EMERGING TECH RESEARCH: Fintech & Payments Valuation Summary
Core Content Overview
This document provides an analysis of the performance and valuation trends of fintech and payments companies as of March 31, 2023. It highlights the shift in market focus from growth to profitability, the depressed valuations in the sector, and the strategies companies are adopting to navigate this environment. Additionally, it includes revenue data, stock returns, and key insights into M&A activity and market dynamics.
Key Takeaways
- Market Focus on Profitability: Public market investors are prioritizing profitability over rapid growth. While the Nasdaq rose by 16.8% in Q1, many high-growth fintechs saw flat or declining stock prices.
- Depressed Valuations: Valuations remain low, with the neobanks, brokers, and crypto sector trading at a median EV/NTM revenue multiple of 1.9x, compared to 4.2x in 2022. High-growth fintech and payments also show similar trends.
- Strategic Leadership Changes: Companies are seeking strategic leadership changes to improve performance. For example, Oscar Health replaced its CEO to bring in operational expertise.
- M&A Activity: Newly public fintechs are engaging in M&A to sustain growth. Pagaya and Marqeta made their first acquisitions in Q1, signaling a shift towards strategic expansion.
- Revenue Growth Declining: Revenue growth for many fintechs and payments companies is slowing, with some moving from over 100% annual growth to 10-30% growth rates.
- Market Cap vs. Raised Capital: Market caps for successful cohorts (neobanks, payments, fintech) have grown, but not all sectors have seen the same results, with insurtech experiencing a decline in market cap relative to raised capital.
Stock Returns Overview
Neobanks, Brokers, and Crypto
| Company |
IPO/SPAC |
Type |
1 Week |
30 Days |
90 Days |
Market Bottom |
Market Peak |
YTD |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
| Coinbase |
IPO |
Crypto |
-0% |
4% |
91% |
-3% |
-73% |
-73% |
-64% |
N/A |
N/A |
| Dave |
SPAC |
Neobank |
-1% |
-27% |
-35% |
-51% |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
| MoneyLion |
SPAC |
Neobank |
15% |
-8% |
-8% |
-44% |
-86% |
-86% |
-77% |
N/A |
N/A |
| Nubank |
IPO |
Neobank |
14% |
-2% |
17% |
-9% |
-52% |
-49% |
-38% |
N/A |
N/A |
| Robinhood |
IPO |
Neobroker & Neobank |
12% |
-0% |
19% |
-9% |
-47% |
-45% |
-28% |
N/A |
N/A |
| SoFi |
SPAC |
Neobank & Neobroker |
6% |
-6% |
32% |
19% |
-61% |
-62% |
-36% |
N/A |
N/A |
Insurtech
| Company |
IPO/SPAC |
Type |
1 Week |
30 Days |
90 Days |
Market Bottom |
Market Peak |
YTD |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
| Bright Health |
IPO |
Insurtech |
0% |
-56% |
-66% |
-79% |
-94% |
-94% |
-89% |
N/A |
N/A |
| Clover Health |
SPAC |
Insurtech |
-4% |
-25% |
-9% |
-47% |
-79% |
-77% |
-76% |
N/A |
N/A |
| Doma |
SPAC |
Insurtech |
18% |
-28% |
-10% |
-6% |
-92% |
-92% |
-81% |
N/A |
N/A |
| Hippo |
SPAC |
Insurtech |
7% |
-2% |
19% |
-8% |
-77% |
-77% |
-67% |
N/A |
N/A |
| Lemonade |
IPO |
Insurtech |
10% |
-6% |
4% |
-35% |
-66% |
-66% |
-46% |
N/A |
N/A |
| Oscar Health |
IPO |
Insurtech |
95% |
29% |
166% |
70% |
-20% |
-17% |
-34% |
N/A |
N/A |
| Root |
IPO |
Insurtech |
3% |
-8% |
1% |
-46% |
-92% |
-92% |
-87% |
N/A |
N/A |
Proptech
| Company |
IPO/SPAC |
Type |
1 Week |
30 Days |
90 Days |
Market Bottom |
Market Peak |
YTD |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
| Latch |
SPAC |
Proptech |
-1% |
-1% |
7% |
-9% |
-90% |
-90% |
-82% |
N/A |
N/A |
| Opendoor |
SPAC |
Proptech |
6% |
31% |
52% |
-37% |
-88% |
-88% |
-80% |
N/A |
N/A |
| Redfin |
IPO |
Proptech |
13% |
26% |
114% |
95% |
-77% |
-76% |
-50% |
-43% |
-60% |
| WeWork |
IPO |
Proptech |
-4% |
-28% |
-46% |
-67% |
-92% |
-91% |
-89% |
N/A |
N/A |
| Zillow |
IPO |
Proptech |
2% |
7% |
38% |
55% |
-30% |
-30% |
-10% |
20% |
-17% |
Medium-Growth and Legacy Payments
| Company |
IPO/SPAC |
Type |
1 Week |
30 Days |
90 Days |
Market Bottom |
Market Peak |
YTD |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
| Euronet |
IPO |
Payments |
2% |
2% |
19% |
52% |
-8% |
-6% |
-14% |
24% |
42% |
| FLETCOR |
IPO |
Payments |
5% |
-1% |
15% |
25% |
-9% |
-6% |
-15% |
9% |
4% |
| Global Payments |
IPO |
Payments |
7% |
-6% |
6% |
-2% |
-26% |
-22% |
-23% |
-30% |
-6% |
| Mastercard |
IPO |
Payments |
3% |
3% |
5% |
28% |
-2% |
1% |
2% |
43% |
107% |
| PayPal |
IPO |
Payments |
3% |
3% |
7% |
-9% |
-61% |
-60% |
-34% |
-22% |
0% |
| PaySafe |
SPAC |
Payments |
8% |
-9% |
24% |
5% |
-64% |
-63% |
-58% |
N/A |
N/A |
| REPAY |
SPAC |
Payments |
10% |
-19% |
-19% |
2% |
-66% |
-64% |
-56% |
-56% |
N/A |
| Shift4 |
SPAC |
Payments |
13% |
9% |
36% |
65% |
27% |
31% |
22% |
N/A |
N/A |
| Stone Co |
IPO |
Payments |
7% |
13% |
1% |
-11% |
-51% |
-43% |
-19% |
-59% |
N/A |
| Visa |
IPO |
Payments |
2% |
3% |
9% |
26% |
2% |
4% |
2% |
36% |
88% |
| Western Union |
IPO |
Payments |
9% |
-5% |
12% |
37% |
-92% |
-91% |
-89% |
N/A |
N/A |
High-Growth Payments
| Company |
IPO/SPAC |
Type |
1 Week |
30 Days |
90 Days |
Market Bottom |
Market Peak |
YTD |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
| Adyen |
IPO |
Payments |
-5% |
4% |
6% |
18% |
-46% |
-44% |
-28% |
67% |
N/A |
| AvidXchange |
IPO |
Payments |
3% |
-13% |
-22% |
-4% |
-51% |
-48% |
-3% |
N/A |
N/A |
| Bill.com |
IPO |
Payments |
17% |
-4% |
-26% |
-34% |
-65% |
-67% |
-64% |
116% |
N/A |
| Block |
IPO |
Payments/Neobank |
13% |
-10% |
9% |
22% |
-58% |
-57% |
-49% |
25% |
40% |
| Flywire |
IPO |
Payments |
6% |
14% |
20% |
42% |
-24% |
-23% |
-4% |
N/A |
N/A |
| Nuvei |
IPO |
Payments |
5% |
42% |
71% |
64% |
-32% |
-32% |
-42% |
N/A |
N/A |
| Remitly |
IPO |
Payments |
0% |
18% |
48% |
61% |
-16% |
-18% |
72% |
N/A |
N/A |
| Toast |
IPO |
Payments/POS |
9% |
-4% |
-2% |
-1% |
-46% |
-49% |
-18% |
N/A |
N/A |
| Wise |
IPO |
Payments |
3% |
-3% |
-1% |
-11% |
-34% |
-34% |
4% |
N/A |
N/A |
Valuation Metrics
EV/NTM Forecast Revenue
- Neobanks, Brokers, and Crypto: Median 1.9x, Mean 1.6x
- High-Growth Payments: Median 4.1x, Mean 6.1x
- Medium-Growth and Legacy Payments: Median 4.4x, Mean 3.3x
Stock Price/NTM Forecast EPS
- Neobanks, Brokers, and Crypto: Median 2.8x, Mean 3.3x
- High-Growth Payments: Median 3.4x, Mean 4.4x
- Medium-Growth and Legacy Payments: Median 3.8x, Mean 4.8x
Revenue Trends
Neobanks, Brokers, and Crypto
- Actual Revenue (2022): $0.5B, $1.3B, $7.8B, $3.2B
- Forecast Revenue (2023): $2.8B, $3.2B, $3.9B
- EV/Forecast Revenue: 5.0x, 4.3x, 3.5x
High-Growth Payments
- Actual Revenue (2022): $1.3B, $1.4B, $1.9B
- Forecast Revenue (2023): $2.4B, $2.6B, $2.7B
- EV/Forecast Revenue: 22.9x, 17.6x, 13.7x
Medium-Growth and Legacy Payments
- Actual Revenue (2022): $2.8B, $2.5B, $3.0B, $3.4B
- Forecast Revenue (2023): $3.8B, $4.1B, $4.5B
- EV/Forecast Revenue: 6.8x, 5.5x, 4.5x
Summary of Trends
- Market Shift: Public investors are favoring profitability over growth, leading to depressed valuations for high-growth fintechs and payments firms.
- M&A Activity: Companies like Pagaya and Marqeta are acquiring new firms to sustain revenue growth and reduce execution risk.
- Leadership Changes: Some companies, like Oscar Health, are making strategic leadership changes to improve performance.
- Revenue Growth: Organic growth is slowing, with many companies transitioning from high-growth to more moderate rates.
- Valuation Metrics: EV/NTM revenue multiples are at historical lows, with a notable decline in 2024 forecasts for several sectors.
Conclusion
The fintech and payments sector is navigating a challenging environment, marked by a shift towards profitability, depressed valuations, and strategic M&A activity. While some companies are showing resilience, the overall trend indicates a need for operational efficiency and sustainable growth models.