Bull of the Day: StoneCO (STNE)

StoneCo Company Overview

Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock StoneCo (STNE) is a leading fintech company based in Brazil. The company runs a complete end-to-end cloud-based platform that allows retailers and businesses to accept electronic payments across storefronts and mobile and online channels. Investors can breakdown StoneCo’s business into three primary segments, including:

1.       Payment Processing: STNE is the leading provider of point-of-sale payment processing services. Like Block (XYZ) (formerly Square) in the United States, STNE’s technology empowers businesses to accept credit cards, debit cards, and digital wallet payments through its point-of-sale payment solution.

2.       Banking Services: StoneCo is much more than a payment processor. Small and medium-sized businesses can use STNE to bank, pay bills, and manage accounts. In addition, because STNE collects transaction data, the company can utilize that data to assess a client’s creditworthiness and offer loans.

3.       Software Tools: Like Canadian e-commerce leader Shopify (SHOP), STNE offers a full suite of products that allow businesses to seamlessly conduct e-commerce transactions, analyze their client base, and manage customers.

StoneCo: Tapping into Brazil’s Digital Payment Growth

Stone allows investors to harness the growth of a largely untapped and rapidly growing Brazilian payments market. Brazil is the world’s ninth-largest economy and boasts the largest economy in Latin America, with more than $2 trillion in annual GDP. In Brazil, retail sales are growing, the middle class encompasses roughly 60% of the population, and the country is modernizing into a digital economy. Unlike the United States, Brazil’s digital payment economy is unsaturated, with roughly only 15% of consumers using digital payments currently. However, Statista predicts that, from 2025 to 2029, the Brazilian digital payment market will register a ~29% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) and grow from ~$300 billion to ~$900 billion.

STNE: A Consistent EPS Winner

StoneCO has consistently delivered EPS results above Wall Street expectations. The company has outpaced Zacks Consensus Estimates in twelve of the past thirteen quarters. Last quarter, despite a difficult and uncertain macroeconomic environment, STNE beat Wall Street’s top-and-bottom-line expectations. A positive EPS surprise of 21.88% last quarter suggests that STNE’s business is gaining momentum.

StoneCo Offers Growth at a Reasonable Price

Despite a more than 15% earnings surge, STNE shares are cheap and trade at a forward P/E ratio of ~8x EPS.

Bullish Trend Change

STNE’s technical picture echoes its bullish fundamentals. Following last quarter’s earnings results, shares bolted above the 200-day moving average and are breaking out of a multi-week base structure.

Bottom Line

StoneCo’s comprehensive fintech platform, consistent earnings outperformance, and attractive valuation allow investors to profit from Brazil’s digital payment transformation.

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

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