Visa Inc., symbol V on New York, operates the world’s largest retail electronic payments network. The company processes credit, debit, prepaid and commercial payments under the Visa, Visa Electron, Interlink and PLUS brands. The company generates revenue from fees it charges card issuers and merchants for using its network. These fees are based on payment volume, transactions processed and other factors. Visa continues to benefit from the global trend toward greater use of credit and debit cards. In its 2011 first quarter, which ended December 31, the company’s revenue rose 14.2%, to $2.24 billion from $1.96 billion a year earlier. Earnings rose 15.9%, to $884.0 million from $763.0 million. During the quarter, Visa paid $1.1 billion to buy back 15.3 million shares. Due to fewer shares outstanding, earnings per share rose 20.6%, to $1.23 from $1.02. Rising transaction volumes were the main reason for the gains. The company processed 13 billion transactions in the quarter, up 15% from a year earlier. If you’re interested in investing in stocks in the U.S. market, you really should have a subscription to our Wall Street Stock Forecaster newsletter. What’s more, you can get one month free when you subscribe now. Click here to learn how.