SQ - Square, Inc.

NYSE - NYSE Delayed Price. Currency in USD
72.21
+0.62 (+0.87%)
At close: 4:00PM EDT
Stock chart is not supported by your current browser
Previous Close71.59
Open72.00
Bid0.00 x 1100
Ask72.35 x 1400
Day's Range71.80 - 72.93
52 Week Range49.82 - 101.15
Volume5,267,510
Avg. Volume8,880,431
Market Cap30.542B
Beta (3Y Monthly)3.10
PE Ratio (TTM)N/A
EPS (TTM)-0.13
Earnings DateJul 30, 2019 - Aug 5, 2019
Forward Dividend & YieldN/A (N/A)
Ex-Dividend DateN/A
1y Target Est82.34
Trade prices are not sourced from all markets
  • ‘We don’t want any jerks’: Jack Dorsey builds crypto dream team at Square
    Coin Rivet3 days ago

    ‘We don’t want any jerks’: Jack Dorsey builds crypto dream team at Square

    Jack Dorsey, founder of social media giant Twitter and mobile payments venture Square, has been discussing his plans for the latter's team of crypto developers and designers, who will work on open source contributions to the ecosystem. BitcoinTwitter and CryptoTwitter! Square is hiring 3-4 crypto engineers and 1 designer to work full-time on open source contributions to the bitcoin/crypto ecosystem. Work from anywhere, report directly to me, and we can even pay you in bitcoin! Introducing @SqCrypto. Why? -- jack 🌍🌏🌎 (@jack) March 20, 2019 “Just from a business perspective, we don’t look like an internet company today. An internet company can launch something and it’s available around the world," he told The Next Web."Whereas with payments, you have to goThe post 'We don't want any jerks': Jack Dorsey builds crypto dream team at Square appeared first on Coin Rivet.

  • Square (SQ) Dips More Than Broader Markets: What You Should Know
    Zacks4 days ago

    Square (SQ) Dips More Than Broader Markets: What You Should Know

    Square (SQ) closed the most recent trading day at $71.58, moving -0.83% from the previous trading session.

  • Benzinga4 days ago

    KeyBanc's Bull, Bear Scenarios For Square's New Reward Program

    Fintech and payments company Square Inc (NYSE: SQ ) introduced a "Cash Boost" reward program earlier this month that gives Square Cash debit card users an instant discount or reward.  The Analyst ...

  • Barrons.com4 days ago

    Square Stock May Get a Boost From Its Cash Card, Analyst Says

    The loyalty features that come with Cash Card from payments company Square can help grow revenue, rather than be a drag on the company’s margins, according to KeyBanc.

  • Square (SQ) Growth Slowing, But Evercore Remains Bullish on the Stock
    SmarterAnalyst4 days ago

    Square (SQ) Growth Slowing, But Evercore Remains Bullish on the Stock

    With Square (SQ) stock trading about 30% off its 52-week high, is it a good time to buy? That’s the question many investors are asking themselves right now.While Square’s first-quarter results beat analysts’ expectations, the company provided a disappointing outlook for the second quarter. With that in mind, should investors be worried about the future of Square's growth story? Well, given the company's position in the payments processors market, its growing platform of services and increased e-commerce penetration, many argue this is more than enough reason to buy Square for the long-term.Evercore analyst Rayna Kumar believes this is true, as she reiterates her Outperform rating on SQ stock, along with an $101 price target. (To watch Kumar's track record, click here)Kumar met with members of Square’s management team on Tuesday, which reinforced conviction in her Outperform rating. The analyst believes Square’s new products, such as Terminal, Register, Retail POS, Cash App will drive 40%+ adjusted revenue growth in 2019 by continuing to increase Square’s TAM to larger merchants and to underbanked consumers. Over the next five years, Kumar estimates 31% annual revenue growth and 55% EPS gains, on average.Kumar says, “Square Cash should be a large driver of long-term growth algorithm with a focus on pushing consumers to utilize Square Cash in place of a bank account.” Cash is similar to Chase Pay or Venmo, where users send money, but also allows for customers to use Card to “make purchases and receive instant rewards through the Boost Program.” Square generates revenue by collecting fees for each transaction on Card. The company continues to build out products for larger merchants, including Square Register, Terminal and Online Store. This remains an incredibly important revenue-generator, as more than 50% of Square’s total gross payment volume now comes from large sellers, or merchants with annual volume greater than $500K.The company has made it a priority to expand its services platform, which has contributed to more engagement by large merchants. Square is trying to become a one-stop shop for all -things finances for these clients. By expanding their product line, the company is able to attract repeat customers, while retaining them for future launched, too.  Overall, Wall Street has mixed feelings on Square stocks. TipRanks analysis of 22 analyst ratings shows a consensus Moderate Buy. Of the 22 analysts, 13 rate Buy and nine say Hold. The average price target among these analysts stand at $85.42, which implies nearly 20% upside from current levels. (See SQ's price targets and analyst ratings on TipRanks) More recent articles from Smarter Analyst: * Village Farms (VFF) Has a Lot Going for It * Hexo Has Difficult Days Ahead, Analyst Says * This Analyst Sticks with His Buy Rating on Aphria (APHA) Stock, But Trims Price Target * Cannabis Stock Village Farms (VFF) Has a Lot Going for It

  • Wait for the Drop to Buy Shopify Stock
    InvestorPlace4 days ago

    Wait for the Drop to Buy Shopify Stock

    If investors are looking to shop for market leadership, Shopify (NYSE:SHOP) definitely qualifies. But buying SHOP stock at today's prices also carries with it the burden of increased risk both off and on the price chart. Let me explain.Source: Shopify via FlickrI've been bullish on more than one occasion over the past couple years in e-Commerce business platform Shopify. Most recently, that optimism was immediately in front of notorious short-seller Citron Research promoting shares as having nowhere to go but down after a rapid run.It almost goes without saying our bullish viewpoint looked silly on the heels of that. Citron warned that SHOP stock was set to trade down $100 over the next 12 months. But as this clash of opinions on Shopify shares was during the first three trading days of the second quarter, Citron's bearish gain of roughly $16 in paper profits was also fleeting.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips Shopify Stock Took OffAt the same time, our discussed slightly-above-the-market entry price in SHOP was triggered only a handful of days later. And the stock has literally never looked back. In just over two months, Shopify shares have rallied from below $210 to north of $310 as of Wednesday's close.The $100 run-up and return of 47% versus the S&P 500's gain of less than 1% over the period not only shredded Citron's "nowhere but down" thesis, but also demonstrates SHOP stock's obvious market leadership. It also raises the specter of shares having a more credible 'nowhere to go but down' scenario play out. * 10 Stocks to Buy That Wall Street Expects to Soar for the Rest of 2019 Bottom line, despite Shopify shares still being positioned as "best in class" -- a view shared by Citron, mind you -- "a real" rapid run in SHOP coupled with competition from Square (NYSE:SQ), Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) and possibly Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), does make Citron's prior risky valuation concerns more sound.Some SHOP stock bulls may say this is a baseless opinion. I understand. Well-intentioned warnings of nosebleed P/E's or worries of other traditional metrics which appear priced for perfection are still far from perfect indicators for a growth company like Shopify. Still, a baseless SHOP stock on the price chart should have ironclad agreement among bulls (and bears), and that's a worry in the near-term. SHOP Stock Weekly ChartLooking at SHOP stock's weekly chart, my takeaway is Citron may finally get its $100 drop this year. With this rally, Shopify shares are lacking any kind of meaningful weekly basing patterns near current levels. The stock has also largely fulfilled any type of upside price targets from previous base breakouts.A correction of this magnitude would simply put shares into a testing position of Shopify's 50% retracement level. That's just above the short, flat base which had this strategist upbeat on shares back in early April.Along with this formidable technical support, the move would work out to a correction of roughly 32%. Since that's just over the classic 30% level generally accepted as constructive behavior in growth stocks, I'm confident a nice buying opportunity in SHOP stock would also be at hand.Investment accounts under Christopher Tyler's management do not currently own positions in any securities mentioned in this article. The information offered is based upon Christopher Tyler's observations and strictly intended for educational purposes only; the use of which is the responsibility of the individual. For additional options-based strategies, related musings or to ask a question, you can find and follow Chris on Twitter @Options_CAT and StockTwits. More From InvestorPlace * 4 Top American Penny Pot Stocks (Buy Before June 21) * 10 Stocks to Buy That Wall Street Expects to Soar for the Rest of 2019 * 7 Value Stocks That Are Flying Under the Radar * 6 Mouth-Watering Fast Food Stocks for Growth Investors Compare Brokers The post Wait for the Drop to Buy Shopify Stock appeared first on InvestorPlace.

  • Will Square Surge Higher?
    Zacks4 days ago

    Will Square Surge Higher?

    As of late, it has definitely been a great time to be an investor Square.

  • Jack Dorsey says now is our chance to build a global currency for the internet
    Quartz4 days ago

    Jack Dorsey says now is our chance to build a global currency for the internet

    Quartz spoke with the Twitter and Square founder about bitcoin, the end of cash, and more.

  • 6 Top Stock Trades for Friday: AMD, SQ, DIS
    InvestorPlace5 days ago

    6 Top Stock Trades for Friday: AMD, SQ, DIS

    On Thursday we had some geopolitical news that sent oil prices flying while U.S. stocks pushed higher. The bears still can't grab control of the football, despite the bulls having run so far, so fast. Let's look at a few top stock trades as we enter Friday. Top Stock Trades for Friday 1: Advanced Micro Devices Click to EnlargeShares of Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) made new highs earlier this week, but have since retreated. The stock is under pressure following an analyst warning on valuation and after reports surfaced of new GPUs from Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA).InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsThat's got shares down below $32, as a potential pullback looms. InvestorPlace readers nailed the breakout in AMD over $29. If we could get a "return to the scene of the crime," that would be a great potential buying opportunity. * 7 High-Quality Cheap Stocks to Buy With $10 $30 may buoy the name first, though. That's where the April highs rest with the 20-day moving average trending higher toward that mark now. There are various levels between $27.50 and $30 that should support AMD stock and I consider this a buy-the-dips candidate until proven otherwise. Top Stock Trades for Tomorrow 2: Square Click to EnlargeSquare (NYSE:SQ) did a great job pushing over downtrend resistance (blue line), hurdling its 50-day moving average in the process.So long as SQ stock maintains above $69 it looks good on the long side in the short term. That keeps the stock over the 61.8% one-year retracement and the 50-day moving average. Over the 200-day moving average -- which Square is currently contending with -- could spark a breakout. Top Stock Trades for Tomorrow 3: Disney Click to EnlargeDisney (NYSE:DIS) continues to move really well. Notice how the House of Mouse was almost immune to the May selloff. Not that it didn't come under pressure and dip below its 20-day moving average -- it did -- but that's mostly as shares went from $107 to $142 in just a month's time.After consolidating those gains and reclaiming the 20-day, shares look ready to move again. They are knocking on the door of new highs and it looks like DIS wants it. A breakout over $142.50 could trigger another wave of buying, perhaps pushing it to $150. Top Stock Trades for Tomorrow 4: American Airlines Click to EnlargeAmerican Airlines (NYSE:AAL) is rebounding from a brutal breakdown in late May, with shares crashing through long-time $30 support.However, it's since reclaimed that level, as well as the 20-day and 50-day moving averages. Now it contends with downtrend resistance (blue line), while the 200-day rests about $1 above current levels. Both have been strong levels of resistance.Should they continue acting as resistance, see if investors get another buying opportunity back at $30. Otherwise, a breakout opportunity may be in the cards. Top Stock Trades for Tomorrow 5: Cloudera Click to EnlargeWhat a disaster Cloudera (NYSE:CLDR) has been. Shares have been cut in half in less than a month and appear lost for direction. There are better setups out there, but traders seem to have their eye on this one.Over $5.40 to $5.50 could send CLDR back to $5.90. Clearing this mark is what's necessary to start filling the gap, while the descending 20-day moving average will likely act as resistance. Below $5 is a big concern with CLDR.I'd rather play a different stock… Top Stock Trades for Tomorrow 6: Zscaler Click to EnlargePerhaps something like Zscaler (NASDAQ:ZS).This name has been knocking on the $80 door all day Thursday and wants to bust through like nobody's business. Can it? Maybe this one fails to push through or causes a false breakout, but I like it more than CLDR. Watch for a push through $80 on ZS. * 6 Growth Stocks That Could Be the Next Big Thing This one paid out nicely last time we were watching it.Bret Kenwell is the manager and author of Future Blue Chips and is on Twitter @BretKenwell. As of this writing, Bret Kenwell is long NVDA. More From InvestorPlace * 4 Top American Penny Pot Stocks (Buy Before June 21) * 7 High-Quality Cheap Stocks to Buy With $10 * 7 U.S. Stocks to Buy With Limited Trade War Exposure * 6 Growth Stocks That Could Be the Next Big Thing Compare Brokers The post 6 Top Stock Trades for Friday: AMD, SQ, DIS appeared first on InvestorPlace.

  • Can Legacy Payments Players Save Their Ground Through M&As?
    Zacks5 days ago

    Can Legacy Payments Players Save Their Ground Through M&As?

    A broad set of related trends is fueling M&A activity, include continuing growth in e-commerce and a global shift from cash to electronic payments.

  • The 3 Scariest Risks With The Square Stock Growth Story
    InvestorPlace5 days ago

    The 3 Scariest Risks With The Square Stock Growth Story

    While Square (NYSE:SQ) stock has gained a respectable 12.6% in the past year, that performance pales in comparison to the previous 12-month periods, when SQ stock nearly doubled each year.Source: Via SquareNot only that, the shares have also been disappointing when looking at other companies in the space. Consider that the annual return for Shopify (NYSE:SHOP) is a sizzling 91% while PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) stock has risen 37% and Visa (NYSE:V) is up 28%.Now the payments industry holds tremendous opportunity. One estimate is that the size is a whopping $110 trillion on a global basis. No doubt, technologies like cloud computing, mobile and AI (artificial intelligence) will continue to be disruptive forces.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsYet despite all this, I still think there are some nagging risks with Square stock. Let's take a look: SQ Stock: GrowthSQ continues to grow at a fast pace. In the latest quarter, net revenues jumped by 43% and adjusted revenues spiked by 59%. The company also increased its full-year guidance.Yet there are some potential issues with the growth story. For example, gross payment volume increased by only about 27% to $22.6 billion. The Street, on the other hand, was looking for $22.8 billion.As well, the U.S. economy is showing some signs of weakness, as seen with a drop-off in job gains and sluggishness with retail sales. Businesses also appear to be pulling back on making investments because of the uncertainty regarding trade, especially with China. * 7 Stocks to Buy As They Hit 52-Week Lows If there is a recession or a serious slowdown, SQ could take big heat. The reason is that a big chunk of the company's revenue come from small businesses. And yes, they generally are disproportionately effected during economic hard times.According to Square's 10-K filing: "Small businesses frequently have limited budgets and limited access to capital, and they may choose to allocate their spending to items other than our financial or marketing services, especially in times of economic uncertainty or in recessions. In addition, if more of our sellers cease to operate, this may have an adverse impact not only on the growth of our payments services but also on our transaction and advance loss rates, and the success of our other services." Square Stock: ValuationEven though SQ stock is 30% off its 52-week high -- which was tipped in September -- the valuation is still far from cheap. Note that the forward price-to-earnings ratio is roughly 63x and the shares trade at about 8.3x sales. * 7 Dark Horse Stocks Winning the Race in 2019 Now a premium is deserved for a company with Square's strong platform, brand and customer base. But then again, if the growth rate starts to falter, there could easily be more downside. We already saw evidence of this in the latest earnings report. SQ Stock: Managerial BandwidthA key part of Square's strategy has been to add more and more services on its platform. This has not only provided more convenience for customers but has expanded the market opportunity. Note that this strategy has been critical in keeping up the overall growth rate as payments volumes have been trailing off.But there is a risk to this strategy -- that is, it increases the complexity of the organization. The services span diverse categories like invoices, deposits, inventory, appointments, website hosting, marketing, employee management, business loans and so on. All of these are in highly competitive markets.Besides, CEO Jack Dorsey is essentially a part-time CEO, as he also heads up Twitter (NYSE:TWTR). So it will certainly get more challenging for him to manage SQ as the business scales.Tom Taulli is the author of the upcoming book, Artificial Intelligence Basics: A Non-Technical Introduction. Follow him on Twitter at @ttaulli. As of this writing, he did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * 4 Top American Penny Pot Stocks (Buy Before June 21) * 7 Stocks to Buy for the Coming Recession * 10 Smart Dividend Stocks for the Rest of the Year * 5 Tech Stocks That Are Far Too Risky Right Now Compare Brokers The post The 3 Scariest Risks With The Square Stock Growth Story appeared first on InvestorPlace.

  • Charles Schwab exec named ‘Financial Woman of the Year’
    American City Business Journals6 days ago

    Charles Schwab exec named ‘Financial Woman of the Year’

    This year's recipient has managed to run 20 marathons, along with a key part of Charles Schwab's operations.

  • Barrons.com6 days ago

    Square Wants You to Use Its Cash App Like a Bank Account, Analyst Says

    Square will continue to push hard to maximize revenue growth, Evercore says. The Cash app will be an important part of that effort.

  • 4 Reasons to Buy Square Stock for the Long Run
    InvestorPlace6 days ago

    4 Reasons to Buy Square Stock for the Long Run

    For all of 2017 and most of 2018, Square (NYSE:SQ) was one of the hottest stocks in the market. Investors were drooling over the payment processor's high growth trajectory, strong margin gains, and ability to win share in the global-payments market. During that stretch, SQ stock went from $14 in early 2017 to over $100 by October 2018.Source: Chris Harrison via Flickr (Modified)But things just haven't been the same for SQ stock since topping the $100 mark in October. Stock market volatility is what started the selloff of SQ stock. But, even as financial markets have rebounded to all time highs in 2019, Square stock hasn't followed suit, mostly because the company's growth is slowing. When richly valued SQ stock traded at $100, it was not priced for slowing growth. * 7 Stocks to Buy for the Coming Recession So while the S&P 500 currently trades just 1% off its all-time highs, SQ stock still trades nearly 30% off its all-time highs. Does this relative underperformance make SQ a great buy or a name that must be avoided?InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsI think SQ stock is a great buy at this point. Here are the four major reasons for my opinion. Square Is Supported by Powerful Growth TrendsThe first big reason to buy SQ stock is that the core growth outlook of SQ remains healthy and looks poised to remain healthy for the foreseeable future.This company is helping usher in a new era of cashless commerce, providing systems and machines which allow retailers of all shapes and sizes to process non-cash payments of all types. Because the world is moving towards phasing out cash, Square's position as a facilitator of non-cash payments has enabled the company's top line to increase at a robust, 40%-plus rate for the last several years.The movement away from cash is still in its early stages. Around 30% of all purchases are still made with cash. That number will eventually fall to zero, meaning that there's still a ton of room for companies in the cashless payment market to grow. As that market continues to expand, SQ will continue to grow rapidly over the next few years. Square's Margins Are Consistently Marching HigherThe second reason to buy SQ stock has do with its improving profitability and its potential for further margin gains.Once upon a time, SQ was a barely profitable, hyper-growth company. But over the past several quarters, its margins have consistently, quickly risen as its growth has lowered the impact of its operating costs. At the end of 2017, its trailing twelve month adjusted EBITDA margins were around 14%. By the end of 2018, that number had risen to 16%. By the end of 2019, it's projected to hit 18%.These consistent margin gains should continue. Square makes most of its money through transaction-based and subscription-based revenue. Those are high-margin revenue streams. Square's gross margins last quarter were around 80%. With its high gross margins and rapid revenue growth, SQ's bottom line looks well-positioned to climb meaningfully over the next several quarters. The Company Has a Small Portion of a Huge MarketThe third reason to buy SQ stock is that its market is large,while its share of the market is small.Square has a huge addressable market. Because the company facilitates payments for retailers of all shapes and sizes and through all channels, Square's addressable market is basically the entire pool of global retail sales. That's a $20 trillion-plus pool. Square's gross payment volume last year was under $85 billion. That means Square obtained just 0.35% of the global retail market in 2018.But that's up from 0.29% share in 2017 and 0.23% share in 2016. Thus, Square's market share is expanding at a healthy rate, while its market is enormous. Because Square's share is so small and its market is so big, its market-share expansion can persist for a long time, powering continued robust growth for Square. Management Is Relentlessly InnovativeThe fourth and final reason to buy SQ stock is that the company's management is relentlessly innovative, and that innovation has enabled SQ to expand its addressable market, while constantly growing rapidly.Square started off as a brick-and-mortar credit card processor. The company is so much more than that no. It facilitates non-cash payments in both the physical and digital retail channels.SQ has launched services like Square Capital and Square Payroll to help retailers better manage their businesses. It's also unveiled Square Cash App, enabling it to to jump into the consumer person-to-person payment market. At the same time, it owns a food delivery network (Caviar) and has created a Square for Restaurants system aimed at integrating delivery and takeout orders into a single point of sale system.All in all, Square has, time and time again, illustrated an impressive talent for innovation, and all that innovation is largely why Square has generated and will continue to sustain high revenue growth rates. The Bottom Line on SQ StockOnce upon a time, SQ stock was one of the market's favorite stocks. That is no longer true today. But its core growth fundamentals remain solid, so the market's dislike of SQ stock won't last long. Once it passes, Square stock will roar higher.As of this writing, Luke Lango was long SQ. More From InvestorPlace * 4 Top American Penny Pot Stocks (Buy Before June 21) * 7 Stocks to Buy for the Coming Recession * 10 Smart Dividend Stocks for the Rest of the Year * 5 Tech Stocks That Are Far Too Risky Right Now Compare Brokers The post 4 Reasons to Buy Square Stock for the Long Run appeared first on InvestorPlace.

  • Twitter chief Jack Dorsey helps UK refugee entrepreneurs take payments
    Reuters7 days ago

    Twitter chief Jack Dorsey helps UK refugee entrepreneurs take payments

    Square, the payments company co-founded by Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey, has launched an initiative to enable refugee entrepreneurs to accept card and mobile payments, to help get their businesses off the ground. Square, which Dorsey set up to provide financial services to people neglected by banks, is partnering with The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network (TERN) to give cards readers and waive transaction fees for participants. Muzaffar Sadykov, one of three refugee entrepreneurs to join Dorsey on stage to launch the collaboration, said Square was helping him serve more customers, more quickly, at his street-food business 'Oshpaz'.

  • Square rival SpotOn boosts hiring after raising $40 million from top-tier investors
    American City Business Journals7 days ago

    Square rival SpotOn boosts hiring after raising $40 million from top-tier investors

    San Francisco-based SpotOn Transact has big hiring plans after raising $40 million, especially in its rapidly growing services for restaurants. The latest financing round was led by Franklin Venture Partners, the venture capital arm of San Mateo-based Franklin Templeton and its parent Franklin Resources Inc. (NYSE: BEN). The financing included “significant participation” from Dragoneer Investment Group, which previously invested in Airbnb, Square (NYSE: SQ), Slack, ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW) and Uber (NYSE: UBER), among others.

  • Hedge Funds Have Never Been This Bullish On Square, Inc. (SQ)
    Insider Monkey8 days ago

    Hedge Funds Have Never Been This Bullish On Square, Inc. (SQ)

    Out of thousands of stocks that are currently traded on the market, it is difficult to identify those that will really generate strong returns. Hedge funds and institutional investors spend millions of dollars on analysts with MBAs and PhDs, who are industry experts and well connected to other industry and media insiders on top of that. Individual investors can piggyback […]

  • Buy SQ Stock As Square Enters the Next Stage of Its Life
    InvestorPlace8 days ago

    Buy SQ Stock As Square Enters the Next Stage of Its Life

    Compared to 2017 and the bulk of 2018, Square (NYSE:SQ) has been disappointing of late. SQ stock is still down 36% from its early-October high, unable to hold on to its rebound gains from earlier this year. Indeed, shares are down nearly 18% from March's average price, largely thanks to a slowdown in revenue growth.Source: Chris Harrison via Flickr (Modified)Investors and analysts alike, however, may have been imposing unfair expectations on the company. The bigger it gets, the tougher the comparisons become. Traders revolted at the initial sign of a headwind.It was an inevitable development for Square, though, just as it's an inevitable development for most young tech companies that are building a business on a good idea. Eventually, an organization grows out of its high-growth phase and moves into the mature phase of its life.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsThat unexpected graduation upended this name, but the subsequent weakness is an opportunity to step into SQ stock on the cheap while the market reframes what Square should be at this stage. Tough Act to FollowThe fact that it was able to launch at all is impressive in and of itself. * 7 Stocks to Buy As They Hit 52-Week Lows When Square debuted in 2009, Paypal Holdings (NASDAQ:PYPL) was arguably the king of the online payment world, while players like Visa (NYSE:V) and First Data (NYSE:FDC) seemingly held a firm lead on their piece of the payments market.Square's founders Jim McKelvey and Jack Dorsey, who also runs Twitter (NYSE:TWTR), saw an unmet need, though. With 23 million sole proprietors in the United States in addition to millions more small shops being ignored or poorly served by the credit card industry, allowing them a simple and cost-effective means of accepting card payments has proven to be a huge opportunity.Several numbers confirm the idea, not the least of which is the 350% advance SQ stock has dished out since the end of 2016. Accelerating double-digit growth made for a convincing bullish argument.Things began to change in the latter part of last year. The pace of growth began to slow and outright decline in the first quarter of this year, from a pace of 51% to 43%.Still, it's growth that most other companies envy, and growth that, from most other companies, would have investors salivating. Not Square, though. The chatter surrounding this storied stock -- and it is a true "story stock" -- has been all about the breakneck speed of its sales growth, en route to a swing to a real GAAP profit. When the pace slowed, the story crumbled.Take a closer look at the company, however. The future still looks amazingly bright, and the market may be on the verge of mentally repositioning Square as something other than a story stock that needs unsustainable growth rates to drive unsustainable rallies.Once that dust fully settles, SQ stock should become a solid, even if less volatile, prospect. Square OutlookIt's a reality that hasn't eluded analysts even in the midst of some rather dramatic investors panic.Though traders have driven shares down to their current price near $65, the consensus target remains just under $83. That's still relatively close to its peak consensus target of around $88 in December of last year, before another wave of selling forced some analysts to at least acknowledge current price action.Driving that rather persistent optimism is a growth streak that's projected to remain in place for the foreseeable future. While the relative, comparison pace is slowing, on an absolute basis, the growth train continues to roll.By the third quarter of this year, analysts expect positive GAAP earnings.It's not just wishful thinking either. Square has catalysts in the cards. Chief among them is ongoing growth of its Cash App. Barclays analyst Ramsey El-Assal reiterated this week the possibility that it could propel SQ stock higher, after saying in March: "Square's vision is that consumers rely on Cash App, instead of a bank account, for services like bill pay, budgeting, investing, and lending, in addition to storing, spending, and sending money."Instinet's Dan Dolev is bullish too, though for a different reason. He also noted in March: "With over 80% of large-sellers self-onboarding, we expect this positive trend to continue," highlighting Square's traction with bigger businesses. Bottom Line for SQ StockInvestors are slowly but surely figuring out the future can't look like the past no matter how successful the company is. Though it's taking time, the adjustment is being made. * Walmart Stock Looks Poised to Reach $120 This Year That's not to suggest such an adjustment is made in a straight line. Surely many traders will remain stuck in the old paradigm, while others are already valuing Square like an old-school name. It's a paradigm that sets the stage for more volatility. That volatility is being exacerbated by the overall market's uncertainty.The fog is lifting though, and what's starting to emerge is a company that's still easy to own even if it's not putting on a fireworks show.As of this writing, James Brumley did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. You can learn more about James at his site, jamesbrumley.com, or follow him on Twitter, at @jbrumley. More From InvestorPlace * 4 Top American Penny Pot Stocks (Buy Before June 21) * 7 Stocks to Buy As They Hit 52-Week Lows * 4 Antitrust Tech Stocks to Keep an Eye On * 5 Gold and Silver Stocks Touching Intraday Highs Compare Brokers The post Buy SQ Stock As Square Enters the Next Stage of Its Life appeared first on InvestorPlace.

  • It’s Hip To Be a Square Stock Investor
    InvestorPlace8 days ago

    It’s Hip To Be a Square Stock Investor

    It hasn't been hip to be bullish on Square (NYSE:SQ) the past couple of months. But combine burly long-term growth prospects, a classic correction in Square, the broader market reaffirming it has bulls' backs -- and it's time to buy SQ stock today. Let me explain.Source: Via SquareFor investors in risk assets and particularly growth names like SQ stock, it's been a treacherous few weeks. In fact, a fabled but far from consistent 'sell in May' strategy would have helped avoid a loss of about 6.5% in the S&P 500 to nearly 8.5% in the tech-heavy Nasdaq.Over the same period, SQ stock was pressured and fell by roughly 16.5%. The additional pressure was in large part attributed to Square's mixed earnings report. The quarterly confessional is one I'd optimistically sum up as good but not good enough for a Street known to be near-sighted at times.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsBut Friday offered a solid indication a difficult bull market of late driven by trade war fears, may be in the rearview mirror for the major indices and in turn, a name like Square. * 7 Stocks to Buy As They Hit 52-Week Lows Across-the-board strength to finish the week saw the likes of the S&P 500 gain 4.5% for the period after putting in a fresh relative low Monday morning. Moreover, Friday's solid follow through allowed the five-day period to establish an engulfing pivot low within a still-intact bull market from December's corrective bear market. And while growth names like Square have been known to march to the beat of their own drummer, it's hard to deny the market's own bottoming looks like great news on the price chart for SQ stock bulls. SQ Stock Weekly Chart Click to EnlargeSince March and following what had been a market-leading rally of 60% from December's ubiquitous bottom, SQ stock managed to lead the market lower with its correction of 28%. Now though, the classic sub 30% correction in Square and so common among growth companies, even in healthier market environments, appears to have finished.Much like the broader market, Friday's price action in Square formed a bullish-engulfing candlestick. But given SQ stock's correction and shares establishing a four-week long double-bottom pattern at the 62% retracement level backed by an oversold stochastics signal, buying a growth stock like Square becomes an even more attractive proposition. How to Trade SQ StockFor traders agreeable with this bullish outlook, but given the size of the last week's fairly large candlestick, I'd suggest a blended stop-loss beneath $64.35 in SQ stock. This exit keeps risk limited to levels which look reasonable enough on and off the price chart, without becoming married to the position. And if we're correct about a meaningful pattern bottom in Square being in place, the March high near $83 offers an attractive and approachable spot relative to the position's initial risk for profit-taking. Disclosure: Investment accounts under Christopher Tyler's management do not currently own positions in any securities mentioned in this article. The information offered is based upon Christopher Tyler's observations and strictly intended for educational purposes only; the use of which is the responsibility of the individual. . For additional market insights and related musings, follow Chris on Twitter @Options_CAT and StockTwits. More From InvestorPlace * 4 Top American Penny Pot Stocks (Buy Before June 21) * 7 Stocks to Buy As They Hit 52-Week Lows * 4 Antitrust Tech Stocks to Keep an Eye On * 5 Gold and Silver Stocks Touching Intraday Highs Compare Brokers The post Ita€™s Hip To Be a Square Stock Investor appeared first on InvestorPlace.

  • Monday’s Vital Data: Microsoft, Square and AT&T
    InvestorPlace8 days ago

    Monday’s Vital Data: Microsoft, Square and AT&T

    U.S. stock futures are trading higher this morning. The U.S. and Mexico came to an agreement over the weekend to avoid the tariffs that President Trump recently threatened to levy.Heading into the open, futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average are up 0.50% and S&P 500 futures are higher by 0.47%. Nasdaq-100 futures have added 0.62%.In the options pits, overall volume swelled to above average levels on Friday with calls leading the charge. Specifically, about 21.8 million calls and 19 million puts changed hands on the session.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsThe euphoria made an even bigger impact at the CBOE, where the single-session equity put/call volume ratio plunged to 0.51. This matches the lowest reading of the year, suggesting bulls packed some serious firepower ahead of the weekend.Options traders zeroed in tech stocks driving many of the sector leaders sharply higher. Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) blasted through resistance to close at a new record high. Square (NYSE:SQ) scored its first breakout since March. Finally, AT&T (NYSE:T) jumped amid renewed demand for dividend-paying stocks.Let's take a closer look: Microsoft (MSFT)While fellow tech titan's Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) have been wallowing in the mud, Microsoft has quietly stretched to record heights. With Friday's 2.80% surge, the software giant now boasts a $1 trillion market cap, making it the most valuable company on the planet.Just last Monday, MSFT stock suffered a nasty support break on heavy volume. The single-day slam also took it below its 50-day moving average for the first time since February. But the drop was a trap designed to lure in greedy bears. Throughout the rest of the week, MSFT ripped higher ending with Friday's breakout. But the bullish festivities are continuing with the stock up another 1.15% in premarket trading. * 7 A-Rated Stocks to Buy Under $10 You can bet against the uptrend at your own peril here.On the options trading front, traders came after calls with a vengeance. Activity swelled to 202% of the average daily volume, with 325,654 total contracts traded. Calls contributed 62% to the day's take.With uncertainty easing, implied volatility sunk to 25%, landing it at the 22nd percentile of its one-year range. Premiums are officially cheap again and the expected daily move is $2.03 or 1.5%. Square (SQ)Ever since March's failed breakout attempt, Square shares have been under pressure. All told, the payments processor fell as much as 28% before last week's snap-back finally halted the decline. Friday's breakout marked the first resistance breach we've seen since the slide kicked off three months ago.Spectators waiting for signs of strength before bottoming fishing now have an excuse to cast their lines.Slowing momentum accompanied the previous swing low, suggesting the downtrend was losing steam ahead of last week's reversal. A break above the 50-day moving average is needed before bulls declare victory, but Friday's pop was a clear signal that the trend is changing.On the options trading front, calls outpaced puts by a modest margin. Total activity jumped to 147% of the average daily volume, with 100,242 contracts traded. Calls claimed 65% of the session's sum.Implied volatility held steady on the day at 41% or the 14th percentile of its one-year range. The low premiums suggest option buys are the way to go. The expected daily move is $1.79 or 2.6%. AT&T (T)AT&T shares notched their fifth consecutive up day ahead of the weekend, climbing 1.2%. The rally returned T stock to a short-term resistance zone at $32.50. Bulls will argue order has been restored with the stock now positioned above all major moving averages.One of the dominant themes of the year is plunging bond yields. With interest rates in bond land returning to lowly levels, dividend-paying stocks are becoming increasingly attractive. Compare to the ten-year yield of 2.1%, the 6.28% dividend yield in AT&T looks like a home run. No doubt, some of the renewed interest in the stock is due to yield hunters fleeing fixed income in search of better game. * 7 Stocks to Buy As They Hit 52-Week Lows On the options trading front, calls found favor in the eyes of market participants. Total activity grew to 142% of the average daily volume, with 140,678 contracts trade; 58% of the tally fell on the call side of the aisle.Implied volatility dipped to 21% or the 25th percentile of its one-year range. Premiums are pricing in daily moves of 43 cents or 1.3%.As of this writing, Tyler Craig didn't hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. Check out his recently released Bear Market Survival Guide to learn how to defend your portfolio against market volatility. More From InvestorPlace * 4 Top American Penny Pot Stocks (Buy Before June 21) * 7 Stocks to Buy As They Hit 52-Week Lows * 4 Antitrust Tech Stocks to Keep an Eye On * 5 Gold and Silver Stocks Touching Intraday Highs Compare Brokers The post Monday's Vital Data: Microsoft, Square and AT&T appeared first on InvestorPlace.

  • Financial Times8 days ago

    US tech CEOs join campaign for abortion access

    Almost 200 US executives have signed an open letter arguing that restricting access to abortions is “bad for business”, putting pressure on state politicians over a polarising issue companies had long ...

  • Shopify Stock Benefits As Platform Learns More About End-User Customer
    InvestorPlace8 days ago

    Shopify Stock Benefits As Platform Learns More About End-User Customer

    Shopify (NYSE:SHOP) had a good few days following its release of the company's inaugural first global State of Commerce report on June 5. SHOP stock gained 9.1% in the wake of the report, versus a 2.2% gain in the Nasdaq Composite index. Source: Shopify via FlickrInvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsThe insights seem to support a continued bullish stance on SHOP stock, in particular, these five findings. Shopify Merchants Sold a Lot of StuffShopify's report found that the company's merchants (~820,000) sold to 218 million buyers in 2018, 34% higher than a year earlier. That's 25 times the population of New York City. Interestingly, U.S. consumers tend to buy more items per online purchase than other countries, averaging six items per purchase, double those of other countries, such as Canada, Australia, and Japan. Speaking of JapanThe Japanese are found to be prodigious shoppers, both in terms of time spent online when buying -- an average of 27.6 minutes. The same goes for the average amount spent per transaction -- $141.72, or 74% more than the average U.S. buyer per transaction. * The 10 Best Stocks for 2019 -- So Far This penchant for shopping explains why Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) opened a second data center in Japan in January. It's catering to the "new retail" industry who require the best in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and analytics in the cloud to compete online and in the store. With the Japanese leading the charge in omnichannel retail, the Shopify platform is a natural for merchants of all sizes looking to remain competitive in one of the world's most robust retail arenas. Brand Loyalty is Leading to More SpendingOne of the most loyal groups of customers I know of are Lululemon Athletica (NASDAQ:LULU) shoppers. They're relentless in their pursuit of new items produced by the athletic wear brand. It turns out that over 62 million buyers from Shopify merchants purchased something from the same store at least twice, representing over 14% of all buyers overall. In fact, on average, buyers purchased from the same store 3.8 times in 2018.The Japanese are said to be the biggest repeat buyers among 12 countries including the U.S. That said, 73% of North American respondents from Shopify's online global survey of 3,832 Shopify merchants along with a survey of 2,653 consumers revealed that once someone finds a brand they like, they stick with it. By providing Shopify merchants with the best apps to run their businesses and collecting as much data as possible about the end-user customer, Shopify is able to cater its offerings to meet those needs. 5 P.M. is Buy TimeInterestingly, while the peak browsing time for Americans and Canadians is midnight and 8 p.m. respectively, they both tend to make actual purchases at 5 p.m. just as the workday is winding down. * The 10 Best Stocks for 2019 -- So Far Not coincidentally, 36% of North American buyers often make purchases to cheer themselves up, usually after a bad day at work.For Shopify, this means having its systems in prime form and ready for business just as most of us are ready to call it a day. Online Buyers Spend MoreAlthough Shopify is best known for helping stores sell online, it's pushing hard into the brick-and-mortar side of retail because it knows that omnichannel retail is the future.For North America, Shopify's report found that although a majority of buyers prefer researching a product online than in the store, they overwhelmingly prefer making the purchase in-store rather than online. * 10 Stocks to Buy That Could Be Takeover Targets That said, in the Shopify merchant universe, the average online buyer spends $75 per order compared to $62 in the store. In the future, Shopify's success will come if it can continue to provide merchants with the ability to sell anywhere, anytime. Bottom Line on SHOP StockI believe that one of Shopify's biggest threats will come from Square (NYSE:SQ) which is slowly making inroads into the online world. However, if Shopify continues to pay attention to what the data is telling it, I think owners of SHOP stock ought to be confident that its stock will be higher five years from now. At the time of this writing Will Ashworth did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * 4 Top American Penny Pot Stocks (Buy Before June 21) * 7 S&P 500 Dividend Stocks to Buy at Least Yielding 3% * 7 Stocks to Buy That Don't Care About Tariffs * 5 Healthcare Stocks to Pick Up From the Wreckage Compare Brokers The post Shopify Stock Benefits As Platform Learns More About End-User Customer appeared first on InvestorPlace.

  • Why Bank of America Stock Looks Set To Retake The $30 Level
    InvestorPlace8 days ago

    Why Bank of America Stock Looks Set To Retake The $30 Level

    The downtrend in financial services is on pause, at least for the time being, with Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) leading the June mini-rally. BAC stock is up 4.4% for the month, while the S&P 500 index (NYSE:SPY) has gained 2.5%.Source: Shutterstock Talk of interest rate cuts by Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell ignited a strong rebound in stocks. Fundamentally, rate cuts hurt interest rate spread for banks and weaken profits. Conversely, a growth in economic activity also brings more deals for banks. Further speculation of U.S.-China trade tensions easing is sparking stock rallies. Yet even though investors cannot count on a resolution, they should consider buying Bank of America for many other ideas. Leading Financial Services FirmAt a Deutsche Bank Global Financial Services conference at the end of May, Bank of America highlighted its leadership in consumer financial services. It has 63 million clients, 16,000 ATMs, and is the top 20 most-profitable firm in the S&P 500.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * The 10 Best Stocks for 2019 -- So Far In the last three years, the bank grew revenue by 20%, to $37.6 billion at the end of 2018. It achieved this strong growth in four ways. First, it repaired the client experience, rebuilding loyalty. Second, it offered a customized client experience through client segments. Third, it embraced high tech. Fourth, it replaced core infrastructure. This led to an impressive 21 consecutive quarters of positive operating leverage. Contrarian Client FocusNearly half (45%) of Bank of America's clients are retail clients with an annual income of less than $50,000. BAC takes a no-nonsense approach with this group, minimizing fees while delivering services through its digital capabilities. By keeping costs in maintaining each customer low, the bank has the flexibility to offer value-add education. BAC's "Better Money Habits" is an example of such an initiative.Small business owners account for around 20% of its clients. This group has annual business revenue of under $5 million. So, as their needs grow, BAC connects them with its client professionals.Preferred clients make up the remaining 35% of clients. This group has more than $100,000 in assets and happens to skew toward the older crowd. Here, BAC offers advice and guidance through its network of client professionals. Digitization UnderwayMarkets tend to have a willingness to pay a big premium for electronic payment firms like PayPal Holdings (NASDAQ:PYPL) or Square (NYSE:SQ). BAC is already servicing its clients with a digital bank offering. The firm is ranked 1 in share rankings for consumer deposit share in the U.S. Its digital bank allows clients to access their account securely, through Touch ID and debit lock/unlock. Payments can be processed through Zelle, Mobile Wallet, and Mobile Check Deposit. Bank Branches UpgradedDespite investing in its digital bank, BAC is not ignoring its brick-and-mortar network. It continues to invest in and expand the branches. The upgraded physical banks give customers a touchpoint with a staff of professionals, should they need face-to-face support. BAC's financial center network is so far ahead of the competition that the share of deposits/financial centers is 1.75x-2x while competitors only operate at 0.75x-1.5x. Growth Opportunity AheadBank of America will continue investing in both its digital bank and financial center network, integrating the two. That will simplify the offerings for customers. Similar to other banks, BAC will invest in high tech and high-touch capabilities. * 10 Stocks to Buy That Could Be Takeover Targets Macroeconomic headwinds have yet to hurt BAC's business, although the bank noted a slight slowdown in activity. But even though the economy is growing at 2% instead of 3%, consumers still account for two-thirds of the economy. And with low unemployment, the banking business is still very strong. Takeaway on BAC StockBAC stock would have traded in the $30 - $32 range had the markets not sold off in May. Analysts are very bullish on Bank of America stock and have a price target of $35 a share. Plus, with the stock paying a dividend yielding 2.26%, investors seeking exposure to the bank sector should consider this bank today. Investors should also take note of the Invesco KBW Bank ETF (NasdaqGM:KBWB), which has BAC stock as its fourth-largest holding in its 25-stock bank shares portfolio.Disclosure: As of this writing, the author did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * 4 Top American Penny Pot Stocks (Buy Before June 21) * 7 S&P 500 Dividend Stocks to Buy at Least Yielding 3% * 7 Stocks to Buy That Don't Care About Tariffs * 5 Healthcare Stocks to Pick Up From the Wreckage Compare Brokers The post Why Bank of America Stock Looks Set To Retake The $30 Level appeared first on InvestorPlace.

  • Global Payments Acquires Total System Services: Everything Investors Need to Know
    Motley Fool10 days ago

    Global Payments Acquires Total System Services: Everything Investors Need to Know

    The $21.5 billion blockbuster deal makes it the third-largest in fintech history. Three of the four largest such deals have taken place this year. What's going on?

  • TheStreet.com11 days ago

    How to Open a Coffee Shop

    Just know going into your fledgling java empire that a load of work goes into opening a coffee shop. According to the National Coffee Association, 63% of Americans reported drinking at least one cup of coffee a day as of March, 2019. Better yet, the number of Americans drinking higher-priced premium gourmet java for the first time - the kind coffee a shop owner can really make a buck on - is over 60% for the time the NCS began tracking gourmet coffee numbers.