Yazılar

PayPal shares sink after CEO exit and weak 2026 profit outlook

/in /tarafından

Shares of PayPal plunged after the company replaced CEO Alex Chriss and issued a disappointing profit outlook for 2026, rattling investors and raising fresh doubts about its turnaround strategy. The board named Enrique Lores, currently head of HP, as the new president and chief executive, saying the pace of change under Chriss fell short of expectations.

PayPal said Chief Financial Officer Jamie Miller will serve as interim CEO until Lores takes over on March 1. The abrupt leadership change came alongside a forecast that adjusted profit next year could range from a slight decline to modest growth, well below Wall Street expectations. Analysts said the combination of a sudden CEO exit and a muted outlook suggests deeper challenges in reviving growth.

The company continues to face pressure from slowing retail spending and intensifying competition from Big Tech and newer fintech rivals. PayPal also reported quarterly revenue and profit below estimates, while growth in its higher-margin branded checkout business slowed sharply, adding to concerns about its core payments franchise.

Mastercard beats profit forecasts and plans 4% global job cuts

/in /tarafından

Global payments company Mastercard reported fourth-quarter profit that exceeded Wall Street expectations, supported by resilient consumer spending, while announcing plans to cut about 4% of its global workforce as part of a strategic restructuring. The move is aimed at reallocating resources toward priority growth areas.

Executives said the restructuring will result in a charge of roughly $200 million in the current quarter. Chief executive Michael Miebach said the company recently completed a strategic review that will reduce roles in some areas while increasing investment and focus in others. Based on Mastercard’s workforce of about 35,300 employees at the end of 2024, the cuts could affect more than 1,400 staff globally.

Despite economic uncertainty linked to trade policy concerns, persistent inflation, and a soft labor market, consumer spending has remained relatively strong. Mastercard reported a 7% rise in gross dollar volume during the quarter, driven by steady demand for travel, leisure, and essential goods. Cross-border spending volumes climbed 14%, reflecting continued international travel and overseas card use.

The company posted adjusted earnings of $4.76 per share, beating analyst expectations of $4.25, while revenue rose to $8.81 billion, also slightly above forecasts. Mastercard shares rose in early trading following the results.

France’s Atos Flags Steep Revenue Decline for 2025

/in /tarafından

French IT services group Atos warned it expects a sharp drop in annual revenue for 2025, citing ongoing contract losses that continued through the quarter ending December 31. The company said revenue is estimated to fall to about 8 billion euros, in line with its earlier guidance.

Chief executive Philippe Salle said the figure represents an organic decline of 13.8%, underscoring the scale of the challenges facing the group as it attempts to rebuild after years of financial strain. Once considered a flagship of Europe’s technology sector, Atos recently emerged from a major debt restructuring that nearly pushed it into collapse.

The company is pursuing a broad reorganisation that includes asset sales and job cuts, significantly shrinking a business that was once valued at more than 10 billion euros to around 1 billion euros today. Salle said customer confidence is slowly returning, though at a more gradual pace than expected.

Atos plans to exit around 10 additional countries in 2026, following divestments in Scandinavia and Latin America. Despite the revenue decline, the group said it expects to exceed its 2025 profitability target and will publish its outlook for 2026 alongside full-year results on March 6.