Dernières nouvelles pour Global Payments (NYSE:GPN) Stock

Global Payments

Global Payments is a leading provider of payment processing and software solutions and focuses on serving small and midsize merchants. The company operates in 30 countries and generates about one fourth of its revenue from outside North America, primarily in Europe and Asia. In 2019, Global Payments merged with Total System Services in an all-stock deal that gave Total System Services shareholders 48% of the combined company's shares. The merger added issuer processing operations.

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ILMN

La Bourse a tendance à offrir des gains bien documentés au cours des derniers jours de négociation de décembre, un phénomène connu sous le nom de &#34;rallye du père Noël&#34;. 



Cette période d&#39;optimisme a historiquement

Rallye du Père Noël : 10 actions du S&amp;P 500 qui surperformant de manière constante pendant l&#39;optimisme de fin d&#39;année

Global Payments Inc

The stock market has a well-documented tendency to deliver gains during the final trading days of December, a phenomenon known <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42667439/us-stocks-to-open-higher-on-shortened-trading-day-as-santa-clause-rally-period-begins-says-analyst">as the &#8220;Santa Claus rally.&#8221; </a>
This period of optimism has historically brought cheer to investors, with the S&amp;P 500 gaining in 64 out of the last 96 years during the Dec. 24–Dec. 31 window, averaging a respectable 0.85% return, according to data from Seasonax.
The Santa Claus rally's most memorable performance occurred in 2018, when the S&amp;P 500 surged 6.6%, its strongest year-end rally on record. Close on its heels was 1933, which delivered a 5.5% rally.
On the flip side, 1937 and 2000 stand out as exceptions, with losses of 4.6% and 2.4%, respectively, over the same period.
The pattern holds true even during election years, offering hope to traders as 2024 wraps up. In the past 24 election years, the S&amp;P 500 has posted gains in 15 instances, averaging a modest 0.7% return. Notable rallies occurred in 2008, with a 4% rise, and in 1928, when the index climbed 3.4%.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">10 Santa Rally Hyper Responders</h3>
For traders looking to capitalize on this seasonal tailwind, certain stocks have consistently outperformed during the Santa Claus rally window.
Here are 10 notable S&amp;P 500 stocks that have historically shone between Dec. 24 and Dec. 31 over the last 20 years:
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Company</th>
<th>Avg. Return</th>
<th>Median Return</th>
<th>Max Profit</th>
<th>Max Loss</th>
<th>Win Ratio</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Newmont Mining Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NEM#NYSE">NEM</a>)</td>
<td>+1.68%</td>
<td>+1.36%</td>
<td>+10.76%</td>
<td>-2.97%</td>
<td>65%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Illumina, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ILMN#NASDAQ">ILMN</a>)</td>
<td>+1.49%</td>
<td>+1.25%</td>
<td>+10.08%</td>
<td>-2.64%</td>
<td>60%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WDC#NASDAQ">WDC</a>)</td>
<td>+1.42%</td>
<td>+0.96%</td>
<td>+10.96%</td>
<td>-3.60%</td>
<td>60%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Assurant, Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AIZ#NYSE">AIZ</a>)</td>
<td>+1.41%</td>
<td>+0.56%</td>
<td>+14.33%</td>
<td>-4.07%</td>
<td>65%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mohawk Industries, Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MHK#NYSE">MHK</a>)</td>
<td>+1.32%</td>
<td>+1.22%</td>
<td>+8.81%</td>
<td>-3.94%</td>
<td>65%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Global Payments Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>)</td>
<td>+1.32%</td>
<td>+0.95%</td>
<td>+8.14%</td>
<td>-1.51%</td>
<td>75%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIS#NYSE">DIS</a>)</td>
<td>+1.28%</td>
<td>+0.52%</td>
<td>+9.27%</td>
<td>-2.89%</td>
<td>60%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Goldman Sachs Group, Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GS#NYSE">GS</a>)</td>
<td>+1.27%</td>
<td>+0.39%</td>
<td>+10.40%</td>
<td>-1.41%</td>
<td>70%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ON Semiconductor Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ON#NASDAQ">ON</a>)</td>
<td>+1.25%</td>
<td>+1.13%</td>
<td>+9.63%</td>
<td>-4.70%</td>
<td>60%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ralph Lauren Corp. (NYSE RL)</td>
<td>+1.19%</td>
<td>+0.51%</td>
<td>+8.21%</td>
<td>-2.36%</td>
<td>65%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Data: Seasonax</figcaption></figure>
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42671903/investors-aggressively-bought-stocks-etfs-despite-fed-volatile-week-bank-of-america-reveals-largest-inflows-since-2017">Investors Aggressively Bought Stocks, ETFs In Volatile Fed Week: Bank Of America Reveals Largest Inflows Since 2017</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Santa Claus Rally: 10 S&P 500 Stocks That Consistently Outperform During Year-End Optimism

In the current session, Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>) is trading at $111.71, after a 0.29% decrease. Over the past month, the stock fell by 4.62%, and in the past year, by 11.31%. With performance like this, long-term shareholders are more likely to start looking into the company's price-to-earnings ratio. 

<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1734963307_0.png" alt="Past Year Chart" />

<h3>Comparing Global Payments P/E Against Its Peers</h3>
The P/E ratio is used by long-term shareholders to assess the company's market performance against aggregate market data, historical earnings, and the industry at large. A lower P/E could indicate that shareholders do not expect the stock to perform better in the future or it could mean that the company is undervalued. 
Global Payments has a lower P/E than the aggregate P/E of 46.95 of the Financial Services industry. Ideally, one might believe that the stock might perform worse than its peers, but it's also probable that the stock is undervalued. 

<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1734963307_1.png" alt="Guage" />

In conclusion, the price-to-earnings ratio is a useful metric for analyzing a company's market performance, but it has its limitations. While a lower P/E can indicate that a company is undervalued, it can also suggest that shareholders do not expect future growth. Additionally, the P/E ratio should not be used in isolation, as other factors such as industry trends and business cycles can also impact a company's stock price. Therefore, investors should use the P/E ratio in conjunction with other financial metrics and qualitative analysis to make informed investment decisions.

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Intraday Update

Markets

P/E Ratio Insights for Global Payments

It's the holiday season, but the stock market's festivities have been anything but cheerful this week.
At the week&#8217;s start traders were buoyed by a record-breaking Nasdaq 100 topping 22,000 and an optimistic outlook on interest rate cuts ahead <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/24/12/42561549/fed-slashes-interest-rates-by-0-25-as-predicted-december-dot-plot-flags-only-2-potential-cuts-in-2025">of the Federal Reserve meeting</a>.
All signs pointed to the Santa Rally – a time Wall Street traditionally celebrates with stocks climbing during the final stretch of the year – making its grand entrance yet again in 2025.
Yet, just as traders were preparing for a festive year-end bull run, the Grinch arrived midweek to throw a wrench in the celebrations.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Grinch Steals The Show</h3>
Wednesday marked a dramatic turn of events as the Federal Reserve's hawkish tone sent shockwaves through the markets. 
Chair Jerome Powell delivered a lump of coal to investors by declaring a "new phase" for monetary policy. While the Fed had already cut rates by 100 basis points since September, Powell hinted at a prolonged pause, citing rates moving &#8220;meaningfully&#8221; closer to neutral territory. 
The implications were clear: the days of aggressive cuts are over. Even worse than that, the Grinch didn&#8217;t rule out the possibility of a rate hike next year. This unexpected twist sent shivers down traders&#8217; spines, leaving markets rattled.
The CBOE Volatility Index or VIX – Wall Street's so-called fear gauge – spiked over 70% on Wednesday, its sharpest single-day surge since February 2018. 
The S&amp;P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average recorded their worst daily performances in over two years, while tech stocks sank like a stone in deep water.
Hopes for a Santa Rally seemed to crumble as the Grinch stole the show. 
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">A Christmas Miracle?</h3>
Just when it seemed all was lost, Friday brought a glimmer of hope—the kind of plot twist only a Christmas story could deliver. 
Fresh inflation data offered an unexpected gift to traders: the Fed's personal consumption expenditure (PCE) price index rose by 2.4% in November, falling short of the anticipated 2.5%. Even more encouraging, the core PCE, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, held steady at 2.8%, undercutting predictions of 2.9%.
This softer-than-expected inflation print was the equivalent to finding a shiny new toy under the tree.
Risk appetite rebounded swiftly, with traders rushing to scoop up the stocks battered during the week's earlier sell-off. 
Sentiment brightened, and with it, the Santa Rally narrative began to regain momentum.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Santa Rally And Its Legacy</h3>
The stock market has a long-standing tendency to rally during the last trading days of December. 
According to data from Seasonax, the S&amp;P 500 has posted gains during the Dec. 20–Dec. 31 period in 76 out of the past 96 years, averaging a 1.92% return. Over the last eight years, this year-end rally has been remarkably consistent, delivering positive returns each time.
In the past three decades, the S&amp;P 500 has ended the year on a high note in 24 of 30 instances. Even the losses have been relatively mild, with the most recent December downturn occurring in 2022 when the index slipped by 1.8% during the final days.
With six trading days left in 2024, traders may still have time to save the Santa Rally.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">10 Stocks To Watch For Year-End Gains</h3>
Looking back at 20 years of data, here are 10 standout names within the S&amp;P 500 index that have consistently delivered strong year-end performances: 
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Stock</th>
<th>Avg. Return</th>
<th>Max Gain</th>
<th>Max Loss</th>
<th>Win Ratio</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Freeport-McMoRan Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FCX#NYSE">FCX</a>)</td>
<td>+3.63%</td>
<td>+14.63%</td>
<td>-13.51%</td>
<td>90%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Illumina, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ILMN#NASDAQ">ILMN</a>)</td>
<td>+3.62%</td>
<td>+20.76%</td>
<td>-2.56%</td>
<td>80%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Newmont Mining Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NEM#NYSE">NEM</a>)</td>
<td>+3.37%</td>
<td>+16.14%</td>
<td>-3.66%</td>
<td>75%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>The Mosaic Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MOS#NYSE">MOS</a>)</td>
<td>+3.29%</td>
<td>+13.26%</td>
<td>-5.98%</td>
<td>75%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Global Payments Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>)</td>
<td>+3.06%</td>
<td>+9.31%</td>
<td>-2.12%</td>
<td>75%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CBRE Group, Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CBRE#NYSE">CBRE</a>)</td>
<td>+2.94%</td>
<td>+13.46%</td>
<td>-2.25%</td>
<td>75%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Invesco Ltd (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IVZ#NYSE">IVZ</a>)</td>
<td>+2.80%</td>
<td>+10.23%</td>
<td>-2.83%</td>
<td>70%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ON Semiconductor Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ON#NASDAQ">ON</a>)</td>
<td>+2.73%</td>
<td>+11.45%</td>
<td>-3.78%</td>
<td>70%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mohawk Industries, Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MHK#NYSE">MHK</a>)</td>
<td>+2.60%</td>
<td>+13.58%</td>
<td>-6.57%</td>
<td>70%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Western Digital Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WDC#NASDAQ">WDC</a>)</td>
<td>+2.59%</td>
<td>+22.24%</td>
<td>-3.78%</td>
<td>65%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
Read now: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42627985/which-magnificent-7-stock-will-gain-the-most-in-a-santa-claus-rally-28-select">Which Magnificent 7 Stock Will Do Best In Santa Claus Rally? Tesla Edged Out As 28% Select…</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Courtesy of Shutterstock.

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Traders Fight The Grinch To Save The Santa Rally: 10 S&P 500 Stocks Poised For A Year-End Surge

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders will search for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges heavily from its normal worth. High amounts of trading activity could push option prices to exaggerated or underestimated levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Financials sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>GPN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$125.00</td>
<td>$576.0K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MS</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$130.00</td>
<td>$65.6K</td>
<td>5.1K</td>
<td>986</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>OWL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$30.00</td>
<td>$60.3K</td>
<td>3.8K</td>
<td>356</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>COIN</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$280.00</td>
<td>$67.8K</td>
<td>2.6K</td>
<td>261</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>12/27/24</td>
<td>$530.00</td>
<td>$32.6K</td>
<td>36</td>
<td>232</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SQ</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$75.00</td>
<td>$44.0K</td>
<td>4.9K</td>
<td>127</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>UPST</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>12/19/25</td>
<td>$95.00</td>
<td>$33.4K</td>
<td>288</td>
<td>17</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BLK</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$990.00</td>
<td>$32.8K</td>
<td>16</td>
<td>10</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>V</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/18/26</td>
<td>$300.00</td>
<td>$26.7K</td>
<td>78</td>
<td>8</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding GPN (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>), we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 147 day(s) on May 16, 2025. Parties traded 1200 contract(s) at a $125.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $576.0K, with a price of $480.0 per contract. There were 1041 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1200 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MS (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MS#NYSE">MS</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 28 day(s) on January 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 342 contract(s) at a $130.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 49 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $65.6K, with a price of $192.0 per contract. There were 5106 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 986 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding OWL (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OWL#NYSE">OWL</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 392 day(s) on January 16, 2026. Parties traded 355 contract(s) at a $30.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 7 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $60.3K, with a price of $170.0 per contract. There were 3814 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 356 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding COIN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>), we observe a put option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 28 day(s) on January 17, 2025. Parties traded 29 contract(s) at a $280.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $67.8K, with a price of $2340.0 per contract. There were 2687 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 261 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MA (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MA#NYSE">MA</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 7 day(s) on December 27, 2024. This event was a transfer of 86 contract(s) at a $530.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $32.6K, with a price of $380.0 per contract. There were 36 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 232 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For SQ (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SQ#NYSE">SQ</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 28 day(s) on January 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 27 contract(s) at a $75.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 7 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $44.0K, with a price of $1630.0 per contract. There were 4935 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 127 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding UPST (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UPST#NASDAQ">UPST</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 364 day(s) on December 19, 2025. Parties traded 17 contract(s) at a $95.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $33.4K, with a price of $1970.0 per contract. There were 288 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 17 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For BLK (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLK#NYSE">BLK</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 91 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 4 contract(s) at a $990.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $32.8K, with a price of $8220.0 per contract. There were 16 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 10 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For V (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/V#NYSE">V</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 545 day(s) on June 18, 2026. This event was a transfer of 5 contract(s) at a $300.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.7K, with a price of $5350.0 per contract. There were 78 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 8 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

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UPST

9 Financials Stocks Whale Activity In Today's Session

On Wednesday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced significant measures to protect consumers from deceptive <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/credit-cards" rel="noreferrer noopener">credit card</a> practices and help them save money on interest and fees.
These efforts include issuing a circular to law enforcement agencies, publishing new research on retail credit cards, and launching a comparison tool to aid consumers in navigating the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-takes-action-on-bait-and-switch-credit-card-rewards-tactics/" rel="noreferrer noopener">credit card market</a>.
Investors will closely watch credit card companies, including Visa Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/V#NYSE">V</a>), Mastercard Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MA#NYSE">MA</a>), American Express Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AXP#NYSE">AXP</a>), Affirm Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AFRM#NASDAQ">AFRM</a>), Corpay, Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CPAY#NYSE">CPAY</a>), Global Payments Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>) and Shift4 Payments, Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FOUR#NYSE">FOUR</a>).
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42553094/jabil-q1-earnings-tops-expectations-cloud-and-data-center-growth-outlook" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jabil Q1 Earnings: Revenue And EPS Beat, Cloud and Data Center Growth, Raises Annual Outlook</a>
According to the CFPB, some credit card issuers may be engaging in illegal practices such as devaluing rewards points or miles, making it difficult for consumers to redeem promised benefits.
The agency highlighted that companies could face penalties if they fail to deliver advertised rewards, mislead users with hidden terms, or revoke rewards through unclear policies.
The circular aims to deter companies from engaging in bait-and-switch tactics and to encourage fair competition within the credit card industry.
As part of its ongoing research, the CFPB discovered that retail credit cards often charge higher interest rates than general-purpose cards. According to the study, more than 90% of retail cards carry a maximum annual percentage rate (APR) above 30%, compared to just 38% for non-retail cards.
Retail cards, frequently promoted during peak shopping seasons, also account for a disproportionate share of late fees, highlighting potential consumer risks.
The CFPB unveiled its &#8220;Explore Credit Cards&#8221; tool to address these concerns, designed to provide unbiased information about over 500 credit cards. Unlike traditional comparison sites, this platform enables users to compare cards based on interest rates, fees, and rewards without pay-to-play promotions.
Earlier this year, the CFPB revealed that larger credit card issuers charge significantly higher interest rates than smaller banks and credit unions. By making average interest rate data publicly accessible, the CFPB aims to empower consumers to make informed decisions and find the best rates tailored to their needs.
The CFPB plans to continue monitoring the credit card market and welcomes voluntary data contributions from additional issuers to enhance its comparison tool further.
In October, the CFPB ordered Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) and Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GS#NYSE">GS</a>) to pay <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/10/41501333/apple-goldman-sachs-fined-89-million-over-apple-card-missteps-government-watchdog-orders-victim-comp" rel="noreferrer noopener">$89 million in fines</a> for deceptive practices regarding the Apple Card.
In December, Morgan Stanley (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MS#NYSE">MS</a>) Wealth Management agreed to pay a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42405341/morgan-stanley-agrees-to-pay-15m-penalty-to-settle-sec-charges-over-advisors-stealing-client-funds" rel="noreferrer noopener">$15 million fine</a> after the SEC found the firm failed to prevent financial advisors from using client funds to cover personal credit card bills. The SEC investigation uncovered gaps in supervisory practices between 2015 and 2022, allowing unauthorized Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfers to advisors&#8217; accounts.
Also Read:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/emerging-markets/24/12/42552200/sony-semiconductor-hits-20-billion-image-sensor-shipments-plans-expansion" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sony Semiconductor Hits 20 Billion Image Sensor Shipments, Plans Expansion</a></li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock

Government

Regulations

AAPL

AFRM

CPAY

FOUR

Consumer Finance Watchdog Cracks Down on Credit Card Sneaky Fees and False Promises

Analysts' ratings for Global Payments (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>) over the last quarter vary from bullish to bearish, as provided by 17 analysts.
The table below provides a snapshot of their recent ratings, showcasing how sentiments have evolved over the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th align="right">Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Indifferent</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th align="right">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
<td align="right">9</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Analysts provide deeper insights through their assessments of 12-month price targets, revealing an average target of $137.94, a high estimate of $194.00, and a low estimate of $112.00. This current average represents a 3.46% decrease from the previous average price target of $142.88. 
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1734544840_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Breaking Down Analyst Ratings: A Detailed Examination</h2>
An in-depth analysis of recent analyst actions unveils how financial experts perceive Global Payments. The following summary outlines key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Analyst</th>
<th>Analyst Firm</th>
<th>Action Taken</th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>Current Price Target</th>
<th>Prior Price Target</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>James Faucette</td>
<td>Morgan Stanley</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$166.00</td>
<td>$156.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ramsey El-Assal</td>
<td>Barclays</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$135.00</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Vasundhara Govil</td>
<td>Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$140.00</td>
<td>$130.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Will Nance</td>
<td>Goldman Sachs</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$155.00</td>
<td>$135.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Daniel Perlin</td>
<td>RBC Capital</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$130.00</td>
<td>$143.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tien-Tsin Huang</td>
<td>JP Morgan</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$115.00</td>
<td>$118.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Harshita Rawat</td>
<td>Bernstein</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Market Perform</td>
<td>$112.00</td>
<td>$135.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Charles Nabhan</td>
<td>Stephens &amp; Co.</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$125.00</td>
<td>$130.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Trevor Williams</td>
<td>Jefferies</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$130.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Daniel Perlin</td>
<td>RBC Capital</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$143.00</td>
<td>$158.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ramsey El-Assal</td>
<td>Barclays</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$145.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rufus Hone</td>
<td>BMO Capital</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Market Perform</td>
<td>$122.00</td>
<td>$126.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>James Faucette</td>
<td>Morgan Stanley</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$156.00</td>
<td>$164.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hal Goetsch</td>
<td>B. Riley Securities</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$194.00</td>
<td>$204.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Gus Gala</td>
<td>Monness, Crespi, Hardt</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$155.00</td>
<td>$165.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bryan Bergin</td>
<td>TD Cowen</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$122.00</td>
<td>$125.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alex Markgraff</td>
<td>Keybanc</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$135.00</td>
<td>$145.00</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: Analysts adapt their recommendations to changing market conditions and company performance. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise' or 'Lower' their stance, it reflects their response to recent developments related to Global Payments. This information provides a snapshot of how analysts perceive the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Gaining insights, analysts provide qualitative assessments, ranging from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings reflect expectations for the relative performance of Global Payments compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Delving into movements, analysts provide estimates for the future value of Global Payments's stock. This analysis reveals shifts in analysts' expectations over time.</li>
</ul>
Understanding these analyst evaluations alongside key financial indicators can offer valuable insights into Global Payments's market standing. Stay informed and make well-considered decisions with our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/GPN/analyst-ratings?utm_source=Benzinga Insights">Stay up to date on Global Payments analyst ratings.</a>
<h2>Get to Know Global Payments Better</h2>
Global Payments is a leading provider of payment processing and software solutions and focuses on serving small and midsize merchants. The company operates in 30 countries and generates about one fourth of its revenue from outside North America, primarily in Europe and Asia. In 2019, Global Payments merged with Total System Services in an all-stock deal that gave Total System Services shareholders 48% of the combined company's shares. The merger added issuer processing operations.
<h3>Breaking Down Global Payments's Financial Performance</h3>
Market Capitalization Analysis: The company's market capitalization is below the industry average, suggesting that it is relatively smaller compared to peers. This could be due to various factors, including perceived growth potential or operational scale.
Revenue Growth: Global Payments displayed positive results in 3 months. As of 30 September, 2024, the company achieved a solid revenue growth rate of approximately 5.08%. This indicates a notable increase in the company's top-line earnings. In comparison to its industry peers, the company trails behind with a growth rate lower than the average among peers in the Financials sector.
Net Margin: Global Payments's net margin is below industry averages, indicating potential challenges in maintaining strong profitability. With a net margin of 12.11%, the company may face hurdles in effective cost management.
Return on Equity (ROE): The company's ROE is below industry benchmarks, signaling potential difficulties in efficiently using equity capital. With an ROE of 1.39%, the company may need to address challenges in generating satisfactory returns for shareholders.
Return on Assets (ROA): The company's ROA is below industry benchmarks, signaling potential difficulties in efficiently utilizing assets. With an ROA of 0.63%, the company may need to address challenges in generating satisfactory returns from its assets.
Debt Management: Global Payments's debt-to-equity ratio is below the industry average at 0.77, reflecting a lower dependency on debt financing and a more conservative financial approach.
<h2>What Are Analyst Ratings?</h2>
Analysts work in banking and financial systems and typically specialize in reporting for stocks or defined sectors. Analysts may attend company conference calls and meetings, research company financial statements, and communicate with insiders to publish "analyst ratings" for stocks. Analysts typically rate each stock once per quarter.
Some analysts publish their predictions for metrics such as growth estimates, earnings, and revenue to provide additional guidance with their ratings. When using analyst ratings, it is important to keep in mind that stock and sector analysts are also human and are only offering their opinions to investors.
If you want to keep track of which analysts are outperforming others, you can view updated analyst ratings along withanalyst success scores in <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Breaking: Wall Street's Next Big Mover
Benzinga's #1 analyst just identified a stock poised for explosive growth. This under-the-radar company could surge 200%+ as major market shifts unfold. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/turning-point-trader-checkout-2/?t=Tu1tu3arja3be22tu36&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights">Click here for urgent details</a>.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Analyst Ratings

Deep Dive Into Global Payments Stock: Analyst Perspectives (17 Ratings)

Morgan Stanley analyst James Faucette maintains Global Payments (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>) with a Overweight and raises the price target from $156 to $166.

Price Target

Morgan Stanley Maintains Overweight on Global Payments, Raises Price Target to $166

Barclays analyst Ramsey El-Assal maintains Global Payments (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>) with a Overweight and raises the price target from $120 to $135.

Barclays Maintains Overweight on Global Payments, Raises Price Target to $135

Global Payments (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 20 years by 2.47% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 10.86%. Currently, Global Payments has a market capitalization of $29.15 billion. 
Buying $1000 In GPN: If an investor had bought $1000 of GPN stock 20 years ago, it would be worth $7,761.02 today based on a price of $113.55 for GPN at the time of writing.
<h3>Global Payments's Performance Over Last 20 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1734447612_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Trading Ideas

Here's How Much You Would Have Made Owning Global Payments Stock In The Last 20 Years

Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods analyst Vasundhara Govil maintains Global Payments (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>) with a Outperform and raises the price target from $130 to $140.

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Maintains Outperform on Global Payments, Raises Price Target to $140

The Santa Rally refers to a seasonal stock market trend where equities historically see stronger gains during the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42269611/dollar-enters-its-most-bearish-month-of-the-year-could-december-2024-be-any-different">final stretch of December. </a>
This phenomenon, often fueled by holiday cheer, year-end portfolio rebalancing, and investor optimism, has been a recurring pattern for decades.
 But what makes December stand out, and which stocks have historically outperformed during this period? 
Let's dig into the numbers.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">December: A Seasonal Sweet Spot For Stocks</h3>
After a strong rally in November, with the S&amp;P 500 – as tracked by the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) – rallying 6%, &#8220;momentum could continue for stocks as historically it has been a good month for stock market seasonals,&#8221; said George Smith, portfolio strategist at LPL Financials. 
Since 1950, December ranks as the second-best month for the S&amp;P 500, delivering an average return of 1.6%. Only November performs better, with a historical average of 1.8%. 
Smith also highlighted that the second half of December has typically delivered the lion's share of these gains, generating the so-called &#8220;Santa Rally&#8221; effect. 
Historically, stocks tend to stall or even decline slightly during the first half of the month before momentum builds around mid-December. Data suggests that the upward trajectory starts gaining steam near the 11th trading day of the month and accelerates as Christmas approaches.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Top 10 S&amp;P 500 Stocks With Strong Christmas Seasonality</h3>
For investors looking to capitalize on the Santa Rally, certain stocks have a history of delivering outsized gains in the back half of December. 
Looking back at the last 20 years of data, here are the top 10 S&amp;P 500 stocks that have historically shown the strongest average returns between Dec. 12 and Dec. 31:
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Rank</th>
<th>Stock</th>
<th>Average Return</th>
<th>Median Return</th>
<th>Max Profit</th>
<th>Max Loss</th>
<th>Win Ratio</th>
<th>Sharpe Ratio</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>1</td>
<td>Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ILM#NASDAQ">ILM</a>)</td>
<td>+4.94%</td>
<td>+5.17%</td>
<td>+19.39%</td>
<td>-10.98%</td>
<td>75%</td>
<td>4.27</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2</td>
<td>Invesco Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IVZ#NYSE">IVZ</a>)</td>
<td>+4.34%</td>
<td>+3.04%</td>
<td>+23.10%</td>
<td>-5.10%</td>
<td>80%</td>
<td>3.72</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3</td>
<td>Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VLO#NYSE">VLO</a>)</td>
<td>+3.78%</td>
<td>+4.37%</td>
<td>+12.89%</td>
<td>-8.52%</td>
<td>80%</td>
<td>3.70</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>4</td>
<td>Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WDC#NASDAQ">WDC</a>)</td>
<td>+3.73%</td>
<td>+3.84%</td>
<td>+24.23%</td>
<td>-13.26%</td>
<td>70%</td>
<td>2.75</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>5</td>
<td>Mohawk Industries, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MHK#NYSE">MHK</a>)</td>
<td>+3.47%</td>
<td>+2.19%</td>
<td>+20.26%</td>
<td>-4.35%</td>
<td>70%</td>
<td>3.18</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>6</td>
<td>Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FCX#NYSE">FCX</a>)</td>
<td>+3.34%</td>
<td>+4.60%</td>
<td>+25.84%</td>
<td>-15.06%</td>
<td>75%</td>
<td>2.03</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>7</td>
<td>BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLK#NYSE">BLK</a>)</td>
<td>+3.32%</td>
<td>+3.62%</td>
<td>+11.64%</td>
<td>-1.69%</td>
<td>80%</td>
<td>3.49</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>8</td>
<td>Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>)</td>
<td>+3.30%</td>
<td>+3.35%</td>
<td>+12.38%</td>
<td>-8.28%</td>
<td>80%</td>
<td>3.44</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>9</td>
<td>CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CBRE#NYSE">CBRE</a>)</td>
<td>+3.20%</td>
<td>+3.24%</td>
<td>+13.27%</td>
<td>-7.11%</td>
<td>75%</td>
<td>2.22</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>10</td>
<td>Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RCL#NYSE">RCL</a>)</td>
<td>+3.14%</td>
<td>+1.80%</td>
<td>+36.95%</td>
<td>-14.54%</td>
<td>55%</td>
<td>2.36</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Data: Seasonax</figcaption></figure>
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/12/42278850/why-this-streaming-giant-could-be-decembers-best-stock-pick-backed-by-20-years-of-data">Why This Streaming Giant Could Be December&#8217;s Best Stock Pick, Backed By 20 Years Of Data</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Large Cap

Mid Cap

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

Tech

ETFs

Santa Rally: 10 S&P 500 Stocks That Outperform In December's Second Half

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders will search for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges heavily from its normal worth. High amounts of trading activity could push option prices to exaggerated or underestimated levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Financials sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>SQ</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$34.2K</td>
<td>27.6K</td>
<td>2.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>C</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>12/18/26</td>
<td>$50.00</td>
<td>$492.1K</td>
<td>3.9K</td>
<td>1.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HOOD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$40.00</td>
<td>$30.7K</td>
<td>14.1K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LMND</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>12/13/24</td>
<td>$45.00</td>
<td>$102.0K</td>
<td>3.0K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>COIN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>12/06/24</td>
<td>$300.00</td>
<td>$32.8K</td>
<td>1.3K</td>
<td>940</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JEF</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>12/20/24</td>
<td>$60.00</td>
<td>$229.3K</td>
<td>6.6K</td>
<td>692</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TFC</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$40.00</td>
<td>$34.0K</td>
<td>7.0K</td>
<td>476</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>GPN</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$105.00</td>
<td>$27.0K</td>
<td>64</td>
<td>111</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SOFI</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/18/26</td>
<td>$10.00</td>
<td>$40.0K</td>
<td>31.1K</td>
<td>102</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PNC</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$220.00</td>
<td>$50.1K</td>
<td>140</td>
<td>33</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• For SQ (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SQ#NYSE">SQ</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 45 day(s) on January 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 118 contract(s) at a $100.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $34.2K, with a price of $290.0 per contract. There were 27689 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2916 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding C (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/C#NYSE">C</a>), we observe a put option trade with neutral sentiment. It expires in 745 day(s) on December 18, 2026. Parties traded 1900 contract(s) at a $50.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $492.1K, with a price of $259.0 per contract. There were 3971 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1900 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For HOOD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HOOD#NASDAQ">HOOD</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 45 day(s) on January 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 115 contract(s) at a $40.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.7K, with a price of $267.0 per contract. There were 14105 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1129 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For LMND (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMND#NYSE">LMND</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 10 day(s) on December 13, 2024. This event was a transfer of 300 contract(s) at a $45.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 41 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $102.0K, with a price of $340.0 per contract. There were 3019 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1108 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding COIN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>), we observe a call option trade with neutral sentiment. It expires in 3 day(s) on December 6, 2024. Parties traded 25 contract(s) at a $300.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $32.8K, with a price of $1315.0 per contract. There were 1347 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 940 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding JEF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JEF#NYSE">JEF</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 17 day(s) on December 20, 2024. Parties traded 126 contract(s) at a $60.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 56 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $229.3K, with a price of $1820.0 per contract. There were 6606 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 692 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For TFC (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TFC#NYSE">TFC</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 45 day(s) on January 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 50 contract(s) at a $40.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $34.0K, with a price of $681.0 per contract. There were 7039 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 476 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For GPN (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 164 day(s) on May 16, 2025. This event was a transfer of 66 contract(s) at a $105.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 13 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $27.0K, with a price of $410.0 per contract. There were 64 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 111 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding SOFI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOFI#NASDAQ">SOFI</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 562 day(s) on June 18, 2026. Parties traded 50 contract(s) at a $10.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $40.0K, with a price of $800.0 per contract. There were 31163 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 102 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For PNC (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PNC#NYSE">PNC</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 80 day(s) on February 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 33 contract(s) at a $220.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $50.1K, with a price of $1520.0 per contract. There were 140 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 33 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

HOOD

LMND

SOFI

10 Financials Stocks With Whale Alerts In Today's Session

Global Payments (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>) underwent analysis by 16 analysts in the last quarter, revealing a spectrum of viewpoints from bullish to bearish.
The table below summarizes their recent ratings, showcasing the evolving sentiments within the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th align="right">Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Indifferent</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th align="right">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
<td align="right">8</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Analysts have set 12-month price targets for Global Payments, revealing an average target of $136.31, a high estimate of $194.00, and a low estimate of $112.00. Observing a downward trend, the current average is 5.18% lower than the prior average price target of $143.75. 
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1733162411_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Exploring Analyst Ratings: An In-Depth Overview</h2>
An in-depth analysis of recent analyst actions unveils how financial experts perceive Global Payments. The following summary outlines key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Analyst</th>
<th>Analyst Firm</th>
<th>Action Taken</th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>Current Price Target</th>
<th>Prior Price Target</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Will Nance</td>
<td>Goldman Sachs</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$155.00</td>
<td>$135.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Daniel Perlin</td>
<td>RBC Capital</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$130.00</td>
<td>$143.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tien-Tsin Huang</td>
<td>JP Morgan</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$115.00</td>
<td>$118.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Harshita Rawat</td>
<td>Bernstein</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Market Perform</td>
<td>$112.00</td>
<td>$135.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Charles Nabhan</td>
<td>Stephens &amp; Co.</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$125.00</td>
<td>$130.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Trevor Williams</td>
<td>Jefferies</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$130.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Daniel Perlin</td>
<td>RBC Capital</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$143.00</td>
<td>$158.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ramsey El-Assal</td>
<td>Barclays</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$145.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rufus Hone</td>
<td>BMO Capital</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Market Perform</td>
<td>$122.00</td>
<td>$126.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>James Faucette</td>
<td>Morgan Stanley</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$156.00</td>
<td>$164.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hal Goetsch</td>
<td>B. Riley Securities</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$194.00</td>
<td>$204.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Gus Gala</td>
<td>Monness, Crespi, Hardt</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$155.00</td>
<td>$165.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bryan Bergin</td>
<td>TD Cowen</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$122.00</td>
<td>$125.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alex Markgraff</td>
<td>Keybanc</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$135.00</td>
<td>$145.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Charles Nabhan</td>
<td>Stephens &amp; Co.</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$130.00</td>
<td>$130.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>James Friedman</td>
<td>Susquehanna</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Positive</td>
<td>$147.00</td>
<td>$147.00</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: Analysts respond to changes in market conditions and company performance, frequently updating their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise' or 'Lower' their stance, it reflects their reaction to recent developments related to Global Payments. This information offers a snapshot of how analysts perceive the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Offering a comprehensive view, analysts assess stocks qualitatively, spanning from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings convey expectations for the relative performance of Global Payments compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Analysts provide insights into price targets, offering estimates for the future value of Global Payments's stock. This comparison reveals trends in analysts' expectations over time.</li>
</ul>
Understanding these analyst evaluations alongside key financial indicators can offer valuable insights into Global Payments's market standing. Stay informed and make well-considered decisions with our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/GPN/analyst-ratings?utm_source=Benzinga Insights">Stay up to date on Global Payments analyst ratings.</a>
<h2>All You Need to Know About Global Payments</h2>
Global Payments is a leading provider of payment processing and software solutions and focuses on serving small and midsize merchants. The company operates in 30 countries and generates about one fourth of its revenue from outside North America, primarily in Europe and Asia. In 2019, Global Payments merged with Total System Services in an all-stock deal that gave Total System Services shareholders 48% of the combined company's shares. The merger added issuer processing operations.
<h3>A Deep Dive into Global Payments's Financials</h3>
Market Capitalization: Indicating a reduced size compared to industry averages, the company's market capitalization poses unique challenges.
Revenue Growth: Global Payments displayed positive results in 3 months. As of 30 September, 2024, the company achieved a solid revenue growth rate of approximately 5.08%. This indicates a notable increase in the company's top-line earnings. When compared to others in the Financials sector, the company faces challenges, achieving a growth rate lower than the average among peers.
Net Margin: The company's net margin is below industry benchmarks, signaling potential difficulties in achieving strong profitability. With a net margin of 12.11%, the company may need to address challenges in effective cost control.
Return on Equity (ROE): Global Payments's ROE falls below industry averages, indicating challenges in efficiently using equity capital. With an ROE of 1.39%, the company may face hurdles in generating optimal returns for shareholders.
Return on Assets (ROA): Global Payments's ROA lags behind industry averages, suggesting challenges in maximizing returns from its assets. With an ROA of 0.63%, the company may face hurdles in achieving optimal financial performance.
Debt Management: The company maintains a balanced debt approach with a debt-to-equity ratio below industry norms, standing at 0.77.
<h2>Understanding the Relevance of Analyst Ratings</h2>
Within the domain of banking and financial systems, analysts specialize in reporting for specific stocks or defined sectors. Their work involves attending company conference calls and meetings, researching company financial statements, and communicating with insiders to publish "analyst ratings" for stocks. Analysts typically assess and rate each stock once per quarter.
Analysts may supplement their ratings with predictions for metrics like growth estimates, earnings, and revenue, offering investors a more comprehensive outlook. However, investors should be mindful that analysts, like any human, can have subjective perspectives influencing their forecasts.
Which Stocks Are Analysts Recommending Now?
Benzinga Edge gives you instant access to all major analyst upgrades, downgrades, and price targets. Sort by accuracy, upside potential, and more. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=be8be9arja3be22bz21&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights">Click here to stay ahead of the market</a>.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Decoding 16 Analyst Evaluations For Global Payments

Goldman Sachs analyst Will Nance maintains Global Payments (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $135 to $155.

Goldman Sachs Maintains Buy on Global Payments, Raises Price Target to $155

<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-27/global-payments-said-to-weigh-sale-of-payroll-active-network">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-27/global-payments-said-to-weigh-sale-of-payroll-active-network</a>
<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/GPN:US">Global Payments Inc.</a> is weighing divestitures of its payroll and Active Network businesses following a strategic review earlier this year, according to people familiar with the matter.
The Atlanta-based payments conglomerate is working with financial advisers to find buyers for the assets, the people said, asking to not be identified because the details aren't public. Nothing is finalized and Global Payments can still opt to keep the units.

Asset Sales

'Global Payments Weighs Sale of Payroll, Active Network' - Bloomberg News

Global Payments's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>) short percent of float has fallen 5.34% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 6.29 million shares sold short, which is 2.48% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 2.84 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>Global Payments Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1732555816_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Global Payments has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing Global Payments's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, Global Payments's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 5.08%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Short Sellers

Short Ideas

Peering Into Global Payments's Recent Short Interest

Global Payments (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 20 years by 2.77% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 11.16%. Currently, Global Payments has a market capitalization of $29.27 billion. 
Buying $100 In GPN: If an investor had bought $100 of GPN stock 20 years ago, it would be worth $821.71 today based on a price of $115.04 for GPN at the time of writing.
<h3>Global Payments's Performance Over Last 20 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1730989824_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

If You Invested $100 In This Stock 20 Years Ago, You Would Have $800 Today

The stock market indexes have enjoyed record highs in recent years with the S&amp;P 500 outperforming other years with President&nbsp;Joe Biden&nbsp;leading the country for the last&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/education/24/02/37275812/if-you-invested-in-the-s-p-500-when-joe-biden-became-president-heres-how-much-youd-have-today" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nearly four years.</a>
Not all stocks went up with Biden in office and investors may want to take a look back at the worst performing stocks of 2021 to prepare themselves for what could be ahead with the 2024 election nearing.
What Happened:&nbsp;Biden stepped down from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/2024-election" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the 2024 presidential election&nbsp;</a>earlier this year. While the current president won&#8217;t be re-elected to the White House, past performance with a Democrat as president could highlight which stocks and sectors could be winners if&nbsp;Kamala Harris&nbsp;is victorious in Tuesday&#8217;s election.
The S&amp;P 500, which is tracked by the&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>),&nbsp;was up 26.9% in 2021. This marked the best yearly performance since 2018 and the second-best performance for the key stock market index in the last 11 years.
The 12 months following Election Day 2020, which was won by Biden,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/22/01/25137004/biden-vs-trump-how-did-stock-market-returns-compare-after-their-first-year-as-president" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">saw the S&amp;P 500 gain 37.4%.</a>&nbsp;This was the best one-year market return under a president in many years.
While many stocks were up in 2021, not all of the publicly traded companies had positive returns on the year.
Here were the 10 best-performing S&amp;P 500 stocks in 2021, according to a <a href="https://www.statmuse.com/money/ask/worst-performing-stocks-in-2021-in-the-s-and-p-500" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report </a>from StatMuse, and their sectors.
<ol>
<li>Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LVS#NYSE">LVS</a>): -37.1%, consumer discretionary/casinos</li>
<li>Global Payments (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>): -36.8%, financials</li>
<li>Market Axess (NASDAQ::MKTX): -28.1%, financials</li>
<li>Viatris (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VTRS#NASDAQ">VTRS</a>): -25.8%, health care</li>
<li>Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WYNN#NASDAQ">WYNN</a>): -24.8%, consumer discretionary/casinos</li>
<li>Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WBD#NASDAQ">WBD</a>): -24.4%, media/entertainment</li>
<li>Palantir Technologies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>): -23.8%, technology</li>
<li>Fidelity National Information Services (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FIS#NYSE">FIS</a>): financials</li>
<li>PayPal (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PYPL#NASDAQ">PYPL</a>): -20.7%, financials</li>
<li>Erie Indemnity (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ERIE#NASDAQ">ERIE</a>): -20.3%, insurance</li>
</ol>
The results above show that financials was an underperforming sector in 2021 and also includes several casino stocks on the list. Peak at the top<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/21/12/24848823/10-worst-performing-s-p-500-stocks-of-2021"> 10 best performing</a> S&amp;P 500 stocks here. 
Did You Know?
<ul>
<li>Congress Is Making Huge Investments. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/gov-trades/?utm_source=BZprocontent110224" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Get Tips On What They Bought And Sold Ahead Of The 2024 Election With Our Easy-to-Use Tool</a></li>
</ul>
Why It&#8217;s Important: Click through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/10/41584466/these-10-stocks-were-the-best-s-p-500-performers-in-2017-when-trump-was-president-will-history-r" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">to see the 10 best</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/10/41606114/10-s-p-500-stocks-were-worst-performers-in-first-year-of-trumps-presidency-will-they-sink-again" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10 worst-performing</a>&nbsp;S&amp;P 500 stocks of 2017,&nbsp;Donald Trump&#8216;s first year in the White House.
What's interesting for investors could be the correlation for some stocks based on who was in the White House.
Wynn Resorts was the fourth best performing stock in the S&amp;P 500 in 2017 under Trump, but was an underperformer in 2021 under Biden. PayPal was the eighth best performing stock in the S&amp;P 500 in 2017, but was an underperformer in 2021.
The results above could show that financials and casino stocks could be underperformers if Harris wins the presidency based on the past results and Democratic Party leadership.
With less than one week until the 2024 election, investors are likely positioning their portfolio based on a Trump or&nbsp;Harris&nbsp;victory in some regards. With a close election predicted, investors may want to look to sectors that could benefit under either candidate.
Freedom Capital Markets&nbsp;Chief Global Strategist&nbsp;Jay Woods&nbsp;previously<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/sector-etfs/24/08/40515453/exclusive-trump-or-harris-12-stocks-2-etfs-could-win-no-matter-whos-president-says-market-strate" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;shared some sectors&nbsp;</a>and stocks to watch with Benzinga that could benefit regardless of whether Trump or Harris wins the 2024 election.
Woods named defense stocks and cybersecurity stocks as two of the top sectors to watch ahead of the 2024 election.
"I think you've got to watch this sector closely," Woods said of the defense sector.
Woods added that defense stocks could continue to benefit from geopolitical concerns and the world&#8217;s many adverse events.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports-betting/24/10/41589659/trump-vs-harris-state-by-state-2024-election-betting-odds-which-candidate-is-favored-to-wi" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump Vs. Harris: State-By-State 2024 Election Betting Odds, Which Candidate Is Favored To Win In Your Community?</a></li>
</ul>

Market Summary

ERIE

MKTX

PLTR

PYPL

VTRS

WYNN

These 10 Stocks Were S&P 500's Worst Performers In Biden's First Year: Could Trend Continue If Harris Wins 2024 Election?

RBC Capital analyst Daniel Perlin maintains Global Payments (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>) with a Outperform and lowers the price target from $143 to $130.

RBC Capital Maintains Outperform on Global Payments, Lowers Price Target to $130

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Here's the list of options activity happening in today's session: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>HOOD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$28.00</td>
<td>$28.7K</td>
<td>21.5K</td>
<td>14.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>GPN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>12/20/24</td>
<td>$105.00</td>
<td>$72.1K</td>
<td>4.0K</td>
<td>3.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BWIN</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>12/20/24</td>
<td>$50.00</td>
<td>$28.5K</td>
<td>20</td>
<td>782</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WFC</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>11/08/24</td>
<td>$63.00</td>
<td>$26.6K</td>
<td>542</td>
<td>578</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>COIN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>11/01/24</td>
<td>$200.00</td>
<td>$31.5K</td>
<td>1.9K</td>
<td>223</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DFS</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>11/01/24</td>
<td>$145.00</td>
<td>$35.7K</td>
<td>230</td>
<td>206</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JPM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>11/08/24</td>
<td>$220.00</td>
<td>$29.7K</td>
<td>227</td>
<td>189</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BX</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$140.00</td>
<td>$39.3K</td>
<td>21</td>
<td>179</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BLK</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$790.00</td>
<td>$40.4K</td>
<td>64</td>
<td>2</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• For HOOD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HOOD#NASDAQ">HOOD</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 16 day(s) on November 15, 2024. This event was a transfer of 120 contract(s) at a $28.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 9 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.7K, with a price of $240.0 per contract. There were 21592 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 14607 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For GPN (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 51 day(s) on December 20, 2024. This event was a transfer of 176 contract(s) at a $105.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 23 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $72.1K, with a price of $410.0 per contract. There were 4001 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3894 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For BWIN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BWIN#NASDAQ">BWIN</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 51 day(s) on December 20, 2024. This event was a transfer of 47 contract(s) at a $50.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.5K, with a price of $610.0 per contract. There were 20 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 782 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding WFC (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WFC#NYSE">WFC</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 9 day(s) on November 8, 2024. Parties traded 399 contract(s) at a $63.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 25 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.6K, with a price of $67.0 per contract. There were 542 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 578 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For COIN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 2 day(s) on November 1, 2024. This event was a transfer of 15 contract(s) at a $200.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.5K, with a price of $2103.0 per contract. There were 1952 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 223 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For DFS (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DFS#NYSE">DFS</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be neutral, expiring in 2 day(s) on November 1, 2024. This event was a transfer of 34 contract(s) at a $145.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 22 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $35.7K, with a price of $1050.0 per contract. There were 230 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 206 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For JPM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JPM#NYSE">JPM</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 9 day(s) on November 8, 2024. This event was a transfer of 40 contract(s) at a $220.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $29.7K, with a price of $744.0 per contract. There were 227 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 189 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For BX (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BX#NYSE">BX</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 324 day(s) on September 19, 2025. This event was a transfer of 60 contract(s) at a $140.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 8 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $39.3K, with a price of $655.0 per contract. There were 21 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 179 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding BLK (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLK#NYSE">BLK</a>), we observe a call option trade with neutral sentiment. It expires in 79 day(s) on January 17, 2025. Parties traded 2 contract(s) at a $790.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $40.4K, with a price of $20215.0 per contract. There were 64 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

BWIN

Morgan Stanley analyst James Faucette maintained a Buy rating on Global Payments (GPN – Research Report) today and set a price target of $166.00. T...

Morgan Stanley Remains a Buy on Global Payments (GPN)

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Global Payments price target raised to $166 from $156 at Morgan Stanley

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Global Payments to Host Investor Conference on September 24, 2024

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