Headquartered in San Jose, CA, PayPal Holdings (PYPL - Free Report) is a technology platform company that enables digital and mobile payments on behalf of consumers and merchants worldwide. The company was spun-off from eBay in 2015.

They facilitate customers to pay and get paid, withdraw funds from their bank accounts and hold balances in their PayPal accounts in various currencies.

They also provide ways for businesses to accept payments from merchant websites, mobile devices and applications, and at offline retail locations through a wide range of payment solutions. Their payments platforms include PayPal, PayPal Credit, Venmo and Braintree products.

Impressive Results

The company reported excellent Q3 2017 results, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimates on both the top and bottom lines. The management also raised the guidance for the year.

Adjusted earnings of 46 cents per share were ahead of our consensus by 2 cents and up 31.4% year over year. Net revenue of $3.24 billion also beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by $66 million and was up 21.4% on a year-over-year basis. It was also ahead of the company’s own guidance.

"PayPal delivered one of its strongest quarters since becoming an independent company. Putting our customers first in everything we do, enhancing our suite of products and services, and partnering with some of the world's most popular brands are delivering tangible results," said the CEO. “As the world rapidly accelerates to digital payments, we have a tremendous opportunity in front of us."

Rising Earnings Estimates

Analysts have raised their estimates for the company after excellent earnings. Zacks Consensus Estimates for the current and next fiscal year have increased to $1.85 per share and $2.25 per share from $1.84 and $2.20, before the results.

The company has never missed estimates, as you can see from the beautiful chart below:

PayPal Holdings, Inc. Price and Consensus

PayPal Holdings, Inc. Price and Consensus | PayPal Holdings, Inc. Quote

Strong Growth in Digital Payments

Rise in online shopping and digital payments bode well for digital payment platform providers like PayPal. During the quarter, total payment volume increased 30% year-over-year to $114 billion while mobile payment volume surged 54% to $40 billion.

Venmo, the company's social payments platform, processed approximately $9 billion of total payment volume, up 93% year-over-year. The company announced that more than two million retailers would allow their customers to pay for things using the platform.

Last week, the company also announced a new deal with Facebook (FB) which allows Facebook Messenger users to send money to one another via PayPal.  Facebook users could already pay for their shopping on messenger via their PayPal accounts.

The Bottom Line

Shares of PayPal are not cheap. They are up about 71% this year and currently trade at a forward earnings multiple of 37.66, resulting in a Style Score of “F” for Value. But considering company’s excellent growth potential (expected EPS growth of 17.22%) and leading position in digital payments space, the stock is still worth buying.