Financials & FinTech research, Galliano’s Financials Research

Victor Galliano

Financials & FinTech research

Financials & FinTech, EM & Developed Markets

Galliano’s Financials Research

Galliano's Financials Research provides fundamental research in Emerging Markets financials, including FinTech, as well as financials in select Developed Markets.

The investment style applied is generally value oriented, although Growth At Reasonable Price (GARP) strategies can also be used where appropriate. 

Our investment research approach aim is often contrarian, looking to capitalise on overly sceptical or optimistic consensus views. In terms of valuation techniques, the focus is on PBV ratio to ROE, PE multiples and dividend yield, as well as the application of PEG ratios and, where appropriate, Sum of the Parts (SOTP) valuations.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Our key positive picks in payments are two Brazilian companies, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pagseguro-digital-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27939:1" rel="noopener">Pagseguro Digital Ltd (PAGS US)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cielo-sa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24750:1" rel="noopener">Cielo SA (CIEL3 BZ)</a> </li>
<li>PagSeguro is our main pick, attractive on GARP metrics and with its higher take rate, it is our preference over its closest peer StoneCo</li>
<li>Cielo, the leading legacy payments company in Brazil, has seen its shares under pressure; yet fundamentals should be supported by the recent approval of WhatsApp Payments, given that Cielo is WhatsApp’s processor of payments</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/dlocal-ltd-uruguay" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33377:1" rel="noopener">DLocal Ltd/Uruguay (DLO US)</a> listed on NASDAQ in early June; the shares are up by 150% from its IPO price, and, even given the growth potential, valuations are looking full, so we see an opportunity to take profits</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/square-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23755:1" rel="noopener">Square Inc (SQ US)</a> is another premium growth story, but one where we believe current valuations are running ahead of the fundamental prospects</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/paypal-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4747:1" rel="noopener">Paypal Holdings (PYPL US)</a>  and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mastercard-inc-class-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15529:1" rel="noopener">Mastercard (MA US)</a>, although not as compelling on valuations as PagSeguro and Cielo, are also attractive stocks</li>
<li>Risks to our positive view on Cielo include lower than expected revenues from the WhatsApp Payments contract and for PagSeguro this includes a weaker than expected business climate for its core SME client base; risks to our negative calls on DLocal and Square include stronger than expected transaction activity and revenue generation going forward</li>
</ul>


Our key positive picks in payments are two Brazilian companies, Pagseguro Digital Ltd (PAGS US) and Cielo SA (CIEL3 BZ) 
PagSeguro is our main pick, attractive on GARP metrics and with its higher take rate, it is our preference over its closest peer StoneCo
Cielo, the leading legacy payments company in Brazil, has seen its shares under pressure; yet fundamentals should be supported by the recent approval of WhatsApp Payments, given that Cielo is WhatsApp’s processor of payments

DLocal Ltd/Uruguay (DLO US) listed on NASDAQ in early June; the shares are up by 150% from its IPO price, and, even given the growth potential, valuations are looking full, so we see an opportunity to take profits

Square Inc (SQ US) is another premium growth story, but one where we believe current valuations are running ahead of the fundamental prospects

Paypal Holdings (PYPL US)  and Mastercard (MA US), although not as compelling on valuations as PagSeguro and Cielo, are also attractive stocks
Risks to our positive view on Cielo include lower than expected revenues from the WhatsApp Payments contract and for PagSeguro this includes a weaker than expected business climate for its core SME client base; risks to our negative calls on DLocal and Square include stronger than expected transaction activity and revenue generation going forward


<ul>
<li>The investor rotation into value focusing in on EM and DM banks; our key picks are <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/credicorp-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25963:1" rel="noopener">Credicorp Ltd (BAP US)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/turkiye-garanti-bankasi-as" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25026:1" rel="noopener">Turkiye Garanti Bankasi As (GARAN TI)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/commercial-international-bank" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27625:1" rel="noopener">Commercial International Bank (COMI EY)</a> in EM banks, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/unicredit-spa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21234:1" rel="noopener">UniCredit SpA (UCG IM)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/caixabank-sa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21255:1" rel="noopener">CaixaBank SA (CABK SM)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bper-banca-s-p-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21165:1" rel="noopener">BPER Banca S.p.A (BPE IM)</a> in Southern Europe banks</li>
<li>Exchanges and Big Data, the convergence; <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/intercontinental-exchange-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10221:1" rel="noopener">Intercontinental Exchange (ICE US)</a> is strong on recurring revenues, and both ICE and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/s-p-global-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9735:1" rel="noopener">S&amp;P Global Inc. (SPGI US)</a> should deliver shareholder value creation from transformative M&amp;A</li>
<li>Potential for premium growth and returns in digital payments; we like <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nexi-spa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28921:1" rel="noopener">Nexi SpA (NEXI IM)</a>, where we see clear benefits from its M&amp;A, and we see <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/paypal-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4747:1" rel="noopener">Paypal Holdings (PYPL US)</a> as a core holding</li>
<li>Digital wealth managers focus on the mass affluent; <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/finecobank-banca-fineco-spa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21188:1" rel="noopener">Finecobank Banca Fineco (FBK IM)</a> stands out in Europe, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/xp-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28619:1" rel="noopener">XP Inc (XP US)</a> is the leader in Brazil but looks over-valued and exposed to increased competition, in our view</li>
<li>Risks to our positive views on our themes includes slower than expected growth in digital payments, transactions and increased regulation on big data; a slower than expected global GDP recovery also could adversely impact bank fundamentals</li>
</ul>


The investor rotation into value focusing in on EM and DM banks; our key picks are Credicorp Ltd (BAP US), Turkiye Garanti Bankasi As (GARAN TI), Commercial International Bank (COMI EY) in EM banks, and UniCredit SpA (UCG IM), CaixaBank SA (CABK SM), and BPER Banca S.p.A (BPE IM) in Southern Europe banks
Exchanges and Big Data, the convergence; Intercontinental Exchange (ICE US) is strong on recurring revenues, and both ICE and S&amp;P Global Inc. (SPGI US) should deliver shareholder value creation from transformative M&amp;A
Potential for premium growth and returns in digital payments; we like Nexi SpA (NEXI IM), where we see clear benefits from its M&amp;A, and we see Paypal Holdings (PYPL US) as a core holding
Digital wealth managers focus on the mass affluent; Finecobank Banca Fineco (FBK IM) stands out in Europe, XP Inc (XP US) is the leader in Brazil but looks over-valued and exposed to increased competition, in our view
Risks to our positive views on our themes includes slower than expected growth in digital payments, transactions and increased regulation on big data; a slower than expected global GDP recovery also could adversely impact bank fundamentals


FinTech & Financial Investment Themes 2021

<ul>
<li>The elephant in the Italian bank M&amp;A room is government controlled <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/banca-monte-dei-paschi-di-siena" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21162:1" rel="noopener">Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena (BMPS IM)</a>, which needs to find a merger partner in 2021; will that be <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/unicredit-spa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21234:1" rel="noopener">UniCredit SpA (UCG IM)</a>, post-Mustier, and who could be its new CEO?</li>
<li>We believe that, in the event of a Unicredit acquisition of BMPS, it would require meaningful “government sponsorship”; in effect, for BMPS, pre-deal, to dispose of the bulk of its NPLs – which is underway – and for a capital infusion that renders the deal to be capital neutral for Unicredit</li>
<li>The other big M&amp;A unknowns relate to the listed mid-cap banks especially <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/banco-bpm-spa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28121:1" rel="noopener">Banco BPM SpA (BAMI IM)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bper-banca-s-p-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21165:1" rel="noopener">BPER Banca S.p.A (BPE IM)</a>; these banks need to cut costs and branch networks, which can be more readily incorporated into a merger restructuring plan</li>
<li>We believe that the risk of a BMPS acquisition is largely priced into Unicredit shares, and we expect its wide PBV discount to premium valued <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/intesa-sanpaolo-spa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21200:1" rel="noopener">Intesa Sanpaolo (ISP IM)</a> to narrow;  our recommendation is to go long Unicredit, short Intesa</li>
<li>We think <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/credit-agricole-sa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21373:1" rel="noopener">Credit Agricole Sa (ACA FP)</a> is unlikely to sweeten the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/credito-valtellinese-spa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21175:1" rel="noopener">Credito Valtellinese Sc (CVAL IM)</a> cash offer of €10.50 per share, and with CreVal shares trading at a 7% offer premium, there could be downside risk</li>
<li>We remain negative on Banco BPM shares, as, in the wake of the CredAg offer for CreVal, we believe that BPM’s options are limited, and that it may be the potential “back-stop” merger candidate with BMPS, in the event of no deal with Unicredit; the alternative could be a BPM-BPER merger, and we turn constructive on BPER, after its protracted underperformance</li>
<li>Risks to our view include Unicredit acquiring BMPS on worse than expected terms, with Intesa on the other hand delivering better than expected synergies and savings from the UBI integration; other risks also include a bidder emerging for BPM, as well as no merger or bid for BPER</li>
</ul>


The elephant in the Italian bank M&amp;A room is government controlled Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena (BMPS IM), which needs to find a merger partner in 2021; will that be UniCredit SpA (UCG IM), post-Mustier, and who could be its new CEO?
We believe that, in the event of a Unicredit acquisition of BMPS, it would require meaningful “government sponsorship”; in effect, for BMPS, pre-deal, to dispose of the bulk of its NPLs – which is underway – and for a capital infusion that renders the deal to be capital neutral for Unicredit
The other big M&amp;A unknowns relate to the listed mid-cap banks especially Banco BPM SpA (BAMI IM) and BPER Banca S.p.A (BPE IM); these banks need to cut costs and branch networks, which can be more readily incorporated into a merger restructuring plan
We believe that the risk of a BMPS acquisition is largely priced into Unicredit shares, and we expect its wide PBV discount to premium valued Intesa Sanpaolo (ISP IM) to narrow;  our recommendation is to go long Unicredit, short Intesa
We think Credit Agricole Sa (ACA FP) is unlikely to sweeten the Credito Valtellinese Sc (CVAL IM) cash offer of €10.50 per share, and with CreVal shares trading at a 7% offer premium, there could be downside risk
We remain negative on Banco BPM shares, as, in the wake of the CredAg offer for CreVal, we believe that BPM’s options are limited, and that it may be the potential “back-stop” merger candidate with BMPS, in the event of no deal with Unicredit; the alternative could be a BPM-BPER merger, and we turn constructive on BPER, after its protracted underperformance
Risks to our view include Unicredit acquiring BMPS on worse than expected terms, with Intesa on the other hand delivering better than expected synergies and savings from the UBI integration; other risks also include a bidder emerging for BPM, as well as no merger or bid for BPER


Italian Banks M&A Scenarios: The Italian Job in 2021

Index Rebalance and Special Situations, Quiddity Advisors

Afridi Reyal

Index Rebalance and Special Situations

Quiddity Advisors

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>The SE600 index is one of the most widely followed benchmark indices in Europe. This index is rebalanced on a quarterly basis.</li>
<li>Based on the latest rankings, we see nine regular index changes for the March 2026 rebalance.</li>
<li>The final rankings are based on float market caps at close on 27 February 2026.</li>
</ul>


The SE600 index is one of the most widely followed benchmark indices in Europe. This index is rebalanced on a quarterly basis.
Based on the latest rankings, we see nine regular index changes for the March 2026 rebalance.
The final rankings are based on float market caps at close on 27 February 2026.


Quiddity Leaderboard SE600 Mar26: 9 ADDs/DELs Likely; Base Date Next Week

<ul>
<li>The SE600 index is one of the most widely-followed benchmark indices in Europe. This index is rebalanced on a quarterly basis.</li>
<li>In this insight, we take a look at the potential index changes for the SE600 and EURSTX Indices for the March 2026 rebalance.</li>
<li>We expect about eight changes during the March 2026 review.</li>
</ul>


The SE600 index is one of the most widely-followed benchmark indices in Europe. This index is rebalanced on a quarterly basis.
In this insight, we take a look at the potential index changes for the SE600 and EURSTX Indices for the March 2026 rebalance.
We expect about eight changes during the March 2026 review.


Quiddity Leaderboard SE600 Mar26: CSG IPO Question; 8 ADDs/DELs As Things Stand

Italy

Nexi is a European paytech company that offers digital payment services and infrastructure for banks, companies, institutions, and public administrations. It provides payment acceptance solutions, including credit, debit, and prepaid cards, along with services like payment and security, corporate banking, and POS solutions. The company is headquartered in Milan, Italy, and was founded in 1939.

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Nexi (NEXI IM)

Payments Companies – Our Core Picks

From our review of ten payments companies, we pick PagSeguro and Cielo as buys; we would take profits on recently listed DLocal and Square; other...

Victor Galliano

FinTech & Financial Investment Themes 2021

Our key 2021 investment themes and ideas in EM and S Europe banks, exchanges and data providers, digital payments companies and digital wealth...

Victor Galliano

Italian Banks M&A Scenarios: The Italian Job in 2021

Italian banks M&A is gathering and we take a largely contrarian stance on stocks; pairs trade long Unicredit, short Intesa; positive on BPER,...

Victor Galliano

Quiddity Leaderboard SE600 Mar26: 9 ADDs/DELs Likely; Base Date Next Week

We expect nine regular index changes in March 2026. All expected changes have small stand-alone flow sizes. The final changes will be based on...

Afridi Reyal

Quiddity Leaderboard SE600 Mar26: CSG IPO Question; 8 ADDs/DELs As Things Stand

The upcoming March 2026 rebalance of the SE600 is expected to bring about eight changes with the possible inclusion of CSG.

Afridi Reyal

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Payments Companies – Our Core Picks

From our review of ten payments companies, we pick PagSeguro and Cielo as buys; we would take profits on recently listed DLocal and Square; other...

Victor Galliano

FinTech & Financial Investment Themes 2021

Our key 2021 investment themes and ideas in EM and S Europe banks, exchanges and data providers, digital payments companies and digital wealth...

Victor Galliano

Italian Banks M&A Scenarios: The Italian Job in 2021

Italian banks M&A is gathering and we take a largely contrarian stance on stocks; pairs trade long Unicredit, short Intesa; positive on BPER,...

Victor Galliano

Quiddity Leaderboard SE600 Mar26: 9 ADDs/DELs Likely; Base Date Next Week

We expect nine regular index changes in March 2026. All expected changes have small stand-alone flow sizes. The final changes will be based on...

Afridi Reyal

Quiddity Leaderboard SE600 Mar26: CSG IPO Question; 8 ADDs/DELs As Things Stand

​The upcoming March 2026 rebalance of the SE600 is expected to bring about eight changes with the possible inclusion of CSG.

Afridi Reyal

The upcoming March 2026 rebalance of the SE600 is expected to bring about eight changes with the possible inclusion of CSG.