PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL) is Attracting Investor Attention: Here is What You Should Know

Paypal (PYPL) is one of the stocks most watched by Zacks.com visitors lately. So, it might be a good idea to review some of the factors that might affect the near-term performance of the stock.Over the past month, shares of this technology platform and digital payments company have returned +13.5%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +4.3% change. During this period, the Zacks Internet - Software industry, which Paypal falls in, has gained 10.2%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.Revisions to Earnings EstimatesHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.Paypal is expected to post earnings of $1.06 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -18.5%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +0.1%.For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $4.42 points to a change of -13.3% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has remained unchanged.For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $4.89 indicates a change of +10.7% from what Paypal is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -0.1%.With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Paypal.The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:12 Month EPSProjected Revenue GrowthEven though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.For Paypal, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $7.85 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +5.8%. For the current and next fiscal years, $31.94 billion and $34.43 billion estimates indicate +7.3% and +7.8% changes, respectively.Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryPaypal reported revenues of $7.89 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +8.2%. EPS of $1.19 for the same period compares with $1.16 a year ago.Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7.8 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +1.04%. The EPS surprise was +23.96%.The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.Paypal is graded B on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.ConclusionThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Paypal. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.Infrastructure Stock Boom to Sweep AmericaA massive push to rebuild the crumbling U.S. infrastructure will soon be underway. It’s bipartisan, urgent, and inevitable. Trillions will be spent. Fortunes will be made.The only question is “Will you get into the right stocks early when their growth potential is greatest?”Zacks has released a Special Report to help you do just that, and today it’s free. 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