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The Financial Transaction Services industry is likely to be aided by the widespread adoption of digital means. To capitalize on the trend, the industry players remain equipped with efficient digital solutions suite built on collaborations and technology investments. Consumer spending habits remain favorable, which may boost transaction volumes. An uptick in cross-border volumes results from a growing international workforce and international trade. Possible interest rate cuts in 2024 are expected to make way for rebounding merger and acquisition (M&A) deals. Companies like Visa Inc. V , Mastercard Incorporated MA , Fiserv, Inc. FI , Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. FIS and Global Payments Inc. GPN are placed well to gain from the industry's encouraging growth prospects.

About the Industry

The Zacks Financial Transaction Services industry is part of the Financial Technology or the FinTech space, which includes companies with varying natures of businesses. The industry comprises card and payment processing and other solutions providers, ATM services and money remittance service providers and providers of investment solutions to financial advisors. The players in this segment operate their unique and proprietary global payments network that links issuers and acquirers around the globe to facilitate the switching of transactions, permitting account holders to use their products at millions of acceptance locations. Monetary transactions are effectuated through these networks, offering a convenient, quick and secure payment method in several currencies across the globe. The industry is benefiting from the ongoing digitization movement triggered by the pandemic.

4 Trends Influencing the Financial Transaction Services Industry's Future

A Rapidly Expanding Digital Era: The widespread adoption of digital means across every sphere of life provides a perfect ground for industry participants to capitalize on through an enhanced digital solutions suite. They pursue significant technology investments to come up with several flexible digital payment options such as cryptocurrency, biometrics, QR codes and buy now, pay later solutions. Additions of such lucrative solutions, that promise to ease everyday digital payments, within one's portfolio inevitably attract a higher number of customers and diversify the revenue streams of the companies. Apart from building a solid payment solutions suite, the industry participants also remain equipped with effective fraud prevention solutions to counter sophisticated forms of cybercrimes.

Favorable Consumer Spending: Consumers' affinity to spend more results in increased utilization of product and services suite of the industry participants. Therefore, the resultant benefit of increased consumer spending is reaped by them in the form of processing higher transaction volumes and subsequently earning higher revenues. Per Fitch Ratings, consumer spending was resilient across the United States in 2023, and strong wage gains, moderated inflation level and favorable consumer sentiment positively impacted the metric. The continued positive sentiment and excess savings made by consumers made Fitch revise the 2024 forecast for annual real consumer spending from 0.6% to 1.3%.Loading… Loading…

Solid Cross-Border Volumes: Financial transaction service stocks, having exposure to the cross-border business, benefit from an opportunity to process higher cross-border volumes as a result of an expansion in international trade and steady demand for efficient remittance services. According to The Brainy Market Insights, the global cross-border payments market is anticipated to witness an 8% CAGR over 2024-2033. Companies with enhanced cross-border payment solutions will be a lucrative option as they seamlessly process international transactions and manage currency exchange and settlement. The solutions portfolio remains of great use in enabling easy acceptance of payments from customers across different countries, sending supplier payments and, therefore, ensuring smooth business operations. The emergence of a rising international workforce sustains the solid demand for efficient cross-border remittance services.

Pursuit of the M&A Strategy: For building a digital solutions suite, the Financial Transaction Services industry players resort to a M&A strategy in addition to undertaking technology investments. These initiatives are essential means to expand capabilities, bring diversification benefits, boost customer base and solidify global presence. As the Fed points to possible interest rate cuts in 2024, borrowing costs are expected to witness a decline, thereby making it easier for industry participants to opt for loans to enter M&A deals and avoid complete exhaustion of cash reserves. After facing a roadblock in 2023, M&A activities are expected to rebound in 2024, per Morgan Stanley Investment Banking.

Zacks Industry Rank Instills Optimism

The group's Zacks Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all member stocks, indicates bright near-term prospects. The Zacks Financial Transaction Services industry is housed within the broader Zacks Business Services sector. It currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #73, which places it in the top 29% of more than 250 Zacks industries.

Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. The industry's positioning in the bottom 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries is a result of a negative earnings outlook for the constituent companies in aggregate.

Before we present a few stocks that you may want to buy or retain in your portfolio, let's take a look at the industry's recent stock-market performance and valuation picture.

Industry Outperforms Sector But Lags S&P 500

The Zacks Financial Transaction Services industry has outperformed its sector but underperformed the Zacks S&P 500 composite year to date.

In the said time frame, the industry has gained 6.2% compared with the Business Services sector's rally of 5.2%. The S&P 500 has gained 7.7% in the same time frame.Year-To-Date Price Performance

Industry's Current Valuation

On the basis of the forward 12-month Price/Earnings ratio, commonly used for valuing financial transaction services stocks, the industry is currently trading at 23.04X compared with the S&P 500's 20.88X and the sector's 25.44X.

Over the last five years, the industry traded as high as 32.49X, as low as 17.61X and at the median of 25.04X.Forward 12-Month Price/Earnings (P/E) Ratio

5 Stocks to Keep a Close Eye on

We are presenting five stocks from the Financial Transaction Services industry that currently carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Considering the current industry scenario, it might be prudent for investors to retain these stocks in their portfolio, as these are well-placed to generate growth in the long haul.

Visa: Visa, headquartered in San Francisco, is one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Numerous acquisitions, alliances and expanding payments volume continue to drive revenues of the company. Several digital solutions such as Visa Token Service, Visa Checkout and Visa In-App Provisioning have been developed by V in recent years to upgrade its digital platform. Investments worth $10 billion have been made by the leader in digital payments over the past five years in technology and innovation.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Visa's fiscal 2024 earnings is pegged at $9.89 per share, indicating a 12.8% rise from the year-ago reported figure. V's earnings beat estimates in each of the last four quarters, the average being 4.09%.Price and Consensus: V

Mastercard: The Purchase, NY-based company frequently resorts to tie-ups with financial institutions or undertakes significant investments to occupy a significant share in the global payments market. The Mastercard Cross-Border Services platform imparts customers the capability of safely conducting cross-border money trasfers across 30 countries. Its strategic acquisitions bolster its operational capabilities.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Mastercard's 2024 earnings is pegged at $14.35 per share, indicating a 17.1% rise from the year-ago reported figure. MA's earnings beat estimates in each of the last four quarters, the average being 3.49%.Price and Consensus: MA

Fiserv: Based in Brookfield, WI, Fiserv provides a varied array of products and services. The diverse product and service portfolio enables the company to serve various segments of the financial services industry. Its acquisitions of Skytef and Sled in 2023 are expected to facilitate the augmentation of the company's distribution network.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Fiserv's 2024 earnings is pegged at $8.62 per share, indicating a 14.6% rise from the year-ago reported figure. FI's earnings beat estimates in three of the last four quarters and matched the mark once, the average being 1.04%.Price and Consensus: FI

Fidelity National: The Florida-based FIS benefit from the sound performances of its Banking Solutions and Capital Market Solutions segments. The company pursues organic growth strategies and acquisitions, which, in turn, continue to fetch multi-year recurring contracts. Fidelity National comes up with advanced solutions in a bid to boost its client base and expand across addressable markets.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Fidelity National's 2024 earnings is pegged at $4.66 per share, which indicates an improvement of 38.3% from the year-ago reported figure. The consensus mark for 2024 earnings has moved 3.1% north over the past 60 days.Price and Consensus: FIS

Global Payments: Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Global Payments is aided by strong contributions from the Merchant Solutions and Issuer Solutions segments. Merchant Solutions' performance benefits on the back of higher transaction volumes. It resorts to acquisitions, partnerships and joint ventures for enhancing capabilities and boosting business scale. Buyouts remain one of the management's priorities to allocate capital.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Global Payments' 2024 earnings is pegged at $11.62 per share, indicating an 11.5% rise from the year-ago figure. GPN's earnings beat estimates in each of the last four quarters, the average being 2.04%.Price and Consensus: GPN

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2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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US

Woman missing for more than 60 years found ‘alive and well’

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Woman missing for more than 60 years found 'alive and well'

A woman in the US who has been missing since 1962 has been found “alive and well”, authorities have said.

Audrey Backeberg left her home in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, in July that year when she was 20 years old, Sauk County Sheriff’s Office said.

Investigators pursued numerous leads over the years but the case eventually went cold.

However, during a review of cold cases earlier this year, a detective reassessed all the case files and evidence, and re-interviewed several witnesses – and found Ms Backeberg.

The 82-year-old was “alive and well” – living outside of the state of Wisconsin, the sheriff’s office said.

Ms Backeberg was married and had two children when she disappeared on 7 July 1962, according to the Wisconsin Missing Persons Advocacy organisation.

She left her home to pick up her salary but never returned, causing her husband to ask family members where she was.

Shortly afterwards their 14-year-old babysitter claimed she and Ms Backeberg had hitchhiked to Wisconsin’s capital city Madison and then caught a bus to Indianapolis, Indiana.

The teenager said when she arrived she became nervous and wanted to go home, while Ms Backeberg refused to return and was last seen walking near a bus stop.

Ms Backeberg’s marriage was troubled and there were allegations of abuse, the Wisconsin Missing Persons Advocacy organisation said, with a criminal complaint having been filed days before she went missing.

Her relatives insisted she would never abandon her children, the organisation added, and her husband passed a polygraph test and maintained his innocence.

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‘We talked for 45 minutes’ – detective

Detective Isaac Hanson, who found Ms Backeberg, said her sister’s Ancestry.com account was vital in helping him locate her address.

“That was pretty key in locating death records, census reports, all kinds of data,” he told local news station WISN.

“So I called the local sheriff’s department, said, ‘Hey, there’s this lady living at this address. Do you guys have somebody, you can just go pop in?’

“Ten minutes later, she called me, and we talked for 45 minutes.”

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‘She sounded happy’

Mr Hanson said Ms Backeberg may have left home due to marital issues, but it was unclear why she had stayed away for so long.

He said he had promised to keep their conversation private.

“I think she just was removed and, you know, moved on from things and kind of did her own thing and led her life,” he said.

“She sounded happy. Confident in her decision. No regrets.”

Sauk County Sheriff’s Office said Ms Backeberg made the choice to leave and her disappearance “was not the result of any criminal activity or foul play”.

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Sports

Jets-Blues Game 7 preview: Key players to watch, final score predictions

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Jets-Blues Game 7 preview: Key players to watch, final score predictions

It all comes down to this. The Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets host the St. Louis Blues in the 200th Game 7 in Stanley Cup playoffs history Sunday (7 p.m. ET, TBS).

One team will advance to the second round, while the other will get an early start to the offseason — and try to fix what went wrong.

For the Blues, this is the club’s 19th all-time Game 7, the most of any non-Original Six team. They have gone 10-8 in Games 7s, with the most recent one being the 2019 Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins, which they won 4-1.

This version of the Jets has much less Game 7 history on which to draw; their only Game 7 was a second-round victory over the Nashville Predators in 2018.

Who wins this one? We’ve gathered the ESPN hockey family to identify the key players to watch in the contest — as well as their final score predictions.

Who is the one key player you’ll be watching in Jets-Blues?

Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter: If he plays, it’s Mark Scheifele. The hit in Game 5 from Brayden Schenn and/or Radek Faksa generated quite a bit of conversation about what is arguably the most physically demanding series in the first round. Scheifele’s play this season and this series prior to the hit reinforces what makes him a legit top-line center in this league. We saw how the Jets maneuvered around his absence for the final two periods of Game 5, while Game 6 proved why they need contributions from everyone if he can’t go.

But again, that’s if Scheifele plays. He skated Saturday in a tracksuit, with Scott Arniel saying the center will be a game-time decision Sunday.

Arda Öcal, NHL broadcaster: Connor Hellebuyck is the obvious answer here for me because he’s been “Vezina” at home (especially Game 2) and “Vezina from Temu” on the road.

Hellebuyck has allowed four or more goals in seven straight road playoff games, which ties the second longest such streak in Stanley Cup playoff history. But Game 7 is at home. The pressure is on but he’s in comfortable confines, surrounded by a “Whiteout.” Which version of Hellebuyck do we get Sunday night?

Kristen Shilton, NHL reporter: Connor Hellebuyck, of course. Has there been a Jekyll/Hyde performance like this in recent years?

The Vezina finalist can play lights-out at home and like a fish out of water on the road. Does that trend continue in Game 7? What version of the goalie shows up for this one?

But as a bonus, I’ll toss Pavel Buchnevich into this equation. He’s been driving the Blues’ offense, and if Hellebuyck is on his A-game then St. Louis is going to need Buchnevich to channel his hat trick energy from Game 3 to help the Blues pull off a stunning road win.

Greg Wyshynski, NHL reporter: Jordan Binnington renewed his title as one of the NHL’s most clutch goaltenders with his 31-save performance in Team Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off championship win over the U.S. — including six saves in overtime. He first earned it in 2019, backstopping the Blues to the Stanley Cup with Game 7 wins over Dallas and Boston.

Now he’s got a chance to reestablish those credentials.

Binnington had a 0.82 goals-against average and a .968 save percentage in those prior Game 7s. While Hellebuyck has been terrible in St. Louis, Binnington hasn’t been much better in Winnipeg, generating an .861 save percentage and a 3.44 goals-against average and giving up four goals in two of the three games. But as 4 Nations showed, Binnington can meet the moment. (Although this time, Kyle Connor will actually be in the lineup for the opposition. Not that we’re bitter or anything.)


The final score will be _____.

Clark: 4-3 Jets. There have been a few themes in this series. The first being that offense hasn’t been an issue — the teams have combined to score more than six goals in all but one game. The second is that the home team has won every game; I say that continues, and the Jets advance.

Öcal: 6-5 Jets. Hellebyuck doesn’t have his best game, but the Jets outscore that challenge, and Kyle Connor scores another third-period goal in this series to win it.

Shilton: 5-4 Jets. The Jets have been too good on home ice to let this one slip away. That’s not to say a St. Louis win would be surprising, but even if Hellebuyck is off, Winnipeg’s offense should be able to provide enough buffer that the Jets can squeak through with a narrow victory to advance.

Wyshynski: 5-3 Jets. The Jets would be toast if this game were played in St. Louis because it’s a demonstrable fact that Hellebuyck is a disaster on the road in the playoffs. He’s slightly below replacement at home in the postseason, but Winnipeg will take that considering his three removals on the road.

The Blues are first in the playoffs in 5-on-5 offense and goals-for percentage at home. But Winnipeg is second in both categories. Hellebuyck calms down, and the offense gets ratcheted up at home, especially now that Nikolaj Ehlers has a game under his belt, having not played since April 12 due to a foot injury.

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Environment

Meet Bodo – the 35 mph electric golf cart that thinks it’s a G-Wagen

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Meet Bodo – the 35 mph electric golf cart that thinks it's a G-Wagen

With a fully-enclosed, G-Wagen-inspired body and an 80 mile electric range, the Bodo G-Wagon golf cart is the NEV you need when you decide it’s time to get serous one-upping the rest of the Palm Beach country clubbers.

If you love the look of the $230,000 Mercedes-Benz G580 off-roader, but think the 579 hp, 6,800 lb. electric 4×4 is probably overkill for occasional trips to the golf course and country club, this G-Wagen-inspired golf cart might be just what you’re looking for.

The shiny black 2024 Bodo G-Wagon sold at Mecum Auctions last month for $31,900, which seems like it might not be a lot of money to the sort of person who decides to take a flyer on a goofy, limited-use EV that ships with real, metal doors, power windows, heating and air conditioning, fully digital instrument cluster and infotainment, and a “posh,” caramel leather interior.

It even has windshield wipers, power steering, and a rear-seat entertainment system that’s built into the front headrests!

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It’s really nice in there

Under the hood, the Bodo packs a 15 kW (20 hp) electric motor drawing power from a 10 kWh li-ion battery that won’t deliver a scorching 0-60 mph time (it only goes 35), but will deliver you and your buddies from one end of any golf course in North America and back several times over, thanks to the G-Wagon’s 80 mile range.

The official Mecum Auctions listing goes into a bit more detail, and I’ve included it here, in case it gets deleted after a while and you’re just finding this for the first time in 2027:

Be the envy of any country club or golf community showing up with this 2024 Bodo G-Wagon Golf Cart. Perhaps more appropriately known as an E-Wagon, this baby G-Wagon is powered by a 15kW motor with a 10kWh lithium battery. Boasting an 80-mile range and a 35 MPH top speed, the Bodo is an enclosed, luxury golf cart that pampers occupants with heating and air conditioning, rear-seat entertainment, power windows, power locks and a posh, caramel-colored interior. With the Bodo fitted with power steering and 4-wheel power disc brakes with brake boost, drivers will think they’re in a full-size G-Wagon, thanks to the multiscreen entertainment cluster, the rearview camera, windshield wipers, turn signals, running lights and so much more.

Finished in black with the right amount of brightwork, the overall vibe is one of jaw-dropping, smile-inducing fun. While the Bodo would be an excellent choice for any golf community, it should also prove to be hugely popular around a race track or car condo community as well, or maybe even a neighborhood with its own airplane runways. Over the past decade in particular, the demand for unique, luxury golf carts has been on the rise, and understandably so. The number of luxury communities with specific interests in sports, aero and auto has also been on the rise, with people buying homes in these exclusive locations to better engage with like-minded people. All too often a golf cart is the perfect way to get around these gated neighborhoods, and this one is enclosed, comes with the amenities of a full-size car and is infinitely more stylish.

MECUM AUCTIONS

You can check out a few more photos of the 2024 Bodo G-Wagon golf cart that sold at Mecum, below – and if you want one for yourself, you’re in luck! I found this brand-new 2025 “G600 E-Wagon” (in white) for $23,900 at Gulf Carts in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. Head on down to the comments and let us know if you buy it.

SOURCE | LOTS MORE PHOTOS: Mecum Auctions.


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