Block's Ecosystem Expansion: Will Partnerships Boost Profitability?

Block Inc. XYZ has expanded its strategic partnerships, enhancing its ecosystem and market presence. By integrating its solutions into diverse business models, Block aims to enhance customer experiences and drive growth.

In Canada, Purdys Chocolatier has adopted Square's modern POS and retail solutions across over 80 locations. This transition aims to streamline operations and provide deeper consumer insights, aligning with Purdys' dedication to quality and customer satisfaction. The integration includes Square Register, handheld devices, marketing tools, gift cards, and delivery services through DoorDash, facilitating faster checkouts and deeper consumer insights.

In the United States, Block has expanded its Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services through Afterpay by partnering with Caleres, a leading footwear company. This collaboration offers flexible payment options across brands like Famous Footwear and Sam Edelman, catering to consumers seeking manageable payment plans.
 
Additionally, Uncle Sharkii, a fast-casual poke and boba franchise, has implemented Square's all-in-one restaurant platform across its 23 locations. This integration supports scalable operations, empowering franchisees with tools to manage both in-store and online channels efficiently. 

These partnerships highlight Block's strategy to diversify its offerings and strengthen its position in the market. By providing tailored solutions to various industries, Block aims to foster long-term relationships and drive sustainable growth. Its second-quarter gross profit rose 14% to $2.54 billion, with Cash App up 16% and Square up 11%. Adjusted operating income surged 38% with a margin of 22%, showing that scale and efficiency are starting to pay off.

How Are Block’s Competitors Faring?

Affirm Holdings, Inc. AFRM recently expanded its partnership with Stripe to become the first BNPL provider to be directly integrated into Stripe Terminal, the point-of-sale (POS) system used by more than a million in-store locations across the United States and Canada. This means shoppers paying in physical stores through Stripe’s POS devices can now choose Affirm at checkout. Affirm has an active merchant network of nearly 360,000 partners. 

PayPal PYPL recently forged several strategic partnerships to enhance its global payment infrastructure and expand its reach across various markets. In July 2025, PayPal announced the launch of "PayPal World," a cross-border payments platform developed in collaboration with NPCI’s UPI and Tenpay Global. This initiative seeks to connect major digital wallets worldwide, facilitating seamless transactions for nearly two billion users.

Block’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates

Shares of Block have plunged 12.8% year to date, underperforming both the broader industry and the S&P 500 Index.

Block shares are overvalued, as suggested by the Value Score of D. In terms of forward 12-month Price/Sales (P/S), Block is trading at 1.75X compared with industry’s 5.58X.

Estimates for Block’s EPS for 2025 have been northbound over the past 30 days.

At present, Block carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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