Visa has one of the most resilient business models in the world and an economic moat that is the envy of many. As modern finance evolves, Visa is evolving along with it, making sure it isn’t one of those giants that die when technology replaces its product.
Visa Inc. is a global digital payment company that operates as a payment network. It does not issue cards or extend credit directly. Instead, it functions as an intermediary, providing the infrastructure for electronic payments to process transactions securely and efficiently across more than 200 countries.
It was established in 1958 to create a cooperative network of banks to manage and operate credit cards under a unified brand. The company offers credit, debit, and prepaid cards; commercial payment solutions, such as corporate travel cards; and digital payment services, including Visa Direct for real-time payments and various mobile payment solutions.
Visa’s 56.7% of total revenue is generated outside the U.S., while the U.S. contributes 43.3%. Transaction fees, which include data processing revenues and international transaction revenues, contribute approximately 49% of total revenue. Service fees, which are fees from financial institutions for transaction processing and related services, account for about 45.4%.
The company’s end markets encompass a wide range of sectors including retail, travel, e-commerce, and government services. Its top clients are all major banks, like JP Morgan, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo. Amazon, Walmart, Apple, and PayPal are also some of its clients from the technology sector. Government entities also use Visa for disbursements and payments, like tax refunds and social benefits.
Visa is loved by income investors because of its shareholder-friendly policies. The company pays out all of its free cash flow to shareholders, something that helps reduce volatility in its stock. But what really sets this company apart from the rest is its innovation, especially in the face of changing technologies.
Crypto and fintech platforms have changed the way we carry out our financial transactions. Many traditional financial institutions continue to stay stubborn and brush it off as something the new generation does. Yet Visa listens to this user base and wants to have the right solution for them so they don’t go elsewhere.
Take for instance its Visa Tokenized Asset Platform. It allows banks to manage stablecoins on the Ethereum blockchain. One of the things the company wants to do is be as close as possible to changes happening because of blockchain technology. It simply doesn’t want to miss out on technologies that could redefine the future of finance.
Among other modern innovations, Visa offers a Payment Key Service which helps users authorize payments with their device PIN numbers, removing the need for passwords. Similarly, the Visa Flexible Credential Service allows people to use multiple payment options with a single card.
Investors who look for a stable business with consistent payouts should find the stock attractive, despite a dividend yield that isn’t the best in the market. Considering the company’s willingness to grow and pay out what it earns, investors will eventually be rewarded through capital gain, making the stock an ideal growth investment.
Visa ranks 6th on our latest list of the 31 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 202 hedge fund portfolios held V at the end of the third quarter which was 216 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of V as a leading investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is as promising as V but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey.