PayPal's stock is down 3.11% in pre-market trading, hitting a 52-week low amid broader market gains in the Nasdaq-100 and S&P 500.
The company is set to announce its fourth-quarter earnings on February 3, with analysts expecting earnings per share of $1.29 and revenue of $8.79 billion, reflecting a potential rebound despite ongoing competitive pressures from alternative payment methods. Additionally, PayPal's recent acquisition of Cymbio aims to enhance its position in AI-driven commerce, although analysts express caution with mixed ratings on the stock.
The upcoming earnings report could serve as a critical turning point for PayPal, as it seeks to regain investor confidence and address the challenges posed by declining payment activity and increased competition in the fintech space.
Wall Street analysts forecast PYPL stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for PYPL is 72.86 USD with a low forecast of 51.00 USD and a high forecast of 100.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
29 Analyst Rating
Wall Street analysts forecast PYPL stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for PYPL is 72.86 USD with a low forecast of 51.00 USD and a high forecast of 100.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
6 Buy
19 Hold
4 Sell
Hold
Current: 41.700
Low
51.00
Averages
72.86
High
100.00
Current: 41.700
Low
51.00
Averages
72.86
High
100.00
Citizens
Citizens
Outperform -> Market Perform
downgrade
2026-02-04
New
Reason
Citizens
Citizens
Price Target
AI Analysis
2026-02-04
New
downgrade
Outperform -> Market Perform
Reason
Citizens downgraded PayPal to Market Perform from Outperform without a price target following the Q4 report. The company's branded checkout growth slowed to 1% year-over-year, a four point deceleration, and its transaction margin dollars are expected to decline in 2026, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm says 2026. PayPal is also changing CEOs given a lack of execution with the incoming CEO, Enrique Lores, known for breaking up companies and instituting cost cuts. The Q4 results suggest PayPal is losing share and will likely need to invest more in consumer loyalty programs and merchant incentives to reaccelerate growth, contends Citizens.
HSBC
Buy
to
Hold
downgrade
$72 -> $47
2026-02-04
New
Reason
HSBC
Price Target
$72 -> $47
2026-02-04
New
downgrade
Buy
to
Hold
Reason
HSBC downgraded PayPal to Hold from Buy with a price target of $47, down from $72. The downgrade reflects lower confidence in company's ability to fix branded checkout and improve results, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm says PayPal's 2025 results, 2026 guidance, and CEO change raise questions about its "fixability."
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Compass Point
Dominick Gabriele
Sell
to
Neutral
upgrade
$51
2026-02-04
New
Reason
Compass Point
Dominick Gabriele
Price Target
$51
2026-02-04
New
upgrade
Sell
to
Neutral
Reason
Compass Point analyst Dominick Gabriele last night upgraded PayPal to Neutral from Sell with a $51 price target post the earnings report. The analyst does not like the stock or the fundamental trajectory of the business. However, PayPal shares are now pricing in "peak uncertainty" with a gap between CEOs and without fully knowing the new CEO's plan, the analyst tells investors in a research note.
Canaccord
Buy -> Hold
downgrade
$100 -> $42
2026-02-04
New
Reason
Canaccord
Price Target
$100 -> $42
2026-02-04
New
downgrade
Buy -> Hold
Reason
Canaccord downgraded PayPal to Hold from Buy with a price target of $42, down from $100, following the earnings report. The company's e-commerce payment volume is "maturing quickly" and its next phase of growth "remains elusive," the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm says PayPal "really needs a next chapter and solely doubling down on eCommerce one more time seems like pouring hot water through the same coffee grounds again."
About PYPL
PayPal Holdings, Inc. offers a technology platform. The Company’s products are designed to enable digital payments and simplify commerce experiences for consumers and merchants to make selling, shopping, and sending and receiving money simple, personalized, and secure, online or offline, including mobile. It provides consumers with a digital wallet that enables them to send payments to merchants securely using a variety of funding sources, which include a bank account, a PayPal or Venmo account balance, its consumer credit products, a credit card, a debit card, certain cryptocurrencies, or other stored value products. It operates a global, two-sided network at scale that connects consumers and merchants with 434 million active accounts across approximately 200 markets. Its brands include PayPal, Braintree, Venmo, Xoom, Hyperwallet, PayPal Zettle, PayPal Honey, and Paidy. It offers financing products through the PayPal Working Capital (PPWC) and PayPal Business Loan (PPBL).
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
