{"version": "https://jsonfeed.org/version/1.1", "title": "Sharemaestro Newsreel: Mexico Credit Services news", "home_page_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/newsreel/mx/financial-services/credit-services/", "feed_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/newsreel/mx/financial-services/credit-services/feed.json", "description": "Latest Credit Services company headlines from Mexico, newest first, with source links and direct routes to company research and sentiment.", "language": "en", "items": [{"id": "source:8b48b32edd02460ff25b49638583745faba7d7f46095fee88a77cb361f4238b9", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/paypal-stock-surged-profit-shift-164344144.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/paypal-stock-surged-profit-shift-164344144.html", "title": "PayPal Stock Surged On A Profit Shift Management Had Already Spelled Out", "content_text": "Image by Julita from Pixabay The businesses that produced this recovery were named in the company's own reports well before the shares moved. PayPal (PYPL) stock has risen roughly 51% since February 11, 2026, more than the S&P 500's 13%, Visa's 11%, and Shopify's 34% over the same stretch. The run began days after the company announced it would replace its chief executive and reported online branded checkout volume growth of 1% on a currency-neutral basis for fiscal Q4 2025. The evidence for the recovery was already on the record, some of it in that same disclosure. Venmo And Buy Now, Pay Late", "date_published": "2026-08-14T16:43:44+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Earnings", "PYPL"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "PYPL", "name": "PayPal Holdings, Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/71f557db-de83-4f29-a56d-7c76e3e52162/"}]}}, {"id": "source:289e56511b99b31be4330289015ad9439fc92cd9e0cac9d68e9ee482c5d6b418", "url": "https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/sofi-originated-record-107-billion-personal-loans-last-quarter-heres-where-credit-risk", "external_url": "https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/sofi-originated-record-107-billion-personal-loans-last-quarter-heres-where-credit-risk", "title": "SoFi Originated a Record $10.7 Billion in Personal Loans Last Quarter. Here's Where That Credit Risk Actually Sits.", "content_text": "Key Points As of June 30, SoFi\u2019s balance sheet held $28 billion in personal loans, representing 57% of the total lending book. Personal loans are frequently sold or securitized to third-party investors, but this doesn\u2019t insulate the business from possible financial losses. Although SoFi has been operating at a high level, a recession is the biggest threat to any lender.10 stocks we like better than SoFi Technologies \u203a SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ: SOFI) shares have been on a disappointing trend. As of Aug. 12, they have fallen 32% in 2026. And they trade 45% below their peak from last November. T", "date_published": "2026-08-14T11:25:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "nasdaq.com"}], "tags": ["Earnings", "SOFI"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "SOFI", "name": "SoFi Technologies, Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/b7ac15f7-8d44-4e63-8a6f-abbedc77aa85/"}]}}, {"id": "source:0d6fccf07148d383a34e95905eec0b17d439fc652fc1ba92844a1cd3cdcdf175", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/capital-one-financial-cof-bargain-100949572.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/capital-one-financial-cof-bargain-100949572.html", "title": "Is Capital One Financial (COF) A Bargain Following Its Arena Naming Rights Extension?", "content_text": "Track your investments for FREE with Simply Wall St, the portfolio command center trusted by over 7 million individual investors worldwide. Capital One Financial (COF) is back in focus after agreeing to a 20 year naming rights extension for Capital One Arena, in connection with a planned US$1 billion plus transformation and expanded cardholder benefits. See our latest analysis for Capital One Financial. For context, Capital One Financial's share price has a 30 day share price return of 9.03% and a 90 day share price return of 19.59%. Its 3 year total shareholder return of 122.37% and 5 year to", "date_published": "2026-08-14T10:09:49+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Earnings", "COF"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "COF", "name": "Capital One Financial Corporation", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/ba63c23e-8243-4350-819b-53d3de09ab68/"}]}}, {"id": "source:5143ed5b0cac2988821f8938f2c6090df5be3a1943a594b7aeaf7b213b4c28d5", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/3-reasons-upst-explosive-upside-145300572.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/3-reasons-upst-explosive-upside-145300572.html", "title": "3 Reasons UPST Has Explosive Upside Potential", "content_text": "3 Reasons UPST Has Explosive Upside Potential Over the past six months, Upstart's shares (currently trading at $30.16) have posted a disappointing 8.9% loss, well below the S&P 500's 11.7% gain. This was partly due to its softer quarterly results and may have investors wondering how to approach the situation. Following the pullback, is now an opportune time to buy UPST? Find out in our full research report, it's free. Why Are We Positive on Upstart? Using over 2,500 data variables and trained on nearly 82 million repayment events, Upstart (NASDAQ:UPST) is an AI-powered lending platform that us", "date_published": "2026-08-13T14:53:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Earnings", "UPST"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "UPST", "name": "Upstart Holdings, Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/f9a11e00-b78c-48eb-8454-dc87c3ec05b6/"}]}}, {"id": "source:dfdbb99bf2d23cdd3af674b163754c0d1adfd904644b282075c0d71a4f4d9ca9", "url": "https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/91-upstarts-loans-were-fully-automated-last-quarter-no-bank-can-underwrite-cheaply", "external_url": "https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/91-upstarts-loans-were-fully-automated-last-quarter-no-bank-can-underwrite-cheaply", "title": "91% of Upstart's Loans Were Fully Automated Last Quarter. No Bank Can Underwrite That Cheaply.", "content_text": "Key Points Shares of Upstart have slumped about 31% year to date. The bank had a strong Q2 with 91% of its loan originations handled by AI. Upstart recently got approval for a bank charter, which should improve its unit economics. 10 stocks we like better than Upstart \u203a Upstart(NASDAQ: UPST) has had its share of ups and downs since the fintech went public in late 2020. The company, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to process loan requests, is currently in a downward trend, with the stock price sliding about 31% year to date. But there are some promising trends, illuminated in its recent", "date_published": "2026-08-13T14:50:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "nasdaq.com"}], "tags": ["Earnings", "UPST"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "UPST", "name": "Upstart Holdings, Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/f9a11e00-b78c-48eb-8454-dc87c3ec05b6/"}]}}, {"id": "source:3aa63c6492caf43fb60b1ac05c1cccf69002c60a02a2877e04c436f2c5f57f2f", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/small-business/articles/american-express-expands-virtual-card-120000164.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/small-business/articles/american-express-expands-virtual-card-120000164.html", "title": "American Express Expands Virtual Card Capabilities to Help Businesses Utilize Fast-Growing Commercial Payment Method", "content_text": "NEW YORK, August 13, 2026--(BUSINESS WIRE)--American Express today announced new capabilities to help U.S. commercial customers simplify payments and give them more options to efficiently manage spending in their financial software of choice with American Express\u00ae Virtual Cards. Virtual cards are a fast-growing commercial payment method that offer greater control through adjustable spending limits and added security through unique digital card numbers. Amex Corporate customers can now create, manage and use Amex Virtual Cards1 in Amex's software platform, @ Work2, which customers can use to ma", "date_published": "2026-08-13T12:00:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "AXP"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "AXP", "name": "American Express Company", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/aaafa1d1-c769-429c-863f-d6dc34dc2a43/"}]}}, {"id": "source:21555f03be9ca9485982a1f2e0c8ee8fbf446f5a2ae838e5844903676609e170", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/affirm-holdings-afrm-could-7-075043551.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/affirm-holdings-afrm-could-7-075043551.html", "title": "Affirm Holdings (AFRM) Could Be 7% Undervalued On Its Growth Narrative", "content_text": "Make better investment decisions with Simply Wall St's easy, visual tools that give you a competitive edge. Affirm Holdings (AFRM) has drawn fresh attention after recent share price moves, with the stock closing at US$73.40. Investors are rechecking the company's fundamentals and recent performance across different time frames. See our latest analysis for Affirm Holdings. The recent 1 month share price return, which is down 10.41%, suggests some momentum has cooled in the short term, even though the 3 year total shareholder return of about 4x still reflects a very strong longer term outcome. I", "date_published": "2026-08-13T07:50:43+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Earnings", "AFRM"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "AFRM", "name": "Affirm Holdings, Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/a4142f71-a61b-446c-b763-7c8e953d47cc/"}]}}, {"id": "source:cdcd0449d184b137c3162ecc0705a4d87b8300e0cb8854fc7bb78ad254c23171", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/agentic-ai-foundation-welcomes-57-000000446.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/agentic-ai-foundation-welcomes-57-000000446.html", "title": "Agentic AI Foundation Welcomes 57 New Members, Gaining Major Financial Services Players and APAC Leaders", "content_text": "Alibaba, Visa, and Wells Fargo join as Gold Members as demand for open agentic AI infrastructure accelerates globally Summary The Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF) grows to 247 member organizations with the addition of 57 new members over the past three months across Gold, Silver and Associate tiers. New members include leading financial institutions, enterprise software companies, research organizations, and APAC technology leaders, reflecting rising global demand for open agentic AI standards. Momentum builds across the Asia-Pacific region with MCP Dev Summit Seoul followed by AGNTCon + MCPCon Ja", "date_published": "2026-08-13T00:00:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Macro sensitivity", "V"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "V", "name": "Visa Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/eba34c76-d863-4365-a4a4-ab9d7b484715/"}]}}, {"id": "source:63565b012fc1d8c1f940f62d9f0409b9a69cb98bceabeb18793be09737a9e598", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/small-business/articles/grubhub-24m-ftc-settlement-finally-183421480.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/small-business/articles/grubhub-24m-ftc-settlement-finally-183421480.html", "title": "Grubhub\u2019s $24M FTC settlement is finally reaching diners and drivers", "content_text": "Well over half a million Grubhub drivers and customers are set to receive a share of $23.8 million following allegations that the food delivery company misled workers about their potential earnings and engaged in other deceptive practices. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced on Wednesday that it's distributing the money to 640,038 consumers, with most recipients receiving a check in the mail. Some will receive their payments through PayPal. The payouts stem from a lawsuit the FTC and Illinois Attorney General filed against Grubhub in December 2024. The complaint accused the company of a range of unlawful practices, including making misleading claims about how much drivers could earn, restricting customers' access to their accounts and money, and listing restaurants on its platform without their permission. Another allegation involved Grubhub's restaurant listings. According to the complaint, the company had as many as 325,000 restaurants on its platform that were not affiliated with Grubhub. The FTC alleged that Grubhub used those listings to make its platform appear larger. The complaint also alleged that Grubhub sometimes refused to remove restaurants after they asked to be taken off the platform. Instead, the company allegedly tried to convince some of those businesses to enter into paid partnerships. The settlement required Grubhub to change how it operates in several areas. For instance, the company must be more accurate when advertising potential driver earnings, give customers a way to challenge account restrictions that leave them unable to access their accounts or funds, and obtain a restaurant's consent before listing it on the platform. Today's announcement puts renewed attention on Grubhub's treatment of its drivers and diners and the company's broader business practices. Notably, it comes just one month after a federal judge granted final approval of another settlement worth nearly $25 million and involving approximately 60,000 Grubhub delivery drivers in California. Grubhub also isn't the only delivery company to face scrutiny. In the past, DoorDash has faced criticism and legal challenges over driver compensation, while Uber Eats has dealt with allegations involving customer charges and its relationships with restaurants. View Comments", "date_published": "2026-08-12T18:34:21+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "PYPL"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "PYPL", "name": "PayPal Holdings, Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/71f557db-de83-4f29-a56d-7c76e3e52162/"}]}}, {"id": "source:5d6066a2e2c979069b884edbc869909ed4e401add570e0ade04f6fbc9f0ddd10", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/paypals-venmo-monetization-sustain-mid-182500076.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/paypals-venmo-monetization-sustain-mid-182500076.html", "title": "PayPal's Venmo: Can Monetization Sustain Its Mid-Teens Growth?", "content_text": "PayPal Holdings, Inc.'s PYPL Venmo is becoming a bigger part of the company's growth story as it pushes beyond peer-to-peer payments. In the second quarter of 2026, Venmo's total payment volume (TPV) rose 14% year over year, marking a seventh straight quarter of double-digit growth. Management said Venmo and Braintree were growing TPV in the mid-teens, as PayPal seeks to diversify growth beyond branded checkout. Venmo Debit Card monthly active accounts (MAA) grew more than 50% year over year, while Pay with Venmo MAA rose about 30%. Pay with Venmo grew 44%, well above PayPal's 2% currency-neut", "date_published": "2026-08-12T18:25:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "PYPL"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "PYPL", "name": "PayPal Holdings, Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/71f557db-de83-4f29-a56d-7c76e3e52162/"}]}}, {"id": "source:ce78ed48e22b000fd0366368249bb514121bf35e7c91b2426100a8e572f498ac", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/m/9b363bba-9521-39bb-ba7c-6c040f1c0adc/why-delta-and-united%E2%80%99s.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/m/9b363bba-9521-39bb-ba7c-6c040f1c0adc/why-delta-and-united%E2%80%99s.html", "title": "Why Delta and United\u2019s Loyalty Programs Could Be Worth $30 Billion", "content_text": "Air Canada sold the 25% Aeroplan program stake to Blackstone and some leading Canadian institutional investors, valuing the program at more than $7 billion U.S. dollars ($10 billion Canadian dollars), according to a news release Tuesday. Based on the valuation of the Aeroplan stake, the Delta SkyMiles and United MileagePlus loyalty programs could each be worth $30 billion or more, which would be a significant chunk of each airline\u2019s market values, Jefferies analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu wrote after the sale. Continue Reading", "date_published": "2026-08-12T17:40:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "AXP"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "AXP", "name": "American Express Company", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/aaafa1d1-c769-429c-863f-d6dc34dc2a43/"}]}}, {"id": "source:3611b53f052bbd2d1d198cad47b71d39e16cd8f4ad9942c87a45388321e517c7", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/crypto/articles/circle-lines-major-financial-institutions-164500509.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/crypto/articles/circle-lines-major-financial-institutions-164500509.html", "title": "Circle Lines Up Major Financial Institutions For Its New Arc Blockchain. Here's Why Circle Stock is Now a Buy.", "content_text": "Circle (NYSE: CRCL), the fintech company that mints the USD Coin (CRYPTO: USDC) stablecoin, recently unveiled Arc, a new blockchain for stablecoin-based transactions, cross-border settlements, and tokenized real-world assets. Instead of adapting general-purpose blockchains for those transfers, Circle built Arc from the ground up to handle those tasks. Arc won't launch until September, but it's already attracted major backers such as BlackRock, Visa, Mastercard, Standard Chartered, MoneyGram, and Interncontinental Exchange, the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange. Let's see why those ", "date_published": "2026-08-12T16:45:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "V"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "V", "name": "Visa Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/eba34c76-d863-4365-a4a4-ab9d7b484715/"}]}}, {"id": "source:9a8fae4eb1f8f0f02b699925d3c842d6ba81458c59224c9d2ad60c308594fecc", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/evtc-ma-better-value-stock-154003144.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/evtc-ma-better-value-stock-154003144.html", "title": "EVTC or MA: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?", "content_text": "Investors interested in stocks from the Financial Transaction Services sector have probably already heard of Evertec (EVTC) and MasterCard (MA). But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? Let's take a closer look. There are plenty of strategies for discovering value stocks, but we have found that pairing a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system produces the best returns. The proven Zacks Rank puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identi", "date_published": "2026-08-12T15:40:03+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Earnings", "MA"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "MA", "name": "Mastercard Incorporated", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/68dba2cf-363b-41e9-9806-cc280941c57f/"}]}}, {"id": "source:7db7822aba5b12908311e1ee0a37a592f3ecb288c4a8966054b734d957ce7bd2", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/add-sezzle-stock-q2-earnings-152200224.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/add-sezzle-stock-q2-earnings-152200224.html", "title": "Should You Add Sezzle Stock After Its Q2 Earnings and Sharp Pullback?", "content_text": "Sezzle Inc. SEZL shares entered August carrying high expectations, but the sharp post-earnings reset has changed the investment setup. The company had already attracted attention in 2026 with rapid subscriber growth, rising profitability and an expanding set of financial products. After the recent correction, investors have a different question to consider: whether the lower share price now offers a better entry into a business that is still delivering growth well above that of many payments peers. SEZL closed at $178.53 on Aug. 6 before plunging nearly 34% on Aug. 7 following its second-quarter report. The selling pressure did not mark the end of the story. Shares subsequently recovered and jumped 8.7% on Aug. 11 to $128.27. Even after that rebound, SEZL remained roughly 28% below its pre-results close. The move has been far more dramatic than recent trading in PayPal PYPL, while Shift4 Payments FOUR has also experienced earnings-related volatility. The correction has removed a meaningful part of the valuation risk that surrounded Sezzle before the report. The reset makes the investment case more interesting. Sezzle continues to grow considerably faster than PayPal and has a different growth profile from Shift4 Payments, while its expanding subscriber base, high engagement and new products could support further earnings gains. Credit costs and execution remain worth watching, but the current share price offers a better balance between growth potential and valuation than it did before earnings. Year-to-date Price PerformanceZacks Investment Research Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Sezzle's Growth Story Remains Strong Sezzle's second-quarter results showed that the underlying business has not lost momentum. Gross merchandise volume increased 37.9% year over year to a record $1.3 billion, while total revenues climbed 51.7% to $149.7 million. Net income rose to $40.8 million, representing a 27.2% margin, and adjusted EBITDA reached $58 million with a 38.8% margin. Total revenue less transaction-related costs represented 63.5% of revenues, placing the metric near the upper end of management's 55%-65% target range. The customer metrics make the growth story even stronger. Active subscribers increased 76.4% year over year to 854,000, while Sezzle added a record 140,000 net new subscribers during the quarter. Average quarterly purchase frequency reached 7.2 times, up from 6.1 times in the prior-year period. This combination suggests Sezzle is benefiting from both a larger customer base and deeper engagement among existing users, giving it more than one driver of revenue growth. Story Continues Higher Marketing Spending Holds Potential Marketing expense climbed to $19.4 million during the second quarter as Sezzle deliberately tested how aggressively it could invest in customer acquisition. The encouraging part is that management said the payback period remained below its six-month threshold. Sezzle intends to reduce core marketing spending sequentially in the third quarter, although spending tied to newer products could partly offset that decline. This suggests management is pursuing growth without abandoning its return requirements. This ability to add customers profitably helps distinguish Sezzle from larger peers. PayPal has far greater scale and a more mature payments ecosystem, while Shift4 Payments has broader exposure to merchant acquiring and payment processing. Sezzle's advantage is its current pace of expansion. If it can continue converting marketing dollars into subscribers with short payback periods, the company can sustain a growth rate that justifies some premium over slower-growing payments businesses. Raised Guidance Could Still Prove Conservative Management lifted its 2026 revenue-growth forecast to 35%, effectively moving to the top of the previous 30%-35% range. Adjusted net income guidance increased to $185 million from $180 million, while adjusted diluted EPS guidance rose to $5.25 from $5.10. Raising bot", "date_published": "2026-08-12T15:22:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "PYPL"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "PYPL", "name": "PayPal Holdings, Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/71f557db-de83-4f29-a56d-7c76e3e52162/"}]}}, {"id": "source:ccf78c6f87bd05a994bad9d48183aa46f7757b3928df15e142884467831be47c", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/small-business/articles/block-expands-squares-reach-financial-142300368.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/small-business/articles/block-expands-squares-reach-financial-142300368.html", "title": "Block Expands Square's Reach: Can Its Financial Strategy Pay Off?", "content_text": "Block Inc.'s XYZ Square is expanding its financial ecosystem to help small businesses manage cash flow, payments and financing in one place. The refreshed Square Credit Card and upgraded Square Bill Pay could make it easier for sellers to pay vendors, earn rewards and preserve working capital. The refreshed card, operating on the American Express network, offers unlimited 3% cash back on Square Bill Pay transactions and 1.5% on other purchases. Rewards can be deposited into Square Savings, applied as statement credits or used toward Square payment processing costs. The bigger change is the integration of the credit card with Bill Pay. Sellers can now use their Square Credit Card to pay expenses such as rent, insurance, marketing and inventory, even when vendors do not accept credit cards. Square sends vendors funds through ACH or mailed checks, while businesses can preserve cash for longer. The card also carries no annual, late or foreign transaction fees and does not require a personal guarantee. Its dynamic credit line can increase as a business grows, while sellers can use Square sales to help automatically repay balances. Earlier this year, Square expanded Square Loans eligibility using improved underwriting models and partnered with Homegrown to offer up to $1 million in expansion financing for eligible multi-location businesses. Overall, the Credit Card and Bill Pay combination could help sellers manage cash flow while making Square more deeply embedded in daily business operations. How Are Block's Competitors Faring? PayPal PYPL has a significant small-business financing operation. In the second quarter of 2026, PayPal processed $486.4 billion in total payment volume, up 10% year over year, while revenues rose 5% to $8.7 billion, highlighting PayPal's broad payments ecosystem and growing financial-services capabilities. Toast TOST delivered another strong quarter, with ARR rising 25% year over year to $2.4 billion and approximately 9,500 net new locations added in the second quarter. The performance highlights continued demand for its integrated payments, software and financial technology platform, making Toast a notable competitor to Square in the small-business market. XYZ's Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates Shares of Block have gained 13.3% over the past three months, underperforming the broader industry but outperforming the S&P 500 composite.Zacks Investment Research Image Source: Zacks Investment Research In terms of forward 12-month P/E, XYZ stock is trading at 17.23X, which is at a discount to the Zacks Internet Software industry's 28.85X. Story Continues Zacks Investment Research Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Block's earnings estimate revisions reflect a positive trend. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for full-year 2026 EPS has been revised northward marginally. The figure indicates a significant increase year over year.Zacks Investment Research Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Block currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Block, Inc. (XYZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Toast, Inc. (TOST) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research View Comments", "date_published": "2026-08-12T14:23:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "AXP"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "AXP", "name": "American Express Company", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/aaafa1d1-c769-429c-863f-d6dc34dc2a43/"}]}}, {"id": "source:ed5f570df063fc3e22f05ee965c850fd987712c3b2b8b9abd1b7b2540eee5c17", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/visa-inc-v-vs-mastercard-140953343.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/visa-inc-v-vs-mastercard-140953343.html", "title": "Visa Inc. (V) vs. Mastercard Incorporated (MA): Visa Bets $2.4 Billion on Stopping AI-Powered Fraud", "content_text": "On August 3, 2024, Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) agreed to buy Tel Aviv-based fraud detection startup BioCatch for $2.4 billion in cash, its biggest move yet to fight the wave of AI-powered scams hitting the payments industry. The deal comes just days after rival Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) posted its own strong quarterly results. Why Visa Is Spending Big to Catch Up BioCatch analyzes typing cadence, touchscreen swipes, and device handling to catch scammers and bots before a payment goes through. Visa says the technology is critical as generative AI makes fraud cheaper and more convincing. Visa Inc", "date_published": "2026-08-12T14:09:53+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Regulatory and legal", "V", "MA"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "V", "name": "Visa Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/eba34c76-d863-4365-a4a4-ab9d7b484715/"}, {"symbol": "MA", "name": "Mastercard Incorporated", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/68dba2cf-363b-41e9-9806-cc280941c57f/"}]}}, {"id": "source:e79171f1724eddd3b17cc1b8984bd127116fe2d1b8ed3a05b5269de34ded2622", "url": "https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/millions-consumers-could-70-mastercard-131400158.html", "external_url": "https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/millions-consumers-could-70-mastercard-131400158.html", "title": "Millions of consumers could get \u00a370 each after Mastercard lawsuit", "content_text": "Customers can expect payouts of up to \u00a370 as part of a landmark group legal case against Mastercard next year after it settled outside court for \u00a3200m. You can't make claims just yet, but here's a rundown of who is eligible, how the process could work and how much you could get. Why is Mastercard paying compensation? The global technology company agreed at the end of last year to pay \u00a3200m to settle a legal case launched on behalf of UK consumers a decade ago. Claims in the case argued Mastercard's fees were \"unlawful\" and made it more expensive for retailers to accept card payments and that e", "date_published": "2026-08-12T13:14:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "uk.finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Regulatory and legal", "MA"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "MA", "name": "Mastercard Incorporated", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/68dba2cf-363b-41e9-9806-cc280941c57f/"}]}}, {"id": "source:a3463929f5883dcbc54750723ea94cc2baa6bd5391ce67dccf15df780d37614e", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/crypto/articles/cashi-launches-public-beta-stablecoin-125721688.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/crypto/articles/cashi-launches-public-beta-stablecoin-125721688.html", "title": "Cashi launches public beta for stablecoin spending app and Visa card", "content_text": "Cashi has launched a public beta of its stablecoin spending app and Visa card, positioning the product as a way for users to hold stablecoins and spend them via a card. In a blog post, the company said users can deposit USDT or USDC and receive a virtual Visa card. Cardholders then can pay wherever Visa is accepted, including online and in-store using Google Pay. The company expects a full launch before the end of the year. Cashi is targeting people who are paid in one currency and spend in another. The company said balances remain in stablecoins until the point of purchase, when the transacti", "date_published": "2026-08-12T12:57:21+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Guidance", "V"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "V", "name": "Visa Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/eba34c76-d863-4365-a4a4-ab9d7b484715/"}]}}, {"id": "source:2d2ad722ec8979ca3e50d4396a9b56568ee5f7356b31a8eaa4ad8eaa8533e372", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/crypto/articles/mastercard-ma-starts-cross-border-120955540.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/crypto/articles/mastercard-ma-starts-cross-border-120955540.html", "title": "Mastercard (MA) Starts A Cross Border Stablecoin Payments Pilot", "content_text": "Find your next quality investment with Simply Wall St's easy and powerful screener, trusted by over 7 million individual investors worldwide. Mastercard (NYSE: MA) and Borderless.xyz announced a pilot collaboration to advance trusted cross-border stablecoin payments using Mastercard Crypto Credential standards. The initiative applies Mastercard Crypto Credential compliance and verification frameworks to blockchain based transactions for international value transfer. The pilot is intended to introduce scalable trust and compliance signals into stablecoin payment flows across borders. Mastercard", "date_published": "2026-08-12T12:09:55+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "MA"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "MA", "name": "Mastercard Incorporated", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/68dba2cf-363b-41e9-9806-cc280941c57f/"}]}}, {"id": "source:cc2b94b9817929fcae4687c201012fb1f4a150c00f88d3f8c8ebc44f7f189a02", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/video/forget-big-tech-real-ai-100000112.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/video/forget-big-tech-real-ai-100000112.html", "title": "Forget big tech: the real AI money is in plumbing", "content_text": "Host Kenny Polcari joins Yahoo Finance's Jared Blikre and Founder ETFs' Michael Monaghan to explore the data showing why founder-led companies significantly outperform the market. The panel also breaks down the flawless execution of the SpaceX IPO, the overlooked opportunities in AI infrastructure, and why the next major productivity boom will mirror the historical shift from steam to electricity. Video Transcript 0:04 spk_0 Welcome to Trader Talk. I'm Kenny Pilcari, your host, and today I am joined by Jared Blicky, who's the Yahoo Finance markets and data editor, along with Michael Monahan, who is a partner and portfolio manager at Founder ETFs and the Founder 100 ETF which I thinkIt is a fascinating product. So we're gonna talk about that. Actually, I want to kick that off and talk about that specifically because I think that's a great concept. So, tell the audience a little bit what you mean by the Founder 100. 0:31 spk_1 With the Founder100, we have a portfolio of what we believe to be the 100 best founder-led companies in the US stock market.The reason we chose to do that, we looked at historical data that said that founder-led companies tend to outperform by 3 times versus a board hired CEO. 0:47 spk_0 So give me a couple of examples just so people understand what we're talking about. A couple of companies. 0:51 spk_1 Yeah, so our stump speeches, we own Nvidia but not Intel. We own Dell but not Apple. We own Capital One, not American Express.We own Monster Beverage, not Coca-Cola. 1:01 spk_2 So in these, in these companies, uh, a lot of these founders, so there's a complaint that the super voting shares that they have are actually a detriment to shareholders, but you're kind of positioned the opposite way. You're like, these companies we want to invest in because the founders have a bigger stake. 1:17 spk_1 Yeah, we, we, we've looked at that and that seems to be an emotional statement that people make, but the data doesn't show that. The data shows that the super voting founders outperform. 1:26 spk_0 Well, because they have so much skin in the game, right? So they wanna, I would imagine that they'd want to outperform. So how long is this, your ETF been existed? 1:34 spk_1 So we launched the product December 18th of last year. There's a companion index on Bloomberg that looks, that you can look up under founders that has a 27 year track record. 1:44 spk_0 And so how's you, how have you been performing? 1:47 spk_1 So we went through this apocalypse and uh we did a drawdown then and that's one thing we should talk about is where the drawdowns do and don't happen in these products. But ever since the war, uh, started in late February, we've outperformed the S&P 500 in the war backdrop. 2:02 spk_0 Ithink that's great. I think it's really fascinating. I want to talk more about that, but we have so much other, so much other stuff that I want to get to. And so let's just talk about, we're talking about founders, we're talking about growth. Um, where do we think the next kind of wave?I mean, right now we're in the middle of this AI revolution, which I think is still very much in the early stages. I don't think there's anywhere near being over yet. But talk about, you know, either within that tech space, adjacent tech space, adjacent to the tech spaces, where do we see the growth coming from or where are you seeing it coming from? 2:30 spk_2 So, the products that we use every day, that's not where the, uh, profits are coming from. That's where a lot of the growth is coming from. But, you know, OpenAI, that, that IPO.It's a big question mark right now because he wants a billion dollars or $1 trillion dollar valuation. That's gonna be hard to do. But the further you move away from the AI user, you get from, you know, the data centers to the chips and all the way to electrical and power, that's where the most profits are right now. Right? And 2:55 spk_0 I think that's actually maybe one that's less understood by a lot of the investi", "date_published": "2026-08-12T10:00:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "AXP", "COF"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "AXP", "name": "American Express Company", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/aaafa1d1-c769-429c-863f-d6dc34dc2a43/"}, {"symbol": "COF", "name": "Capital One Financial Corporation", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/ba63c23e-8243-4350-819b-53d3de09ab68/"}]}}, {"id": "source:8ee2661c013d7affe29b175e1578048f64707c9000782fc11c217fd069bb8fd5", "url": "https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/visa-and-mastercard-have-both-reported-which-payments-giant-best-buy-now", "external_url": "https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/visa-and-mastercard-have-both-reported-which-payments-giant-best-buy-now", "title": "Visa and Mastercard Have Both Reported. Which Payments Giant Is the Best Buy Now?", "content_text": "Key Points Both companies posted a 14% year-over-year revenue gain during the three-month period that ended June 30. Mastercard's operating income has risen at a much faster clip in the past five years. The best investment opportunity between these two stocks trades at a cheaper valuation.10 stocks we like better than Mastercard \u203a When it comes to global commerce, few businesses are more significant than Visa (NYSE: V) and Mastercard (NYSE: MA). Their scale is unmatched. Each company counts billions of cards in use around the world. They process trillions of dollars in volume each quarter. And", "date_published": "2026-08-12T09:35:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "nasdaq.com"}], "tags": ["Earnings", "V", "MA"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "V", "name": "Visa Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/eba34c76-d863-4365-a4a4-ab9d7b484715/"}, {"symbol": "MA", "name": "Mastercard Incorporated", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/68dba2cf-363b-41e9-9806-cc280941c57f/"}]}}, {"id": "source:32ebbef220b18a0a0f57a5bffd227e7b85d79cdb780996e7f848cf19c492c2a2", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/crypto/articles/visa-v-broadens-stablecoin-settlement-081059283.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/crypto/articles/visa-v-broadens-stablecoin-settlement-081059283.html", "title": "Visa (V) Broadens Stablecoin Settlement Capabilities", "content_text": "Get insights on thousands of stocks from the global community of over 7 million individual investors at Simply Wall St. Visa (NYSE:V) is expanding its stablecoin settlement capabilities through new partnerships with Lightspark and Zerohash. The partnerships focus on using USDC and other stablecoins for settlement and payout solutions across Visa's client and partner network. Visa aims to support programmable payments, faster cross-border transactions, and onchain disbursements through these integrations. The move deepens Visa's role in blockchain-based financial infrastructure and supports wid", "date_published": "2026-08-12T08:10:59+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "V"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "V", "name": "Visa Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/eba34c76-d863-4365-a4a4-ab9d7b484715/"}]}}, {"id": "source:8710b684aa2977fddc29bf2400ecbb9e282af607e791dc0ccdaa260125b257a4", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/american-express-axp-stock-still-001539653.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/american-express-axp-stock-still-001539653.html", "title": "American Express (AXP) Stock Still Looks Cheap After A 120% Five Year Run", "content_text": "Make better investment decisions with Simply Wall St's easy, visual tools that give you a competitive edge. American Express has delivered a 120.0% share price return over the past five years, while the latest intrinsic value estimate using the Excess Returns model still points to the stock trading below that intrinsic value. At the same time, traditional earnings multiples look roughly in line with the market. Over five years, American Express shares are up 120.0%, which puts recent short term weakness this year into the context of a strong longer term run. Recent attention on American Express as a long standing Berkshire Hathaway holding and on cardholder spending trends can support higher valuation expectations. However, any slowdown in spending growth or a shift in investor risk appetite may limit how much of an undervaluation gap can close. American Express only passes 1 of 6 valuation checks, which suggests the broader set of metrics does not show a clear bargain despite the intrinsic value estimate indicating upside. The key question now is whether American Express deserves to trade closer to that intrinsic value estimate or whether the recent long term gains already reflect most of the stock's potential. American Express delivered 13.6% returns over the last year. See how this stacks up to the rest of the Consumer Finance industry. Is American Express Still Cheap on Excess Returns? The Excess Returns model values American Express by comparing the profit it generates on its equity base with the return that shareholders require. For American Express, the inputs point to a high average return on equity of 36.46% on a book value of $50.79 per share. That translates into a stable earnings figure of $21.47 per share and an excess return of $16.57 per share over an estimated equity cost of $4.90. The model also uses a stable book value of $58.89 per share to extend these economics into the future. Pulling these pieces together, the Excess Returns model arrives at an intrinsic value of about $417 per share, which implies the stock is 18.4% undervalued relative to the current price. Berkshire Hathaway's long running position in American Express, described as an indefinite holding, helps explain why some investors are willing to pay up for sustained high returns on equity even when traditional multiples look full. On this Excess Returns view, American Express screens as undervalued relative to what its projected profitability on equity would justify. Our Excess Returns analysis suggests American Express is undervalued by 18.4%. Track this in your watchlist or portfolio, or discover 51 more high quality undervalued stocks. Story Continues AXP Discounted Cash Flow as at Aug 2026 Head to the Valuation section of our Company Report for more details on how we arrive at this Fair Value for American Express. Does American Express Look Fairly Valued on Earnings? P/E is a useful yardstick for American Express because earnings are a central focus for investors in established card and payments businesses. Right now the stock trades on a P/E of about 20.3x, which sits very close to both the peer average of 20.2x and a modelled fair P/E of 19.9x that blends the company's size, margins and risk profile. This fair ratio suggests American Express is priced at a small premium to the wider consumer finance industry, where the average P/E is 9.8x, yet is roughly aligned with closer peers on earnings. Given the Excess Returns model already indicates intrinsic value support, the current P/E level points to a market that broadly accepts the earnings profile without assigning a clear discount or a heavy premium. Overall, American Express appears to be trading at roughly fair value on its P/E multiple.NYSE:AXP P/E Ratio as at Aug 2026 See what the numbers say about this price \u2014 find out in our valuation breakdown. The American Express Narrative: What Would Justify Today's Price? Simply Wall St Narratives for American Express' stock sit on the Community", "date_published": "2026-08-12T00:15:39+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "AXP"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "AXP", "name": "American Express Company", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/aaafa1d1-c769-429c-863f-d6dc34dc2a43/"}]}}, {"id": "source:64dc3805f3bc8f1d6d549acf7e947bb8481e78fc4e68a44141cdbad3076a7c5e", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/paypal-holdings-pypl-undervalued-earnings-191510701.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/paypal-holdings-pypl-undervalued-earnings-191510701.html", "title": "Is PayPal Holdings (PYPL) Undervalued After Earnings And Its Recent Share Price Jump?", "content_text": "Track your investments for FREE with Simply Wall St, the portfolio command center trusted by over 7 million individual investors worldwide. PayPal Holdings (PYPL) recently reported second quarter 2026 earnings, with sales of US$8,682 million and net income of US$1,104 million. The results offer fresh context for how the stock is currently being evaluated. See our latest analysis for PayPal Holdings. Against this earnings backdrop, PayPal Holdings' share price has moved sharply higher in the short term, with a 30-day share price return of 27.53% and a 90-day gain of 30%, even though the 1-year ", "date_published": "2026-08-11T19:15:10+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Earnings", "PYPL"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "PYPL", "name": "PayPal Holdings, Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/71f557db-de83-4f29-a56d-7c76e3e52162/"}]}}, {"id": "source:2496a729197fd2176f704aabc5ebcc8d87f2b52f2caaf3ef7e2d4a872ace2122", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/mastercard-stock-rises-services-revenue-191437142.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/mastercard-stock-rises-services-revenue-191437142.html", "title": "Mastercard Stock Rises as Services Revenue Jumps 20%", "content_text": "This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Mastercard (NYSE:MA), the global payments powerhouse connecting banks, merchants and consumers, rose approximately 0.6% in Tuesday's regular-session trading as another strong quarter showed just how much horsepower remains in the business. Second-quarter net revenue jumped 14% to $9.3 billion. Net income climbed 19% to $4.4 billion. Diluted earnings per share surged 22% to $4.97. Those are powerful numbers for a company already operating at Mastercard's enormous scale. But the headline growth only tells half the story. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 6", "date_published": "2026-08-11T19:14:37+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Earnings", "MA"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "MA", "name": "Mastercard Incorporated", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/68dba2cf-363b-41e9-9806-cc280941c57f/"}]}}, {"id": "source:fb6387b392f8c120ea524752d35d2a5c38042ab510761ac7bf390f82686a68e6", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/visa-inc-v-vs-mastercard-182054581.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/visa-inc-v-vs-mastercard-182054581.html", "title": "Visa Inc. (V) vs. Mastercard Incorporated (MA): Same Strong Spending Story, Very Different Stock Reactions", "content_text": "Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) and Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) both beat Wall Street's profit estimates this earnings season on resilient consumer spending and a World Cup travel boost. However, Visa's stock fell on the news while Mastercard's jumped, and the difference came down to what else each company announced alongside its numbers. Why One Beat Got Punished and the Other Got Rewarded Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) reported its results the same day it disclosed cutting 2,600 jobs, about 7% of its workforce, noting AI as a factor in reshaping how the firm works, and it took a $563 million charge for the cut", "date_published": "2026-08-11T18:20:54+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Earnings", "V", "MA"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "V", "name": "Visa Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/eba34c76-d863-4365-a4a4-ab9d7b484715/"}, {"symbol": "MA", "name": "Mastercard Incorporated", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/68dba2cf-363b-41e9-9806-cc280941c57f/"}]}}, {"id": "source:a18fcd8bc4178dc265160d36224b501324f2df2c6c377b9739cb6212675b9524", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/jim-cramer-examines-paypal-holdings-165211521.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/jim-cramer-examines-paypal-holdings-165211521.html", "title": "Jim Cramer Examines PayPal Holdings Performance Under Enrique Lores and M&A Speculation", "content_text": "On CNBC's Mad Money's August 3 episode, host Jim Cramer highlighted PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) as one of the standout performers in the S&P 500 during July as it gained 32.5%. While noting operational improvements under Chief Executive Officer Enrique Lores, Cramer focused on the market reaction surrounding a reported buyout proposal from private fintech competitor Stripe and private equity partner Advent International: Third best performing in the S&P 500\u2026 in July\u2026 PayPal. That's up 32.5%. Now, while the company's certainly doing much better under Enrique Lores than its previous CEO. The stock roared because PayPal apparently got a takeover overture from the giant private fintech company called Stripe, with the backing also of a big private equity firm. Now, they haven't agreed to anything, but it hasn't been shot down. Quizzical. Reports of a joint buyout offer from Stripe and Advent International valued PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) at approximately $53 billion, or $60.50 per share, a significant premium over its pre-announcement trading price. The acquisition attempt represents a rare role reversal, in which a private fintech firm, backed by major financial investors, is trying to buy out an established market leader.Jim Cramer Examines PayPal Holdings Performance Under Enrique Lores and M&A Speculation Comparing PayPal and Stripe: Scale and Business Architecture While both platforms dominate online commerce processing, PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) and Stripe represent contrasting business architectures and growth trajectories within fintech. PayPal operates as a consumer-facing ecosystem with hundreds of millions of active digital wallets alongside its merchant services. That dual-sided model gives PayPal deep brand recognition, yet leaves it exposed to changing consumer payment preferences and margin pressure in basic checkout processing. Stripe functions as developer-first infrastructure, embedding payment capabilities directly into application software, SaaS platforms, and enterprise marketplaces. While PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) relies on legacy brand equity and consumer wallet engagement, Stripe built its market share by serving software engineers and digital businesses. Combining the two firms would pair PayPal's massive global network and consumer base with Stripe's strength among software developers, though clearing regulatory scrutiny and merging their massive tech systems would pose major challenges. Hedge Fund Participation Edges Lower as Short Interest Remains Moderate According to Insider Monkey's data, sentiment among active smart-money managers edged slightly lower for PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) during the first quarter of 2026. Our data shows that 78 hedge funds held a position in the stock in Q4 2025 and dropped to 76 in Q1 2026. It is worth noting that its most prominent hedge fund , Citadel Investment Group, increased its stake in the company by 156% during the quarter. Story Continues Short interest in PayPal currently stands at 7.11% of float. While higher than traditional large-cap defensive plays, it remains well below levels typically associated with heavily shorted stocks. While we acknowledge the potential of PYPL as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on thebest short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: Jim Cramer Draws the Line on NVIDIA in China: Why National Security Comes First and Jim Cramer Defends His Dell Stance as Investors Complain About Missing Out. Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News. View Comments", "date_published": "2026-08-11T16:52:11+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "PYPL"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "PYPL", "name": "PayPal Holdings, Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/71f557db-de83-4f29-a56d-7c76e3e52162/"}]}}, {"id": "source:2f64eefbf574c2a419681bfd7cfdd9a360bddde5f7629388b417ebed86928e0c", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/jim-cramer-weighs-sofi-sofi-161447804.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/jim-cramer-weighs-sofi-sofi-161447804.html", "title": "Jim Cramer Weighs In on SoFi\u2019s (SOFI) $16\u2013$19 Range", "content_text": "During CNBC's Mad Money episode on August 5, a caller questioned the near-term trajectory of SoFi Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:SOFI), pointing out that the stock has remained stuck in a tight trading band between $16 and $19 over the past six months. The long-term shareholder asked whether host Jim Cramer maintains a positive outlook on the company despite its stagnant price action. Cramer responded: Okay, look, SoFi, Robinhood, a bunch of these fintech companies have kind of been in the doldrums, as people said, \"You know what? We're focusing, we're going to go right back to the old, JPMorgans ", "date_published": "2026-08-11T16:14:47+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Earnings", "SOFI"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "SOFI", "name": "SoFi Technologies, Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/b7ac15f7-8d44-4e63-8a6f-abbedc77aa85/"}]}}, {"id": "source:b7f78ae119f6a16c8db2dada32af17beec3fbfb180178e603ca4282f9b025342", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/pismo-dps-help-visa-capture-160400693.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/pismo-dps-help-visa-capture-160400693.html", "title": "Will Pismo-DPS Help Visa Capture More of the Banking Value Chain?", "content_text": "Visa Inc. V is focusing on deepening its role in banking infrastructure as it combines the capabilities of Pismo and DPS to address growing demand for modern issuer-processing solutions. The strategy could help Visa expand relationships with smaller and midsized banks and fintechs, giving it a greater role in the technology infrastructure that supports everyday banking. Pismo provides a cloud-native, API-based platform covering products including debit, credit, commercial payments and current accounts, while DPS remains a leading U.S. debit issuer-processing platform. V is expanding these capa", "date_published": "2026-08-11T16:04:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Earnings", "V", "MA"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "V", "name": "Visa Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/eba34c76-d863-4365-a4a4-ab9d7b484715/"}, {"symbol": "MA", "name": "Mastercard Incorporated", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/68dba2cf-363b-41e9-9806-cc280941c57f/"}]}}, {"id": "source:35b4df2694575c0040bcc894a9e81fc20244870fe6a22741a0b497547bd5563b", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/prediction-sofi-next-chapter-could-153014445.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/prediction-sofi-next-chapter-could-153014445.html", "title": "Prediction: SOFI\u2019s Next Chapter Could Be Its Most Important Yet", "content_text": "Quick Read SOFI posted 61% YoY net income growth and record $14.80B loan originations in Q2, yet shares remain down 31% YTD. Wall Street's $19.87 consensus anchors too low, given that SOFI's 40% earnings growth and a PEG under 1 justify meaningful multiple expansion. Noto targets 1 million SoFi Plus subscribers generating $120M annually, a milestone that alongside EPS growth makes $30 achievable by 2027. Act now: the analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks \u2014 and SoFi Technologies didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today. SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ:SOFI) just deli", "date_published": "2026-08-11T15:30:14+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Earnings", "SOFI"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "SOFI", "name": "SoFi Technologies, Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/b7ac15f7-8d44-4e63-8a6f-abbedc77aa85/"}]}}, {"id": "source:7d3463aa92f03a30e9fd6a0655ea3f7f10dc43f970aedf8126311806699538bd", "url": "https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/billionaire-lord-sugar-denied-amex-145656434.html", "external_url": "https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/billionaire-lord-sugar-denied-amex-145656434.html", "title": "Billionaire Lord Sugar denied Amex credit limit increase", "content_text": "The serial entrepreneur said he spent an hour on the phone with the bank to no avail - BBC/PA American Express has allegedly denied billionaire Lord Sugar an increase to his credit limit despite being aware of his financial status. The star of BBC's The Apprentice complained on social media about his experience with the bank, which declined to increase his credit limit despite knowing who he was. Lord Sugar \u2013 who placed 146th on The Sunday Times Rich List this year with an estimated net worth of \u00a31.14bn \u2013 said he had spent an hour on the phone with the bank's customer service. He wrote on X: \"I was passed to four different people. I was asking for an increase in my credit limit. Finally, I got to speak to a person in the UK at Brighton who knew who I was and my financial status. However, my request was refused due to their system.\" American Express said it could not comment on individual customers or the status of specific accounts. When questioned by a fellow X user over why, as a billionaire, he needed additional credit, Lord Sugar responded: \"I don't walk around with bags full of cash. I need a credit card to buy things.\" The TV personality also responded to criticism that he was moaning. One X user wrote: \"The general public faces the same fate every day. On the one hand, you try to champion your council housing background, while on the other, you're now trying to flaunt your status. The height of hypocrisy.\" But Lord Sugar insisted he was \"not moaning\" but \"exposing what a bunch of idiots Amex are\". Responding to The Telegraph, Lord Sugar said his experience was a \"classic example\" of a large bank run by computer systems \"failing to take the client into account\" and that he was going to \"chuck this lump of Amex aluminium card in the bin\". He added: \"I had an embarrassing situation when I tried to buy a large item in Italy and it was refused as it would bust my credit limit. \"Thankfully, my loyal Lloyds card to the rescue \u2013 I've been with them for 62 years. I guess the question is why do I want an Amex card? I must be nuts. I have to pay an annual fee to have this Platinum card. \"My kids told me I get all benefits like walking into airport lounges, which I don't need as I hate commercial airports.\" American Express does not advertise having a maximum credit limit. Instead, the cap on what customers can borrow is determined by the financial details and information provided and their spending history and credit score. Cardholders can request increases to their spending limit, provided they have held the account for at least 60 days. Requests are then scrutinised by the American Express team. Story Continues Lord Sugar rose to prominence with the success of Amstrad, a consumer electronics company that he founded in 1968 with \u00a3100 of savings. He began by selling radio aerials and other electrical goods out of a van and built the company into a multimillion-pound, London stock market-listed enterprise. He sold Amstrad in 2007 to BSkyB for \u00a3125m. The serial entrepreneur was the majority owner of Tottenham Hotspur football club from 1991 to 2007. Since 1999, Lord Sugar has overseen Amshold, a private holding company. View Comments", "date_published": "2026-08-11T14:56:56+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "uk.finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "AXP"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "AXP", "name": "American Express Company", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/aaafa1d1-c769-429c-863f-d6dc34dc2a43/"}]}}, {"id": "source:74b55dffd633c3315c1035866a16f1458e07cf00fc64bd3bfaa41017717f0cb0", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/encore-capitals-raised-2026-outlook-145100913.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/encore-capitals-raised-2026-outlook-145100913.html", "title": "Can Encore Capital's Raised 2026 Outlook Drive More Earnings Growth?", "content_text": "Encore Capital Group, Inc. ECPG raised key parts of its 2026 outlook after a strong first half, putting more weight on collections growth and operating execution. The revised guidance improves visibility into the earnings path. The higher bar also increases the importance of delivery. Funding costs, leverage and rising legal collection expenses remain meaningful constraints as investors assess whether recent operating momentum can translate into sustained earnings growth. Encore Capital Raises the Bar for 2026 Encore now expects 2026 earnings of $13-$14 per share, up from its prior projection of about $13. The new range signals greater confidence in full-year performance after the first half. The guidance includes $1 per share of refinancing costs absorbed in the second quarter. That makes the increase more notable because the higher range already incorporates the refinancing-related earnings drag. The Zacks Consensus Estimate points to a clear earnings step-up. Earnings are projected to increase from $10.91 per share in 2025 to $13.52 in 2026 and $14.64 in 2027. Earnings EstimatesZacks Investment Research Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Estimate revisions add to that momentum. The current year earnings estimate has increased 3.9% over the past four weeks, suggesting analysts have become more constructive as collections and portfolio revenues improve. Earnings Estimate Revision TrendZacks Investment Research Image Source: Zacks Investment Research ECPG's Collections Outlook Moves Higher Management raised 2026 global collections guidance to $2.80-$2.85 billion, implying growth of 8%-10% year over year. The prior outlook called for about $2.8 billion, or 8% growth. Second-quarter global collections rose 13% to a record $737 million. The result followed strong first-half execution and supports the view that recent portfolio purchases and collection improvements are translating into higher collections. Driven by this momentum, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for sales reflects a year-over-year rise of 8.9% in 2026 and 2.1% in 2027. Sales EstimatesZacks Investment Research Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Encore Capital's Refinancing Adds a Funding Tailwind Encore's May refinancing is expected to save about $15 million in annual interest expense. Lower financing costs can provide earnings support as the company continues deploying capital into receivable portfolios. The benefit comes with an important offset. Encore expects 2026 interest expense, including other income, of about $295 million, underscoring the funding sensitivity of a business that relies on borrowings to finance portfolio purchases. Story Continues ECPG's U.S. Supply Supports Portfolio Deployment Encore maintained its 2026 portfolio purchase outlook of $1.4-$1.5 billion. Management continues to see favorable U.S. supply, supported by elevated revolving credit balances and charge-offs, while Midland Credit Management's scale, analytics and collection capabilities help it target attractive returns. PRA Group, Inc. PRAA, another buyer and collector of nonperforming loan portfolios, said second-quarter 2026 portfolio income increased 7% to $267.8 million, driven by strong recent purchases at improved returns. Capital One Financial Corporation COF, a major U.S. card lender, reports delinquency and charge-off trends that provide another read on the consumer-credit backdrop influencing future debt-sale supply. Encore Capital Still Faces Cost and Leverage Risks Legal collection expenses increased 25.8% year over year in the first half of 2026. If collections growth slows, that faster-growing cost line could pressure operating leverage and cash efficiency. Borrowings reached $4.18 billion at June 30, 2026. The company also remains heavily dependent on U.S. conditions, with Midland Credit Management accounting for 85.2% of first-half global portfolio purchasing dollars. Higher funding costs or weaker U.S. collections could therefore make the raised outlook harder", "date_published": "2026-08-11T14:51:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "COF"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "COF", "name": "Capital One Financial Corporation", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/ba63c23e-8243-4350-819b-53d3de09ab68/"}]}}, {"id": "source:ac54d4c52a891c557b169f5969a4178945ea8c4d4ed3558a18ab469016d2bed1", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/ecpg-rises-16-3-3-142400014.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/ecpg-rises-16-3-3-142400014.html", "title": "ECPG Rises 16.3% in 3 Months Amid Record Collections and Higher EPS", "content_text": "Encore Capital Group, Inc. ECPG has gained 16.3% over the past three months, sharpening the focus on whether operating momentum can keep supporting the advance. ECPG shares have outperformed the industry over the same period. The stock has also performed better than Synchrony Financial SYF but has lagged Capital One COF over the past three months. 3-Month Price PerformanceZacks Investment Research Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Record collections, higher earnings expectations and a peer valuation discount strengthen ECPG's case. The counterweight is a more demanding setup after the rally. Rising legal collection costs, substantial borrowings and heavy U.S. exposure leave less room for execution or credit-market conditions to weaken. ECPG's Record Collections Strengthen the Bull Case Second-quarter global collections reached a record $737 million, up 13% year over year. Revenues increased 11% to $491.9 million, while U.S. collections rose 17% to a record $572 million. The performance reflects continued portfolio investment and better collection execution. Management tied the U.S. gains to new technologies, enhanced digital capabilities and operational innovation that are helping reach more consumers and expand the payer base. Driven by this momentum, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for sales reflects a year-over-year rise of 8.9% in 2026 and 2.1% in 2027. Sales EstimatesZacks Investment Research Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Encore Capital's Earnings Outlook Keeps Rising Encore raised its 2026 GAAP earnings outlook to $13-$14 per share, even after absorbing $1 per share of refinancing costs in the second quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings is $13.52 per share, up from $10.91 in 2025. Earnings EstimatesZacks Investment Research Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Estimate revisions add to that momentum. The current year earnings estimate has increased 3.9% over the past four weeks, suggesting analysts have become more constructive as collections and portfolio revenues improve. Earnings Estimate Revision TrendZacks Investment Research Image Source: Zacks Investment Research ECPG's Valuation Still Trails Key Benchmarks ECPG trades at 6.68X forward 12-month earnings, below the 8.52X multiple for its Zacks sub-industry. That discount gives the stock a valuation cushion relative to peers despite the recent price advance. The stock is not unusually cheap against its own history. Its five-year median forward multiple is 6.5X, below the current level, so the valuation case rests more on a peer discount than on a deep historical discount. P/E F12M Story Continues Zacks Investment Research Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Encore Capital is inexpensive compared with Capital One and Synchrony Financial. At present, AllianceBernstein has a forward 12-month P/E of 10.02, while Capital One and Synchrony Financial trade at forward 12-month P/E of 9.94X and 7.85X, respectively. Encore Capital's Risks Could Test the Rally The business remains highly dependent on U.S. credit conditions. Midland Credit Management accounted for 85.2% of global portfolio purchasing dollars in the first half of 2026, leaving fewer offsets if U.S. supply, pricing or consumer payment behavior turns less favorable. For broader credit-cycle context, Capital One operates a large credit-card business, making its delinquency and charge-off trends relevant to debt-buying supply. Synchrony Financial also has substantial consumer-credit exposure, so its credit performance offers another read on the environment feeding charged-off receivables into the market. Cost and leverage risks also matter. First-half legal collection costs rose 25.8% year over year, while borrowings reached $4.18 billion as of June 30, 2026. If collections slow, that combination could pressure margins and cash efficiency. Can ECPG Sustain Its Recent Momentum? The next phase depends on whether higher collections, favorable U.S. portfolio supply and rising earni", "date_published": "2026-08-11T14:24:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "COF"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "COF", "name": "Capital One Financial Corporation", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/ba63c23e-8243-4350-819b-53d3de09ab68/"}]}}, {"id": "source:a6bdd5439600cd7e181f1b42a4be0bb9e80bbcd2ed1a1c830f1d7df0aaf99c9b", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/paypal-holdings-pypl-delivered-adequate-141403361.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/paypal-holdings-pypl-delivered-adequate-141403361.html", "title": "PayPal Holdings (PYPL) Delivered Adequate Returns Without Dramatic Change", "content_text": "JB Global Capital, an investment firm, released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The fund declined 12.1% in Q2, largely driven by Alibaba, its largest holding. However, since inception on January 3, 2023, the fund has returned 109.7%, compared with 94.4% for the S&P 500. Additionally, please check the fund's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026. In its Q2 2026 investor letter, JB Global Capital highlighted PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL). PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) is a leading technology platform that provides digital payment solutions for merchants and consumers. On August 10, 2026, PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) closed at $50.53 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $59.07 billion. PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) posted a one-month return of 24.94%, and its shares lost 12.92% over the past 52 weeks. JB Global Capital stated the following regarding PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) in its Q2 2026 investor letter: \"I initiated PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) at $39.84 per share in February, publishing my thesis in PayPal: Heads I Win, Tails I Don't Lose Much, available in full to paid subscribers with downloadable EPV, SOTP, and DCF models. I bought PayPal because I believed the market was valuing a durable, cash-generative payments franchise as though it faced permanent structural decline. My analysis suggested that even under conservative assumptions, intrinsic value exceeded the market price by a meaningful margin. The investment ultimately rested on a simple conclusion Since then, two things happened. On July 14th, Stripe and Advent International offered $60.50 per share, a ~52% premium to my entry, backed by roughly $50 billion in committed financing. Two weeks later, Q2 results provided additional evidence supporting several elements of the original thesis. Branded checkout stabilized at 2% for a second straight quarter, Venmo delivered its seventh straight quarter of double digit growth at 14%, Braintree accelerated to 13% from 11%, and management raised full-year guidance for both transaction margin dollars and EPS. Trailing twelve-month buybacks reached $6 billion, consistent with the pace assumed in my models and supportive of the intrinsic value framework.\u2026\" (Click here to read the full text)Jim Cramer Notes PayPal (PYPL)\u2019s CEO Alex Chriss \u201cWill Get You Where You Have to Go\u201d PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) is not on our list of 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds Heading Into 2026. According to our database, 76 hedge fund portfolios held PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) at the end of the first quarter, compared to 78 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on thebest short-term AI stock. Story Continues In another article, we covered PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) and shared a list of most promising fintech stocks to buy. In addition, please check out our hedge fund investor letters Q2 2026 page for more investor letters from hedge funds and other leading investors. READ NEXT: 33 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 15 Stocks That Will Make You Rich in 10 Years. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. View Comments", "date_published": "2026-08-11T14:14:03+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "PYPL"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "PYPL", "name": "PayPal Holdings, Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/71f557db-de83-4f29-a56d-7c76e3e52162/"}]}}, {"id": "source:a9fe2e4fc260b4d58288dad7ee21b8a2c0e93efa5c5a60efe51fcc09b88fef72", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/visas-cheaper-multiple-rests-margin-134635549.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/visas-cheaper-multiple-rests-margin-134635549.html", "title": "Visa's Cheaper Multiple Rests On A Margin Assumption", "content_text": "Image by Julita from Pixabay The forward numbers make the stock look reasonable, but they assume profitability keeps climbing at a company currently spending to grow. Visa (V) stock has lagged the market for a year. It trades at $360.65, and returned about 9.5% over the trailing twelve months against 23.3% for the S&P 500. On the earnings analysts expect, though, the multiple is getting cheaper. Whether that makes it cheap depends on an assumption about margins. The Multiple Falls Partly Because Consensus Says Margins Keep Climbing At that price the trailing multiple is about 27.7 times adjust", "date_published": "2026-08-11T13:46:35+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Earnings", "V", "MA"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "V", "name": "Visa Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/eba34c76-d863-4365-a4a4-ab9d7b484715/"}, {"symbol": "MA", "name": "Mastercard Incorporated", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/68dba2cf-363b-41e9-9806-cc280941c57f/"}]}}, {"id": "source:7f5c088723df7b819b9614cfbd7a36a08c678f5e2ff7c81ee0a148c342c985d6", "url": "https://seekingalpha.com/news/4629729-these-stocks-have-some-of-wall-streets-lowest-short-interest?amp%3Butm_medium=referral&amp%3Bfeed_item_type=news", "external_url": "https://seekingalpha.com/news/4629729-these-stocks-have-some-of-wall-streets-lowest-short-interest?amp%3Butm_medium=referral&amp%3Bfeed_item_type=news", "title": "These stocks have some of Wall Street\u2019s lowest short interest", "content_text": "[short sale] abluecup Stocks including Apple, Alphabet, Exxon Mobil, and JPMorgan are among the companies with relatively low short interest, according to a screen of stocks with market capitalizations above $2B. The screen includes stocks with short interest between 1% and 2% of shares outstanding, highlighting companies with relatively limited bearish positioning. Apple (AAPL [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/AAPL]) has the lowest short interest in the screen at 1.00%, followed by Alphabet (GOOG [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/GOOG]) and InnIO (INIO [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/INIO]) at", "date_published": "2026-08-11T13:40:28+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "seekingalpha.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "MA"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "MA", "name": "Mastercard Incorporated", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/68dba2cf-363b-41e9-9806-cc280941c57f/"}]}}, {"id": "source:c9be5246ddad4938a059cdfa246db26a9f77725aca3917c3cedd46326d2d8e80", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/small-business/articles/square-credit-card-levels-rewards-130000275.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/small-business/articles/square-credit-card-levels-rewards-130000275.html", "title": "Square Credit Card Levels Up: Rewards Built for Small Businesses and a New Way to Pay Vendors", "content_text": "New Bill Pay capabilities pair with an expanded, refreshed Square Credit Card to give more sellers a simpler way to manage every outflow from one platform DISTRIBUTED-WORKFORCE/OAKLAND, Calif., August 11, 2026--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Square today announced a significant expansion of its Square Credit Card program and a new Square Bill Pay capability that enables sellers to fund vendor payments with their Square Credit Card, regardless of whether the vendor accepts cards. Together, the updates give sellers a more powerful way to manage cash flow, business expenses, and vendor payments from a single platform. Operating on the American Express network, the refreshed Square Credit Card now features unlimited 3% cash back on Square Bill Pay transactions and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases. Rewards are redeemable as cash deposits into a seller's Square Savings account, statement credit, or free processing. And now, Square Credit Card sellers can also use their card to pay more types of vendors, including those that don't accept card payments, giving sellers more control over their cash flow. The new features build on the card's existing benefits: a dynamic credit line that can increase as a seller's business grows, along with no personal guarantee, no annual fees, no late fees, and no foreign transaction fees. Additionally, the company meaningfully broadened its Bill Pay functionality, expanding it from a feature previously limited to Square Checking sellers into a more powerful accounts payable solution that all sellers can use to pay expenses. Easing the Cash Flow Burden For small businesses, managing outflows is just as critical as generating revenue. Across the country, half of small businesses cite uneven cash flow as a top financial challenge \u2013 a problem that can be exacerbated by timing mismatches between when bills are due and when sellers collect on receivables. By enabling sellers to pay vendors with their Square Credit Card regardless of the vendor's payment method preference, Square is giving businesses more flexibility in managing cash flow while helping them earn rewards and reduce the manual overhead of managing multiple payment methods across various vendors and platforms. \"When it comes to running a trading card shop, inventory is everything. We manage over 10,000 items, and when the right cards come up, I have to move quickly. That can mean spending thousands on the spot before the window to act closes,\" said Melvin Bontrager, owner of Lafayette, Indiana-based Rainer's TCG Shop. \"Square Credit Card makes that possible: I can put inventory on the card, earn cash back with every purchase, and automatically pay down my balance from my daily sales without disrupting my cash flow. And having my sales, banking, and credit card all in Square means I always know where I stand financially. When you're moving this much inventory, that clarity is worth a lot.\" Story Continues Built for Small Businesses Most business credit cards are built to rack up airline miles and hotel points, rewards designed for frequent travelers \u2013 not for the local restaurants, salons, and shops that shape neighborhoods. Square Credit Card puts money back where it's actually useful: unlimited 3% cash back on Square Bill Pay transactions and 1.5% cash back on every other purchase, redeemable as a cash deposit into a Square Savings account that now earns up to 3.50% APY, a statement credit, or free payment processing that directly reduces the cost of doing business. Since expanding eligibility at the end of last year, the number of sellers actively using Square Credit Card has doubled\u00b9. That seller-centric design extends to how Square has enhanced Bill Pay. Now, sellers can use their Square Credit Card to pay an even broader variety of vendors through Bill Pay, including rent, insurance, marketing expenses, and more \u2013 even when those vendors don't accept cards. Square routes the money the way the vendor prefers to receive it, either as a direct deposit ", "date_published": "2026-08-11T13:00:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "AXP"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "AXP", "name": "American Express Company", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/aaafa1d1-c769-429c-863f-d6dc34dc2a43/"}]}}, {"id": "source:bef5f0b18a3109b1d9c615e6862c39987d1a9515f074fe0e10d53970b6515b77", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/fazeshift-announces-investment-amex-ventures-130000071.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/fazeshift-announces-investment-amex-ventures-130000071.html", "title": "Fazeshift Announces Investment from Amex Ventures", "content_text": "New investment to support AI-powered approaches to accounts receivable automation SAN FRANCISCO, August 11, 2026--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fazeshift, the AI-native platform deploying autonomous agents to execute end-to-end accounts receivable workflows, today announced an investment from Amex Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of American Express. This investment builds on the announcement of Fazeshift's $22 million Series A earlier this year led by F-Prime with participation from Gradient, Y Combinator, Wayfinder, Pioneer Fund, Ritual Capital, and others. \"This investment lets us move faster on our mission of giving finance teams their time back,\" said Caitlin Leksana, CEO and Co-Founder of Fazeshift. \"We're grateful to welcome Amex Ventures as an investor to continue our work building the future of enterprise finance.\" \"We are excited to be backing Fazeshift as they continue to assemble a strong team and build out an expanding suite of agentic capabilities to modernize finance operations,\" said Margaret Lim, Managing Director at Amex Ventures. \"Their AI-native approach and deep customer focus have delivered meaningful value to finance teams.\" The investment from Amex Ventures will support product development and team growth as Fazeshift expands its platform beyond accounts receivable and toward its broader vision: a CFO suite built for autonomous finance. About Fazeshift Fazeshift is an AI agent platform for finance operations, starting with accounts receivable. The company automates workflows such as invoicing, payment reconciliation, and collections across the tools finance teams already use. By replacing manual execution with AI-driven workflows, Fazeshift helps companies improve cash flow, reduce operational overhead, and modernize the office of the CFO. The company is backed by F-Prime, Gradient (Google's early-stage AI fund), Y Combinator, and Amex Ventures. Learn more at https://fazeshift.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260811465838/en/ Contacts Media Contact onboard@sbscomms.com View Comments", "date_published": "2026-08-11T13:00:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "AXP"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "AXP", "name": "American Express Company", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/aaafa1d1-c769-429c-863f-d6dc34dc2a43/"}]}}, {"id": "source:d4d3d0b8d0bc35ba2b6a3e2f34372ce76de844e84ad887c69b5ba3edba532758", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/small-business/articles/organic-payment-gateways-expands-cbd-124000294.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/small-business/articles/organic-payment-gateways-expands-cbd-124000294.html", "title": "Organic Payment Gateways Expands CBD Payment Gateway Support for Businesses Shut Down by Major Processors", "content_text": "Organic Payment Gateways announces expanded payment gateway and merchant account support for legal CBD and hemp businesses that need stable credit card processing after being declined, restricted, or shut down by major payment processors. SCARBOROUGH, Maine, Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Organic Payment Gateways has announced an expanded and more efficient CBD payment gateway and merchant account service for legal US CBD businesses that need help accepting credit cards online or in person. The service is designed for CBD and hemp-product merchants that have been turned down, declined, restricted, or received a shutdown email from major processors such as Square, Stripe, or PayPal. Organic Payment Gateways says the expanded focus is meant to help business owners move quickly, understand their processing options, and connect with a provider that may be better suited for compliant CBD and hemp-product sales long term. Payment processing (also called credit card processing), which includes a merchant account and payment gateway, is the system that allows an online business to accept card payments from customers. For CBD merchants, that system can be more difficult to secure because most traditional processors treat CBD as a higher-risk product category, and many are leaving the market altogether. Organic Payment Gateways works with CBD sellers that need a more specialized review process. The company helps merchants gather key details, review the business profile, and identify potential payment gateway or merchant account options based on the products being sold, sales history, processing volume, refund activity, and website compliance. The company says many CBD merchants first discover the problem after a processor declines an application, closes an existing account, pauses payouts, or asks for additional documentation. Those disruptions can be especially difficult for e-commerce stores that already have inventory, advertising campaigns, packaging, fulfillment systems, and returning customers in place. \"CBD merchants often find out too late that a general payment processor is not built for their category,\" said a spokesperson for Organic Payment Gateways. \"The goal of this service is to give legal CBD businesses a practical path forward, with one-on-one guidance and affordable processing options whenever a qualified fit is available.\" Organic Payment Gateways focuses on helping merchants prepare for the underwriting process. Underwriting is the review a processor performs before approving a merchant account. For CBD businesses, that may include reviewing product type, lab documentation, website content, refund policies, chargeback history, quality assurance procedures, and sales volume. Story Continues The company says this one-on-one intake process can help reduce wasted time and mismatched applications. A processor that fits one CBD business may not fit another, especially when the merchants sell different products, operate in different regions, or process different monthly sales volumes. Organic Payment Gateways also emphasizes affordability as part of the service. The company says its placement support is provided without application fees. Legal CBD and hemp merchants can also review Organic Payment Gateways' public business profiles through the company's BBB page at https://www.bbb.org/us/me/scarborough/profile/credit-card-processing-services/organic-payment-gateways-0021-281165 and Trustpilot page at https://www.trustpilot.com/review/ecommerce4im.com. Organic Payment Gateways says the expanded CBD payment gateway service is available now for qualified merchants seeking new or replacement processing. CBD business owners can learn more at https://organicpaymentgateways.com/cbd-payment-gateways/. About Organic Payment Gateways Organic Payment Gateways provides payment gateway, merchant account, and credit card processing guidance for businesses in specialized and closely reviewed industries. The company focuses on practical pla", "date_published": "2026-08-11T12:40:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "PYPL"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "PYPL", "name": "PayPal Holdings, Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/71f557db-de83-4f29-a56d-7c76e3e52162/"}]}}, {"id": "source:f6a89d76cee6a7060e1749176876b6d52bbeaea737034b6398580f302d1a7764", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/media-advertising/articles/monumental-sports-entertainment-unveils-bold-120000670.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/media-advertising/articles/monumental-sports-entertainment-unveils-bold-120000670.html", "title": "Monumental Sports & Entertainment Unveils Bold Vision for Brand-New Capital One Arena", "content_text": "20-year naming rights extension launches the next chapter of Capital One Arena as part of Capital One's continued commitment to its hometown; Monumental unveils fresh videos and renderings of a brand-new arena in downtown D.C. WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) and Capital One today unveiled the next chapter of Capital One Arena: a world-class, next-generation sports and entertainment destination built to bring fans, athletes, businesses, and the broader Washington community together in the nation's capital. The transformation represents a significant investment in the District, and a shared commitment by two organizations deeply rooted in the national capital region to create a lasting community asset that will serve residents and visitors for generations to come.Capital One Arena exterior As part of the arena's next chapter, MSE and Capital One have entered into a 20-year naming rights extension for the reimagined Capital One Arena, reinforcing Capital One's long-term commitment to Washington, D.C. and the greater Washington area. With the completion of the arena transformation just over a year away, MSE has released new renderings showcasing the building's iconic new exterior and a first look at the upgraded experiences on the District Level (previous 100 Level) and Terrace Level (previous 400 Level) slated to debut ahead of the 2027 season. \"Washington is entering an extraordinary new era, and the completely reimagined Capital One Arena will reflect the ambition, energy, and global stature of the city it represents,\" said Jim Van Stone, President of Business Operations and Chief Commercial Officer at MSE. \"From our unmatched collection of iconic teams to the storytelling power of Monumental Sports Network, we're creating an experience in the heart of the nation's capital that connects fans everywhere\u2014whether they're visiting from around the world or just a Metro stop away. We're excited to partner with Capital One, a leading financial institution founded and headquartered right in our backyard, to bring this vision to life in the decades to come.\" \"Capital One has called the Washington region home for more than three decades, and we're proud to continue investing in its future,\" said Byron Daub, Vice President, Sponsorships and Experiential Marketing at Capital One. \"Strong communities create economic opportunities for the people who live and work in them. This revitalization can help strengthen the surrounding neighborhood, support local businesses and create new opportunities across this important region. Story Continues Capital One Arena is more than a sports and entertainment venue \u2014 it's a place where people come together to create long-lasting memories and an anchor of Washington, D.C.'s economic and cultural vibrancy. We're excited to continue our partnership with Monumental and look forward to creating even more opportunities to deliver meaningful experiences for our customers and support the continued vitality of downtown Washington.\" Transforming Capital One Arena Capital One Arena anchors MSE and Capital One's shared vision for a dynamic sports, entertainment and business district in the heart of the nation's capital, created in partnership with the District. Once the $1 billion+ project is completed, the transformed Capital One Arena will host approximately 250 events annually, serving as the home of the NHL's Washington Capitals, the NBA's Washington Wizards and Georgetown men's basketball, while also hosting a slate of games for the WNBA's Washington Mystics and a world-class lineup of concerts, family shows and premier live entertainment. Notably, the venue is set to host the 2027 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship (\"Frozen Four\") and 2028 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Regional (\"Sweet 16\" and \"Elite 8\") in coming years. With Phase Two of construction underway, the full transformation remains on schedule for completion ahead of the 2027\u201328 NBA an", "date_published": "2026-08-11T12:00:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "COF"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "COF", "name": "Capital One Financial Corporation", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/ba63c23e-8243-4350-819b-53d3de09ab68/"}]}}, {"id": "source:7056aa15fad940bb58ffd32d43f34457b3309b23bfcd35936f33a40894f7edae", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/video/mastercard-boosting-stablecoin-infrastructure-120000059.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/video/mastercard-boosting-stablecoin-infrastructure-120000059.html", "title": "How Mastercard is boosting stablecoin infrastructure", "content_text": "Scott Melker explains how Mastercard (MA) is boosting stablecoin infrastructure. \"The Daily Wolf with Scott Melker\" airs every day at 12:00 p.m. Tune in for your daily dose of all things crypto. Make sure to also check out Yahoo Finance's new crypto hub to find the latest crypto-related news. Video Transcript 00:00 Speaker A Mastercard completes BVNK acquisition to boost stable coin infrastructure. Uh BVNK taking a note out of a Coachella flyer and spelling bank in a really funny uh kind of way and flipping the V upside down and not having any vowels. That's what DJs do. 00:13 Speaker A There'", "date_published": "2026-08-11T12:00:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Deals and strategy", "MA"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "MA", "name": "Mastercard Incorporated", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/68dba2cf-363b-41e9-9806-cc280941c57f/"}]}}, {"id": "source:f7ad01753cfde46e1edc3dfe225156be0b2205688a7b6aeabd20276e8ed0a5ff", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/crypto/articles/grandstand-launches-rollcard-purpose-built-113000894.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/crypto/articles/grandstand-launches-rollcard-purpose-built-113000894.html", "title": "Grandstand Launches Rollcard, a Purpose-Built High-Limit Debit Card for Sports Betting, Casino and Prediction Markets", "content_text": "Grandstand's new fintech solution, Rollcard, offers high rollers a dedicated deposit account with features including bankroll management and cashback rewards CHARLOTTE, N.C., August 11, 2026--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Grandstand Limited (Nasdaq: GRSD) (\"Grandstand\" or the \"Company\"), the intelligence layer of sports, gaming and entertainment, today announced the public launch of Rollcard, a Visa debit card1 purpose-built for high rollers, including sports bettors, casino players and prediction market traders. Rollcard is a high-limit debit card linked to a dedicated deposit account2 that keeps a player", "date_published": "2026-08-11T11:30:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "V"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "V", "name": "Visa Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/eba34c76-d863-4365-a4a4-ab9d7b484715/"}]}}, {"id": "source:158b6efaee593036e9103b9cd146e8b1d9972cf2dc668f8a4f1866050b0181c1", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/cloudflare-wants-control-identity-money-061021630.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/cloudflare-wants-control-identity-money-061021630.html", "title": "Cloudflare Wants to Control the Identity and Money Layer for Agent Commerce", "content_text": "A CDN giant is issuing per-agent wallets with spending caps and merchant allow-lists, betting it can own the settlement pipe before agents start spending real money. Cloudflare has entered the agent commerce race with a two-tier wallet architecture designed to give developers programmable control over how AI agents spend money. The company's new AI Agents platform, announced August 4, introduces Account Wallets for funding and Virtual Wallets for individual agents, each equipped with configurable guardrails including periodic spending allowances, merchant allow-lists, and per-transaction size ", "date_published": "2026-08-11T06:10:21+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "V", "MA"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "V", "name": "Visa Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/eba34c76-d863-4365-a4a4-ab9d7b484715/"}, {"symbol": "MA", "name": "Mastercard Incorporated", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/68dba2cf-363b-41e9-9806-cc280941c57f/"}]}}, {"id": "source:7aa59eb936d3dbcb4368759bd08ae1b390992a2f5969acc5573057b002b53cf4", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/jim-cramer-backs-american-express-055009140.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/jim-cramer-backs-american-express-055009140.html", "title": "Jim Cramer Backs American Express (AXP) and Capital One (COF) as Consumer Spending Stays Strong", "content_text": "During the August 6 Mad Money episode, host Jim Cramer highlighted a change in consumer behavior that continues to benefit major credit card issuers. Cramer noted that high consumer spending on travel and experiences has evolved from a temporary post-pandemic rebound into a sustained, long-term trend. He said: Look, I knew that American Express, I knew that there'd be buoyancy because they got a rich clientele. But to see and hear that Bookings and the Expedia CEOs in the last couple of days tell a tale of incredibly robust vacation demand, I'm calling that downright encouraging. Now, it is true that post-COVID, there's been a predilection to travel. That's the long on money, short on time. I mean, that's, in other words, like people came back from COVID and they said, you know what? I got to see the world. But I thought that would have been a little transitory. It now seems evergreen. And the CEOs of Delta and United Airlines they've embraced the storyline.Jim Cramer Backs American Express (AXP) and Capital One (COF) as Consumer Spending Stays Strong American Express: Premium Clientele Drives Resilient Spending American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) remains uniquely insulated from broader consumer headwinds due to its affluent cardholder base. Premium cardholders historically maintain high spending levels regardless of macroeconomic shifts, driving fee-based income and credit quality. Cramer pointed out that the recent dip in the stock price creates an attractive entry point for long-term investors, \"Hey, you know what? The stock of American Express is down 7% for the year. I like that, too.\" During the July 21 episode, he highlighted strong travel numbers as fuel for American Express. Cramer, with the help of options trader Bob Lang's chart analysis, previously broke down AXP's technical setup following a key moving average breakout. Cramer highlighted his classic playbook for American Express Company (NYSE:AXP), capitalizing on its routine post-earnings morning dip around 10:30 AM before the stock finds its footing, leveraging its high-margin annual fee model and premium cardholder spending. Capital One Discover Merger Creates a Credit Card Powerhouse During the episode, Cramer highlighted Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:COF) as a primary beneficiary of broader consumer spending trends, as he remarked: Oh, I like Capital One, COF, as a way to play consumer spending now that it's merged with Discover to become a heavy hitter in the credit card space. There's opportunity there... Capital One's down 9%. I think either can fit in your portfolio. I think both are going higher. Story Continues Cramer frequently points to Capital One as a prime beneficiary of consumer strength. He noted on June 17 that healthy consumer spending and tame delinquency rates provide a strong fundamental tailwind for the company. He stated: While we do have a surprisingly strong consumer, that always helps. This May retail sales number we saw this morning, 0.9% rise from the previous month and a 6.9% increase from May of last year, oh, that's healthy. Delinquencies are tame, meaning people are paying their credit card bills. That's allowed a stock like Capital One, one of the big Charitable Trust names, which got slammed by higher oil prices, to become a virtual trampoline as it offers higher interest rate credit cards. How Wall Street Values American Express Versus Capital One In institutional portfolios, Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:COF) had a broader coverage among major funds, with 135 hedge funds holding positions in the stock in Q1 2026 compared to 136 in Q4 2025. American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) maintained steady institutional backing, held by 83 hedge funds across both quarters. Berkshire Hathaway held significant positions in both stocks in the first quarter of the year. Their valuations highlight two distinct investment profiles. American Express trades at a higher forward price-to-earnings ratio of 19.5x, which reflects th", "date_published": "2026-08-11T05:50:09+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "AXP", "COF"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "AXP", "name": "American Express Company", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/aaafa1d1-c769-429c-863f-d6dc34dc2a43/"}, {"symbol": "COF", "name": "Capital One Financial Corporation", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/ba63c23e-8243-4350-819b-53d3de09ab68/"}]}}, {"id": "source:fe554c1191a7dbcaa26c115af12013eb71f4be342d20eec97d15a6594f5991b9", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/jim-cramer-recommends-goldman-sachs-054332862.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/jim-cramer-recommends-goldman-sachs-054332862.html", "title": "Jim Cramer Recommends Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley to Profit From Accelerating M&A Deals", "content_text": "During Mad Money's August 6 episode, host Jim Cramer highlighted why investors should target elite advisory firms rather than speculating on acquisition targets, as he said: Here's a big theme that right now really only impacts two large companies: pent-up demand for mergers and acquisitions now that the Biden era of overzealous antitrust enforcement has been replaced by the Trump era of almost non-existent antitrust enforcement. Most companies don't believe this moment can last, so they're taking advantage of it to make deals. When the summer's over, I believe we're going to come back to see some blockbusters that are on the order of that rumored AstraZeneca bid for Bristol Myers or Stripe for a real bid for PayPal. I know the targets in these cases may not be interested in merging, but the potential acquirers, oh man, they're all set. They seem very interested, and I think they're willing to pay up. How do you play this merger mania? Not by picking potential targets. That's a sucker game. Instead, you should buy the stocks of the companies that enable these deals. And well, why not Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, both of which have terrific M&A departments? This M&A advisory business is a gold mine. We're talking tremendous earnings per person and therefore, earnings per share.Jim Cramer Backs American Express (AXP) and Capital One (COF) as Consumer Spending Stays Strong Goldman Sachs: Advisory Dominance and Operating Execution Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS) continues to demonstrate its position as the premier global M&A franchise, leveraging its institutional relationships to capture dominant market share in cross-border deal structuring. In its second-quarter 2026 financial results, Goldman Sachs delivered total net revenues of $20.34 billion, representing a 39% year-over-year increase and outperforming estimates by $3.94 billion. Net income surged 78% year-over-year to $6.63 billion, driving diluted earnings per share to $20.98, beating estimates by $6.44. The firm achieved an annualized return on average common shareholders' equity of 23.5%. Growth was led by the global banking and markets division, which generated $15.52 billion in net revenues, a 53% year-over-year expansion. Within this segment, investment banking fees jumped 55% year-over-year to $3.40 billion, propelled by accelerating M&A advisory fees, equity underwriting for corporate acquirers, and debt financing packages. During the second-quarter 2026 earnings conference call, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David Solomon emphasized that dealmaking momentum has accelerated across key coverage sectors, citing expanding advisory pipelines and strong client engagement as corporations act on strategic imperatives. Story Continues Morgan Stanley: Institutional Scale and Advisory Monetization Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) represents a complementary pillar in global deal execution, pairing a world-class advisory division with a high-margin wealth management engine that stabilizes firmwide cash flows. In its second-quarter 2026 earnings report, the company posted total net revenues of $21.35 billion, a 27% increase year-over-year. Net income applicable to common shareholders climbed 60% year-over-year to $5.44 billion, with diluted earnings per share of $3.46, exceeding estimates by $0.53. The firm delivered an annualized return on equity of 20.7% and a return on tangible common equity of 26.6%. The firm's institutional securities business segment led top-line expansion, generating $11 billion in net revenues, a 44% year-over-year increase. Investment banking revenues rose 58% year-over-year, driven by higher M&A advisory revenue along with heightened equity underwriting activity. Executive commentary from Morgan Stanley's quarterly earnings discussions highlighted that advisory pipelines continue to build across technology, healthcare, and industrial verticals, supported by corporate sponsors eager to deploy accumulated cash reserves. Smart Money Backs Both In", "date_published": "2026-08-11T05:43:32+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "PYPL"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "PYPL", "name": "PayPal Holdings, Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/71f557db-de83-4f29-a56d-7c76e3e52162/"}]}}, {"id": "source:26a9dcb6f87c0b6ad78661cfb83fd06dc68fdda86bb11a4d46e34fd3ebfdbeec", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/1-momentum-stock-exciting-potential-190122078.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/1-momentum-stock-exciting-potential-190122078.html", "title": "1 Momentum Stock with Exciting Potential and 2 That Underwhelm", "content_text": "1 Momentum Stock with Exciting Potential and 2 That Underwhelm The stocks featured in this article have all approached their 52-week highs. When these price levels hit, it typically signals strong business execution, positive market sentiment, or significant industry tailwinds. While momentum can be a leading indicator, it has burned many investors as it doesn't always correlate with long-term success. On that note, here is one stock with the fundamentals to back up its performance and two that may correct. Two Stocks to Sell: American Express Global Business Travel (GBTG) One-Month Return: +0.4% Originally spun off from American Express in 2014 but maintaining the Amex GBT brand, Global Business Travel Group (NYSE:GBTG) provides end-to-end business travel and expense management solutions, connecting corporate clients with travel suppliers and offering specialized software services. Why Are We Hesitant About GBTG? Estimated sales growth of 7.8% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its two-year trend Gross margin of 58.5% reflects its high servicing costs Day-to-day expenses have swelled relative to revenue over the last year as its operating margin fell by 3.8 percentage points American Express Global Business Travel's stock price of $9.43 implies a valuation ratio of 1.4x forward price-to-sales. If you're considering GBTG for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more. Hilltop Holdings (HTH) One-Month Return: +2.4% Transformed from a residential communities business to a financial services powerhouse in 2007, Hilltop Holdings (NYSE:HTH) is a Texas-based financial holding company that provides banking, broker-dealer, and mortgage origination services. Why Are We Out on HTH? Muted 1.4% annual net interest income growth over the last five years shows its demand lagged behind its banking peers Rigid costs and anticipated drop in sales over the next year are expected to drive a 30.3 percentage point increase in its efficiency ratio Sales were less profitable over the last five years as its earnings per share fell by 13.8% annually, worse than its revenue declines At $39.42 per share, Hilltop Holdings trades at 1x forward P/B. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than HTH. One Stock to Watch: Aramark (ARMK) One-Month Return: +0.3% From serving hot dogs at major league stadiums to managing college dining halls that feed thousands daily, Aramark (NYSE:ARMK) provides food services and facilities management to schools, healthcare facilities, businesses, sports venues, and correctional institutions across 16 countries. Story Continues Why Do We Like ARMK? Annual revenue growth of 13.3% over the last five years was superb and indicates its market share increased during this cycle Enormous revenue base of $19.41 billion provides significant distribution advantages Incremental sales significantly boosted profitability as its annual earnings per share growth of 26.5% over the last five years outstripped its revenue performance Aramark is trading at $56.32 per share, or 23x forward P/E. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our full research report, it's free. Stocks We Like Even More ONE MORE THING: Top 6 Stocks for This Week. This market is separating quality stocks from expensive ones fast. AI is taking down whole sectors with no warning. In a rotation this fast, you need more than a list of good companies. Our AI system flagged Palantir before it ran 1,662% between October 2022 and February 2026. AppLovin before it ran 753% between February 2024 and February 2026. Nvidia before it ran 1,178% between January 2023 and February 2026. Each week it produces 6 new names that pass the same tests. Get Our Top 6 Stocks for Free HERE. Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,460% between June 2020 and June 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Comfort Systems (+1,154% between June 2020 and Ju", "date_published": "2026-08-10T19:01:22+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "AXP"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "AXP", "name": "American Express Company", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/aaafa1d1-c769-429c-863f-d6dc34dc2a43/"}]}}, {"id": "source:6905e87a3e90be0dc5105487cc91dfee1a879861d933919101919a02dc8a4dec", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/1-small-cap-stock-keep-173322817.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/1-small-cap-stock-keep-173322817.html", "title": "1 Small-Cap Stock to Keep an Eye On and 2 Facing Headwinds", "content_text": "1 Small-Cap Stock to Keep an Eye On and 2 Facing Headwinds Small-cap stocks can be incredibly lucrative investments because their lack of analyst coverage leads to frequent mispricings. However, these businesses (and their stock prices) often stay small because their subscale operations make it harder to expand their competitive moats. These trade-offs can cause headaches for even the most seasoned professionals, which is why we started StockStory - to help you separate the good companies from the bad. That said, here is one small-cap stock that could be the next 100 bagger and two that could be down big. Two Small-Cap Stocks to Sell: Western Union (WU) Market Cap: $2.23 billion With a history dating back to 1851 when it began as a telegraph company, Western Union (NYSE:WU) is a global money transfer service that enables consumers and businesses to send funds across borders and currencies, typically within minutes. Why Do We Think WU Will Underperform? Annual sales declines of 3.2% for the past five years show its products and services struggled to connect with the market during this cycle Performance over the past five years shows each sale was less profitable as its earnings per share dropped by 5.3% annually, worse than its revenue Western Union's stock price of $7.17 implies a valuation ratio of 5x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than WU. WaFd Bank (WAFD) Market Cap: $2.77 billion Founded in 1917 and rebranded from Washington Federal in 2023, WaFd (NASDAQ:WAFD) is a bank holding company that provides lending, deposit services, and insurance through its Washington Federal Bank subsidiary across eight western states. Why Do We Steer Clear of WAFD? Net interest income trends were unexciting over the last five years as its 7.4% annual growth was below the typical banking firm Inferior net interest margin of 2.7% means it must compensate for lower profitability through increased loan originations Earnings per share were flat over the last two years while its revenue grew, showing its incremental sales were less profitable WaFd Bank is trading at $37.47 per share, or 1x forward P/B. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including WAFD in your portfolio, it's free. One Small-Cap Stock to Watch: First Advantage (FA) Market Cap: $4.14 billion Processing over 200 million screens annually across more than 200 countries and territories, First Advantage (NASDAQ:FA) provides employment background screening, identity verification, and compliance solutions to help companies manage hiring risks. Story Continues Why Are We Positive on FA? Impressive 48.2% annual revenue growth over the last two years indicates it's winning market share this cycle Economies of scale give it more fixed cost leverage than its smaller competitors Sales outlook for the upcoming 12 months implies the business will stay on its desirable two-year growth trajectory At $23.76 per share, First Advantage trades at 15.1x forward P/E. Is now the time to initiate a position? See for yourself in our full research report, it's free. High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions ONE MORE THING: Top 5 Growth Stocks. The biggest stock winners almost always had one thing in common before they ran. Revenue growing like crazy. Meta. CrowdStrike. Broadcom. Our AI flagged all three. They returned 315%, 314%, and 455%, respectively. Find out which 5 stocks it's flagging this month \u2014 FREE. Get Our Top 5 Growth Stocks for Free HERE. Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,460% between June 2020 and June 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Comfort Systems (+1,154% between June 2020 and June 2025). Find your next big winner with StockStory today. View Comments", "date_published": "2026-08-10T17:33:22+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "WU"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "WU", "name": "The Western Union Company", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/fb33afe1-5732-4c2c-aecb-486679a9ebb8/"}]}}, {"id": "source:a3d1860b23032fcbbc0f7db961c3264733a8b84e88bba0edbc3e0777ba887e07", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/m/5a48fb66-bb53-319a-8205-3a75ef0a9e9d/stock-market-today%3A-dow-dips%2C.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/m/5a48fb66-bb53-319a-8205-3a75ef0a9e9d/stock-market-today%3A-dow-dips%2C.html", "title": "Stock Market Today: Dow Dips, Apple Skids On iPhone Fear; This AI Play Clears Entry (Live Coverage)", "content_text": "Stock Market Today: The Dow Jones index was firm Monday as oil prices climb amid a lack of progress in U.S.-Iran talks. SpaceX stock skids. Continue Reading", "date_published": "2026-08-10T17:07:13+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "V"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "V", "name": "Visa Inc.", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/eba34c76-d863-4365-a4a4-ab9d7b484715/"}]}}, {"id": "source:e53463ab8333773beb64647014b38019d768db2bf511088bd62ec5508e05d24b", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/media-advertising/articles/american-express-unveils-tennis-experiences-170000227.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/media-advertising/articles/american-express-unveils-tennis-experiences-170000227.html", "title": "American Express Unveils New Tennis Experiences for All Fans and Access to Premium Spaces for Card Members at the 2026 US Open Tennis Championships", "content_text": "NEW YORK, August 10, 2026--(BUSINESS WIRE)--American Express is channeling the unmistakable energy of the US Open Tennis Championships into unique experiences for Card Members and US Open fans during the tournament from Aug. 23 to Sept. 13. The US Open American Express Fan Experience Opening its doors at the start of US Open Fan Week, the US Open American Express Fan Experience will feature the return of its fan-favorite customized tennis balls and Dove refresh station, as well as a revamped lineup of interactive activities for all fans to enjoy, including: Tennis Rhythm Rally: An interactive, digital game where up to seven fans can play simultaneously in a fast-paced tennis challenge to set the top score of the day. Complimentary Phone Chain & Charm Station: Fans can join the phone accessory trend by personalizing their phones with a tennis-inspired charm and chain. American Express\u00ae Card Members will receive an exclusive additional charm and can choose between several exclusive NYC-inspired options. Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA): To encourage Card Members to explore New York City throughout the summer tennis season, American Express is distributing one free subway or bus ride to Card Members on-site during select hours of the tournament, while supplies last. Terms apply. Subway riders will also see tennis-inspired American Express ads on train cars and platforms throughout the city, extending the spirit of the event. American Express Card Member Lounge at the US Open Open exclusively to American Express Card Members and up to two of their guests, the Card Member Lounge will feature new experiences and returning favorites, including: Mo\u00ebt & Chandon Offering*: Card Members can purchase The Mo\u00ebt Serve, an exclusive specialty drink served in a unique tennis-themed can. Exclusive Merchandise: Four new, exclusive Create Your Own merchandise designs will be available for purchase, while supplies last, only within the Card Member Lounge. Purchases must be made with an Amex Card. Postcard Station: Card Members can choose from a curated selection of designs to send a complimentary, handwritten postcard anywhere in the world or keep one as a personal memento. Wellness Service Station: Platinum Card\u00ae and Centurion\u00ae Members can rest their legs for a few minutes from the comfort of a selection of massage chairs while watching a livestream of the matches. The Centurion\u00ae Lounge at the US Open Eligible Platinum Card\u00ae and Centurion\u00ae Members can enjoy elevated hospitality, complimentary premium food and beverages, and a comfortable place to recharge between matches. The menu will feature dishes inspired by the Resy partner restaurants of award-winning chefs Kwame Onwuachi and Michael Solomonov, members of the Culinary Collective by The Centurion Lounge\u2122. Story Continues Guests can also enjoy a variety of beverages, including the US Open's signature GREY GOOSE\u00ae Honey Deuce as well as other craft premium cocktails.* Gift bags featuring a curated selection of premium lifestyle and wellness items from partners will also be available, while supplies last. Same-day one-hour reservations are required and will become available exclusively through Resy at 9:30 a.m. ET each day of the tournament, from Aug. 30 through Sept. 13. Platinum Card\u00ae Members are eligible to make a reservation for themselves plus one guest, once per day. Centurion\u00ae Members are eligible to make a reservation for themselves and up to three guests once per day, subject to availability. Card Member Perks Across the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center American Express is also bringing back several fan-favorite perks across the US Open grounds (terms apply): American Express Radios: Card Members can pick up a complimentary radio from any of the five American Express-branded locations onsite to stay close to all the live match action, wherever they are on the grounds. On-Site Spend Offer: Eligible Card Members can enroll in an offer to get $10 back after they spen", "date_published": "2026-08-10T17:00:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "AXP"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Main company", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "AXP", "name": "American Express Company", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/aaafa1d1-c769-429c-863f-d6dc34dc2a43/"}]}}, {"id": "source:9d73ad78e26fc07940c8e3c6510a10699b186b047b4440a8b98eb29eafaa2776", "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/pra-group-q2-earnings-beat-163400541.html", "external_url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/pra-group-q2-earnings-beat-163400541.html", "title": "PRA Group Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates on Strong Portfolio Income", "content_text": "PRA Group, Inc. PRAA delivered second-quarter 2026 earnings per share of $1.51, topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 52 cents. The bottom line increased 39.8% year over year. Total revenues were $372.2 million, beating the consensus mark of $313 million and rising 29.4% year over year. The strong quarterly results benefited from stronger cash generation across geographies, aided by continued strength in the U.S. legal and digital collections channel and solid performance in Europe. Strong portfolio income also contributed to the upside, partly offset by an elevated expense level. PRA Group, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS SurprisePRA Group, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise PRA Group, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | PRA Group, Inc. Quote PRAA's net income of $58.9 million increased 28.9% year over year. Other revenues came in at $7.5 million, which soared 115.2% year over year. PRAA's Collections Strength Drives Top-Line Upside PRAA's cash collections increased to $558.5 million, up 14% from the prior-year quarter, supported by continued momentum in U.S. legal and digital collections as well as strength in Europe. The metric came in lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $561.9 million. The cash efficiency ratio was 61%. By region, U.S. Core cash collections totaled $269.7 million, while Europe Core collections were $200.4 million. The company also generated $49.4 million of collections from other markets, reflecting its diversified footprint. PRA Group's Portfolio Revenues Rise on Income Growth PRA Group's portfolio income increased 7% year over year to $267.8 million, which management attributed to strong recent purchases at improved returns. Changes in expected recoveries contributed meaningfully as well, totaling $96.9 million in the quarter. Total portfolio revenues rose to $364.7 million compared with $284.2 million a year ago. PRAA's Cost Base Gains From Legal Collection Spend PRAA's operating expenses rose $16.3 million year over year to $218.9 million. The largest driver was a rise in legal collection costs, which management tied to investments intended to support future cash collections growth. Offsetting some pressure, compensation and benefits declined $5 million, driven by reductions in workforce and implementation of other cost actions. Communication expense also decreased $2 million as the company used more cost-efficient collection strategies. PRA Group's Buying Stay Disciplined as ERC Expands PRA Group purchased $296.6 million of nonperforming loan portfolios in the quarter, down 14.4% year over year, with purchases spanning the United States, Europe and other markets. Management emphasized an approach focused on higher net returns while balancing investments and leverage. Story Continues Estimated remaining collections were $8.9 billion at quarter-end, up 7% year over year. The company also disclosed forward flow commitments of $219 million over the next 12 months, led by Europe and the United States. PRAA's Financial Update (As of June 30, 2026) PRA Group exited the second quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $132.4 million, which rose 26.8% from the figure at 2025-end. Total assets of $5.2 billion increased 2.7% from the 2025-end level. Borrowings were $3.8 billion, up 1.7% from the figure as of Dec. 31, 2025. Total equity of $1.1 billion grew 7% from the figure at the end of 2025. PRAA's Capital Position Supports Deleveraging Priorities PRAA ended the quarter with total availability under its credit facilities of $998 million, including $733 million tied to current ERC (and subject to covenants) plus $265 million of additional availability subject to borrowing base and debt covenants. Management reiterated its intent to keep investing with discipline while targeting net leverage in the mid-2x EBITDA range over the next few years. The company also repurchased $10 million of shares during the quarter as part of its capital allocation toolkit. PRAA's Zacks Rank PRAA currently has a Za", "date_published": "2026-08-10T16:34:00+00:00", "authors": [{"name": "finance.yahoo.com"}], "tags": ["Market update", "AXP"], "_sharemaestro": {"country": "Mexico", "coverage": "Provider-linked mention", "market_context": null, "companies": [{"symbol": "AXP", "name": "American Express Company", "sentiment_url": "https://sharemaestro.com/sentiment/aaafa1d1-c769-429c-863f-d6dc34dc2a43/"}]}}]}