Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.
Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.
Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreGrowth investors, on the other hand, are more concerned with a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score examines things like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will experience sustainable growth over time.
Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.
Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988, more than double the S&P 500's performance. But the model rates a large number of stocks, and there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.
The direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should always be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy, since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank.
A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Block (XYZ - Free Report) Block, Inc. was incorporated in San Francisco in 2009. The company does not designate a headquarters location as it adopted a distributed work model in 2021. It has been an S&P 500 constituent since July 2025.
XYZ is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.
It also boasts a Value Style Score of B thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 19.86; value investors should take notice.
For fiscal 2026, three analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.04 to $3.90 per share. XYZ boasts an average earnings surprise of +3.5%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, XYZ should be on investors' short list.
Here are three stocks with buy rank and strong momentum characteristics for investors to consider today, July 22:
Heartland Express, Inc. (HTLD - Free Report) : This truckload transportation company has a Zacks Rank #1 and witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 100% over the last 60 days.
Heartland's shares gained 27.5% over the last three months compared with the S&P 500’s decline of 5.0%. The company possesses a Momentum Score of A.
LCNB Corp. (LCNB - Free Report) : This financial holding company has a Zacks Rank #1 and witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 3.6% over the last 60 days.
LCNB’s shares gained 22.1% over the last three months compared with the S&P 500’s decline of 5.0%. The company possesses a Momentum Score of A.
Block, Inc. (XYZ - Free Report) : This fintech company has a Zacks Rank #1 and witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 1% over the last 60 days.
Block’s shares gained 15.0% over the last three months compared with the S&P 500’s decline of 5.0%. The company possesses a Momentum Score of B.
See the full list of top ranked stocks here
Learn more about the Momentum score and how it is calculated here.
Here at Zacks, we offer our members many different opportunities to take full advantage of the stock market, as well as how to invest in ways that lead to long-term success.
The Zacks Premium service, which provides daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank; full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List; Equity Research reports; and Premium stock screens like the Earnings ESP filter, makes these more manageable goals. All of the features can help you identify what stocks to buy, what to sell, and what are today's hottest industries.
It also includes the Focus List, a long-term portfolio of top stocks that have all the elements to beat the market.
Breaking Down the Zacks Focus ListIf you could, wouldn't you jump at the chance for access to a curated list of stocks to kickstart your investing journey?
That's what the Zacks Focus List offers. It's a portfolio of 50 stocks that serve as a starting point for long-term investors to build their individual portfolios. The stocks included in the list are set to outperform the market over the next 12 months.
Additionally, each selection is accompanied by a full Zacks Analyst Report, something that makes the Focus List even more valuable. The report explains in detail why each stock was picked and why we believe it's good for the long-term.
The portfolio's past performance only solidifies why investors should consider it as a starting point. For 2020, the Focus List gained 13.85% on an annualized basis compared to the S&P 500's return of 9.38%. Cumulatively, the portfolio has returned 2,519.23% while the S&P returned 854.95%. Returns are for the period of February 1, 1996 to March 31, 2021.
Focus List MethodologyWhen stocks are picked for the Focus List, it reflects our enduring reliance on the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Earnings estimates are expectations of growth and profitability, and are determined by brokerage analysts. Together with company management, these analysts examine every aspect that may affect future earnings, like interest rates, the economy, and sector and industry optimism.
Earnings estimate revisions are very important, since investors also need to take into consideration what a company will earn in the future.
When a stock receives upward earnings estimate revisions, it will likely get even more positive changes in the future. For instance, if an analyst raised their earnings outlook last month, they'll probably do so again this month, and other analysts will follow.
Harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions is where the Zacks Rank comes in. The Zacks Rank is a unique, proprietary stock-rating model that utilizes changes to a company's quarterly earnings expectations to help investors build a winning portfolio.
The Zacks Rank consists of four main pillars: Agreement, Magnitude, Upside, and Surprise. Each one is given a raw score, which is recalculated every night and compiled into the Rank. Then, stocks are classified into five groups, ranging from "Strong Buy" to "Strong Sell," using this data.
The Focus List is comprised of stocks hand-picked from a long list of #1 (Strong Buy) or #2 (Buy) ranked companies, meaning that each new addition boasts a bullish earnings consensus among analysts.
It can be very profitable to buy stocks with rising earnings estimates, as stock prices respond to revisions. By adding Focus List stocks, there's a great chance you'll be getting into companies whose future earnings estimates will be raised, which can lead to price momentum.
Focus List Spotlight: Block (XYZ - Free Report) Block, Inc. was incorporated in San Francisco in 2009. The company does not designate a headquarters location as it adopted a distributed work model in 2021. It has been an S&P 500 constituent since July 2025.
On March 28, 2017, XYZ was added to the Focus List at $17.25 per share. Shares have increased 359.65% to $79.29 since then, and the company is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank.
Three analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.04 to $3.9. XYZ boasts an average earnings surprise of 3.5%.
Additionally, XYZ's earnings are expected to grow 64.6% for the current fiscal year.
Reveal Winning StocksUnlock all of our powerful research, tools and analysis, including the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research Reports, Zacks Earnings ESP Filter, Premium Screener and more, as part of Zacks Premium. You'll quickly identify which stocks to buy, hold and sell, and target today's hottest industries, to help improve the performance of your portfolio. Gain full access now >>
It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.
Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.
Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.
Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.
It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.
Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Block (XYZ - Free Report) Block, Inc. was incorporated in San Francisco in 2009. The company does not designate a headquarters location as it adopted a distributed work model in 2021. It has been an S&P 500 constituent since July 2025.
XYZ is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.
Momentum investors should take note of this Computer and Technology stock. XYZ has a Momentum Style Score of A, and shares are up 8.5% over the past four weeks.
For fiscal 2026, three analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.04 to $3.90 per share. XYZ boasts an average earnings surprise of +3.5%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, XYZ should be on investors' short list.
Amova Asset Management Americas Inc. lessened its stake in Block, Inc. (NYSE:XYZ – Free Report) by 1.8% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,845,917 shares of the technology company’s stock after selling 52,492 shares during the quarter. Block makes up about 2.4% of Amova Asset Management Americas Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 12th biggest holding. Amova Asset Management Americas Inc. owned 0.48% of Block worth $171,239,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.
Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Sound Income Strategies LLC boosted its holdings in Block by 57.1% in the 4th quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 443 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 161 shares during the last quarter. Rachor Investment Advisory Services LLC acquired a new position in shares of Block during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Global Assets Advisory LLC purchased a new position in shares of Block in the first quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC lifted its position in shares of Block by 57.6% in the fourth quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 610 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $40,000 after acquiring an additional 223 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Darwin Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Block in the second quarter worth approximately $43,000. 70.44% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades XYZ has been the subject of several recent research reports. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $90.00 price objective on shares of Block in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Zacks Research raised shares of Block from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 10th. Craig Hallum assumed coverage on shares of Block in a report on Tuesday, June 30th. They set a “buy” rating for the company. Cantor Fitzgerald increased their target price on shares of Block from $78.00 to $88.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group raised their price target on shares of Block from $80.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, May 18th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have issued a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $88.59.
Get Our Latest Report on XYZ
Insider Buying and Selling In other news, insider Brian Grassadonia sold 43,348 shares of Block stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.00, for a total transaction of $3,467,840.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 557,654 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $44,612,320. The trade was a 7.21% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Anthony Mathew Eisen sold 6,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $78.35, for a total value of $470,100.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 1,838,672 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $144,059,951.20. The trade was a 0.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold a total of 323,300 shares of company stock valued at $24,742,756 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 11.37% of the company’s stock.
Block Trading Down 0.7% Shares of XYZ stock opened at $79.34 on Tuesday. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $73.88 and its 200-day moving average price is $66.73. The company has a current ratio of 1.99, a quick ratio of 1.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26. The stock has a market cap of $47.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 61.99, a PEG ratio of 1.01 and a beta of 2.54. Block, Inc. has a twelve month low of $48.21 and a twelve month high of $84.08.
Block (NYSE:XYZ – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 7th. The technology company reported $0.85 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.30 by $0.55. The firm had revenue of $6.06 billion during the quarter. Block had a net margin of 3.30% and a return on equity of 7.02%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.56 EPS. Block has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 0.860-0.860 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 3.850-3.850 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Block, Inc. will post 2.48 earnings per share for the current year.
Block Profile (Free Report)
Block (NYSE:XYZ) is a financial technology company that builds products and services to facilitate electronic payments, commerce, and consumer finance. Its principal business lines include a seller-focused ecosystem that provides point-of-sale hardware and software, payment processing, invoicing, payroll and lending services, and a consumer-facing platform that offers peer-to-peer payments, banking-like features, and investing. Block’s portfolio also encompasses music streaming and buy-now-pay-later capabilities through businesses acquired to broaden its reach beyond core payments.
The company was founded as Square in 2009 by Jack Dorsey and Jim McKelvey and later rebranded to Block to reflect a diversified set of businesses across payments, consumer finance, and emerging technologies.
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Growth stocks are attractive to many investors, as above-average financial growth helps these stocks easily grab the market's attention and produce exceptional returns. However, it isn't easy to find a great growth stock.
That's because, these stocks usually carry above-average risk and volatility. In fact, betting on a stock for which the growth story is actually over or nearing its end could lead to significant loss.
However, the task of finding cutting-edge growth stocks is made easy with the help of the Zacks Growth Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which looks beyond the traditional growth attributes to analyze a company's real growth prospects.
Our proprietary system currently recommends Block (XYZ - Free Report) as one such stock. This company not only has a favorable Growth Score, but also carries a top Zacks Rank.
Research shows that stocks carrying the best growth features consistently beat the market. And returns are even better for stocks that possess the combination of a Growth Score of A or B and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy).
While there are numerous reasons why the stock of this mobile payments services provider is a great growth pick right now, we have highlighted three of the most important factors below:
Earnings GrowthArguably nothing is more important than earnings growth, as surging profit levels is what most investors are after. For growth investors, double-digit earnings growth is highly preferable, as it is often perceived as an indication of strong prospects (and stock price gains) for the company under consideration.
While the historical EPS growth rate for Block is 55%, investors should actually focus on the projected growth. The company's EPS is expected to grow 64.5% this year, crushing the industry average, which calls for EPS growth of 23.1%.
Impressive Asset Utilization RatioGrowth investors often overlook asset utilization ratio, also known as sales-to-total-assets (S/TA) ratio, but it is an important feature of a real growth stock. This metric shows how efficiently a firm is utilizing its assets to generate sales.
Right now, Block has an S/TA ratio of 0.63, which means that the company gets $0.63 in sales for each dollar in assets. Comparing this to the industry average of 0.61, it can be said that the company is more efficient.
In addition to efficiency in generating sales, sales growth plays an important role. And Block is well positioned from a sales growth perspective too. The company's sales are expected to grow 8.1% this year versus the industry average of 8%.
Promising Earnings Estimate RevisionsBeyond the metrics outlined above, investors should consider the trend in earnings estimate revisions. A positive trend is a plus here. Empirical research shows that there is a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
The current-year earnings estimates for Block have been revising upward. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has surged 1.3% over the past month.
Bottom LineBlock has not only earned a Growth Score of A based on a number of factors, including the ones discussed above, but it also carries a Zacks Rank #2 because of the positive earnings estimate revisions.
You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
This combination indicates that Block is a potential outperformer and a solid choice for growth investors.
Bank of New York Mellon Corp decreased its holdings in Block, Inc. (NYSE:XYZ – Free Report) by 8.3% in the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,787,890 shares of the technology company’s stock after selling 252,761 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp owned about 0.47% of Block worth $167,775,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Capital World Investors raised its position in shares of Block by 41.8% in the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 16,023,441 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $1,042,966,000 after acquiring an additional 4,727,217 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Block by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 14,406,899 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $934,121,000 after purchasing an additional 67,560 shares in the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. purchased a new position in Block in the second quarter valued at about $535,305,000. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Block in the fourth quarter valued at about $484,387,000. Finally, Tiger Global Management LLC grew its stake in Block by 43.9% in the fourth quarter. Tiger Global Management LLC now owns 6,364,840 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $414,287,000 after purchasing an additional 1,941,528 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.44% of the company’s stock.
Block Price Performance Shares of NYSE XYZ opened at $80.00 on Friday. Block, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $48.21 and a fifty-two week high of $84.08. The company has a market cap of $47.62 billion, a PE ratio of 62.50, a P/E/G ratio of 1.01 and a beta of 2.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a quick ratio of 1.99 and a current ratio of 1.99. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $73.76 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $66.62.
Block (NYSE:XYZ – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 7th. The technology company reported $0.85 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.30 by $0.55. The firm had revenue of $6.06 billion for the quarter. Block had a net margin of 3.30% and a return on equity of 7.02%. The business’s revenue was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.56 EPS. Block has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 0.860-0.860 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 3.850-3.850 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Block, Inc. will post 2.48 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Analyst Ratings Changes XYZ has been the subject of several analyst reports. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Block from $100.00 to $115.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Oppenheimer downgraded shares of Block from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. Canaccord Genuity Group boosted their price objective on shares of Block from $80.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, May 18th. Truist Financial increased their target price on shares of Block from $81.00 to $82.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada raised their target price on shares of Block from $90.00 to $93.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have assigned a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $88.64.
View Our Latest Stock Report on Block
Insider Buying and Selling at Block In other Block news, insider Brian Grassadonia sold 43,348 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.00, for a total value of $3,467,840.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 557,654 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $44,612,320. This trade represents a 7.21% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Anthony Mathew Eisen sold 135,750 shares of Block stock in a transaction on Monday, June 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.81, for a total transaction of $10,426,957.50. Following the sale, the director owned 2,032,990 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $156,153,961.90. The trade was a 6.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 357,219 shares of company stock worth $27,286,681. 11.37% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
About Block (Free Report)
Block (NYSE:XYZ) is a financial technology company that builds products and services to facilitate electronic payments, commerce, and consumer finance. Its principal business lines include a seller-focused ecosystem that provides point-of-sale hardware and software, payment processing, invoicing, payroll and lending services, and a consumer-facing platform that offers peer-to-peer payments, banking-like features, and investing. Block’s portfolio also encompasses music streaming and buy-now-pay-later capabilities through businesses acquired to broaden its reach beyond core payments.
The company was founded as Square in 2009 by Jack Dorsey and Jim McKelvey and later rebranded to Block to reflect a diversified set of businesses across payments, consumer finance, and emerging technologies.
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Key Takeaways Block's 19% YTD gain has outpaced peers, driven by Cash App and Square momentum. XYZ is expanding BNPL, AI commerce and partnerships to drive user and merchant growth. Block faces rising credit losses, intense competition and macro risks that could pressure growth. Block (XYZ - Free Report) shares have gained 26.6% year to date, which can be attributed to the combined strength of its Square merchant ecosystem and Cash App consumer platform. The rally also reflects the strength of its AI implementations, which have improved customer engagement, as well as strategic partnerships that have expanded distribution opportunities.
XYZ stock has not only outperformed its peers, such as Affirm (AFRM - Free Report) and StoneCo Ltd. (STNE - Free Report) , but has also outperformed the S&P 500 composite over the same time frame. Year to date, Affirm shares have gained 9.6%, while StoneCo shares have declined 24%.
However, the question remains whether Block’s fundamentals are sufficient to gain momentum now, or a challenging macroeconomic environment could jeopardize its growth tempo. Here, we analyze XYZ in detail to determine whether it will be prudent enough to buy the stock for now, hold or fold.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What’s Supporting Block’s Progress?Cash App has been a key contributor to Block’s momentum, evolving well beyond its origins as a peer-to-peer payments platform. It now operates as a comprehensive financial platform, particularly for younger, digitally native consumers. By offering services across payments, banking, commerce and bitcoin transactions, Cash App continues to deepen its role in users’ everyday financial activities.
Growth in Primary Banking Actives also remained strong, supporting continued momentum for the Cash App Card in the first quarter. In March 2026, Cash App Primary Banking Actives increased 18% year over year to 9.7 million, reflecting sustained gains in user engagement. While the company expects a slight seasonal sequential decline in the second quarter compared with the first, it still anticipates continued year-over-year growth in Primary Banking Actives.
In early June, Block announced the launch of Afterpay on Cash App Card, making Buy Now, Pay Later (“BNPL”) available to eligible Cash App Card customers. The feature targets American earners with variable incomes and customers who are underserved by the current financial system. It is being rolled out to Cash App’s roughly 59 million monthly transacting active users. Block stands to benefit from increased card usage and merchant volume while capturing BNPL fees.
Square, Block’s merchant business, continues to perform well, posting double-digit gross payment volume (GPV) growth in first-quarter 2026. Innovations like the next generation of Square Register also highlight the company’s efforts to keep Square competitive in the evolving point-of-sale and software landscape. Square is expanding its AI commerce strategy with a new ChatGPT app and Claude plugin. The initiative is designed to help sellers appear when customers ask AI assistants where to eat, shop or book services, while enabling users to place orders directly through those AI experiences. The initial rollout covers U.S. food and beverage sellers using Square Online Ordering.
Block is expanding its partner base to scale its distribution network. Last month, Sherwin-Williams selected Square as its payment solutions partner for its extensive network of PRO+ customers through the Digital Alliance Program. Additionally, the company partners with more than 140 independent sales organizations (ISOs) to complement its direct sales and extend reach to new sellers. Its merchant wins, including Ladurée Canada, Sofive Soccer Centers, Coffee Dose and Baker St Café, demonstrate its growing penetration across restaurants, specialty food, sports centers and retail businesses.
What Hinders Block Stock's Performance?Despite its strengths, Block faces material headwinds. The company’s performance remains vulnerable to macroeconomic fluctuations and changes in consumer spending patterns. As a result, external forces may play a larger role than internal execution in shaping its trajectory in the upcoming quarters.
Cash App Borrow, Afterpay and Square Loans increase Block’s exposure to consumer and merchant credit risk as the lending portfolio scales. In first-quarter 2026, transaction, loan and consumer receivable losses rose to $500 million from $170 million a year earlier, reflecting rapid growth in Cash App Borrow originations and scaling of Afterpay Post-Purchase.
The company operates in crowded, fast-moving markets across merchant acquiring, POS/ software, consumer wallets and BNPL, where feature and pricing parity can change quickly. If competitors match features or undercut pricing, or if seller and consumer behavior shifts, Block may need to reinvest incremental gross profit to defend share, limiting the pace of operating leverage even when volume growth remains healthy.
XYZ’s Earnings Estimate Revision Trends UpwardThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for Block’s 2026 sales calls for a year-over-year rise of 8.08%, while that for earnings per share (EPS) suggests a 64.56% increase year over year. EPS estimates have been trending upward to $3.90 per share over the past month.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
XYZ Shares Trade at a DiscountIn terms of forward 12-month Price/Earnings (P/E), Block is trading at 25.97X, which is at a discount to Affirm’s 47.59X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Final Take on BlockBlock is reinforcing its status as a leading fintech innovator through the steady expansion of the Square and Cash App ecosystems, reflecting the company’s strong execution.
While macroeconomic headwinds, changes in consumer spending, rising credit risk and competition warrant caution, Block’s discounted valuation, positive earnings estimates and solid fundamentals make XYZ stock an attractive buy for patient investors.
At present, Block carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
PayPal Holdings (PYPL +16.29%) stock exploded 17.1% higher through 10:35 a.m. ET Wednesday on reports the e-payments company has received a buyout offer from privately held companies Stripe and Advent, perhaps with assistance from publicly traded Block (XYZ +4.48%).
The reported buyout price: $53 billion.
Image source: PayPal.
PayPal: Buy it now? As CNBC reports this morning, Stripe, Advent, and Block have offered to acquire PayPal for $60.50 per share, nearly 28% above PayPal's closing price last night. $17 billion of the total $53 billion purchase price would be paid in stock, and the rest in cash.
Not all the details of the transaction are clear, and none of the companies reportedly involved are commenting on the reported acquisition, which Reuters first reported. Regardless, with PayPal stock down 35% over the past year (even after today's jump) versus a 20% gain for the broader S&P 500, PayPal shareholders are finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel and hoping a buyout from Stripe and Advent may save them.
Today's Change
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7.72
Current Price
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55.09
What's next for PayPal? But is this light the tunnel exit, or an oncoming train?
According to the CNBC report, PayPal has received the offer and plans to discuss it at a board meeting on July 20, so the answer should come soon. The good news is that with PayPal stock trading at less than 9x earnings at present -- and only about 11.3x earnings at the reported purchase price -- the stock looks cheap, and there's good reason to believe Stripe, Advent, and Block would be interested in snapping up PayPal on the cheap.
The bad news is that if PayPal's board thinks it's too cheap, it might refuse to sell -- and if that happens, PayPal's stock price could go right back to where it was yesterday. Caveat investor.
Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Block and PayPal. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: short September 2026 $47.50 calls on PayPal. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Block (XYZ) "is fairly priced" short-term, says @LikeFolio's Andy Swan, though he expects the company to pick up substantial momentum long-term. He points to significant earnings growth and high consumer happiness with business arms like Square and Cash App as signals of strength.
Anthony Mathew Eisen, a director at Block, Inc. (XYZ +1.90%), sold 18,000 shares of Class A Common Stock between July 9, 2026 and July 13, 2026, according to an SEC Form 4 filing.
Transaction summaryMetricValueTransaction value$1.4 millionShares sold18,000Post-transaction shares (directly held)1,838,672Post-transaction value$144.74 millionKey questionsWhat is the regulatory context for this transaction?
This sale was completed under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, which Eisen adopted on March 2, 2026. Such plans allow insiders to schedule future stock sales in advance to avoid potential concerns regarding material non-public information.What is the scale of the insider's remaining direct equity exposure?
Following this transaction, the Director continues to hold about 1.8 million shares directly. This remaining position represents a market value of $144.74 million as of the July 13, 2026 market close.How does the current stock performance compare to the transaction price?
The shares were sold at a weighted average price of $77.80, while the stock closed at $77.30 on July 10, 2026. The company currently maintains a market capitalization of $46 billion and has reported trailing twelve-month revenue of $24.5 billion.What is the breakdown of the Director's total beneficial interest?
The reported holdings consist exclusively of direct ownership, with 1,838,672 shares remaining in the director's name.Company OverviewMetricValueShare Price (as of market close 2026-07-10)$77.30Market Capitalization$46.0 billionRevenue (TTM)$24.5 billionNet Income (TTM)$807.1 millionCompany SnapshotBlock is a fintech company that develops and operates a comprehensive suite of payment processing solutions, including hardware readers (Magstripe, Contactless and chip readers supporting EMV and NFC technologies) and software platforms that enable merchants to process card payments and access advanced reporting and analytics capabilities.The company generates revenue through transaction processing fees, hardware sales, and software-as-a-service offerings, with a business model centered on providing integrated payment infrastructure and next-day fund settlement services to merchants of varying sizes.Block serves a diverse merchant base ranging from small independent retailers to larger enterprises, targeting businesses across multiple verticals that require reliable payment processing, financial visibility, and capital management solutions.Block, Inc. operates as a leading infrastructure software provider in the payments ecosystem, with TTM revenues of $24.5 billion and a market capitalization of roughly $46 billion. The company leverages its integrated hardware and software platform to deliver comprehensive payment solutions that address merchant needs for transaction processing, financial analytics, and working capital optimization. Block's competitive positioning is strengthened by its end-to-end payment infrastructure, next-day settlement capabilities, and robust reporting analytics that differentiate its offerings in the competitive payments technology sector.
What this transaction means for investorsThis sale ultimately looks like a co-founder trimming a corner of a very large position, not a signal about where Block is headed. Eisen sold on a plan set back in March, and 18,000 shares barely dents the roughly 1.8 million he still holds, worth about $145 million. Eisen co-founded Afterpay, the buy-now-pay-later business Block acquired in 2021, so his stake reflects a company he helped build. When someone with nine figures still on the table sells a fraction of a percent on a preset schedule, the tax-and-diversification read is the honest one.
Meanwhile, the business is running well beneath a somewhat messy headline, with shares seesawing recently and settling about 15% up for the year. Block's first-quarter gross profit rose 27% to $2.91 billion, led by 38% growth at Cash App, and adjusted operating income hit a record $728 million. Management raised full-year gross-profit guidance to $12.33 billion, and CEO Jack Dorsey leaned into AI tools like MoneyBot as the next growth lever. The firm is planning to report second-quarter earnings on August 5.
For long-term investors, the sale is noise, but the GAAP-versus-adjusted gap is worth understanding. Block posted a $309 million net loss on restructuring and bitcoin charges even as the underlying business accelerated, so it’ll be important to see whether Cash App's momentum holds as its lending boom normalizes.
Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Block. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Key Takeaways Block's consumer-lending originations rose 82% year over year to $17.6 billion in first-quarter 2026.XYZ expanded Cash App Borrow and Afterpay offerings, lifting Financial Solutions gross profit 55%.Block's lending growth came with higher credit losses, though cash and operating cash flow remain strong. Block Inc.’s (XYZ - Free Report) consumer-lending business is emerging as a key growth driver, fueled by the rapid adoption of Cash App Borrow and Afterpay. Consumer-lending originations reached $17.6 billion in the first quarter of 2026, up 82% year over year, led by a roughly 175% increase in Cash App Borrow originations as eligibility expanded to more Cash App Green customers.
Block continues to broaden its lending ecosystem through Afterpay's installment offerings, including Post-Purchase, Pre-Purchase, Pay Monthly and BNPL options integrated into Cash App Pay and peer-to-peer payments. The strategy is driving higher engagement and monetization. Financial Solutions gross profit climbed 55% year over year in the first quarter, while Cash App Financial Solutions gross profit per active customer increased 60%. Overall, Cash App gross profit rose 38%, with lending among the largest contributors.
Rapid expansion, however, has been accompanied by higher credit costs. Transaction, loan and consumer receivable losses rose to $500 million in the first quarter from $170 million a year earlier. The allowance for credit losses on loans held for investment increased 26% sequentially to $482.8 million, while classified higher-risk loans grew 23% to $467.3 million.
Cash App Borrow gross loss rates ranged from 3.16% for newer borrowers to 2.67% for customers with more than 13 months of tenure, indicating relatively stable cohort performance. With $6.86 billion in cash and strong operating cash flow, Block appears well positioned to support lending growth, provided gross profit continues to outpace normalized credit losses.
How Are Block’s Competitors Faring?Dave Inc.’s (DAVE - Free Report) offers ExtraCash advances of up to $500 with no interest, credit checks or late fees. In first quarter 2026, DAVE reported $158.4 million in revenue, up 47%, while ExtraCash originations rose 37% to $2.1 billion. DAVE also reached roughly 3 million monthly transacting members.
SoFi Technologies (SOFI - Free Report) competes through larger unsecured personal loans for debt consolidation and major expenses. SOFI originated $8.3 billion in personal loans in the first quarter 2026. Unlike short-term cash advances, SOFI uses fixed monthly installments and serves borrowers seeking larger loan amounts.
XYZ’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Block have rallied 20.5% over the past three months, outperforming the broader industry and the S&P 500 Index.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In terms of forward 12-month P/E, XYZ stock is trading at 17.30X, which is at a discount to the Zacks Internet Software industry’s 27.09X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Block’s earnings estimate revisions reflect a positive trend. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for full-year 2026 EPS has been revised marginally northward. The figure indicates a significant increase year over year.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Block currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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Brokerage analysts are in charge of determining a company's growth and profitability expectations, or earnings estimates. These analysts work together with company management to evaluate all factors that may affect future earnings, like interest rates, the economy, and sector and industry optimism.
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Since stock prices respond to revisions, it can be very profitable to buy stocks with rising earnings estimates. By buying Focus List stocks, then, you're likely getting into companies whose future earnings estimates will be raised, potentially leading to price momentum.
Focus List Spotlight: Block (XYZ - Free Report) Block, Inc. was incorporated in San Francisco in 2009. The company does not designate a headquarters location as it adopted a distributed work model in 2021. It has been an S&P 500 constituent since July 2025.
On March 28, 2017, XYZ was added to the Focus List at $17.25 per share. Shares have increased 348.81% to $77.42 since then, and the company is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank.
Seven analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.1 to $3.9. XYZ boasts an average earnings surprise of 3.5%.
Earnings for XYZ are forecasted to see growth of 64.6% for the current fiscal year as well.
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Block (XYZ - Free Report) could be a solid addition to your portfolio given its recent upgrade to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). An upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices -- has triggered this rating change.
The sole determinant of the Zacks rating is a company's changing earnings picture. The Zacks Consensus Estimate -- the consensus of EPS estimates from the sell-side analysts covering the stock -- for the current and following years is tracked by the system.
Since a changing earnings picture is a powerful factor influencing near-term stock price movements, the Zacks rating system is very useful for individual investors. They may find it difficult to make decisions based on rating upgrades by Wall Street analysts, as these are mostly driven by subjective factors that are hard to see and measure in real time.
Therefore, the Zacks rating upgrade for Block basically reflects positivity about its earnings outlook that could translate into buying pressure and an increase in its stock price.
Most Powerful Force Impacting Stock PricesThe change in a company's future earnings potential, as reflected in earnings estimate revisions, and the near-term price movement of its stock are proven to be strongly correlated. That's partly because of the influence of institutional investors that use earnings and earnings estimates for calculating the fair value of a company's shares. An increase or decrease in earnings estimates in their valuation models simply results in higher or lower fair value for a stock, and institutional investors typically buy or sell it. Their transaction of large amounts of shares then leads to price movement for the stock.
For Block, rising earnings estimates and the consequent rating upgrade fundamentally mean an improvement in the company's underlying business. And investors' appreciation of this improving business trend should push the stock higher.
Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate RevisionsAs empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock movements, tracking such revisions for making an investment decision could be truly rewarding. Here is where the tried-and-tested Zacks Rank stock-rating system plays an important role, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions.
The Zacks Rank stock-rating system, which uses four factors related to earnings estimates to classify stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record, with Zacks Rank #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
Earnings Estimate Revisions for BlockThis mobile payments services provider is expected to earn $3.90 per share for the fiscal year ending December 2026, which represents no year-over-year change.
Analysts have been steadily raising their estimates for Block. Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company has increased 14%.
Bottom LineUnlike the overly optimistic Wall Street analysts whose rating systems tend to be weighted toward favorable recommendations, the Zacks rating system maintains an equal proportion of "buy" and "sell" ratings for its entire universe of more than 4,000 stocks at any point in time. Irrespective of market conditions, only the top 5% of the Zacks-covered stocks get a "Strong Buy" rating and the next 15% get a "Buy" rating. So, the placement of a stock in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks indicates its superior earnings estimate revision feature, making it a solid candidate for producing market-beating returns in the near term.
You can learn more about the Zacks Rank here >>>
The upgrade of Block to a Zacks Rank #1 positions it in the top 5% of the Zacks-covered stocks in terms of estimate revisions, implying that the stock might move higher in the near term.
Here are two stocks with buy rank and strong momentum characteristics for investors to consider today, July 9:
Traeger, Inc. (COOK - Free Report) : This outdoor cooking equipment company has a Zacks Rank #1 and witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 7.9% over the last 60 days.
Traeger's shares gained 113.8% over the last three months compared with the S&P 500’s decline of 10.2%. The company possesses a Momentum Score of A.
Block, Inc. (XYZ - Free Report) : This fintech company has a Zacks Rank #1 and witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 2.6% over the last 60 days.
Block’s shares gained 23.1% over the last three months compared with the S&P 500’s decline of 10.2%. The company possesses a Momentum Score of B.
See the full list of top ranked stocks here
Learn more about the Momentum score and how it is calculated here.
Image Credits:Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket / Getty Images Block has agreed to pay $45 million to settle claims brought by 46 U.S. states alleging that its peer-to-peer payments app, Cash App, failed to adequately protect users from fraud.
State attorneys general said they found that Block misled users by falsely advertising that Cash App provided bank-like protections, including advanced fraud detection. Block denied wrongdoing.
According to the states, Cash App allowed users to create accounts without a Social Security number or date of birth, and didn’t place limits on the number of accounts a person could open, making it easier for scammers to exploit the platform. The states also alleged that because Cash App didn’t provide an official customer support phone number, many users who were locked out of their accounts turned to fake customer service numbers that were operated by scammers.
Many Americans rely on fintech apps as their banking services, which has led to increased oversight. Block’s settlement marks the latest chapter in regulators’ scrutiny of Cash App’s business practices. It follows earlier action by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which had similarly accused Block of failing to investigate fraud claims or provide adequate customer service, resulting in $175 million in penalties and other redress to consumers.
Under the new settlement, Block will improve Cash App’s fraud prevention measures and customer service, including by providing live customer support for users of the mobile payments platform.
News of the settlement was first reported by Reuters. Block did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.
Block will pay $45 million to settle allegations from 46 states that the company misled consumers about the safety of its peer-to-peer payments app, Cash App, and failed to provide the fraud protection and resolution required by law.
The investigation was led by Oregon and Texas, the Oregon Department of Justice said in a Wednesday (July 8) press release.
The states alleged that Block falsely implied that Cash App offered the same protections as a bank, that Block made it easy for fraudsters to create accounts by requiring minimal identity verification to sign up for the app, that Cash App had no phone support for years and didn’t warn users that scammers were posting fake numbers and posing as Cash App, and that Block continued running a social media promotion that it knew was being used by fraudsters to trick users into handing over their login information, according to the release.
The settlement requires Block to maintain customer support that can resolve problems, offer live phone support 24 hours a day, stop making false or misleading claims about Cash App’s safety and fraud protections, discontinue marketing practices that are known to increase fraud, educate consumers about fraud, and fulfill its legal obligations to investigate fraud claims and reimburse users for unauthorized transactions, per the release.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said in the release: “Cash App told people their money was safe, and millions of Oregonians and Americans believed them, including a lot of people who didn’t have other options. When things went wrong, Block left them with nowhere to turn.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a Wednesday press release: “When Texans trust a financial platform with their paychecks, savings and family’s security, they deserve to be fully protected as promised. I will make sure that they are.”
Reached by PYMNTS, Block said in an emailed statement that the multistate settlement “resolves a previously disclosed legacy matter that primarily relates to historical aspects of our business.”
“Cash App has made significant investments in consumer protection, customer service and compliance in order to safeguard and serve the tens of millions of Americans who rely on Cash App to meet their banking and credit needs,” the company said.
According to the Oregon Department of Justice press release, the multistate settlement also ensures that Block will pay the restitution that was part of a January 2025 settlement with the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
That settlement involved similar conduct by Cash App and included restitution to consumers nationwide of between $75 million and $120 million.
PYMNTS reported in January 2025 that the CFPB said of the settlement: “Block employed weak security protocols for Cash App and put its users at risk.”
Even if the CFPB were to cancel that settlement, as it has done with several other settlements under the current U.S. administration, Block’s obligation to pay restitution would be absorbed into Oregon’s settlement, per the Wednesday press release.
In another, separate case, Washington, which participated in the multistate settlement, announced in a Wednesday press release that it also resolved another dispute with Block.
In that case, the state reached a settlement resolving its investigation into whether Block failed to maintain anti-fraud controls to detect suspicious transfers of unemployment benefits during the pandemic. The Washington Attorney General’s Office alleged that the company violated the state’s Consumer Protection Act with its actions around fraudulent transfers made by criminals using stolen personally identifiable information.
Block said in a statement provided to PYMNTS: “We’ve reached an agreement to resolve a legacy matter solely related to pandemic-era unemployment insurance payments in Washington State. We share the attorney general’s commitment to a healthy and secure financial system and are pleased to be putting this matter behind us.”
Here are three stocks with buy rank and strong value characteristics for investors to consider today, July 9:
DHI Group, Inc. (DHX - Free Report) : This recruitment technology company carries a Zacks Rank #1, and has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing by 6.7% over the last 60 days.
DHI Group has a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 12.31 compared with 22.87 for the S&P. The company possesses a Value Scoreof A.
Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (ARLP - Free Report) : This diversified natural resource company carries a Zacks Rank #1, and has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing by 3.3% over the last 60 days.
Alliance Resource Partners has a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 10.74 compared with 12.60 for the industry. The company possesses a Value Score of A.
Block, Inc. (XYZ - Free Report) : This fintech company carries a Zacks Rank #1, and has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its next year earnings increasing 2.6% over the last 60 days.
Block has a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 19.89 compared with 158.10 for the industry. The company possesses a Value Score of B.
See the full list of top ranked stocks here.
Learn more about the Value score and how it is calculated here.
Anthony Mathew Eisen, a member of the Board of Directors of Block, Inc. (XYZ 1.33%), sold 18,000 shares of Class A Common Stock on July 6, July 7, and July 8, 2026, according to the SEC Form 4 filing.
Transaction summaryMetricValueTransaction value~$1.4 millionShares sold18,000Post-transaction shares (directly held)1,856,672Post-transaction value$142.13 millionTransaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average sale price ($78.31); post-transaction value based on July 8, 2026 market close ($76.55).
Key questionsWhat mechanism governed the timing of this transaction?
The sale was conducted pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan established on March 2, 2026, which allows corporate insiders to schedule equity transactions in advance to address personal financial objectives.What is the magnitude of the director's remaining equity position?
Following the completion of these sales, Anthony Eisen maintains a substantial direct stake of ~1.9 million shares, carrying a market value of $142.13 million as of the July 8, 2026 market close.How has the company's equity performed leading up to this disclosure?
As of the transaction date, the company had generated a one-year return of 12.84%, with the stock priced at $77.56 as of the July 7, 2026 market close.Company OverviewMetricValueShare Price (as of market close 2026-07-07)$77.56Market Capitalization$45.5 billionRevenue (TTM)$24.5 billionNet Income (TTM)$807.1 millionCompany SnapshotBlock, Inc. develops comprehensive payment processing solutions and hardware devices that enable merchants to accept card transactions, including Magstripe readers and EMV-compliant contactless and chip readers, while providing advanced reporting and analytics capabilities alongside next-day fund settlement services.The company generates revenue through a diversified model encompassing payment processing fees, hardware sales, subscription-based analytics and reporting services, and settlement services that facilitate rapid capital access for merchants of all sizes.Block serves a broad customer base of merchants ranging from small independent retailers to large enterprises, with particular strength in the small-to-medium business segment seeking accessible, integrated payment infrastructure solutions.Block, Inc. operates as a leading financial infrastructure provider with a $45.5 billion market capitalization and $24.5 billion in TTM revenue, positioning the company among the largest payment technology platforms globally. The company's competitive advantage derives from its integrated ecosystem combining hardware, software, and financial services, enabling merchants to streamline payment operations while accessing real-time business insights.
Block's strategic focus on merchant empowerment through technology innovation and expedited settlement capabilities has driven consistent growth, with the stock appreciating 12.84% over the past year.
What this transaction means for investorsBoard of Directors member Anthony Eisen’s sale of Block shares on July 6 through July 8 was executed at a time when the stock was soaring. His dispositions at a weighted average sale price of $78.31 were near the 52-week high of $82.50 reached last August.
Even so, these transactions are not a cause for investor concern. Considering they were performed as part of a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, the dispositions were non-discretionary in nature. This combined with his substantial equity stake of nearly two million shares suggests his interests remain aligned with investors.
Block stock rose thanks to the company’s excellent first-quarter earnings report. In Q1, Block exceeded its guidance across gross profit, adjusted operating income, and adjusted earnings per share. Gross profit soared 27% in the quarter to $2.9 billion.
Block also raised its full-year forecast, projecting 19% year-over-year growth in gross profit. These factors helped to propel shares skyward, just at the time of Eisen’s sales.
Key Takeaways Block's Square GPV rose 13% year over year to $61.2B in Q1 2026, with strong international growth.Square expanded in larger merchants as food and beverage GPV and mid-market seller GPV each topped 20% growth.Block added commerce tools and customer wins that support higher payment activity and future GPV growth. Block Inc.'s (XYZ - Free Report) Square business is positioned for faster Gross Payment Volume (“GPV”) growth as international expansion, stronger traction with larger sellers and new commerce solutions drive higher payment activity across its ecosystem. Square's GPV, a key measure of payment activity, increased 13% year over year to $61.2 billion in the first quarter of 2026, or 11.5% on a constant-currency basis.
Growth was broad-based. U.S. GPV rose 8.2% year over year, while international GPV jumped 35%, or 26% on a constant-currency basis. International markets accounted for 22% of total Square GPV, up from 18% a year ago, reflecting the platform's expanding global presence.
Momentum is also accelerating in high-value segments. Food and beverage GPV increased 21% year over year, while mid-market seller GPV grew 22%, marking the strongest growth in both categories since the first quarter of 2023. Larger merchants typically generate higher payment volumes, creating a favorable mix for sustained GPV growth.
Product innovation is opening additional transaction opportunities. Square's Drive-Thru solution enables quick-service restaurants to manage drive-thru, kiosk and in-store orders on one platform, while Neighborhoods, which connects Square sellers with Cash App consumers, expanded to merchants representing $320 million in annualized GPV, up 190% from December.
Customer wins further support GPV’s growth prospects. Square is expanding across larger and multi-location merchants, including Steak Escape, GOLFTEC, Magnolia Soap & Bath Co., Sofive Soccer Centers and Ladurée Canada, aiding continued GPV acceleration.
How Are Block’s Competitors Faring?Toast (TOST - Free Report) supports restaurant POS, payments, ordering and kitchen workflows. In first-quarter 2026, Toast’s ARR grew 26% year over year to $2.2 billion. It added about 7,000 net new locations and generated $126 million of net income plus $179 million of adjusted EBITDA. This scale makes Toast a strong rival in restaurants and QSRs.
Shift4 Payments (FOUR - Free Report) offers integrated payments for restaurants, hospitality, stadiums, gaming and larger merchants. In first-quarter 2026, Shift4 reported $549 million of revenues, up 49% year over year, with EPS of 97 cents. Its strength in high-volume merchant categories makes it relevant as Square moves further upmarket.
XYZ’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Block have rallied 24.1% over the past three months, outperforming the broader industry and the S&P 500 Index.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In terms of forward 12-month P/E, XYZ stock is trading at 17.35X, which is at a discount to the Zacks Internet Software industry’s 27.03X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Block’s estimate revisions reflect a positive trend. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for full-year 2026 EPS has been revised northward marginally. It indicates a significant increase year over year.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Block currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 (Strong Buy) Rank stocks here.
Paying with a phone has gone from a novelty to a daily habit. Whether buying coffee, booking a ride or shopping online, consumers increasingly expect payments to happen instantly with just a tap or scan. That shift is reshaping commerce worldwide. Cash is losing ground, physical wallets are becoming less essential and merchants are replacing traditional point-of-sale hardware with software-based payment acceptance. At the same time, real-time and account-to-account payment networks are making money move faster and at a lower cost.
Mobile wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal, powered by NFC, QR codes and in-app checkout, are now common across online and in-store purchases. Rising smartphone adoption, expanding internet access, and continued fintech innovation are driving broader acceptance across both developed and emerging markets. Wearables and tablets are extending this convenience further, allowing consumers to pay securely without carrying a physical wallet.
Younger consumers are leading the transition. Gen Z and Millennials value fast, seamless experiences, making mobile payments a natural fit for shopping, travel and day-to-day money management. Behind the scenes, artificial intelligence is strengthening fraud detection and transaction monitoring, enabling payment providers to identify suspicious activity more quickly. Blockchain-based technologies are also gaining attention for tokenization and faster settlement, helping improve both efficiency and security.
The next wave of innovation is already emerging. Agentic commerce could allow AI to complete purchases on behalf of users, handling payments in the background with minimal human input. Super apps such as WeChat Pay, Alipay and PhonePe continue to reshape consumer behavior by combining messaging, shopping, banking and payments within a single platform. Conversational commerce is adding another layer by enabling users to discover, order and pay directly through chat interfaces. Meanwhile, embedded payments are becoming increasingly common, allowing transactions to happen seamlessly inside apps, marketplaces and software platforms without interrupting the user experience.
Fortune Business Insights estimates the global mobile payments market touched $4.97 trillion in 2025 and could expand to $46.62 trillion by 2034, representing a 28% CAGR. Asia Pacific accounted for 46.1% of the market in 2025. Meanwhile, tap-to-phone technology is turning smartphones into payment terminals, lowering acceptance costs for merchants
Competition is intensifying as companies such as Visa Inc. (V - Free Report) , Block, Inc. (XYZ - Free Report) , Klarna Group plc (KLAR - Free Report) and Green Dot Corporation (GDOT - Free Report) broaden their payment ecosystems through innovation and strategic partnerships. At the same time, regulatory initiatives including FedNow in the United States, Europe's PSD2 framework and India's UPI are strengthening trust, security and adoption. Our Mobile Payments Screen highlights the companies best positioned to benefit.
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4 Mobile Payments Stocks to BuyBlock has built one of the industry's most comprehensive mobile payments ecosystems, serving both consumers and merchants through Cash App, Square and Afterpay. Cash App enables peer-to-peer transfers, digital wallet payments, direct deposits, bill payments and Cash App Pay, while Square provides merchants with mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) solutions, tap-to-pay acceptance and omnichannel payment processing. Together, these platforms create an integrated ecosystem that connects consumers and businesses across online, in-store and mobile transactions.
The company continues to enhance its mobile payments offering through product innovation. During the first quarter of 2026, Block expanded Afterpay's Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) capabilities across Cash App Card purchases, Cash App Pay and peer-to-peer transactions, allowing consumers greater payment flexibility. Square also introduced new hardware and software enhancements for merchants, while AI-powered features such as Moneybot were added to improve customer engagement and simplify financial management. These initiatives strengthen the company's ecosystem and encourage higher transaction activity across its platforms.
Operational momentum remains strong. In the first quarter of 2026, Square’s Gross Payment Volume (GPV) increased 13% year over year to $61.2 billion, while Cash App monthly transacting actives reached 59 million. The company generated $2.91 billion in gross profit, up 27% from the prior-year quarter, reflecting healthy growth across both its consumer and merchant businesses.
As mobile-first payments gain traction worldwide, Block's unified platform of digital wallets, merchant acceptance, BNPL and mobile commerce positions it to capture long-term growth. The company currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Green Dot delivers mobile payment capabilities through its digital banking platform and embedded finance infrastructure, enabling consumers and businesses to make, receive and manage payments through mobile channels. Its banking app allows users to transfer funds, deposit checks remotely, pay bills, monitor accounts and receive real-time alerts. Green Dot’s debit cards also integrate with major digital wallets, including Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Wallet, enabling secure contactless payments in stores and online.
Beyond consumer banking, Green Dot plays an important role in embedded finance through its Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) platform. Its APIs allow fintechs and enterprise partners to integrate mobile banking, account issuance, debit cards and payment capabilities directly into their own applications. The company also supports peer-to-peer transfers and provides access to one of the largest retail cash networks in the United States, allowing customers to seamlessly move between cash and digital payments.
Green Dot’s mobile payments ecosystem continues to generate healthy transaction activity. In first-quarter 2026, Gross Dollar Volume (GDV) increased 9% year over year to $40.6 billion, driven by strong momentum in its B2B Services business, where GDV grew 14%. The company also maintained approximately 3.5 million active accounts, highlighting resilient customer engagement.
As more fintechs and digital platforms outsource banking infrastructure, Green Dot stands to benefit from higher transaction activity without relying solely on direct customer acquisition. It also currently sports a Zacks Rank #1.
Visa plays a foundational role in the mobile payments ecosystem by providing the global payment network that powers digital transactions rather than operating a consumer-facing wallet. Every time a consumer pays through Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Wallet or a Visa-enabled banking app, Visa authorizes, routes, clears and settles transactions through its network, while its Visa Token Service replaces card credentials with secure digital tokens to improve security and reduce fraud.
The company continues to strengthen its mobile payments capabilities through innovation. A recent addition is Tap to Pay on iPhone via the Visa Acceptance Platform, allowing merchants to accept contactless payments directly on an iPhone without requiring dedicated card readers. Visa also recently introduced Visa Pass Key in India, enabling consumers to authenticate online card payments using biometric verification or device credentials instead of one-time passwords, creating a faster and more secure checkout experience.
Visa’s scale continues to drive strong operating performance. In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, net revenues increased 17% year over year to $11.2 billion. Payments volume grew 8%, cross-border volume advanced 13% on a constant-dollar basis, and processed transactions rose 11%, reflecting healthy consumer spending and continued migration toward digital payments.
By combining global acceptance, tokenization, fraud prevention and merchant payment innovation, Visa remains one of the largest beneficiaries of the shift toward mobile-first and contactless commerce. It carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present.
Klarna has evolved into a comprehensive mobile payments platform that extends well beyond its BNPL roots. Through the Klarna app, consumers can shop online and in stores, make one-time or installment payments, manage purchases, track deliveries and access flexible financing from a single mobile interface. The platform also supports payments through Apple Pay and Google Pay, enabling consumers to use Klarna seamlessly across digital and physical commerce.
Klarna continues to broaden its payments ecosystem with products designed to increase everyday spending. Its expanding portfolio now includes debit card offerings, pay-in-full options and AI-powered shopping features that personalize recommendations and simplify the checkout experience. By combining payments, shopping discovery and financial management into one app, Klarna is driving higher engagement while giving merchants additional tools to improve conversion rates and customer loyalty.
The company's operating momentum remains strong. In the first quarter of 2026, Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) climbed 33% year over year to $33.7 billion, while revenues increased 44% to $1.01 billion. Active consumers reached 119 million, up 21%, and the merchant network expanded to more than 1.07 million, a 49% increase from a year earlier.
As Klarna expands from a BNPL provider into a broader mobile commerce platform, its growing consumer ecosystem and rapidly expanding merchant network are creating multiple avenues for sustained payment volume growth. It also carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
DISTRIBUTED-WORK-MODEL/OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Block, Inc. (NYSE: XYZ) will release financial results for the second quarter of 2026 on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, after market close. Block will also host a conference call and earnings webcast at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time / 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the same day to discuss these results.
To register to participate in the conference call, or to listen to the live audio webcast, please visit the Events & Presentations section of Block’s Investor Relations website at investors.block.xyz. A replay will be available at the same website following the call.
About Block
Block, Inc. (NYSE: XYZ) builds technology to increase access to the global economy. Each of our brands unlocks different aspects of the economy for more people. Square makes commerce and financial services accessible to sellers. Cash App is the easy way to spend, send, and store money. Afterpay is transforming the way customers manage their spending over time. TIDAL is a music platform that empowers artists to thrive as entrepreneurs. Bitkey is a simple self-custody wallet built for bitcoin. Proto is a suite of bitcoin mining products and services. Together, we’re helping build a financial system that is open to everyone. Block.xyz
Key Takeaways Block's Square now adds ChatGPT app and Claude plugin for AI-powered seller discovery and ordering. Eligible Square F&B sellers are opted in with no extra setup, new tools, or added marketplace commissions.Square's AI push builds on growing GPV and gross profit as it expands long-term seller discovery. Block’s (XYZ - Free Report) Square is expanding its AI commerce strategy with a new ChatGPT app and Claude plugin. The initiative is designed to help sellers appear when customers ask AI assistants where to eat, shop or book services, while enabling users to place orders directly through those AI experiences.
The initial rollout covers U.S. food and beverage sellers using Square Online Ordering. Eligible merchants are opted in without extra technical setup, new tools or added Square marketplace commissions. Square syncs menu data, operating hours, business information and ordering details in real time through the existing Square Dashboard.
The timing is important because AI is quickly becoming a discovery channel for everyday purchases. Square cited data showing that more than 42% of consumers already use AI tools for shopping tasks, while agentic shoppers could drive nearly $385 billion in U.S. e-commerce spending by 2030.
The move fits Square’s wider strategy. Block’s Square is built to simplify commerce, automate operations and connect neighborhood sellers, including leveraging Cash App’s network of 59 million monthly actives. In the first quarter of 2026, Square Gross Payment Volume (GPV) rose 13% year over year to $61.2 billion, with international GPV up 35%, highlighting healthy demand across markets.
Block is also backing the product push with stronger financial momentum. In first-quarter 2026, the company’s gross profit grew 27% year over year to $2.91 billion, while Square’s gross profit rose 9% to $982 million. Block expects 2026 gross profit of $12.33 billion, representing 19% growth. While the outlook reflects execution across the broader business, the new AI integrations also underscore Square's long-term strategy to expand seller discovery.
How Are Its Competitors Expanding Through AI?PayPal Holdings (PYPL - Free Report) competes with Block through digital wallets, checkout solutions and merchant payments. Its agentic-commerce capabilities connect merchants to AI shopping via Agent Ready, Store Sync and OpenAI/ChatGPT checkout integrations, helping sellers become discoverable and purchasable within AI agents. In 2025, PayPal processed $1.79 trillion in total payment volume (TPV), up 7%.
Shopify (SHOP - Free Report) competes with Block in merchant commerce software, POS, and payments. Its AI integrations include Sidekick, Shopify Catalog with live inventory/pricing sync, Universal Commerce Protocol and ChatGPT Instant Checkout, enabling merchants to sell through AI conversations while keeping order attribution in Shopify. In 2025, Shopify’s revenues reached $11.6 billion, up 30%.
XYZ’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Block have risen 11.4% over the past year, outperforming the broader industry but underperforming the S&P 500 Index.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In terms of forward 12-month P/E, XYZ stock is trading at 25.53X, which is at a discount to the Zacks Internet Software industry’s 26.22X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Block’s estimate revisions reflect a positive trend. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for full-year 2026 EPS has been revised a cent northward to $3.90 over the past week. It indicates a 64.56% increase year over year.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Block currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Growth investors focus on stocks that are seeing above-average financial growth, as this feature helps these securities garner the market's attention and deliver solid returns. But finding a growth stock that can live up to its true potential can be a tough task.
In addition to volatility, these stocks carry above-average risk by their very nature. Also, one could end up losing from a stock whose growth story is actually over or nearing its end.
However, the Zacks Growth Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which looks beyond the traditional growth attributes to analyze a company's real growth prospects, makes it pretty easy to find cutting-edge growth stocks.
Block (XYZ - Free Report) is one such stock that our proprietary system currently recommends. The company not only has a favorable Growth Score, but also carries a top Zacks Rank.
Research shows that stocks carrying the best growth features consistently beat the market. And for stocks that have a combination of a Growth Score of A or B and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy), returns are even better.
Here are three of the most important factors that make the stock of this mobile payments services provider a great growth pick right now.
Earnings GrowthArguably nothing is more important than earnings growth, as surging profit levels is what most investors are after. For growth investors, double-digit earnings growth is highly preferable, as it is often perceived as an indication of strong prospects (and stock price gains) for the company under consideration.
While the historical EPS growth rate for Block is 55%, investors should actually focus on the projected growth. The company's EPS is expected to grow 64.4% this year, crushing the industry average, which calls for EPS growth of 21.1%.
Impressive Asset Utilization RatioAsset utilization ratio -- also known as sales-to-total-assets (S/TA) ratio -- is often overlooked by investors, but it is an important indicator in growth investing. This metric exhibits how efficiently a firm is utilizing its assets to generate sales.
Right now, Block has an S/TA ratio of 0.63, which means that the company gets $0.63 in sales for each dollar in assets. Comparing this to the industry average of 0.61, it can be said that the company is more efficient.
While the level of efficiency in generating sales matters a lot, so does the sales growth of a company. And Block looks attractive from a sales growth perspective as well. The company's sales are expected to grow 8.1% this year versus the industry average of 7.7%.
Promising Earnings Estimate RevisionsSuperiority of a stock in terms of the metrics outlined above can be further validated by looking at the trend in earnings estimate revisions. A positive trend is of course favorable here. Empirical research shows that there is a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
There have been upward revisions in current-year earnings estimates for Block. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has surged 1% over the past month.
Bottom LineBlock has not only earned a Growth Score of A based on a number of factors, including the ones discussed above, but it also carries a Zacks Rank #1 because of the positive earnings estimate revisions.
You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
This combination positions Block well for outperformance, so growth investors may want to bet on it.
DISTRIBUTED-WORKFORCE/OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Square today announced a new ChatGPT app and Claude plugin, helping sellers get discovered and transact at the exact moment customers are making purchasing decisions through AI-powered conversations. Square was built to help sellers accept payments where their customers are. This foundation has expanded to helping sellers reach customers across key digital channels, from search and maps to social and marketplaces. As consumers increasingly.
Key Takeaways Block's Square will power payment and business tools for Sherwin-Williams PRO customers.XYZ's Square for Services supports estimates, scheduling, payments and client coordination.Square Invoices and Square Checking help speed payments, improve cash flow and reduce admin work. Block Inc.’s (XYZ - Free Report) Square recently announced that Sherwin-Williams, the world’s largest paint and coatings company, has adopted its payment solutions for its extensive network of PRO+ customers through the Digital Alliance Program.
As part of the collaboration, Sherwin-Williams will use Square for Services to streamline business operations, including creating estimates, scheduling jobs, collecting payments and coordinating with clients from the initial consultation through final invoicing.
Square Invoices further simplifies payment management by enabling painters and contractors to collect deposits upfront, schedule milestone payments within a single invoice, set up recurring billing for long-term clients and send automated payment reminders. These capabilities help reduce administrative burden, improve cash flow predictability and accelerate payment collection. Square Checking provides instant access to funds, enhancing financial flexibility for business owners.
Final Take on BlockThe Sherwin-Williams partnership strengthens Square's position in the professional services ecosystem by expanding the reach of its integrated business and payment solutions. As more contractors adopt Square's platform to manage operations and payments, Block is well-positioned to deepen customer engagement, drive ecosystem growth and support long-term revenue expansion.
Over the past three months, shares of this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company have rallied 29.6% compared with the industry's growth of 3.5%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Other Stocks to ConsiderSome other top-ranked stocks from the internet-software sector are BILL Holdings, Inc. (BILL - Free Report) and Reddit Inc. (RDDT - Free Report) , each sporting a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BILL’s 2026 earnings per share (EPS) has moved northward 1.9% to $2.64 over the past month.
The consensus estimate for RDDT’s 2026 EPS has moved up significantly to $4.83 over the past two months.
Note: Anything related to earnings presented in this write-up represents funds from operations (FFO), a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs.
Block (XYZ) was a big mover last session on higher-than-average trading volume. The latest trend in earnings estimate revisions might not help the stock continue moving higher in the near term.
Here at Zacks, we offer our members many different opportunities to take full advantage of the stock market, as well as how to invest in ways that lead to long-term success.
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Focus List MethodologyWhen stocks are picked for the Focus List, it reflects our enduring reliance on the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Brokerage analysts are in charge of determining a company's growth and profitability expectations, or earnings estimates. These analysts work together with company management to evaluate all factors that may affect future earnings, like interest rates, the economy, and sector and industry optimism.
Investors also need to look at what a company will earn down the road. This is why earnings estimate revisions are so important.
When a stock receives upward earnings estimate revisions, it will likely get even more positive changes in the future. For instance, if an analyst raised their earnings outlook last month, they'll probably do so again this month, and other analysts will follow.
Harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions is where the Zacks Rank comes in. The Zacks Rank, which is a unique, proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions to make it easier to build a winning portfolio.
There are four main factors behind the Zacks Rank: Agreement, Magnitude, Upside, and Surprise. Each one of these features is then given a raw score that's recalculated every night and compiled into the Rank. Using this data, stocks are classified into five groups, ranging from "Strong Buy" to "Strong Sell."
The Focus List is comprised of stocks hand-picked from a long list of #1 (Strong Buy) or #2 (Buy) ranked companies, meaning that each new addition boasts a bullish earnings consensus among analysts.
Because stock prices react to revisions, buying stocks with rising earnings estimates can be very profitable. Focus List stocks offer investors a great opportunity to get into companies whose future earnings estimates will be raised, potentially leading to price momentum.
Focus List Spotlight: Block (XYZ - Free Report) Block, Inc. was incorporated in San Francisco in 2009. The company does not designate a headquarters location as it adopted a distributed work model in 2021. It has been an S&P 500 constituent since July 2025.
On March 28, 2017, XYZ was added to the Focus List at $17.25 per share. Shares have increased 351.13% to $77.82 since then, and the company is a #1 (Strong Buy) on the Zacks Rank.
For fiscal 2026, 13 analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.21 to $3.89. XYZ boasts an average earnings surprise of 3.5%.
Additionally, XYZ's earnings are expected to grow 64.1% for the current fiscal year.
Reveal Winning StocksUnlock all of our powerful research, tools and analysis, including the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research Reports, Zacks Earnings ESP Filter, Premium Screener and more, as part of Zacks Premium. You'll quickly identify which stocks to buy, hold and sell, and target today's hottest industries, to help improve the performance of your portfolio. Gain full access now >>
For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.
The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.
Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores, developed alongside the Zacks Rank, are complementary indicators that rate stocks based on three widely-followed investing methodologies; they also help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreGrowth investors, on the other hand, are more concerned with a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score examines things like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will experience sustainable growth over time.
Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.
VGM ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.
#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.
For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Block (XYZ - Free Report) Block, Inc. was incorporated in San Francisco in 2009. The company does not designate a headquarters location as it adopted a distributed work model in 2021. It has been an S&P 500 constituent since July 2025.
XYZ is a #1 (Strong Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.
Momentum investors should take note of this Computer and Technology stock. XYZ has a Momentum Style Score of A, and shares are up 2.8% over the past four weeks.
13 analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.21 to $3.89 per share. XYZ boasts an average earnings surprise of +3.5%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, XYZ should be on investors' short list.
DISTRIBUTED-WORKFORCE/OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Square today announced that The Sherwin-Williams Company, the world's largest paint and coatings company, has selected Square as its payment solutions partner in the Sherwin-Williams Digital Alliance Program. The curated program connects Sherwin-Williams' extensive network of PRO+ customers with best-in-class digital tools designed to help grow their businesses and save money through exclusive offers. For professional painters, contractors.
The iconic Parisian patisserie brings Square to its growing Canadian footprint, from flagship tea salons to airport carriages
DISTRIBUTED-WORKFORCE/OAKLAND, Calif. & TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Square today announced that Ladurée Canada, the Canadian franchise of the world-renowned Parisian patisserie, has selected Square as its exclusive commerce platform across all Canadian locations. The partnership brings Square to Ladurée Canada's expanding footprint – from boutique tea salons and café-style locations to its airport carriages, pop-ups, and pastry laboratories – as they accelerate their next phase of growth across the country.
Founded in Paris in 1862 by Louis Ernest Ladurée, Maison Ladurée is credited with both popularizing the French tea salon and inventing the Parisian macaron, the colorful, ganache-filled double shell that has become a ubiquitous staple in patisserie windows around the world. With locations across four continents, Ladurée is one of the most globally recognizable names in gourmet pastries.
In March 2016, Olesya Krakhmalyova brought the very first Ladurée location to Canada, opening a boutique on Robson Street in Vancouver – a location designed to channel the ambiance and style of Ladurée's original Paris salon. In the decade since, Ladurée Canada has grown into a sophisticated, multi-format operation spanning boutique tea salons, grab-and-go cafés, carriage kiosks, airport outposts, and pastry laboratories across Toronto and Vancouver, where French-trained pastry chefs craft Ladurée's iconic viennoiseries and cakes fresh each morning.
A Decade in the Making
Ladurée Canada first came to Square in 2017, initially adopting the platform to power its carriage locations. But years of using separate systems for their full-service tea salons and cafe locations led to increasing operational friction as the brand grew with a lean team. Ultimately, Square’s flexibility, versatility, and ease-of-use prompted Olesya to shift all Ladurée Canada locations to Square.
"When I first opened, my goal was simple: bring a piece of Paris to the heart of Vancouver," said Olesya Krakhmalyova, owner of Ladurée Canada. "Nearly a decade later, Square is part of how we live that mission every day across Canada. We're a small team representing a world-renowned brand. The priority of my dedicated team is to deliver Ladurée products and experiences to our clients, not deal with IT complexities. We truly value business tools that are efficient and allow us to focus on our core work, and Square meets that criteria. Square works the same way whether we're running a full tea salon at Yorkdale, processing payments at a weekend pop-up, or welcoming travellers at one of our airport carriages. My managers can add a product, pull a sales report, or configure a new location themselves. That kind of simplicity is what lets us operate at a high standard."
One Platform for Every Format
Ladurée Canada's deployment of Square span a variety of distinct commerce environments: the tasteful seated table-service of its boutique tea salons; the fast-paced throughput of grab-and-go cafés; their compact carriage kiosks in bustling airport terminals; the two bi-coastal pastry laboratories where Square facilitates payments for retail purchases from participants; and all manner of mobile commerce engagements, from catering and corporate events to buzzy pop-ups.
Square Terminal, Square Register, Square Handheld, and Square Reader devices anchor the in-person experience across locations and concepts, with hardware configurations tailored to the specific requirements of each format. On the back end, Square's reporting tools give Ladurée Canada's controller consolidated visibility into sales, taxes, and tips across the entire portfolio. Ladurée Canada also uses Square’s integrations with Yellowdog for inventory management, and QuickBooks for financial management.
Scaling with Taste
With a unified technology foundation now in place, Ladurée Canada is moving quickly. Two new airport carriage locations opened in spring 2026: Vancouver International Airport in May, and Toronto Pearson International Airport in June – bringing Ladurée's macarons and pastries to travellers at two of the country's busiest airports.
"Ladurée is a brand that has defined luxury patisserie for more than 160 years, and the way Ladurée Canada has built its business reflects that standard at every touchpoint," said James Schonzeit, Head of Food & Beverage at Square. "What stands out about this partnership is the full picture – Square started with Ladurée Canada's smallest format locations nearly ten years ago, and has grown with the business to the point that it now powers all of their concepts. That's the kind of relationship we aim to build with every seller: one that earns trust over time and scales as the business does."
To visit Ladurée Canada, find a location at ladureecanada.ca. For more information about Square's solutions for food and beverage businesses in Canada, visit squareup.com/ca/en/restaurants.
About Ladurée Canada
Ladurée is a world-renowned luxury French pâtisserie with a rich history dating back to 1862. Ladurée is best known for creating the world’s most delectable macarons presented in exquisite gift boxes alongside delicious pastries, sweets and savoury treats. Around the world Ladurée tea rooms offer irresistible culinary delights in elegant and traditional surroundings, a veritable hymn to innovative sweets and pastries.
In 2016, Ladurée entered the Canadian market with its first location in Vancouver, B.C. It has since opened locations in Toronto at Yorkdale Mall, Exchange Tower, and Yorkville. Ladurée Canada operates two pastry making laboratories where Ladurée Paris trained Chefs create Ladurée pastries and cakes according to the recipes and techniques from Ladurée Paris.
Ladurée in Canada is also represented by the distinct Ladurée Carriage locations bringing the Ladurée experience to customers at various locations such as in Vancouver at CF Pacific Centre and Vancouver International Airport, and now at Toronto Pearson Airport.
About Square
Square helps businesses turn transactions into connections and businesses into neighbourhood favorites.
In 2009, Square started with a simple invention – the first mobile card reader, which changed how the entire financial system thinks about small businesses. Square has since grown into a global business platform helping millions of sellers of all sizes participate and thrive in their communities.
Whether independently run or a global chain, Square understands that sellers succeed when they have the freedom to focus on the experiences that keep customers coming back. From point of sale and payments to online commerce, staff management, cash flow tools, and more, Square brings together the tools sellers need to run and grow on one intelligent platform. For more information, visit squareup.com.
The indoor soccer operator is leveraging Square’s unified commerce platform across concessions, events, loyalty, and online ordering, and bringing it to life this summer with watch parties and tournaments nationwide
DISTRIBUTED-WORKFORCE/OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Square today announced that Sofive Soccer Centers, the leading modern indoor soccer operator in the United States, has selected Square as its unified commerce platform. Operating 22 centers across 12 cities and 10 states, Sofive offers a full range of soccer and community programming – from field rentals and adult leagues to youth academies, private events, and on-site food and beverage. Square now powers Sofive’s concessions, events, loyalty, and online ordering operations across its national network, giving the business a single platform to manage the complexity of multi-revenue-stream, multi-location operations.
From One Field to a Coast-to-Coast Soccer Community
Sofive launched in 2015 with one center in the Meadowlands, New Jersey, and a vision to build the future of urban soccer. Over the following decade, it has expanded field by field, adding four Northeast locations between 2016 and 2019, then scaling to its current footprint of 22 centers and five clubs across the country. Today, Sofive is more than a facility operator: it is a soccer ecosystem, running clubs that compete in local, regional, and national leagues while developing players of all ages through camps, clinics, and academies. Each center serves as a hub for its local soccer community, combining high-quality small-sided fields with programming that brings the game to more people.
A Platform Built for Complexity, Without the Complexity
Sofive’s business spans multiple revenue streams, including field reservations, league and tournament registration, youth programming, food and beverage concessions, and private and corporate events. Managing those streams across locations required a technology partner that could handle operational complexity and streamline reporting. Square stood out for its ease of use, flexibility across distinct venue workflows, competitive pricing, and open API – which allowed Sofive to connect Square directly to Hydra, Sofive’s proprietary booking platform for soccer reservations.
Sofive deploys Square Register and Square Handheld for front-of-house transactions, Square for Restaurants for its concession and café operations, Square Online for ordering, Square Loyalty, and Square Team Management – giving operators at every location a consistent, centralized view of their business.
"Since transferring our entire location portfolio to Square, we've seen the power of having one platform that can handle everything from Tuesday night soccer leagues across the country to a packed watch party,” said Louis Gerbier, Chief Hospitality Officer at Sofive Soccer Centers. “Sofive exists to bring people together around the game, and Square makes sure the operational side never gets in the way of that – no matter the venue, no matter the volume."
Bringing World Soccer Events to the Local Pitch
This summer, Sofive is activating its centers around the Summer Fútbol Fest with a series of free watch parties and community tournaments running across multiple locations. At participating centers, guests can watch matches on dozens of screens while kids play pickup soccer on free fields – a combination that is unique to Sofive and central to its mission of growing the next generation of soccer fans.
The programming spans youth and adult tournaments at locations including Meadowlands, Brooklyn, Elkins Park, Columbia, Raleigh, Los Angeles, Bay area, Rockville, and others. Square supports the full operational layer behind these events: processing concessions, driving loyalty, and enabling the fast, reliable checkout experience that high-traffic event days demand.
“Sofive has built something genuinely rare: a place where the love of the game and the infrastructure to support it exist in the same space,” said Nick Molnar, Global Head of Sales and Marketing at Block. “Their business brings together national fields, food, events, leagues, and community programming under one roof, across 22 locations. Square gives them the foundation to run all of it seamlessly, so their teams can stay focused on the in-person experience they’ve built rather than getting bogged down by the technology behind it.”
Ready to Kick-Off What’s Next
With 22 centers and five clubs already operating across the country, Sofive is positioned for continued expansion. Square’s platform scales with the business, whether Sofive is opening a new center, launching a new programming format, or activating around a moment like the Summer Fútbol Fest. The combination of Square’s front-of-house tools, centralized reporting, and open API means Sofive can grow without rebuilding its operational stack each time.
To learn more about how Square powers fitness businesses, visit:
https://squareup.com/us/en/industry/fitness
About Sofive Soccer Centers
Sofive Soccer Centers is one of the nation’s leading operators of state-of-the-art indoor soccer facilities, with 22 locations across 10 states and over 5 million visitors served annually. Sofive offers indoor and outdoor fields, recreational leagues, tournaments, and youth programming for players of all ages and skill levels. Dedicated to making soccer accessible to all, Sofive is committed to fostering thriving local soccer communities in every city it calls home. For more information, visit sofive.com.
About Square
Square helps businesses turn transactions into connections and businesses into neighborhood favorites.
In 2009, Square started with a simple invention — the first mobile card reader, which changed how the entire financial system thinks about small businesses. Square has since grown into a global business platform helping millions of sellers of all sizes participate and thrive in their communities.
Whether independently run or a global chain, Square understands that sellers succeed when they have the freedom to focus on the experiences that keep customers coming back. From point of sale and payments to online commerce, staff management, cash flow tools, and more, Square brings together the tools sellers need to run and grow on one intelligent platform. For more information, visit squareup.com.
Key Takeaways Square now supports Sofive's concessions, events, loyalty programs and online ordering on one platform.Sofive deployed Square Register, Handheld, Restaurants, Online, Loyalty and Team Management.Square gives Sofive a centralized view of performance across its multi-location operations. Block Inc.’s (XYZ - Free Report) Square has expanded its reach through a new partnership with Sofive Soccer Centers, which has adopted Square’s unified commerce platform across 22 locations spanning 12 cities and 10 states. The deployment enables Sofive to manage concessions, events, loyalty programs and online ordering through a single platform, helping streamline operations across its diverse revenue streams and multi-location footprint.
Founded in 2015, Sofive operates a comprehensive soccer ecosystem that includes field rentals, leagues, youth academies, private events and food-and-beverage services. To support these varied operations, the company is leveraging Square’s flexible commerce tools and open API, which integrates with Sofive’s proprietary Hydra booking platform for soccer reservations.
Sofive has implemented Square Register, Square Handheld, Square for Restaurants, Square Online, Square Loyalty and Square Team Management to simplify transactions, concessions and café operations, online ordering, customer engagement and workforce management while providing operators with a centralized view of business performance.
The partnership is also expected to support Sofive’s Summer Futbol Fest, a series of free watch parties and community tournaments across multiple locations, where Square will help manage high-volume transactions and operational workflows during peak event periods.
The Sofive partnership highlights Square’s growing ability to serve complex, multi-location businesses through its integrated commerce ecosystem. By consolidating payments, ordering, loyalty and workforce management on a single platform, Square is strengthening its value proposition for enterprise customers, which could support Block’s merchant-services growth and deepen customer engagement over the long term.
Over the past three months, shares of this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company have gained 26% compared with the industry's rise of 1.6%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Other Stocks to ConsiderSome other top-ranked stocks from the internet-software sector are BILL Holdings, Inc. (BILL - Free Report) and Atlassian (TEAM - Free Report) , each sporting a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BILL’s 2026 earnings per share (EPS) has moved northward 3.5% to $2.64 over the past month.
The consensus estimate for TEAM’s 2026 EPS has moved up 17.1% to $5.48 over the past two months.
Here at Zacks, we offer our members many different opportunities to take full advantage of the stock market, as well as how to invest in ways that lead to long-term success.
One of our most popular services, Zacks Premium offers daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank; full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List; Equity Research reports; and Premium stock screens like the Earnings ESP filter. All are useful tools to find what stocks to buy, what to sell, and what are today's hottest industries.
Also included in Zacks Premium is the Focus List. This is a long-term portfolio of top stocks that have all the traits to beat the market.
Breaking Down the Zacks Focus ListIf you could get access to a curated list of stocks to kickstart your investment portfolio, wouldn't you jump at the chance to take a peek?
That's what the Zacks Focus List, a portfolio of 50 stocks, offers investors. Not only does it serve as a starting point for long-term investors, but all stocks included in the list are poised to outperform the market over the next 12 months.
One thing that makes the Focus List even more advantageous is that each pick comes with a full Zacks Analyst Report. This helps explain why each stock was selected and why we believe it's a good pick for the long-term.
The portfolio's past performance only solidifies why investors should consider it as a starting point. For 2020, the Focus List gained 13.85% on an annualized basis compared to the S&P 500's return of 9.38%. Cumulatively, the portfolio has returned 2,519.23% while the S&P returned 854.95%. Returns are for the period of February 1, 1996 to March 31, 2021.
Focus List MethodologyWhen stocks are picked for the Focus List, it reflects our enduring reliance on the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Brokerage analysts are in charge of determining a company's growth and profitability expectations, or earnings estimates. These analysts work together with company management to evaluate all factors that may affect future earnings, like interest rates, the economy, and sector and industry optimism.
Earnings estimate revisions are very important, since investors also need to take into consideration what a company will earn in the future.
Stocks that receive upward earnings estimate revisions are more likely to receive even more upward changes in the future. For example, if an analyst raised their estimates last month, they're more likely to do it again this month, and other analysts are likely to do the same.
Utilizing the power of earnings estimate revisions is when the Zacks Rank joins the party. A unique, proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank uses changes to quarterly earnings expectations to help investors create a winning portfolio.
The Zacks Rank consists of four main pillars: Agreement, Magnitude, Upside, and Surprise. Each one is given a raw score, which is recalculated every night and compiled into the Rank. Then, stocks are classified into five groups, ranging from "Strong Buy" to "Strong Sell," using this data.
The Focus List is comprised of stocks hand-picked from a long list of #1 (Strong Buy) or #2 (Buy) ranked companies, meaning that each new addition boasts a bullish earnings consensus among analysts.
It can be very profitable to buy stocks with rising earnings estimates, as stock prices respond to revisions. By adding Focus List stocks, there's a great chance you'll be getting into companies whose future earnings estimates will be raised, which can lead to price momentum.
Focus List Spotlight: Block (XYZ - Free Report) Block, Inc. was incorporated in San Francisco in 2009. The company does not designate a headquarters location as it adopted a distributed work model in 2021. It has been an S&P 500 constituent since July 2025.
On March 28, 2017, XYZ was added to the Focus List at $17.25 per share. Shares have increased 331.01% to $74.35 since then, and the company is a #1 (Strong Buy) on the Zacks Rank.
11 analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.23 to $3.86. XYZ also boasts an average earnings surprise of 3.5%.
Earnings for XYZ are forecasted to see growth of 62.9% for the current fiscal year as well.
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Key Takeaways Block launched Square High Yield Savings, offering eligible sellers a 3.5% APY on reserves.XYZ activates the higher APY automatically when Square Savings balances reach $10,000.Block plans a sales tax folder to automate tax savings and simplify cash management. Block's (XYZ - Free Report) banking subsidiary, Square Financial Services (“SFS”), has introduced Square High Yield Savings, allowing eligible Square sellers who maintain at least $10,000 in daily cash reserves in their Square Savings account to earn a 3.5% annual percentage yield (APY). The offered rate is significantly above the national average savings account yield, enhancing the value proposition for merchants using Square's ecosystem.
The initiative supports SFS' strategy to grow core deposits while providing sellers with an attractive return on idle cash. A larger deposit base can also strengthen SFS' ability to fund lending programs and further expand Block's suite of financial services for businesses and consumers.
Square sellers can automatically allocate a portion of their daily sales into their Square Savings account through the Square Dashboard. Once account balances reach the $10,000 threshold, the higher APY is activated automatically.
Key features of the program include no minimum deposit requirement, no monthly maintenance fees and FDIC insurance coverage of up to $2.5 million through the Square Savings deposit sweep program. Interest accrues daily and is applied to the entire account balance.
Square plans to launch an automated sales tax folder within Square Savings. The feature will automatically set aside sales tax collected from eligible card transactions, helping sellers streamline cash management and reduce administrative work. The tool will leverage existing Square tax settings and support businesses operating across multiple locations and tax jurisdictions.
ConclusionBlock’s launch of Square High Yield Savings strengthens the value of its merchant ecosystem by offering competitive returns on cash reserves while encouraging deeper use of its financial services. Combined with upcoming cash management tools, the initiative supports deposit growth, enhances seller convenience and expands the capabilities of Square Financial Services.
Over the past three months, shares of this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company have gained 16.1% against the industry's decline of 1.8%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Stocks to ConsiderSome better-ranked stocks from the internet-software sector are BILL Holdings, Inc. (BILL - Free Report) and Atlassian (TEAM - Free Report) , each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BILL’s 2026 earnings per share (EPS) has moved northward by a cent to $2.64 over the past week.
The consensus estimate for TEAM’s 2026 EPS has moved up 17.1% to $5.48 per share over the past two months.
Note: Anything related to earnings presented in this write-up represents funds from operations (FFO), a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs.
Block (XYZ +0.62%) is an innovator within the world of financial services. Its Square segment, for example, provides numerous products, services, and software solutions specifically for merchants that have historically been underserved by the industry. The platform helps these sellers run their businesses better, supporting their ultimate success.
Recently, this fintech stock introduced a groundbreaking feature for its Square customers. In doing so, Block is trying to prove that the ultimate cryptocurrency has a real use case. Will this move work?
Image source: Block.
Further tapping into the Bitcoin ecosystem In 2018, Block's Cash App segment, which is a personal finance platform for individuals, introduced Bitcoin (BTC +1.17%) trading. This move was clear evidence that the business was a forward thinker. Bitcoin's value has grown to a $1.2 trillion asset today, even though its price trades about 50% below its record.
Block isn't done dabbling in the Bitcoin waters. In March, the Square segment enabled all its qualifying U.S. merchants (except those in New York) to accept Bitcoin payments at checkout. There are more than 4 million Square sellers, so this launch was certainly a notable development with a large addressable audience.
This move was a major advancement for Bitcoin penetration. According to River Financial, the number of merchants accepting the crypto for transactions was around 6,500 in North America at the end of 2025. This single solution from Block can be a gigantic move forward.
This move is yet another step by Block toward its Bitcoin ambitions. Besides the mentioned Cash App trading and Square payments acceptance, the business sells a Bitcoin hardware wallet called Bitkey and mining equipment under the Proto name. Through Spiral, the company also funds open-source projects.
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It's still early During the first quarter (ended March 31), Bitcoin activities only accounted for 2.3% of Block's total gross profit. The leading cryptocurrency won't move the company's financial performance in any meaningful way anytime soon.
But progress is being made. According to Bitcoin Magazine, citing a Block employee, 1 million sellers activated Bitcoin functionality as of mid-May.
It's still so early. If adoption among Square sellers takes off, however, while customers use it to transact, it's a bullish signal for Bitcoin. Other payment companies might also copy this playbook.
Block's innovation could prove to be a tailwind for Bitcoin. Less than two decades old, the crypto is still viewed primarily as an investable asset. For Bitcoin to further penetrate the global economy, its strongest bulls would agree that it needs to evolve into a more widely used medium of exchange, which will boost demand for it.
Block is helping drive that mission. This is certainly an encouraging development for Bitcoin investors.
For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.
Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.
It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreGrowth investors, on the other hand, are more concerned with a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score examines things like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will experience sustainable growth over time.
Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.
#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.7% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
The direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should always be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy, since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank.
Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Block (XYZ - Free Report) Block, Inc. was incorporated in San Francisco in 2009. The company does not designate a headquarters location as it adopted a distributed work model in 2021. It has been an S&P 500 constituent since July 2025.
XYZ is a #1 (Strong Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
Momentum investors should take note of this Computer and Technology stock. XYZ has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 5.4% over the past four weeks.
11 analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.23 to $3.86 per share. XYZ boasts an average earnings surprise of +3.5%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, XYZ should be on investors' short list.
Block, Inc. (XYZ - Free Report) is looking like an interesting pick from a technical perspective, as the company reached a key level of support. Recently, XYZ's 50-day simple moving average crossed above its 200-day simple moving average, known as a "golden cross."
There's a reason traders love a golden cross -- it's a technical chart pattern that can indicate a bullish breakout is on the horizon. This kind of crossover is formed when a stock's short-term moving average breaks above a longer-term moving average. Typically, a golden cross involves the 50-day and the 200-day moving averages, since bigger time periods tend to form stronger breakouts.
A successful golden cross event has three stages. It first begins when a stock's price on the decline bottoms out. Then, its shorter moving average crosses above its longer moving average, triggering a positive trend reversal. The third and final phase occurs when the stock maintains its upward momentum.
A golden cross contrasts with a death cross, another widely-followed chart pattern that suggests bearish momentum could be on the horizon.
Shares of XYZ have been moving higher over the past four weeks, up 5.4%. Plus, the company is currently a #1 (Strong Buy) on the Zacks Rank, suggesting that XYZ could be poised for a breakout.
The bullish case only gets stronger once investors take into account XYZ's positive earnings outlook for the current quarter. There have been 11 upward revisions compared to none lower over the past 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has moved up as well.
With a winning combination of earnings estimate revisions and hitting a key technical level, investors should keep their eye on XYZ for more gains in the near future.
As America’s workforce shifts toward variable income, Cash App and Afterpay complete their most ambitious product integration yet – expanding pay-over-time flexibility to the modern earner
DISTRIBUTED-WORK-MODEL/OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cash App today announced the general availability of Afterpay on Cash App Card, bringing Buy Now, Pay Later to eligible Cash App Card customers.1 The launch marks the full commercial realization of a product built for a new kind of American earner: one whose income doesn't arrive on a fixed schedule, whose financial needs extend well beyond a merchant’s checkout, and who has long been underserved by a traditional financial system that wasn't designed with them in mind.
Gig workers, creators, hourly employees, and independent contractors increasingly manage variable income across multiple streams and they need payment flexibility that moves with them. Afterpay on Cash App Card is built for that reality: pay-over-time for everyday spend categories like groceries, gas, restaurants, and utilities, built into the app millions of people already use to manage their money.
“Millions of people already trust Cash App Card for their everyday spending. What Afterpay on Cash App Card does is take that existing trust and extend it, giving eligible customers the flexibility to pay over time for any purchase, not just the ones a merchant has opted into. That’s what the combination of these two platforms makes possible: Afterpay’s best-in-class BNPL product, distributed through a financial ecosystem that tens of millions of people already rely on, for the everyday spend categories that actually matter to their lives,” said Owen Jennings, Executive Officer and Head of Business, Block.
The product pairs Cash App's real-time data underwriting, which evaluates cash flow patterns and financial behaviors rather than backward-looking credit scores, with Afterpay's pay-over-time expertise and transparent fee structure: a flat 7.5% finance fee, six-week repayment terms,1 no revolving debt, no down payment, and no impact to a customer's credit score. The result is a product that expands access to short-term credit for customers who have historically been excluded from it.
Early customer data makes clear that Afterpay on Cash App Card can be a regular cash flow tool, not simply a one-off purchase. More than three in five customers who have made an Afterpay on Cash App Card transaction have used it at least five times.2
The general availability of Afterpay on Cash App Card is the clearest proof point yet of what the convergence of Afterpay and Cash App makes possible. Building on the pilot launch, today's rollout extends Afterpay on Cash App Card to all eligible Cash App Card customers across Cash App's 59 million monthly transacting actives.3
Recent innovations from Cash App and Afterpay shared ecosystem includes expanding its Pay Monthly option — offering longer-term installment options on larger purchases — to merchant checkout for Cash App customers, and introducing the ability for customers to retroactively convert eligible peer-to-peer payments and Cash App Pay transactions into flexible installments. Together with Afterpay on Cash App Card, these capabilities form a comprehensive suite of flexible payment products built to meet customers however and wherever they choose to spend.
About Cash App
Cash App is the money app. Banking* on Cash App is easy: customers can receive paychecks early with direct deposit, spend money where Visa is accepted with a personalized Cash App Card, and grow their money with a separate savings balance - all without hidden fees. Customers can also create a unique $Cashtag to share with anyone to get paid fast, make purchases with Cash App Pay, trade stocks and buy and sell bitcoin**. With Afterpay***, customers can also pay over time in a way that best fits their financial needs through participating merchants or directly in the app. Download Cash App for free at cash.app/download.
*Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. See cash.app for more details.
**Brokerage services provided by Cash App Investing LLC, member FINRA/SIPC, subsidiary of Block, Inc. Stablecoin, Bitcoin Map, and Lightning Network are not available to New York residents. Bitcoin services provided by Block, Inc. Bitcoin services are not licensable activity in all U.S. states and territories. Block, Inc. operates in New York as Block of Delaware and is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. Investing and bitcoin are non-deposit, non-bank products that are not FDIC insured and involve risk, including monetary loss. Cash App Investing does not trade bitcoin and Block, Inc. is not a member of FINRA or SIPC. For additional information, see the Bitcoin and Cash App Investing disclosures.
***Afterpay is offered and managed through your Cash App account - no Afterpay account needed. Eligibility is based on several factors and is not guaranteed. Afterpay is not available in all states. Afterpay loans issued by First Electronic Bank, serviced by Square Capital, Inc. View state licenses.
1 Afterpay is offered and managed through your Cash App account - no Afterpay account needed. Afterpay loans offered and originated by First Electronic Bank, Member FDIC. Eligibility for Afterpay on Cash App Card is based on various factors and is not guaranteed. Afterpay on Cash App Card is not available in all states and some rates and terms may differ by state. Overdraft Coverage and Rounds Ups are not supported by Afterpay on Cash App Card. A Cash App customer identifies a Cash App Card purchase of $240 and opts to finance the purchase for a term of 42 days, with a finance charge of $18, and 6 weekly payments. The loan has a setup fee of 7.5% for a fixed APR of 65.15%. In this example, the customer will borrow $240 and owe 6 weekly payments of $43, for a total repayment of $258. Loan amounts range from $1 to $1000 and loan terms are 42 days.
2 Block internal data analyzed between February to May 2026 of new Afterpay on Cash App Card users
Here at Zacks, we offer our members many different opportunities to take full advantage of the stock market, as well as how to invest in ways that lead to long-term success.
The Zacks Premium service, which provides daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank; full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List; Equity Research reports; and Premium stock screens like the Earnings ESP filter, makes these more manageable goals. All of the features can help you identify what stocks to buy, what to sell, and what are today's hottest industries.
Also included in Zacks Premium is the Focus List. This is a long-term portfolio of top stocks that have all the traits to beat the market.
Breaking Down the Zacks Focus ListIf you could, wouldn't you jump at the chance for access to a curated list of stocks to kickstart your investing journey?
Enter the Zacks Focus List. It's a portfolio made up of 50 stocks that are set to beat the market over the next 12 months; each company selected serves as a foundation for long-term investors looking to create an individual portfolio.
One thing that makes the Focus List even more advantageous is that each pick comes with a full Zacks Analyst Report. This helps explain why each stock was selected and why we believe it's a good pick for the long-term.
The portfolio's past performance only solidifies why investors should consider it as a starting point. For 2020, the Focus List gained 13.85% on an annualized basis compared to the S&P 500's return of 9.38%. Cumulatively, the portfolio has returned 2,519.23% while the S&P returned 854.95%. Returns are for the period of February 1, 1996 to March 31, 2021.
Focus List MethodologyWhen stocks are picked for the Focus List, it reflects our enduring reliance on the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Brokerage analysts are in charge of determining a company's growth and profitability expectations, or earnings estimates. These analysts work together with company management to evaluate all factors that may affect future earnings, like interest rates, the economy, and sector and industry optimism.
Investors also need to look at what a company will earn down the road. This is why earnings estimate revisions are so important.
The stocks that receive positive changes to earnings estimates are more likely to receive even more upward changes in the future. Take this example: if an analyst raised their estimates last month, they'll probably do so again this month, and other analysts will follow.
Harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions is where the Zacks Rank comes in. The Zacks Rank is a unique, proprietary stock-rating model that utilizes changes to a company's quarterly earnings expectations to help investors build a winning portfolio.
Four primary factors make up the Zacks Rank: Agreement, Magnitude, Upside, and Surprise. Each is given a raw score that's recalculated every night and compiled into the Rank, and with this data, stocks are then classified into five groups, ranging from "Strong Buy" to "Strong Sell."
The Focus List is comprised of stocks hand-picked from a long list of #1 (Strong Buy) or #2 (Buy) ranked companies, meaning that each new addition boasts a bullish earnings consensus among analysts.
It can be very profitable to buy stocks with rising earnings estimates, as stock prices respond to revisions. By adding Focus List stocks, there's a great chance you'll be getting into companies whose future earnings estimates will be raised, which can lead to price momentum.
Focus List Spotlight: Block (XYZ - Free Report) Block, Inc. was incorporated in San Francisco in 2009. The company does not designate a headquarters location as it adopted a distributed work model in 2021. It has been an S&P 500 constituent since July 2025.
Since being added to the Focus List on March 28, 2017 at $17.25 per share, shares of XYZ have increased 341.16% to $76.1. The stock is currently a #1 (Strong Buy) on the Zacks Rank.
11 analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.23 to $3.86. XYZ boasts an average earnings surprise of 3.5%.
Additionally, XYZ's earnings are expected to grow 62.9% for the current fiscal year.
Reveal Winning StocksUnlock all of our powerful research, tools and analysis, including the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research Reports, Zacks Earnings ESP Filter, Premium Screener and more, as part of Zacks Premium. You'll quickly identify which stocks to buy, hold and sell, and target today's hottest industries, to help improve the performance of your portfolio. Gain full access now >>
The family-owned Thai Kitchen & Bubble Tea shop utilizes Square Marketing, Square Kiosk, and Neighborhoods on Cash App to deepen its foothold on a tight-knit Oregon community
DISTRIBUTED-WORKFORCE/OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Square today announced that Baker St Cafe - Thai Kitchen & Bubble Tea, a family-run restaurant in McMinnville, Oregon, is utilizing Square's unified commerce platform to power its standing as one of the town's most beloved dining destinations. In the two years since its founding, Baker St Cafe has established a strong local reputation enabling it to serve 1 in 7 residents* of McMinnville, and secured the Thai SELECT certification, a distinction awarded by the Royal Thai Government to just nine restaurants in all of Oregon to guarantee authentic Thai taste.
Founded by Fon Khunsamart, a Thai immigrant who grew up cooking alongside her grandmother and professional chef father, Baker St Cafe brings genuine Thai home cooking to a small American town. With Fon’s husband, Thomas Khunsamart, managing the operations and technology, and their three sons learning the business alongside them, the cafe runs as a true family enterprise. The couple relies on Square's unified commerce ecosystem including Square Register, Square Kiosk, and Square Marketing to handle more than 5,700 monthly transactions as they focus on providing the highest quality Thai dining experiences.
Unlocking the neighborhood with Square
Square Marketing has become the engine behind Baker St Cafe's customer attraction and retention strategy. At any given time, the cafe has more than 28 automated campaigns spanning email and SMS running simultaneously, with significant sales contributions directly attributed to their success. Even in a smaller town like McMinnville, the cafe has seen more than 700 campaign promotion redemptions. Rather than manually managing outreach, Baker St Cafe’s approach is to set up automated flows that run in the background, freeing Fon to remain focused on her craft in the kitchen and Thomas to spend more time ensuring smooth operations.
“Square is reliable and always launching new features – not staying stagnant,” said Thomas Khunsamart, Baker St Cafe co-owner. “A lot of companies roll out a product and don't update it for ten years. Square is always evolving, which we love."
Baker St Cafe joined the Neighborhoods on Cash App program in 2026 as an early adopter. The cafe’s growing Neighborhoods followers demonstrate encouraging engagement trends from follow to purchase. Followers also visit more frequently than the cafe's broader customer base. For Thomas, Neighborhoods represents a direct line to the cafe's most loyal diners, with a built-in pipeline of return visitors and a way to reclaim local market share from third-party platforms that would otherwise charge higher processing fees.
"I see a lot of people that live locally ordering on third-party platforms right away rather than trying to order directly with us even though they live locally," said Khunsamart. "Neighborhoods gives us a way to incentivize our local customers to keep coming back. The 1% processing on online orders, repeat customers, being able to communicate directly with those followers who are clearly excited to follow you and see your updates and get deals from you – that's what excites me most."
Data-driven decisions, down to the menu
Thomas uses Square's reporting tools for continuous optimization. Item-level sales reports inform every menu update: low-selling or complex dishes come off, and are replaced by items with better margins or higher customer demand. Kitchen workflow follows the data too. Sales trend history enables the team to anticipate slow days and reduce food prep accordingly, cutting waste and protecting the bottom line.
"I use the sales reports and item sales to see what is not popular," continued Khunsamart. "When I redo the menu I take off items that don't make much money or are harder to make. I use it to optimize kitchen workflow and replace it with a lower cost or higher ROI product that more customers will purchase."
A kiosk that keeps up with a world-class kitchen
Baker St Cafe runs Square Kiosk as a core part of its in-store ordering flow. For Baker St Cafe, the decisive advantage is automation: every menu change made in Square pushes to the kiosk automatically, with no manual updates required. That reliability pays off across a fast-paced counter environment where keeping up with a frequently evolving menu would otherwise be a recurring operational burden.
"We switched to Square Kiosk because I don't ever have to update it. Every time I make a change, it updates automatically," said Khunsamart. "That just made it easier for me as the owner."
"Baker St Cafe is a model example of what we aim to help neighborhood favorites become," said James Schonzeit, Head of Food & Beverage at Square. "A first-generation immigrant family, cooking real food, building a community from scratch in a small town, and doing it with the discipline of operators twice their size. In just two years, they've made themselves a local institution. There’s so much to learn from their success.”
Learn more about how Square powers restaurants at: https://squareup.com/us/en/restaurants
About Baker St Cafe - Thai Kitchen & Bubble Tea
Founded by Fon Khunsamart in McMinnville, Oregon, Baker St Cafe – Thai Kitchen & Bubble Tea is a family-owned restaurant bringing authentic Thai home cooking to the Pacific Northwest. Inspired by the recipes Fon grew up cooking alongside her grandmother and father in Thailand, the cafe is run by Fon, her husband Thomas, and their three sons. Thai SELECT certified by the Royal Thai Government, Baker St Cafe has become a beloved local staple known for its authentic flavors, warm hospitality, and deep roots in the McMinnville community. Learn more at https://www.thebakerstcafe.com/.
About Square
Square helps businesses turn transactions into connections and businesses into neighborhood favorites.
In 2009, Square started with a simple invention — the first mobile card reader, which changed how the entire financial system thinks about small businesses. Square has since grown into a global business platform helping millions of sellers of all sizes participate and thrive in their communities.
Whether independently run or a global chain, Square understands that sellers succeed when they have the freedom to focus on the experiences that keep customers coming back. From point of sale and payments to online commerce, staff management, cash flow tools, and more, Square brings together the tools sellers need to run and grow on one intelligent platform. For more information, visit squareup.com.
*Baker St Cafe has served more than 5,300 unique customers in McMinnville, Oregon, where the population is approximately 35,000 residents
Key Takeaways Block launched Afterpay on Cash App Card, adding BNPL for eligible everyday purchases.Block targets earners with variable incomes via a 7.5% fee and a six-week repayment plan.Block deepens Cash App-Afterpay integration to boost flexible payments and engagement. Block (XYZ - Free Report) recently announced the launch of Afterpay on Cash App Card, bringing eligible Cash App card customers under the sphere of Buy Now, Pay Later (“BNPL”). This arrangement has been designed for American earners with variable incomes and who are underserved by the current financial system.
The new feature enables gig workers, creators, hourly employees and independent contractors to spread the cost of everyday purchases, including groceries, gas, dining and utility bills over time, providing greater short-term financial flexibility.
Leveraging Cash App’s insights into users’ cash flow patterns and financial behavior, Afterpay offers transparent repayment terms, including a flat 7.5% finance fee and a six-week repayment schedule. The service is now available to all Cash App Card customers across Cash App’s 59 million monthly transacting active users.
The launch builds on the growing integration between Cash App and Afterpay. Recent enhancements include the expansion of the Pay Monthly option, which provides longer-term installment plans for larger purchases at merchant checkout. Cash App customers can also convert eligible peer-to-peer payments and Cash App Pay transactions into installment plans after completing a transaction, expanding access to flexible payment solutions.
The rollout of Afterpay on Cash App Card underscores Block’s strategy to deepen customer engagement by broadening access to flexible credit products. By addressing the needs of consumers with variable incomes and integrating BNPL options into everyday spending, Cash App is strengthening its position as a comprehensive financial ecosystem while creating additional opportunities for user growth and monetization.
How Are Cash App’s Competitors Fairing?Affirm (AFRM - Free Report) is a leading competitor to Cash App’s BNPL offering, largely because it is widely used by online and in-store merchants. It gives shoppers flexible installment plans, including short-term pay-in-four options and longer monthly financing. Affirm’s focus on transparent payment schedules and no hidden fees makes it a strong alternative for customers seeking predictable credit at checkout.
Klarna Group plc (KLAR - Free Report) is another major BNPL rival, competing directly with Afterpay/Cash App in retail payments. It offers pay later, pay-in-four and financing options across many merchants. Klarna also emphasizes shopping discovery, rewards and app-based deals, making it more than just a payment provider.
XYZ’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Block have risen 16.1% over the past year, outperforming the broader industry but underperforming the S&P 500 Index.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In terms of forward 12-month P/E, XYZ stock is trading at 17.22X, which is at a discount to the Zacks Internet Software industry’s 28.82X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Block’s estimate revisions reflect a positive trend. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for full-year 2026 EPS has been revised northward by a cent over the past week to $3.86. It indicates a significant increase year over year.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Block currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Key Takeaways Square expanded its partnership with Baker St Cafe through its unified commerce platform.XYZ's tools help attract customers, boost retention and increase repeat local traffic.Square Kiosk and reporting tools improve efficiency, menu decisions and profitability. Block’s (XYZ - Free Report) merchant-focused business, Square, has expanded its partnership with Baker St Café – Thai Kitchen & Bubble Tea, a family-owned restaurant in McMinnville, OR. Through Square’s unified commerce platform, Baker St Café is leveraging a suite of tools designed to enhance customer engagement, streamline operations and support long-term growth.
Square’s marketing solutions are helping the restaurant attract new customers while strengthening retention efforts. Participation in the Neighborhoods on Cash App program has increased visibility among local consumers, driving higher customer engagement, more followers and greater repeat traffic.
The restaurant is also utilizing Square’s reporting tools to analyze sales trends and menu performance. By identifying low-selling items with thinner margins, Baker St Café can replace them with higher-return, lower-cost alternatives, improving profitability and optimizing kitchen workflows.
Meanwhile, Square Kiosk is simplifying the in-store ordering experience through self-service functionality and automated menu updates. This eliminates the need for manual changes, reduces operational burdens and enhances overall efficiency.
The expanded partnership with Baker St Café underscores Square’s ability to deliver an integrated suite of tools that support both customer growth and operational efficiency. By combining marketing capabilities, data-driven insights and automated ordering solutions, Square is helping small businesses streamline operations, improve profitability and strengthen customer relationships. Such collaborations reinforce Block’s strategy of deepening merchant engagement and expanding the value of its Square ecosystem.
Over the past six months, shares of this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company have gained 13.9% against the industry’s decline of 9%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Other Stocks to ConsiderSome other top-ranked stocks from the internet software sector are BILL Holdings, Inc. (BILL - Free Report) and Atlassian (TEAM - Free Report) , each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BILL’s 2026 FFO per share is pegged at $2.59, suggesting 17.2% growth year over year.
The consensus estimate for TEAM’s 2026 FFO per share is pinned at $5.48, implying a significant increase year over year.
The physical payment accessories are linked to the Cash App Visa® Card*, enabling customers to pay without their phone or wallet
Cash App is releasing a limited run of the first model—the Cash App Wand—available starting today while supplies last
DISTRIBUTED-WORK-MODEL/OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Cash App is launching a new payment form factor that’s changing the shape of money. Cash App Tags are NFC-enabled, physical payment accessories that let customers pay without having to reach for their phone or card.
The first-edition Cash App Tag—the pearlescent Cash App Wand—is now available for Cash App Card holders to purchase in the app, while supplies last. Designed to match the way Gen Z expresses their style and identity, the Cash App Wand is equipped with a keychain so customers can clip, wear, and carry it with ease. Cash App Tags were built for on-the-go payments and also shine in situations where phones aren’t allowed or cumbersome to pull out, from paying for food at a venue that’s phone-free, to ordering merch at a music festival without digging through a bag for a card.
"While digital wallets are invisible and physical cards are often buried in wallets, Cash App Tags are just the opposite," said Thomas Templeton, Hardware Lead at Block. "We see a unique opportunity here to make payments visible and social for the first time. Early testers have told us that they've loved carrying the Wand and showing it off at checkout, so we believe there's a real appetite for this among our customers"
1 in 5 American teens2 already have the customizable Cash App Card—the most popular debit card in the US among this audience3—and use it as a vehicle for self-expression by choosing exclusive styles, stamps, and emojis, and even drawing their own designs. A recent Cash App survey of Gen Z consumers also found that 38% purchase collectibles, accessories, or limited edition items at least monthly, more than any other generation.4 Cash App Tags meet the moment by turning the point of sale into an eye-catching extension of customers’ personal style.
The Cash App Wand is the first of multiple styles Cash App plans to introduce. In the coming weeks, the brand will drop limited runs of new Cash App Tag designs to Cash App Card holders ahead of general availability later this summer.
“We see this as an early starting point for Cash App Tags. The number of form factors we can create is nearly limitless,” added Templeton. “From clothing to jewelry, almost any item can become a way to pay with this technology. We’re looking forward to hearing what our customers want to see next.”
To get started, customers must have an active Cash App Card. They can activate their Tag by opening Cash App on their phone, then linking their Tag to their Cash App Card by following the instructions in the app. Once the Tag is activated, customers can tap to pay in less than a second without holding a phone or card.
Since Cash App Tags operate the same as the Cash App Card, they will work where Visa tap to pay is accepted and there are no minimum balance or activity requirements. Tags also have built-in security features including real-time transaction alerts, 24/7 fraud monitoring, and the ability to instantly lock and unlock the Tag within the app. Customers can also use the app to deactivate a Cash App Tag at any time.
The Wand is available starting today for $25 (plus any applicable sales tax) exclusively through Cash App. Cash App Tags are currently available for eligible customers ages 13 and up.5
To learn more about Cash App Tags, visit cash.app/tags.
About Cash App:
Cash App is the money app. Banking* on Cash App is easy: customers can receive paychecks early with direct deposit, spend money where Visa® is accepted with a personalized Cash App Card, and grow their money with a separate savings balance - all without hidden fees. Customers can also create a unique $Cashtag to share with anyone to get paid fast, make purchases with Cash App Pay, trade stocks and buy and sell bitcoin.** With Afterpay,*** customers can also pay over time in a way that best fits their financial needs through participating merchants or directly in the app. Download Cash App for free at cash.app/download.
*Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, , pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card and Sutton debit flex card. See cash.app for more details.
**Brokerage services provided by Cash App Investing LLC, member FINRA/SIPC, subsidiary of Block, Inc. Stablecoin and Lightning Network are not available to New York residents. Bitcoin services provided by Block, Inc. Bitcoin services are not licensable activity in all U.S. states and territories. Block, Inc. operates in New York as Block of Delaware and is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. Investing and bitcoin are non-deposit, non-bank products that are not FDIC insured and involve risk, including monetary loss. Cash App Investing does not trade bitcoin and Block, Inc. is not a member of FINRA or SIPC. For additional information, see the Bitcoin and Cash App Investing disclosures.
***Afterpay is offered and managed through your Cash App account - no Afterpay account needed. Eligibility is based on several factors and is not guaranteed. Afterpay is not available in all states. Afterpay loans issued by First Electronic Bank, serviced by Square Capital, Inc. View state licenses.
Cash App users can now pay by tapping with a wand.
The Cash App Wand is a pearlescent physical payment accessory that is the first example of a new payment form factor called Cash App Tags, the company said in a Thursday (June 4) press release.
The Wand is equipped with a keychain so that it can be clipped, worn and carried with ease; is linked to the user’s Cash App Visa Card; and can be used anywhere Visa tap-to-pay is accepted, according to the release.
Like other Cash App Tags that will be introduced later, the Wand uses NFC technology to enable payments. Customers can use Tags by linking them to their Cash App Card, following the instructions in the app and tapping to pay. When using Tags, there’s no need for a phone or card.
The Cash App Wand was released in a limited run and can be purchased in the app for $25 while supplies last. Cash App plans to introduce several other styles of Cash App Tags in the coming weeks, per the release.
Thomas Templeton, hardware lead at Cash App parent company Block, said in the release that early testers of the Cash App Wand said they enjoy carrying it and showing it off at checkout.
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“We see this as an early starting point for Cash App Tags,” Templeton said. “The number of form factors we can create is nearly limitless. From clothing to jewelry, almost any item can become a way to pay with this technology.”
Templeton said in a Thursday post on X that in an earlier initiative, Cash App transformed payment cards from something boring to something people wanted to show off. The Cash App Card offers cardholders a choice of materials, colors and personalization.
However, the card still gets tucked away in a wallet, out of sight, he said. Cash App Tags, on the other hand, live outside the user’s wallet and in the world.
“The first Tag is a wand, because tapping to pay should feel a little more like magic,” Templeton said. “Not to worry, more forms coming throughout the summer.”
Key Takeaways Block's Cash App launched NFC-enabled Cash App Tags for tap-to-pay purchases without a phone.The first Cash App Wand targets Gen Z, combining payment functionality with personal style.Cash App Tags offer alerts, fraud monitoring, and in-app lock, unlock, or deactivation tools. Block’s (XYZ - Free Report) Cash App, the popular peer-to-peer payment platform, is introducing a new way to pay with the launch of Cash App Tags. These NFC-enabled physical payment accessories allow customers to make purchases with a simple tap, eliminating the need to pull out a phone or payment card. The launch represents another step in Cash App’s efforts to make digital payments faster, more convenient and more personalized.
The first-edition Cash App Tag, called the pearlescent Cash App Wand, is designed with Gen Z consumers in mind. Equipped with a keychain, the Wand can be clipped onto personal items, making it easy to carry and use throughout the day. The product blends payment functionality with personal style, turning everyday transactions into an extension of self-expression.
The launch aligns with strong engagement among younger users. According to Cash App, one in five American teens already has a customizable Cash App Card, which can feature unique styles, stamps, emojis and personal designs. Additionally, a recent Cash App survey found that 38% of Gen Z consumers purchase collectibles, accessories or limited-edition items at least once a month, more than any other generation, highlighting demand for products that combine utility and individuality.
Getting started with a Cash App Tag is simple. Customers with an active Cash App Card can activate their Tag directly by opening Cash App on their phone and linking it to their Cash App Card account. Once the Tag is activated, customers can tap to pay in less than a second anywhere Visa contactless payments are accepted. The Tags are particularly useful in situations where phones may be inconvenient or not-permitted to pull out.
Security remains a key feature of the new payment accessory. Cash App Tags operate through the Cash App Card network, providing users with real-time transaction alerts, 24/7 fraud monitoring and the ability to instantly lock, unlock or deactivate a Tag within the app. The Cash App Wand is currently available for $25, plus applicable tax, to eligible Cash App Card holders ages 13 and older. Cash App says more limited-edition Tag designs will launch in the upcoming months.
ConclusionThe Cash App Tags deepen Cash App’s ecosystem among Gen Z, create new revenue opportunities and brand engagement through collectible accessories, speed up everyday payments and maintain strong security. Together, these factors could help improve customer retention, increase card spending and strengthen Cash App’s cultural relevance.
Over the past three months, shares of this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company have gained 6.9% compared with the industry's 3.9% growth.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Other Stocks to ConsiderSome other top-ranked stocks from the Zacks Internet-Software industry are BILL Holdings (BILL - Free Report) and Paycom Software (PAYC - Free Report) , each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BILL’s 2026 earnings per share (EPS) has moved 20 cents upward to $2.59 over the past month.
The consensus estimate for PAYC’s 2026 EPS has moved 3 cents northward to $10.66 over the past week.
New brands join Cash App’s commerce merchant network, giving customers more ways to pay this season
DISTRIBUTED-WORK-MODEL/OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cash App today announced new retailers have added its commerce payment products — Afterpay and Cash App Pay — to their checkout experience, giving customers more places to shop and pay with the flexibility they want this summer.
New with Afterpay: Dog Friendly Co, GlassesUSA, Herff Jones, Jaxxon, k2o by Kylie Jenner, Kat The Label, Minky Couture, Monday Swimwear, Nanit, Rally House, REDVANLY, Shokz, and WeWoreWhat
New with Cash App Pay: Fubo, Instacart, Lime, and Sweetgreen
New with Afterpay and Cash App Pay: Made-it Pro, Shoe Carnival & Shoe Station, and Squire
"At Monday Swimwear, we're always looking for ways to make shopping more enjoyable for our customers. Adding Afterpay to our checkout gives our community the flexibility to invest in quality swimwear pieces and pay over time in installments. Whether someone is building their capsule swim wardrobe or treating themselves to that special bikini for summer, Afterpay lets them shop with confidence and manage their payments on their own terms. It's all about empowering our customers to feel their best, both in and out of the water,” said Shannon Owens, Head of Marketing, Monday Swimwear.
“More brands, more flexibility, more ways for customers to pay how they want — that's what this is about. Afterpay and Cash App Pay each serve a distinct customer need, and together they give our merchant partners a powerful set of tools to meet shoppers wherever they are in their purchase journey. We're proud to welcome all these new partners this summer and keep expanding what our commerce suite can offer,” said Tanuj Parikh, Head of Revenue, Afterpay and Cash App.
Afterpay and Cash App Pay are part of Cash App's commerce suite, designed to give customers more choice in how they pay. Afterpay lets shoppers split purchases into four interest-free1 or monthly installments. Cash App Pay lets Cash App customers pay directly from their balance or linked account. Together, they reflect Cash App's commitment to making checkout simpler and more flexible across the brands customers love.
About Cash App
Cash App is the money app. Banking* on Cash App is easy: customers can receive paychecks early with direct deposit, spend money where Visa is accepted with a personalized Cash App Card, and grow their money with a separate savings balance - all without hidden fees. Customers can also create a unique $Cashtag to share with anyone to get paid fast, make purchases with Cash App Pay, trade stocks and buy and sell bitcoin**. With Afterpay***, customers can also pay over time in a way that best fits their financial needs through participating merchants or directly in the app. Download Cash App for free at cash.app/download.
*Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. See cash.app for more details.
**Brokerage services provided by Cash App Investing LLC, member FINRA/SIPC, subsidiary of Block, Inc. Stablecoin, Bitcoin Map, and Lightning Network are not available to New York residents .Bitcoin services provided by Block, Inc. Bitcoin services are not licensable activity in all U.S. states and territories. Block, Inc. operates in New York as Block of Delaware and is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. Investing and bitcoin are non-deposit, non-bank products that are not FDIC insured and involve risk, including monetary loss. Cash App Investing does not trade bitcoin and Block, Inc. is not a member of FINRA or SIPC. For additional information, see the Bitcoin and Cash App Investing disclosures.
***Afterpay is offered and managed through your Cash App account - no Afterpay account needed. Eligibility is based on several factors and is not guaranteed. Afterpay is not available in all states. Afterpay loans issued by First Electronic Bank, serviced by Square Capital, Inc. View state licenses.
Cash App says several new retailers now offer its payment products at checkout.
The new integrations with Afterpay and Cash App Pay are designed to give shoppers greater flexibility, the Block-owned company announced in a news release Monday (June 8).
“More brands, more flexibility, more ways for customers to pay how they want — that’s what this is about. Afterpay and Cash App Pay each serve a distinct customer need, and together they give our merchant partners a powerful set of tools to meet shoppers wherever they are in their purchase journey,” Tanuj Parikh, head of revenue for Afterpay and Cash App.
“We’re proud to welcome all these new partners this summer and keep expanding what our commerce suite can offer.”
According to the release, merchants now offering Afterpay include Dog Friendly Co, GlassesUSA, Herff Jones, Jaxxon, k2o by Kylie Jenner, Kat The Label, Minky Couture, Monday Swimwear, Nanit, Rally House, REDVANLY, Shokz, and WeWoreWhat.
Instacart, Fubo, Lime and Sweetgreen have begun offering Cash App Pay, while Made-it Pro, Shoe Carnival & Shoe Station, and Squire now offer both options.
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“Adding Afterpay to our checkout gives our community the flexibility to invest in quality swimwear pieces and pay over time in installments,” said Shannon Owens, Monday Swimwear’s head of marketing.
“Whether someone is building their capsule swim wardrobe or treating themselves to that special bikini for summer, Afterpay lets them shop with confidence and manage their payments on their own terms.”
The announcement follows last week’s release of the Cash App Wand, a physical payment accessory that is the first example of a new “payment form factor” called Cash App Tags.
Linked to a user’s Cash App Visa Card, the wand can be used anywhere Visa tap-to-pay is accepted, using NFC technology to enable payments.
Meanwhile, recent research by PYMNTS Intelligence shows that while 53% of Americans are cutting back on spending, that hasn’t translated into greater use of buy now, pay later (BNPL) tools such as Afterpay.
As covered here last month, so-called “reactive consumers” — those whose spending and savings both decline and who responded almost entirely by cutting back — used BNPL at a rate of only 8%.
“By contrast, 48% of consumers who took proactive steps, such as adding income, negotiating bills and reaching for financial tools, used BNPL — six times more. BNPL account ownership tracks the same way: 37% of proactive consumers hold a BNPL account, versus 14% of reactive ones,” PYMNTS wrote.
Key Takeaways XYZ added new merchant partners for Afterpay and Cash App Pay across multiple retail categories.Afterpay offers installment plans, while Cash App Pay enables direct payments from Cash App accounts.XYZ broadens Cash App utility, supporting engagement and transaction-based revenue opportunities. Block’s (XYZ - Free Report) Cash App has expanded the reach of its commerce payment solutions, Afterpay and Cash App Pay, by adding several new merchant partners. The move aims to provide consumers with greater payment flexibility and a more seamless checkout experience across a broader range of retail categories.
Afterpay is now available at Dog Friendly Co, GlassesUSA, Herff Jones, Jaxxon, k2o by Kylie Jenner, Kat The Label, Minky Couture, Monday Swimwear, Nanit, Rally House, REDVANLY, Shokz and WeWoreWhat. Cash App Pay has been added as a payment option at Fubo, Instacart, Lime and Sweetgreen. Both Afterpay and Cash App Pay are now available with Made-it Pro, Shoe Carnival & Shoe Station, and Squire.
While Afterpay enables customers to split purchases into four interest-free installments or choose longer-term monthly payment plans, Cash App Pay allows users to pay directly from their linked Cash App accounts. Together, these solutions help simplify transactions and enhance the overall shopping experience.
The broader merchant acceptance of Afterpay and Cash App Pay enhances Cash App's utility beyond peer-to-peer payments, helping Block deepen customer engagement while creating additional transaction-based revenue opportunities. Increased adoption by merchants also strengthens the company's competitive position in the rapidly evolving digital payments and buy now, pay later (BNPL) markets.
Over the past three months, shares of this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company have gained 6.6% against the industry's decline of 0.3%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Other Stocks to ConsiderSome other top-ranked stocks from the internet-software sector are BILL Holdings, Inc. (BILL - Free Report) and Atlassian (TEAM - Free Report) , each sporting a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BILL’s 2026 earnings per share (EPS) has moved northward 8.4% to $2.59 over the past two months.
The consensus estimate for TEAM’s 2026 EPS has moved up 17.1% to $5.48 over the past two months.
Note: Anything related to earnings presented in this write-up represents funds from operations (FFO), a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs.
