Visa’s Upward Trajectory: Oy, the Numbers!

Alright, folks, listen up! Visa (V +3.60%) shares went on a little jaunt upwards Monday. A little schlep if you will. They reported some numbers late last week, and let me tell you, they weren’t terrible. Not terrible at all! In fact, they were… good. Yes, good! Like a perfectly cooked brisket.

As of 2:35 p.m. EST, Visa’s stock price was up more than 3%. Three percent! That’s almost enough to buy a decent bagel in this economy. Almost.

Visa Benefits from the Expansion of the Global Economy (And People Still Like to Buy Things)

So, what happened? Well, Visa’s net revenue climbed a rather respectable 15% year over year to $10.9 billion in the quarter ended Dec. 31. Their CEO, Ryan McInerney (a lovely man, I’m sure, though I haven’t met him – yet!), said it was all thanks to “resilient consumer spending and a strong holiday season.” Resilient, huh? That’s a fancy word for “people just kept buying stuff.” Don’t overthink it.

The total number of transactions processed on their network increased by 9% to a whopping 69.4 billion. 69.4 billion! That’s a lot of swiping, tapping, and probably a few carrier pigeons still involved somehow. And international operations were particularly strong, with cross-border volumes rising 12%. Apparently, the world still needs… things.

All told, Visa’s adjusted net income grew 12% to $6.1 billion. And their adjusted earnings per share jumped 15% to $3.17, boosted by stock buybacks. Now, that’s what I call a financial fandango! It even beat Wall Street’s estimates. Those analysts expected $3.14 per share. A measly $3.14! They need to learn to dream bigger, people!

Visa is Positioning Itself for the Future of Commerce (Or, How They Plan to Stay Rich)

Now, McInerney, during a conference call (probably from a very comfortable chair), explained how Visa isn’t just about those little plastic rectangles anymore. They’re evolving! Like a platypus! It’s a whole new world out there, folks.

The core of our consumer payments business is the Visa credential. It is much more than a physical card; it can be digital, in a wallet, online, mobile. It’s the connection point to the Visa network on top of which we’re able to layer all types of services, solutions, and access now totaling more than 5 billion Visa credentials.

Five billion credentials! That’s enough to give everyone on the planet a Visa card… and a spare! So, what does this all mean for shareholders? Well, Visa’s credential-based strategy has them well-placed to benefit from the coming wave of cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence innovations, like stablecoin payments and agentic AI commerce. In other words, they’re betting on the future. A smart move, if I do say so myself. And as such, shareholders can expect further share price appreciation in the years ahead. Unless, of course, a giant meteor hits. But let’s not dwell on that.

2026-02-02 22:44

Visa Benefits from the Expansion of the Global Economy (And People Still Like to Buy Things)

Visa is Positioning Itself for the Future of Commerce (Or, How They Plan to Stay Rich)

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