PayPal crushes earning expectations by shocking margin
PayPal outperformed expectations for the second quarter, with an adjusted EPS amounting to $1.40, above the forecasts of $1.30.
Transaction margin dollars were up 7%, generating $3.8 billion, fractional accounts increased by 2% and the transactions per account increased by 4%. Branded experiences total payment volume which includes PayPal and Venmo increased 8%, demonstrating engaged users.
Total payment volume was $443.5 billion, and the company increased total active accounts to 438 million.
While the top-level figures of PayPal's performance on a gross basis were solid, shares dropped over 8% as investor sentiment also seemed cautious given the capped risk/reward yield of increasingly competitive digital banking threats and margin pressure. Free cash flow fell by 49% year-over-year to $692 million, leading investors to question operational excellence.
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In highlighting innovation as the theme of PayPal's performance, CEO Alex Chriss referenced innovation in its merchant services and the company's involvement in the dollar-pegged stablecoin initiative. The company reaffirmed its outlook for the full-year and moved guidance for FY25 EPS to $5.15 - $5.30.
While PayPal continues to deliver in the "beat-and-raise" cadence, despite facing challenges from macroeconomic factors in the near term and high interest rate levels, a fair value endpoint from the perspective of professional analysts appears to dampen investor enthusiasm.
The next question will be how the firm balances its approach to the stability of the possible dollar-pegged stablecoin while maintaining market share in the increasingly competitive payments environment.
PayPal announced on July 28 that all merchants using its online payment platform can now accept over 100 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Trump's memecoin (TRUMP), and the Fartcoin, which is used mainly for novelty purposes. The company said U.S. small and medium enterprises would benefit from lower costs with the offerings versus traditional credit cards.