Leading fintech company PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL) has underperformed the market, with its stock declining more than 30% over the past year. Investor interest in the digital payments company has declined due to rising competition and innovative disruptions brought by its peers.
The pandemic was a good period for fintech companies like PYPL. The fintech companies commanded high valuations as investors’ interest in the sector rose with accelerated digital technology adoption. Fintech companies played a vital role in supporting businesses and consumers during the crisis.
However, the high-interest rate environment and growing competition within the fintech sector have hit PYPL’s fortunes lately. Competition from the likes of tech giant Apple Inc. (AAPL), which has entered the sector with financial services such as the savings account from Goldman Sachs, which offers a 4.15% APY, Buy Now Pay Later Service, contactless payments through Tap to Pay on iPhone, Apple Card, and Apple Pay have affected PYPL’s market share.
Earlier this year, PYPL announced that it would lay off 2,000 people, or 7% of its workforce, to reduce costs and focus its resources on core strategic priorities. Although PYPL surpassed the consensus revenue estimate in the second quarter, it failed to top analysts’ earnings estimates.
Its EPS was 0.3% below the consensus estimate, while its revenue beat analyst estimates by 0.2% in the second quarter. Its net revenues for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023, rose 7% year-over-year to $7.30 billion. Its non-GAAP EPS came in at $1.16, representing an increase of 24% year-over-year. Also, its total payment volume increased 11% year-over-year to $376.50 billion.
However, PYPL ended the second quarter with 431 million users on its platform, declining 2 million sequentially and 4 million year-over-year. This was the second consecutive quarterly decline in its users. The decline in users is alarming as it affects PYPL’s revenue and earnings. For the third quarter, PYPL forecasted its revenues to grow approximately 8% to reach $7.40 billion.
Also, its non-GAAP EPS is expected to grow between 13% and 14% to $1.22 and $1.24. For fiscal 2023, the company expects non-GAAP EPS to grow approximately 20% year-over-year to $4.95.
SVB MoffettNathanson analyst Lisa Ellis downgraded PYPL to ‘market perform.’ Ellis said, “Looking forward, unfortunately, we expect PayPal’s gross profit growth to remain lackluster, in the low-to mid-single digits. We see the potential for further downside to our estimates, particularly given the strong momentum of Apple Pay, which we worry will begin to benefit from the powerful network effects in payments.”
Alex Chriss is expected to take over as the company’s new CEO from September 27. The change in leadership comes during a challenging period for the company. Although the appointment holds promise, whether the new CEO can turn PYPL’s fortunes around has to be seen.
Although the global digital payments and financial services ecosystem remains well-positioned to register strong long-term growth, PYPL faces several headwinds. Amid PYPL’s current challenges, fundamentally stable financial services stocks Visa Inc. (V), Mastercard Incorporated (MA), and American Express Company (AXP) might benefit.
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