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Friday, shares of Block Inc. (NYSE:SQ) witnessed a change in their market outlook as Benchmark analysts downgraded the company’s stock from Buy to Hold. The move came after close observation of the company’s Cash App user growth and spending patterns. According to InvestingPro data, Block’s shares have declined over 31% year-to-date, despite maintaining a healthy P/E ratio of 12.6x and showing strong revenue growth of 10% in the last twelve months.
The analysts at Benchmark highlighted concerns over the stagnation in the number of active users of Block’s Cash App. They noted that despite the app’s potential as a bank account substitute, particularly appealing to lower-income consumers during economic uncertainties, the lack of user growth is troubling. This stagnation is more alarming than the reduced spending by current users, according to the firm. InvestingPro analysis suggests the company remains fundamentally sound, maintaining a GOOD financial health score and a strong current ratio of 2.33, indicating solid liquidity management.
Benchmark’s decision to remove the price target for Block Inc. underscores the uncertainty surrounding the company’s near-term prospects. The analysts acknowledged that while management’s initiatives could potentially reignite gross profit growth for Block later in the year, there is not enough confidence in the likelihood of such a rebound.
The report detailed the value proposition of Cash App and its significance for Block Inc. The application is designed to serve as an alternative to traditional bank accounts, which should theoretically attract more users during times of macroeconomic uncertainty. However, the expected increase in user engagement has not materialized as anticipated.
In their statement, Benchmark analysts expressed a neutral stance on the stock’s future performance. They indicated that while there are potential avenues for growth, the current indicators do not warrant a recommendation to buy the stock during its period of weakness. The firm’s analysts will continue to monitor Block’s performance closely, looking for signs of improvement that could alter their assessment. For a deeper understanding of Block’s potential, InvestingPro subscribers can access comprehensive analysis including 8 additional ProTips and detailed valuation metrics, along with expert insights available in the Pro Research Report.
In other recent news, Block Inc. reported its first-quarter earnings for 2025, revealing a significant miss on both earnings per share (EPS) and revenue forecasts. The company posted an EPS of $0.56, falling short of the expected $0.98, and revenue came in at $5.77 billion compared to the forecasted $6.21 billion. Despite these results, Block’s gross profit increased by 9% year-over-year, reaching $2.29 billion, and adjusted EBITDA grew by 15% to $813 million. Analysts from Raymond (NSE:RYMD) James, BTIG, and JPMorgan have adjusted their price targets for Block, with Raymond James lowering it to $74, BTIG to $70, and JPMorgan to $60, while maintaining positive ratings on the stock. The lowered guidance from Block was attributed to a deceleration in the Cash App segment, which saw a growth rate of 10%, below expectations. Despite the conservative outlook, Block’s management remains optimistic about growth in the latter half of the year, with expectations for gross profit acceleration in the third and fourth quarters. Investors are closely watching Block’s strategic initiatives, including the expansion of its Cash App and Square segments, as well as its new product offerings like Cash App Afterpay.
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