Analyzing Holiday Sales Insights From Mastercard SpendingPulse

Mastercard Incorporated MA recently released a report showing U.S. retail sales, excluding automotive, witnessing a 3.8% year-over-year jump this holiday season. Data provided by Mastercard SpendingPulse for the period between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24, 2024, showed that steep discounts attracted consumers this holiday season as they searched for value. A healthy labor market and household wealth gains supported the consumer spending metric.The increase in U.S. retail sales was higher than Mastercard’s expectation of 3.2% and 3.1% growth witnessed last year. Online shopping fueled much of the gains in consumer spending. E-commerce sales rose 6.7% year over year, while in-store sales grew 2.9% year over year during the holiday season. Apparel e-commerce sales grew 6.7% year over year. Restaurant sales witnessed a 6.3% year-over-year jump due to demand for experiences such as dining out. Electronics, apparel, and jewelry sales grew 3.7%, 3.6%, and 4% year over year, respectively.Certain cities stood out in their digital shopping adoption. Tampa (10.6%) and Phoenix (10%) recorded double-digit e-commerce growth, followed by Minneapolis (8.9%), Dallas (8.4%), Charlotte (7.9%), and others, all surpassing the national average. The results highlight evolving consumer preferences and the growing importance of digital channels in shaping the holiday retail landscape.Payment innovations are the backbone of a company like Mastercard. Moreover, given customers' reliance on online shopping during holiday seasons or otherwise, innovating in this area is inevitable for continuous growth. As inflation continues to cool, renewed moderation in prices of goods should fuel more sales in the future.MA’s Price PerformanceShares of Mastercard have gained 25.7% in the past year compared with the industry’s 25% growth.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchMA’s Zacks Rank & Key PicksMastercard currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).Some better-ranked stocks in the Business Services space are Coinbase Global, Inc. COIN, Payoneer Global Inc. PAYO and RB Global, Inc. RBA. Coinbase currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) while Payoneer Global and RB Global carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.The bottom line of Coinbase Global outpaced estimates in three of the last four quarters, met once, the average surprise being 341.4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for COIN’s 2024 earnings indicates an improvement of more than 14-fold from the year-ago figure. The same for revenues implies growth of 83.9% from the prior-year tally. The consensus mark for COIN’s 2024 earnings has moved 3.3% north in the past 60 days.Payoneer Global’s earnings outpaced estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and matched the mark once, the average surprise being 71.25%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PAYO’s 2024 earnings indicates an improvement of 45.8% from the year-ago figure. The same for revenues implies growth of 15.2% from the year-ago actual. The consensus mark for PAYO’s 2024 earnings has moved 40% north in the past 60 days.The bottom line of RB Global outpaced estimates in each of the last four quarters, the average surprise being 16.31%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RBA’s 2024 earnings indicates an improvement of 11% from the year-ago figure. The same for revenues implies growth of 13.8% from the prior-year tally. The consensus mark for RBA’s 2024 earnings has moved 3.8% north in the past 60 days.Just Released: Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2024Hurry – you can still get in early on our 10 top tickers for 2025. Handpicked by Zacks Director of Research Sheraz Mian, this portfolio has been stunningly and consistently successful. From inception in 2012 through November, 2024, the Zacks Top 10 Stocks gained +2,112.6%, more than QUADRUPLING the S&P 500’s +475.6%. Sheraz has combed through 4,400 companies covered by the Zacks Rank and handpicked the best 10 to buy and hold in 2025. You can still be among the first to see these just-released stocks with enormous potential. See New Top 10 Stocks >>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 Mastercard Incorporated (MA): Free Stock Analysis Report RB Global, Inc. (RBA): Free Stock Analysis Report Coinbase Global, Inc. (COIN): Free Stock Analysis Report Payoneer Global Inc. (PAYO): Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks