemic on March 11, highlighting how serious of a situation this is) would reduce PayPal’s revenue growth on both a GAAP and non-GAAP basis by ~100 basis points versus previous estimates laid out on January 29, which were provided when the firm reported fourth quarter and full-year earnings for 2019. … Read more

Visa Reports Earnings and Mildly Adjusts Guidance

Image Shown: Shares of top weighted holding in our Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio Visa Inc continues to outperform the S&P 500. By Callum Turcan On January 30, Visa Inc (V) reported earnings for the first quarter of its fiscal 2020 (period ended December 31, 2019). While shares sold off on the news, V has since recovered some lost ground and it’s important to keep in mind Visa is up ~42% over the past year as of this writing while the S&P 500 (SPY) was up just ~19% during this period. We continue to like Visa as a top weighted holding in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio and given the combination of the firm’s strong long-term technical and fundamental performance (on … Read more

Visa Enhances Its Long-Term Outlook

Top weighted Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio holding Visa continues to augment its long-term outlook for the betterment of its shareholders, in our view. By Callum Turcan On January 13, top weighted Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio holding Visa Inc (V) announced it was buying financial tech company Plaid for $5.3 billion. Plaid primarily offers a network that allows consumers to connect financial accounts to apps securely and safely, meaning that when a consumer downloads a mobile financial-oriented app to their phone (for example), Plaid is the company that ensures a smooth connection between app and the relevant financial institution when it comes to transferring information and ultimately money. What’s important about this acquisition is that Visa, once again, is showcasing its … Read more

American Express Carries Meaningful Credit Risk

Image Source: American Express Company – First Quarter of 2020 Earnings IR Presentation By Callum Turcan At Valuentum, we are very bullish on the growth trajectory of high-quality payment processing, payment solutions, and financial technology firms. That’s why we include PayPal Holdings Inc (PYPL) and Visa Inc (V) as top-weighted holdings in our Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio. However, please note that what makes those firms appealing is the limited or lack of exposure to credit risk. Visa carries no credit risk and generates revenues through fees collected on transactions conducted with Visa-branded cards, and while PayPal possesses some credit risk, that risk is rather small relative to its overall business. Both firms enable investors to capitalize on the shift to … Read more

PayPal and Visa Expand Partnership

Image Shown: Shares of Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio holding PayPal Holdings Inc have surged higher this year. We continue to be big fans of the company. By Callum Turcan The payment processing and payment solution space is incredibly attractive given the secular growth tailwinds supporting companies operating in the financial tech industry. As consumers are increasingly using cards and digitally-oriented payment services during the ongoing coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic, demand for the various “cash-less” payment options offered by PayPal Holdings Inc (PYPL) and Visa Inc (V) is on the rise. Please note that rising demand for payment processing, cross-border transactions, and similar services is increasing from both consumers and businesses alike. This is more than just a short-term adjustment to cope … Read more