Financial services like banking and payments are the crux of the economy. Nothing happens without money moving through the system to make things happen. The financial sector is a sure-fire place to look for investment opportunities.
The best investment opportunities often come from buying into companies with promising futures that have stocks trading at bargain-basement valuations. Several fintech stocks match that description, making their stocks no-brainer buys. The best part? You can buy a share of these fintechs for less than $200 all-in.
Here are three fat stock pitches hovering over home plate today. Their potential market-beating returns make them home runs possibilities worth buying right now.
1. Nu Holdings
People may take access to a bank somewhat for granted in the U.S., but those in Latin America cannot. An estimated 122 million people in Latin America are unbanked, meaning they don’t even have basic bank accounts. This makes Nu Holdings (NYSE: NU) an exciting investment opportunity. The company provides banking services to roughly 90 million people in Mexico, Brazil, and Columbia.
Nu has excellent momentum. It has nearly tripled its customer base in just the past three years. Additionally, Nu has expanded its products and services. More customers using more services has fueled tremendous revenue growth. Its Q3 revenue was $2.1 billion, up 53% year over year.
Every growing business strives to reach the point where its costs stop increasing and its profits begin taking off. Nu’s business hit that critical threshold in 2023. Its Q3 net income was $303 million, up from just $8 million in 2022.
Shares trade at a forward P/E of just 23 despite Nu’s newly surging earnings growth. It seems Nu will quickly outgrow its current valuation if this performance continues. Given its opportunities to further penetrate the market for banking services in its region, there’s no reason to believe it can’t. That makes it a stock worth buying today in the expectation that its impressive operating results will eventually drive shares higher.
2. PayPal Holdings
Founded in the late 1990s, PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL) is somewhat of an artifact in fintech. It was one of the first online payment networks, and today, its roughly 430 million merchants and consumers are driving $1.5 trillion in total payment volume. Sometimes, old-guard companies get overlooked, especially in competitive spaces. However, PayPal’s long run could be a testament to its competitive strength.
The stock has sunk over the past couple of years due to a combination of market volatility and the impression that PayPal is growing long in the tooth and can’t compete with newer competitors. The company has begun addressing the second concern. In the fall, it hired CEO Alex Chriss, who came as an executive from Intuit. He’s leaning into making PayPal a more profitable business and is strategizing how to re-establish the company in the payments space.
PayPal may have to prove it still has the juice, but the business still generates a lot of value as is, and its compelling valuation ultimately makes the stock a no-brainer. Shares trade at a forward P/E ratio of just 11. Meanwhile, analysts estimate the company’s long-term earnings growth will average 14%. Its price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio, which is below 1, signals that PayPal is a bargain based on its expected growth.
3. Shift4 Payments
A company can thrive in a competitive industry without being the biggest player in it. Sometimes, it’s about finding a niche you’re good at. Shift4 Payments (NYSE: FOUR) has done just that. The payments company specializes in the restaurant, entertainment, and hospitality industries. Consistent execution in these specialties has helped Shift4 grow its payment volume from $5.9 billion in Q3 2019 to $27.9 billion in Q3 2023, a nearly fivefold increase in four years.
Competitive industries can sometimes make it hard to profit, but Shift4 is already doing well. The company generates free cash flow and net income, translating to earnings per share (EPS) of roughly $2.91 for 2023. Analysts believe its earnings will grow by 45% annually over the long term. Look for continued expansion in Shift4’s core markets and international expansion to drive that growth. The company acquired cross-border payments company Finaro to kick-start its expansion into Europe.
The stock is another example of a company with underappreciated growth ahead. Shift4 trades at a forward P/E ratio of just under 20, and a PEG ratio of less than 0.5. In other words, Shift4’s long-term earnings growth could only come in at half what analysts expected, and the stock would still be a bargain at today’s price. Unless something goes wrong for the business, it’s hard not to see investors thrilled with their future investment returns.
Should you invest $1,000 in Nu right now?
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Justin Pope has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Intuit and PayPal. The Motley Fool recommends Nu and Shift4 Payments and recommends the following options: short March 2024 $67.50 calls on PayPal. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
3 No-Brainer Stocks to Buy With $200 Right Now was originally published by The Motley Fool
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