Payments earnings give the week’s most direct read on how Americans are spending. Visa, PayPal and Robinhood report Tuesday, Oct. 27. Mastercard follows on Thursday, Oct. 29, according to TipRanks’ week-ahead calendar. Two government data points on household finances arrive the same week.
The payments earnings calendar and consensus
TipRanks lists analyst consensus, which is a forecast and not company guidance. Visa is expected to post $3.44 a share on about $12.09 billion in revenue. PayPal is at $1.31 on roughly $8.71 billion, and Robinhood at $0.56 on $1.44 billion. Mastercard’s estimate is $5.17 on $9.66 billion. The companies’ own releases are the numbers to trust.
Why card volumes matter most in payments earnings
Visa and Mastercard don’t lend money, so they don’t carry the credit risk that banks do. What they report is volume, and volume shows whether people are still spending. PayPal adds online checkout, and Robinhood shows how eager retail investors are to trade. Banks have already given the lender’s view. Capital One said card charge-offs fell to 3.98%, as our earnings report explains. Our preview of five consumer numbers has more.
The data that frames the week
The Conference Board releases its consumer confidence reading on Tuesday. The Associated Press reports it’s expected to fall again after September’s drop to the lowest level in more than a decade, according to Daily Sabah. On Thursday, the Bureau of Economic Analysis publishes September personal income and outlays, which includes consumer spending, per its release schedule. Our GDP and PCE preview covers the inflation side.
Editor’s take
Surveys say people are worried. Card volumes show what they actually do. If the two disagree this week, trust the volumes. This is general information, not financial advice.
