Financials & FinTech research, Galliano’s Financials Research

Victor Galliano

Financials & FinTech research

Financials & FinTech, EM & Developed Markets

Galliano’s Financials Research

Galliano's Financials Research provides fundamental research in Emerging Markets financials, including FinTech, as well as financials in select Developed Markets.

The investment style applied is generally value oriented, although Growth At Reasonable Price (GARP) strategies can also be used where appropriate. 

Our investment research approach aim is often contrarian, looking to capitalise on overly sceptical or optimistic consensus views. In terms of valuation techniques, the focus is on PBV ratio to ROE, PE multiples and dividend yield, as well as the application of PEG ratios and, where appropriate, Sum of the Parts (SOTP) valuations.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>In 2H23 our longs Visa and PagSeguro delivered positive returns, whilst PayPal was in negative territory; among our shorts, Kakao Pay was modestly successful, DLocal and Affirm continued to appreciate</li>
<li>We retain card network megacap Visa as a core holding, and keep PagSeguro and PayPal adding Cielo to the buy list</li>
<li>We keep our negative views on DLocal and Affirm, and remove Kakao Pay from the sell list for its less marked price-to-sales multiple valuation</li>
</ul>


In 2H23 our longs Visa and PagSeguro delivered positive returns, whilst PayPal was in negative territory; among our shorts, Kakao Pay was modestly successful, DLocal and Affirm continued to appreciate
We retain card network megacap Visa as a core holding, and keep PagSeguro and PayPal adding Cielo to the buy list
We keep our negative views on DLocal and Affirm, and remove Kakao Pay from the sell list for its less marked price-to-sales multiple valuation


Payment Companies – Our High Conviction Calls for 1H 2024

<ul>
<li>Our negative recommendations from December – especially Paytm – worked better than our positive ones, given 1Q22 market conditions; we see much value in payment companies but we remain selective</li>
<li>Based on our screens, we continue to favour Mastercard in the megacaps, we stick with PagSeguro and Getnet, adding Nexi which looks very oversold, despite its fundamental headwinds</li>
<li>We take Paytm off the sell list, but we remain negative on DLocal on its very demanding valuations, and we add Kakao Pay to the negative list</li>
</ul>


Our negative recommendations from December – especially Paytm – worked better than our positive ones, given 1Q22 market conditions; we see much value in payment companies but we remain selective
Based on our screens, we continue to favour Mastercard in the megacaps, we stick with PagSeguro and Getnet, adding Nexi which looks very oversold, despite its fundamental headwinds
We take Paytm off the sell list, but we remain negative on DLocal on its very demanding valuations, and we add Kakao Pay to the negative list


Payment Companies – Thoughts on Screen Snapshots 1Q22

<ul>
<li>We update Klarna’s and Stripe’s IPO valuations based on recent share transactions; Indian payments company Pine Labs is also reported to be looking to IPO</li>
<li>Our 2Q24 recommended shares performance was very mixed, with it being a mainly challenging quarter for long investors in payment companies</li>
<li>We retain Visa as a core holding and also keep PagSeguro and Shift4 as buys, replacing PayPal with European value play Nexi; we keep our sell rating on Affirm</li>
</ul>


We update Klarna’s and Stripe’s IPO valuations based on recent share transactions; Indian payments company Pine Labs is also reported to be looking to IPO
Our 2Q24 recommended shares performance was very mixed, with it being a mainly challenging quarter for long investors in payment companies
We retain Visa as a core holding and also keep PagSeguro and Shift4 as buys, replacing PayPal with European value play Nexi; we keep our sell rating on Affirm


Payment Companies – Updated Sector Overview and Potential IPOs

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>We explore Klarna’s and Stripe’s IPO prospects and valuations based on recent share transactions; Nuvei and Cielo are close to being taken private, with Worldpay now controlled by private equity</li>
<li>Nuvei and Worldpay both grew by acquisition but failed to deliver on the market’s expected returns, in our view, ending up under PE ownership; is Nexi a potential PE target?</li>
<li>We retain Visa as a core holding and also keep PagSeguro and PayPal as buys, replacing Cielo with new peer group addition Shift4; we keep our sell rating on Affirm</li>
</ul>


We explore Klarna’s and Stripe’s IPO prospects and valuations based on recent share transactions; Nuvei and Cielo are close to being taken private, with Worldpay now controlled by private equity
Nuvei and Worldpay both grew by acquisition but failed to deliver on the market’s expected returns, in our view, ending up under PE ownership; is Nexi a potential PE target?
We retain Visa as a core holding and also keep PagSeguro and PayPal as buys, replacing Cielo with new peer group addition Shift4; we keep our sell rating on Affirm


Payment Companies – Potential IPOs, Select Companies Being Taken Private and Sector Overview

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>In 1H23 and in the early part of 3Q23, our longs – Visa, Wise and PagSeguro – delivered positive returns; our shorts, DLocal and Kakao Pay, were also modestly successful</li>
<li>Ahead of results to June 2023, we retain card network megacap Visa as a core holding, as well as PagSeguro; we add PayPal and drop Wise from the buy list</li>
<li>We keep our negative view on DLocal and add Affirm, given high take-rates and  premium valuations; we stick with our negative on Kakao Pay due to its lofty multiples</li>
</ul>


In 1H23 and in the early part of 3Q23, our longs – Visa, Wise and PagSeguro – delivered positive returns; our shorts, DLocal and Kakao Pay, were also modestly successful
Ahead of results to June 2023, we retain card network megacap Visa as a core holding, as well as PagSeguro; we add PayPal and drop Wise from the buy list
We keep our negative view on DLocal and add Affirm, given high take-rates and  premium valuations; we stick with our negative on Kakao Pay due to its lofty multiples


Payment Companies – 1H 2023 in Review, Our High Conviction Calls for 2H 2023

Brazil

PagSeguro Digital Ltd. provides financial technology services. The Company offers multiple digital payment solutions, in-person payments via point of sales devices, and prepaid cards services. Pagseguro Digital serves clients in Brazil and the United States.

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Pagseguro Digital Ltd (PAGS US)

Payment Companies – Our High Conviction Calls for 1H 2024

In payments, we stick with Visa, PayPal and PagSeguro, adding Cielo to the buy list; we remain negative on DLocal and Affirm, removing Kakao Pay...

Victor Galliano

Payment Companies – Thoughts on Screen Snapshots 1Q22

We favour Mastercard, PagSeguro and Getnet, adding Nexi which looks very oversold; we take Paytm off the sell list, but stay negative on DLocal due...

Victor Galliano

Payment Companies – Updated Sector Overview and Potential IPOs

Mixed 2Q24 shares performance, challenging for long investors in payment companies. Visa retained as core holding, with buys PagSeguro and Shift4;...

Victor Galliano

Payment Companies – Potential IPOs, Select Companies Being Taken Private and Sector Overview

In payments, PagSeguro, Visa, PayPal and Shift4 are buys while Affirm remains a sell. Klarna and Stripe prep for their IPOs, Nuvei and Cielo are...

Victor Galliano

Payment Companies – 1H 2023 in Review, Our High Conviction Calls for 2H 2023

Our 2H 2023 payments company longs are card network megacap Visa, value play PagSeguro and PayPal with our short calls being DLocal, Kakao Pay and...

Victor Galliano

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52-week Range

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