PayPal Investigation Focuses on Key Performance Metric Disclosures Amid 17% Stock Decline

Rhea-AI Summary

{"summary":"","positive":[],"negative":[],"faq":[]}

Key Figures

Adjusted EPS: $1.23 per share Analyst EPS expectation: $1.30–$1.33 per share Q4 Revenue: $8.68 billion +5 more

8 metrics

Adjusted EPS $1.23 per share PayPal disclosure on February 3, 2026

Analyst EPS expectation $1.30–$1.33 per share Consensus range vs PayPal’s reported adjusted EPS

Q4 Revenue $8.68 billion Reported fourth-quarter revenue vs estimates

Q4 Revenue estimate $8.80 billion Analyst revenue expectations for Q4

12‑month low $42 Stock level reached on February 3, 2026

Current price $47.013 Pre‑news level on February 25, 2026

Today’s volume 57,569,794 shares Trading volume vs 20‑day average

20‑day avg volume 35,995,650 shares Average trading activity prior to this news

Market Reality Check

Price: $47.01 Vol: Volume 57,569,794 vs 20-d...

high vol

$47.01 Last Close

Volume Volume 57,569,794 vs 20-day avg 35,995,650 (1.6x activity ahead of this headline). high

Technical Shares at $47.01 trade below the $65.35 200-day MA, sitting 40.86% under the 52-week high and 22.24% above the 52-week low.

Peers on Argus

PYPL is up 6.74% while key credit/fintech peers like SOFI (+3.67%), SYF (+3.10%)...

PYPL is up 6.74% while key credit/fintech peers like SOFI (+3.67%), SYF (+3.10%), COF (+3.59%) and ALLY (+1.66%) show smaller gains; AXP is flat, pointing to a PYPL-specific move rather than a broad sector rotation.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Feb 18 (Negative)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Feb 18	Q4 miss, CEO change	Negative	+1.6%	Disappointing Q4 2025, CEO departure, price target cut and downgrade.
Feb 12	AI travel partnership	Positive	-3.4%	Strategic AI partnership with Sabre and Mindtrip for travel experience.
Feb 11	Weak 2026 outlook	Negative	-2.5%	Disappointing 2026 guidance and probe into timing of risk disclosures.
Feb 04	Outlook shortfall probe	Negative	-2.8%	2026 outlook fell short and investigation into gap vs prior statements.
Feb 03	Q4/FY 2025 earnings	Negative	-20.3%	Release of Q4 and FY 2025 results and related investor materials.

Pattern Detected

Recent PYPL news shows mixed alignment: negative fundamental updates often met with downside, but at least two events saw price moves opposite the apparent news tone.

Recent Company History

Over the past month, PayPal has faced a cluster of challenging updates. On Feb 3, 2026, it reported Q4 and full-year 2025 results, later tied to a -20.31% move. Subsequent pieces on its 2026 outlook and investigations into disclosures also coincided with negative reactions of -2.75% and -2.48%. A Q4 miss and leadership transition on Feb 18 preceded a slight +1.57% gain, while a positive AI travel partnership on Feb 12 saw a -3.41% drop. Today’s investigation headline follows this backdrop of scrutiny and volatility.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights an investigation into how PayPal presented key operating and non‑GAAP m...

Analysis

This announcement highlights an investigation into how PayPal presented key operating and non‑GAAP metrics, following Q4 results with adjusted EPS of $1.23 vs $1.30–$1.33 expected and revenue of $8.68B vs $8.80B estimates. It adds to a series of recent headlines on earnings, outlook and leadership changes. Investors may watch future disclosures around Total Payment Volume, active accounts and any regulatory findings, alongside how the new CEO transition interacts with these disclosure and performance questions.

Key Terms

GAAP, non-GAAP financial measures, Regulation G, Total Payment Volume

4 terms

GAAP financial

"balanced presentations of both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures"

GAAP, or Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, are a set of standardized rules and guidelines that companies follow when preparing their financial statements. They ensure consistency, transparency, and comparability across different companies, making it easier for investors to understand and compare financial information accurately. This helps investors make informed decisions based on trustworthy and uniform financial reports.

non-GAAP financial measures financial

"balanced presentations of both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures"

Non-GAAP financial measures are numbers companies use to show their financial performance that exclude certain expenses or income. They help investors see how the company might perform without one-time costs or other unusual items, giving a different perspective from official reports. However, since they can be adjusted, they don’t always tell the full story and should be looked at alongside standard financial figures.

Regulation G regulatory

"Regulation G and Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K require that when companies"

Regulation G is a U.S. securities rule that requires companies to show and explain how any highlighted financial numbers that differ from standard accounting figures were calculated, and to provide a clear bridge to the official results. For investors this acts like a recipe card: when a company presents a simplified or adjusted profit number, Regulation G forces them to show the original ingredients and steps so readers can judge whether the adjusted figure gives a clearer or misleading picture of financial health.

Total Payment Volume financial

"operating metrics, including Total Payment Volume and active account trends"

The total payment volume is the sum of all money that flows through a payment platform or service over a given period, including purchases, transfers, and other transactions. Like measuring the total gallons of water running through a pipe to gauge how busy it is, TPV shows how much business a payments provider or marketplace handles and helps investors assess scale, growth, market share and potential fee-based revenue.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

NEW YORK, Feb. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky, LLP is investigating PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: PYPL) regarding potential disclosure concerns related to the company's key operating metrics and the timing of information provided to investors. Shareholders who suffered losses may obtain information about this investigation by clicking here.

The SEC has issued guidance emphasizing that companies should provide investors with balanced presentations of both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures. Regulation G and Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K require that when companies present adjusted metrics, they must give equal or greater prominence to the most directly comparable GAAP measure. Additionally, companies must provide clear reconciliations and cannot use non-GAAP presentations in a manner that obscures GAAP results.

PayPal's February 3, 2026 disclosure revealed adjusted earnings per share of $1.23, which the company emphasized in its communications. This figure missed analyst expectations of $1.30 to $1.33 per share. The investigation will examine how PayPal presented its various operating metrics, including Total Payment Volume and active account trends, in the periods leading up to the earnings release and whether any material declines in these metrics were known to management before being disclosed to the market.

Revenue for the fourth quarter came in at $8.68 billion compared to estimates of $8.80 billion. Management attributed the shortfall to weaker checkout growth, challenging macroeconomic conditions, and intensified competitive pressures. The company simultaneously announced that CEO Dan Schulman would be departing, with HP's Enrique Lores taking the helm.

The market reaction was severe. PayPal shares fell 19-20% on February 3, with the stock reaching a 12-month low of approximately $42. Trading activity surged to several times the normal daily average volume.

PayPal investors who wish to learn more about their rights may contact Levi & Korsinsky for a free consultation.

Levi & Korsinsky, LLP is a nationally recognized firm with offices in New York, California, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C. that prosecutes securities, consumer, and shareholder class actions on behalf of investors (www.zlk.com).

CONTACT:
Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
33 Whitehall Street, 27th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Tel: (212) 363-7500
Fax: (212) 363-7171
Email: jlevi@levikorsinsky.com
www.zlk.com

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SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP