PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL)
UndervaluedFundamental
82
Price
$52.53
Market Cap
$45.34B
Part 1 · What the company is worth
Overview
PayPal lets people and businesses send and accept money online without sharing bank details, through the PayPal wallet, Venmo for peer-to-peer transfers, and Braintree, which lets merchants build PayPal's checkout directly into their own apps and websites. It sits between a buyer's bank or card and a merchant, verifying identity and guaranteeing the payment goes through, which is why merchants pay to use it even though direct card processing can be cheaper.
How it makes money
Transaction revenue, the large majority of the total, is a fee charged as a percentage of each payment processed, plus fixed amounts for currency conversion and cross-border transfers, so it scales directly with the dollar value flowing through PayPal's network. The rest, revenue from other value-added services, comes from interest on loans PayPal extends to consumers and merchants, interest earned on customer balances held with PayPal, and referral or subscription fees — income that does not require a transaction to occur.
Revenue by segment
Fees earned as a percentage of payment volume processed through PayPal, Venmo and Braintree, plus currency conversion and cross-border charges.
Interest on consumer and merchant credit products, interest on customer balances, and partnership, subscription and referral fees not tied to a transaction.
Competitive moat
Network effects · NarrowPayPal benefits from a two-sided network: more merchants who accept it make it more useful for consumers, and more consumers who use it make it more valuable for merchants to offer. But that effect has weakened as card networks, Apple Pay and dedicated checkout providers like Stripe have become just as widely accepted, eroding PayPal's early advantage.
What drives demand
Moderately cyclicalTransaction revenue tracks the overall volume of e-commerce and digital payments, which has grown steadily but is still tied to consumer spending and can slow when shoppers pull back in a weaker economy. Interest income on loans and customer balances adds a second, rate-sensitive driver that moves with monetary policy rather than with commerce itself.
Key risks
- Intensifying payments competition — Apple Pay, Google Pay, card-network wallets and checkout specialists like Stripe and Adyen all compete for the same merchant and consumer transactions, pressuring PayPal's take rate and market share.
- Sensitivity to interest rates — A meaningful part of other value-added services revenue comes from interest income, so lower rates directly reduce this part of revenue independent of how much payment volume PayPal processes.
- Regulatory exposure across many jurisdictions — PayPal operates as a money transmitter and lender across dozens of countries, each with its own consumer-protection, anti-money-laundering and payments regulation that can change and raise compliance costs.
- Credit risk on consumer and merchant lending — PayPal extends credit directly to consumers and merchants through products like Buy Now Pay Later and working-capital loans, exposing it to losses if borrowers do not repay.
The case for
Buyers argue that PayPal's wallet, Venmo and Braintree together still process an enormous and growing volume of e-commerce, that a large base of stored customer balances and credit products gives it a second revenue stream beyond simple payment fees, and that recent efforts to modernize checkout can defend its take rate against newer competitors.
The case against
Sellers fear that checkout has become commoditized, with Apple Pay and card-network wallets now just as convenient as the PayPal button that built the company, that Venmo and Braintree still monetize below the core PayPal brand's rate, and that interest income leaves a chunk of revenue exposed to rate cuts outside management's control.
Written by the editors, published on August 18, 2026
Direct competitors
Who this company fights with for the same customers
No editorial profile for this company yet
No competitor list for this company yet.
Balance Sheet & Liquidity
Revenue
$33.73B
Trailing 12 months (through 3/31/2026)
Net Income
$5.06B
Trailing 12 months (through 3/31/2026)
Free Cash Flow
$5.56B
Total Equity
$20.26B
Total Liabilities
$59.92B
Current Ratio
1.26
Interest Coverage
13.41
Debt/EBITDA
1.43
Earnings Per Share
Revenue & Net Income
Free Cash Flow
Income Breakdown
Historical statement
Margins over time
Debt over time
How heavy the debt is
Growth grid
Growth — Revenue
Fair Value Estimation
Fair Value
$73.53
Current Price
$52.53
Margin of Safety
+28.6%
Fair Value Range
$47.80 - $99.27
Spread across the valuation methods used, not a statistically calibrated confidence interval.
Estimation Methods
Valuation Metrics
P/E Ratio
9.86
ROE
25.8%
P/B Ratio
2.31
P/FCF
8.42
Gross Margin
-
ROIC
14.5%
Profitability Radar
Value Creation (Economic Moat)
ROIC
14.5%
WACC
10.4%
ROIC − WACC
+4.0 pp
ROIC exceeds the cost of capital — the company is creating value for shareholders.
Fundamental Analysis Criteria
Passed (21)
- EPS shows upward trend
- EPS CAGR 17.51%
- ROIC 14.5%
- P/FCF 8.42
- P/B Ratio 2.31
- Debt/Equity ratio
- Operating Margin 17.9%
- Positive Free Cash Flow
- CapEx intensity
- Current Ratio
- Interest Coverage
- Debt/EBITDA
- Return on Tangible Assets
- ROE 24.4%
- Revenue Growth 5Y 9.1%
- Earnings Surprise avg 3.2%
- PEG Ratio 1.03
- Earnings Quality (OCF/NI) 1.26
- Share Dilution -6.9%
- Net Margin Trend 15.0% vs 14.3%
- Piotroski F-Score 7/9
Failed (5)
- Price CAGR 2.90%
- Low reliance on intangibles
- Price below Graham Number
- DCF valuation (Fairly valued)
- Analyst Consensus 27% Buy
Unavailable (2)
- Gross Margin NaN%
- Dividend Payout NaN%
Piotroski F-Score
Strong financial health
Earnings Quality
High quality: earnings backed by cash
Share Dilution
Buying back shares. Shareholder friendly
Institutional Holdings
Governance
Executive Team
| Name | Title | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Mr. Enrique J. Lores | President, CEO & Director | 59 |
| Ms. Jamie S. Miller | Chief Financial & Operating Officer and Executive VP | 56 |
| Mr. Frank Keller | President of Checkout Solutions & PayPal | 51 |
| Ms. Suzan Bulyaba Kereere | President of Global Markets | 59 |
| Mr. Christopher Natali | Senior VP & Chief Accounting Officer | 47 |
| Mr. Srinivasan Venkatesan | Chief Technology Officer | 54 |
| Mr. Steven Eric Winoker | Chief Investor Relations Officer | - |
| Mr. Bimal Patel | Chief Legal Officer | - |
| Ms. Amy Bonitatibus | Chief Corporate Affairs & Communications Officer | - |
| Mr. Antonio J. Lucio | Chief Marketing & Corporate Affairs Officer | 66 |
Audit Risk
1
Board Risk
4
Compensation Risk
3
Shareholder Rights Risk
6
Part 2 · The price and when to enter
This part won't tell you whether the company is worth owning: it helps you choose when to buy it, once the fundamentals have convinced you. Inside: technical analysis, potential, historical drawdowns, gamma exposure.
Documents
- View document
Annual Report (10-K)
A yearly overview of the business, its financial results, and the risks it faces.
Filed on 2026-02-03
- View document
Quarterly Report (10-Q)
A snapshot of financial performance for the most recent three-month period.
Filed on 2026-07-28
- View document
Current Report (8-K)
An announcement of a major event, such as a leadership change or big news.
Filed on 2026-07-28
via SEC EDGAR
Income History
via SEC EDGAR
Latest News
Recent headlines for PYPL, sourced from Markets Gazette.
- 8/28/2026NEGATIVEPayPal’s stock slides as a takeover bid is said to fall through. What’s next for the company?
PayPal's stock experienced a significant decline following reports that a potential takeover bid has failed to materialize. This news removes a key catalyst that had been supporting the stock price in recent months. Investors had been anticipating a potential acquisition as a catalyst for a turnaround, but the failure of this bid leaves PayPal facing the challenge of executing its strategic initiatives independently. The company must now demonstrate its ability to drive growth and improve profitability through its own operational efforts, which introduces a higher degree of uncertainty for shareholders.
- 8/25/2026NEUTRALNasdaq-100® Inside the Index: PayPal Holdings (PYPL)
PayPal Holdings (PYPL), a prominent member of the Nasdaq-100®, is highlighted for its extensive digital payments network spanning over 200 countries. The analysis delves into its dual-sided payment system, the expansion of its Venmo platform, and strategic initiatives in AI-driven commerce, lending, and advertising. These efforts aim to diversify revenue streams beyond conventional payment processing, signaling a focus on innovation and future growth avenues for the company.
- 7/28/2026POSITIVEPayPal delivers an earnings beat — and suggests it’s not against a merger deal
PayPal Holdings Inc. announced an earnings beat, exceeding analyst expectations for the latest fiscal quarter. The company's CEO indicated a willingness to explore strategic alternatives, including potential merger or acquisition discussions, if they present a clear path to superior shareholder value compared to their current strategy. This dual announcement of strong operational performance and openness to significant strategic shifts has generated positive sentiment among investors, suggesting potential upside catalysts for the stock.
- 7/28/2026NEUTRALPayPal expands stablecoin push as crypto assets factor into Q2 results
PayPal reported Q2 revenue of $8.68 billion, meeting analyst expectations. The company highlighted growth in its stablecoin initiatives and the integration of AI-driven payment tools. A notable crypto-related earnings adjustment of $81 million was also disclosed. While the stablecoin expansion signals innovation and potential future revenue streams, the crypto adjustment introduces a degree of uncertainty. Investors will monitor the long-term impact of these digital asset strategies on profitability and overall business performance.
via Markets Gazette