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PayPal: solid Q2, guidance nudged higher

PayPal upped its full-year profit guidance after reporting a solid start to the year.
A paypal user reviewing the app on their phone.jpg

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PayPal reported second-quarter net revenue of $8.3bn, up 5% when ignoring exchange rate impacts. Total payment volumes rose 5%, with peer to peer and other consumer experiencing the fastest growth, up 10%.

Underlying operating profit rose 13% to $1.6bn. This growth was driven by a 7% uplift in the transaction margin (a bit like gross profit) which was helped by a shift in business mix to more profitable branded checkouts and credit.

Underlying free cash flow fell from $1.1bn to $0.7bn. Net debt was $1.3bn at period-end. The company repurchased $1.5bn of shares in the quarter.

Full-year underlying earnings per share (EPS) guidance has been raised from $4.95-$5.10 to $5.15-$5.30, pointing to growth of between 11-14%. Full-year free cash flow guidance of $6-7bn has been reiterated.

In the third quarter however transaction margin growth is expected to slow to between 3% and 5%.

The shares fell 4.4% in early trading.

Our view

HL view to follow.

PayPal key facts

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This article is original Hargreaves Lansdown content, published by Hargreaves Lansdown. It was correct as at the date of publication, and our views may have changed since then. Unless otherwise stated estimates, including prospective yields, are a consensus of analyst forecasts provided by Refinitiv. These estimates are not a reliable indicator of future performance. Yields are variable and not guaranteed. Investments rise and fall in value so investors could make a loss.

This article is not advice or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any investment.No view is given on the present or future value or price of any investment, and investors should form their own view on any proposed investment.This article has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and is considered a marketing communication.Non - independent research is not subject to FCA rules prohibiting dealing ahead of research, however HL has put controls in place(including dealing restrictions, physical and information barriers) to manage potential conflicts of interest presented by such dealing.Please see our full non - independent research disclosure for more information.
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Written by
Derren Nathan
Derren Nathan
Head of Equity Research

Derren leads our Equity Research team with more than 15 years of experience in his field. Thriving in a passionate environment, Derren finds motivation in intellectual challenges and exploring diverse ideas within his writing.

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Article history
Published: 29th July 2025