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>Once again, our shorts – especially Kakao Pay and Paytm – were more successful than our longs, given the protracted turbulent market conditions</li>
<li>For 2023, we favour Visa in the card network megacaps, adding Wise to the buys and we stick with PagSeguro; we drop Nexi from the buy list</li>
<li>Among our shorts, we stick with our negative view on DLocal, given its high take-rate and demanding valuations, and we stay negative on Kakao Pay due to its fundamental over-valuation</li>
</ul>


Once again, our shorts – especially Kakao Pay and Paytm – were more successful than our longs, given the protracted turbulent market conditions
For 2023, we favour Visa in the card network megacaps, adding Wise to the buys and we stick with PagSeguro; we drop Nexi from the buy list
Among our shorts, we stick with our negative view on DLocal, given its high take-rate and demanding valuations, and we stay negative on Kakao Pay due to its fundamental over-valuation


Payment Companies – 2022 in Review, Our High Conviction Calls for 2023

<ul>
<li>Lula’s narrow win in the second round of the Brazilian Presential election has so far passed in relative calm, although sitting President Jair Bolsonaro has yet to concede defeat</li>
<li>Markets will be hoping for a peaceful transition, and influential Bolsonaro allies have asked Brazilians to respect the result, to avoid social unrest and any potential intervention by the military</li>
<li>It is unclear how anti-market Lula’s policies will be but we expect downside risk for Brazilian financials and fintechs; Banco do Brasil is in for volatility, Itausa may be defensive</li>
</ul>


Lula’s narrow win in the second round of the Brazilian Presential election has so far passed in relative calm, although sitting President Jair Bolsonaro has yet to concede defeat
Markets will be hoping for a peaceful transition, and influential Bolsonaro allies have asked Brazilians to respect the result, to avoid social unrest and any potential intervention by the military
It is unclear how anti-market Lula’s policies will be but we expect downside risk for Brazilian financials and fintechs; Banco do Brasil is in for volatility, Itausa may be defensive


Brazilian Presidential Election; What Could a Lula Victory Mean for Financials and Fintech?

<ul>
<li>Brazil caps interchange fees on prepaid and debit cards, as from 1st April 2023, limiting revenues for Brazilian card issuers; Nubank and Inter seem most exposed, less so PagSeguro</li>
<li>We expect that Brazil fintechs StoneCo and Cielo, with their small card issuance operations, should be broadly unaffected</li>
<li>Nubank’s prospective revenue hit is more than 5%, Inter close to 5% and PagSeguro’s hit at 1-2%; we remain negative on Nubank, turn cautious on Inter, but find PagSeguro attractive</li>
</ul>


Brazil caps interchange fees on prepaid and debit cards, as from 1st April 2023, limiting revenues for Brazilian card issuers; Nubank and Inter seem most exposed, less so PagSeguro
We expect that Brazil fintechs StoneCo and Cielo, with their small card issuance operations, should be broadly unaffected
Nubank’s prospective revenue hit is more than 5%, Inter close to 5% and PagSeguro’s hit at 1-2%; we remain negative on Nubank, turn cautious on Inter, but find PagSeguro attractive


Brazil Fintech: New Cap on Card Interchange Fees, Nubank and Inter Look Most Exposed

<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>We think of value based on traditional valuation metrics, such as PE multiples and PBV ratios, and supplement these by metrics like PE to growth ratios to identify the more attractive names amongst growth – including FinTech – stocks</li>
<li>In Brazil, we continue to like <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/banco-do-brasil-sa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24564:1" rel="noopener">Banco Do Brasil Sa (BBAS3 BZ)</a>  and we add <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/banco-bradesco-sa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24569:1" rel="noopener">Banco Bradesco Sa (BBDC4 BZ)</a> to the attractive value category</li>
<li>We turn cautious on Brazilian challenger <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/banco-inter-sa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28162:1" rel="noopener">Banco Inter SA (BIDI11 BZ)</a>, based on valuation; it trades on a consensus 2022E PBV ratio of 17.8x and even compared to Nubank’s estimated valuation, and those of other digital banks, Inter seems expensive</li>
<li>In Mexico, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/grupo-financiero-banorte-o" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24780:1" rel="noopener">Grupo Financiero Banorte-O (GFNORTEO MF)</a> is much more of a positive consensus recommendation, yet we still believe that the stock has further to run</li>
<li>There is heightened political risk in Peru; <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/credicorp-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25963:1" rel="noopener">Credicorp Ltd (BAP US)</a>  has de-rated and is a stock to watch</li>
<li>Among the LatAm payments companies, we are positive on <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> </li>
<li>Despite its premium growth in AUM, we are cautious on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/xp-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28619:1" rel="noopener">XP Inc (XP US)</a>, due to eroding take rate and rising IFA costs</li>
<li>In exchanges, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/b3-sa-brasil-bolsa-balcao" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24580:1" rel="noopener">B3 Sa - Brasil Bolsa Balcao (B3SA3 BZ)</a>’s valuations have descended from the stratosphere but we believe that this stock could have further downside risk</li>
<li>Risks to our positive view on Banco do Brasil and Bradesco include higher than expected NPLs and lower than expected credit spreads, as well as soft fee growth; similar risks apply to Banorte, BanBajio and in the case of Credicorp we also add political risk; Banco Inter’s upside risks include better than expected opex control especially on new customer acquisition driving better than expected returns; XP upside risks include higher than expected take rate and lower than expected opex, and B3 could deliver stronger than expected revenue growth in FICC and derivatives especially</li>
</ul>


We think of value based on traditional valuation metrics, such as PE multiples and PBV ratios, and supplement these by metrics like PE to growth ratios to identify the more attractive names amongst growth – including FinTech – stocks
In Brazil, we continue to like Banco Do Brasil Sa (BBAS3 BZ)  and we add Banco Bradesco Sa (BBDC4 BZ) to the attractive value category
We turn cautious on Brazilian challenger Banco Inter SA (BIDI11 BZ), based on valuation; it trades on a consensus 2022E PBV ratio of 17.8x and even compared to Nubank’s estimated valuation, and those of other digital banks, Inter seems expensive
In Mexico, Grupo Financiero Banorte-O (GFNORTEO MF) is much more of a positive consensus recommendation, yet we still believe that the stock has further to run
There is heightened political risk in Peru; Credicorp Ltd (BAP US)  has de-rated and is a stock to watch
Among the LatAm payments companies, we are positive on Pagseguro Digital Ltd (PAGS US) 
Despite its premium growth in AUM, we are cautious on XP Inc (XP US), due to eroding take rate and rising IFA costs
In exchanges, B3 Sa - Brasil Bolsa Balcao (B3SA3 BZ)’s valuations have descended from the stratosphere but we believe that this stock could have further downside risk
Risks to our positive view on Banco do Brasil and Bradesco include higher than expected NPLs and lower than expected credit spreads, as well as soft fee growth; similar risks apply to Banorte, BanBajio and in the case of Credicorp we also add political risk; Banco Inter’s upside risks include better than expected opex control especially on new customer acquisition driving better than expected returns; XP upside risks include higher than expected take rate and lower than expected opex, and B3 could deliver stronger than expected revenue growth in FICC and derivatives especially


LatAm Financials Review: Focus on the Value Opportunities

Brazil

PagSeguro Digital Ltd. is a Brazilian financial technology company that provides digital payment and financial solutions primarily for consumers, individual entrepreneurs, micro-merchants, and small to medium-sized businesses. The company offers a range of products including point-of-sale (POS) devices, online payment tools, digital banking services via PagBank, and various credit and investment solutions. It was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil.

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PagSeguro Digital (PAGS US)

Payment Companies – 2022 in Review, Our High Conviction Calls for 2023

For 2023, we favour Visa in the card network megacaps, adding Wise to the buys and we stick with PagSeguro; for shorts, we remain negative on...

Victor Galliano

Brazilian Presidential Election; What Could a Lula Victory Mean for Financials and Fintech?

Lula's victory is near term negative for Brazil risk assets; in fintech & financials, we see volatility risk for Banco do Brasil, we are negative...

Victor Galliano

Brazil Fintech: New Cap on Card Interchange Fees, Nubank and Inter Look Most Exposed

Regulatory pressure, due to the interchange fee cap, worsens the revenue outlook for Nubank especially, as well as that of Inter; we see...

Victor Galliano

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

LatAm Financials Review: Focus on the Value Opportunities

We identify the most attractive LatAm financials on value and GARP metrics; Banco do Brasil, Bradesco, Banorte, BanBajio, PagSeguro; we are...

Victor Galliano

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