Jared Isaacman, CEO of Shift4 Payments, at the New York Stock Exchange on June 3, 2021.
Source: NYSE
Fintech stocks were in focus Tuesday as fresh earnings reports and analyst notes drove sharp reactions across the sector.
Shift4 Payments and Upstart Holdings surged following upbeat news, while PayPal shares were slightly higher despite delivering a strong earnings beat.
Shift4 shares rose more than 10% after the company reported better-than-expected first-quarter results and raised its full-year guidance.
Shift4 reported adjusted earnings of $1.07 per share, above the LSEG expectation of 71 cents per share. Sales in the first quarter of $848 million were below the consensus estimate of $868 million.
The payments firm, which has been pushing into new verticals such as stadiums, gaming and travel, projected adjusted EBITDA of $853 million for 2025, up from $843 million. End-to-end payment volume hit $45 billion for the quarter, topping StreetAccount’s consensus estimate of $43 billion.
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Shift4 Payments one day stock chart
Upstart Holdings rallied after Bank of America upgraded the stock to neutral from underperform, setting a $53 price target. The firm cited a more balanced risk-reward outlook, supported by improving business fundamentals and a more reasonable valuation, following a 45% decline in Upstart shares since mid-February.
Analysts pointed to encouraging signs of recovery, particularly Upstart’s increasingly diversified loan portfolio, which is expected to provide more stable volumes. Over the past 18 months, Upstart has added prime loans, HELOCs, small-dollar loans, and has enhanced its auto loan product, expanding its addressable market beyond subprime borrowers and reducing its reliance on riskier credit segments.
Shares of Upstart have traded sharply higher after each of the last three earnings reports, as improvements in funding and loan volumes have boosted investor confidence. Still, nearly 28% of Upstart’s shares are currently shorted, according to Bloomberg.
Upstart reports first-quarter earnings on May 6 with an artificial intelligence-focused Investor Day scheduled for May 14.
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upstart one day stock chart
PayPal, meanwhile, delivered a mixed headline quarter. Shares were 1.5% higher after reporting an earnings beat and revenue that fell slightly short of the Street’s estimate.
One bright spot was Venmo, as revenue rose 20% year over year, reflecting early progress in the company’s effort to better monetize the platform.
While it has long been a popular consumer service for sending money to friends, Venmo’s ability to drive meaningful revenue has been a major question mark for investors, especially as competition from rivals such as Zelle and Square Cash has intensified.
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PayPal shares move higher after reporting earnings
Venmo’s total payment volume rose 10% from a year earlier, but revenue grew twice as fast, reflecting the business opportunity. Venmo only gets revenue from specific products such as Pay with Venmo at online checkout, Venmo debit cards and instant transfers, but not from peer-to-peer payments.
Analysts at Mizuho said on Tuesday that while the stock reaction was initially negative, they expect it to rebound. They noted that branded total payment volume rose 6% year over year excluding leap day effects — a better result than expected — and that PayPal reiterated its full-year total payment volume growth target despite macroeconomic uncertainty, signaling underlying strength.
However, Mizuho flagged that keeping full-year earnings per share guidance unchanged despite a lower tax rate could remain a drag on sentiment.
On today’s extreme episode of Quick Charge, we’ve got the most affordable new EV in America packing 255 miles of range, sub-30 minute charging, V2H support, and more – all that for a price about $10,000 LESS than that new “affordable” Tesla.
We’ve also got specs for the all-new, all-electric Ferrari Elettrica and a world’s first, hydrogen-powered autonomous farm tractor from Kubota.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Climate XChange, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies. The nonprofit just kicked off its 10th annual EV raffle, where participants have multiple opportunities to win their dream model. Visit CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek to learn more.
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Momentum, the lifestyle-focused urban bike brand under Giant Group, has just launched the latest version of its popular Vida E+ electric bike – and this one’s all about making e-biking smoother, safer, and more accessible to riders of all experience levels.
The updated Vida E+ features a new 500W SyncDrive Move S motor offering 60Nm of torque and pedal assist up to 28 mph, designed to provide natural-feeling power whether you’re cruising to work or just exploring around town. The system uses a combination of sensors to analyze torque, speed, and cadence, automatically adjusting power output to match your pedaling effort.
According to Momentum, the motor engages with as little as 4Nm of pedal pressure and just 10° of crank movement, giving riders what they describe as an ultra-smooth and effortless start every time.
A new optional throttle adds another layer of convenience, letting riders cruise at speeds up to 20 mph without pedaling, which should be perfect for hills, traffic-heavy starts, or when you just want to relax and take it easy on the way home. The bike’s EnergyPak 700 battery provides up to a claimed 55 miles (88 km) of range on pedal assist or 43 miles (69 km) on throttle-only riding.
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The Vida E+ also leans hard into comfort and safety. It sports a low-step aluminum frame for easy on-and-off, an 80 mm suspension fork, and wide 26×2.4-inch tires for stability and plushness. Four-piston hydraulic disc brakes ensure solid stopping power, while a new automatic motor cutoff feature stops assistance as soon as the brakes engage. The bike is UL 2849 certified, meaning it meets top-tier safety standards for batteries and electronics, which is a growing priority in the e-bike world as more cities and states consider requiring safety certification as a prerequisite.
With support for up to 300 pounds (136 kg) total load and optional racks front and rear, the Vida E+ is also built for everyday utility. And on the tech side, momentum’s RideControl app lets riders fine-tune speed and assistance, lock or unlock the bike electronically, and monitor battery health.
VW’s US EV lease deals just went from hero to zero. Federal tax credits are now dead, the automaker has wiped out up to $12,000 in lease incentives on the ID.4, and ended $10,500 in discounts on the ID. Buzz. The move bucks the trend as other brands continue to sweeten their EV lease offers.
As of September 30, 2025, Volkswagen offered up to $12,350 in lease cash on the ID.4, depending on configuration. That included a $7,500 federal lease tax credit for lessees as Bonus Customer Cash, plus $3,500 to $4,850 in Dealer Lease Cash. It made the ID.4 one of the top EV lease deals around.
On October 1, those incentives vanished. While the ID.4 still has a 0% APR equivalent lease rate, drivers lost more than $12,000 in savings overnight. The ID. Buzz took a similar hit. Last month, the 2025 ID. Buzz offered $10,500 off MSRP between the $7,500 tax credit and $3,000 Dealer Lease Cash. Now, almost all lease cash is gone. VW Credit is offering just $750 in Dealer Lease Cash, and weirdly, not on models with two-tone paint. According to CarsDirect’s lease calculator, the lowest-priced ID. Buzz trim now carries an effective monthly cost topping $1,000 — a considerable jump.
For comparison, the ID. Buzz Pro S was previously advertised at $589 a month for 36 months with $5,999 due at signing, or an effective monthly cost of $756.
The ID.4 lease once cost just $233 a month, making it one of the cheapest EVs to lease. According to updated estimates, that figure is now north of $800 – that’s hair-raising.
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Meanwhile, VW’s rivals are going in the opposite direction. Ford extended its Mustang Mach-E lease deals through early January. Subaru’s updated 2026 Solterra still qualifies for the $7,500 lease credit, and Jeep replaced the expiring EV lease credit with equivalent bonus cash.
If you really want a Volkswagen, though, there’s some good news: financing deals haven’t changed. The 2025 ID.4 continues to offer 0% APR for 72 months, and buyers of the ID. Buzz can still get up to $3,250 in Bonus Customer Cash through November 3, a perk unavailable to lessees.
It kinda seems like VW doesn’t want to lease their EVs anymore…?? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
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