Tap consumer switch to electronic payments

Article Excerpt

The re-opening of the economy has spurred the share prices for Visa and American Express. Even if lockdowns return, investors will continue to profit as more consumers use electronic payments instead of cash. VISA INC. $223 is a buy. The stock (New York symbol V; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 2.2 billion; Market cap: $490.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 21.6; Dividend yield: 0.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.visa.com) gives you exposure to the world’s largest electronic-payments network. In its fiscal 2021 third quarter, ended June 30, 2021, Visa processed 42.56 billion transactions. That’s up 39% from a year earlier as the easing of COVID-19 restrictions has spurred people to spend more on travel and entertainment. As a result, revenue in the quarter jumped 26.7%, to $6.13 billion from $4.84 billion a year earlier. Earnings gained 40.6%, to $1.49 a share (or a total of $3.26 billion) from $1.06 a share (or $2.35 billion). The company continues to enhance its technical expertise with small…