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PayPal Holdings, Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 2 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net revenue grew 7 percent: Net revenues were $8.4 billion, up 7%, or 5% currency-neutral. Source
  • Operating income declined: GAAP operating income fell 3% to $1.5 billion and non-GAAP operating income fell 5%. GAAP EPS was $1.21, down 6%; non-GAAP EPS was $1.34, up 1%. Source
  • Payment volume up 11 percent: Total payment volume was $464.0 billion, up 11%, or 8% currency-neutral. Source
  • Transaction margin fell to 45.6 percent: Transaction margin was 45.6%, down from 47.7% a year earlier and 46.5% in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Non-GAAP margin contracted 229 basis points: Non-GAAP operating margin fell 229 basis points to 18.4%; GAAP operating margin fell 182 basis points to 17.8%. Source
  • Free cash flow fell, adjusted rose: Free cash flow was $0.9 billion, down 6%. Adjusted free cash flow rose 25% to $1.7 billion. Source
  • Strategy sharpened, organization simplified: Management said it is focusing investment where it believes the impact will be greatest, to improve growth and cost structure. Source

“The company has valuable assets in our brands, technology, and team - and there is significant potential ahead of us.”

Enrique Lores President and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Non-GAAP EPS Source2Q'26High-single digit decline or approximately (-9%)New
Non-GAAP adjustments SourceFY'26~$225 millionRaised from approximately $135 million
Non-GAAP adjustments Source2Q'26~$35 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: Full-year 2026 GAAP and non-GAAP EPS guidance was reiterated, with the same ranges as in February. Source
  • New guidance: First guidance for second-quarter 2026 EPS: GAAP a mid-single digit decline, non-GAAP a high-single digit decline. Source
  • Guidance raised: Estimated full-year non-GAAP adjustments rose to about $225 million from about $135 million in the February guidance. Source
  • New: Management announced steps to sharpen strategy, simplify the organization, and improve growth trajectory and cost structure. Source
  • New: The Board named Enrique Lores as PayPal's next President and CEO in February; the May release lists him as President and CEO.
  • Ended: Alex Chriss's CEO role ended under a separation agreement; related severance and stock acceleration costs are excluded from non-GAAP results. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net revenue grew 7 percent: Net revenues were $8.4 billion, up 7%, or 5% currency-neutral. Source
  • Operating income declined: GAAP operating income fell 3% to $1.5 billion and non-GAAP operating income fell 5%. GAAP EPS was $1.21, down 6%; non-GAAP EPS was $1.34, up 1%. Source
  • Investment losses reduced GAAP EPS: Strategic investments and crypto assets reduced GAAP EPS by about $0.08, compared with a $0.03 benefit in 1Q'25. Source
  • Transaction margin dollars rose 3%: Transaction margin dollars rose 3% to $3.8 billion; excluding interest on customer balances, they rose 3% to $3.5 billion. Source
  • Operating environment described as complex: Management is holding full-year guidance while describing the operating environment as complex and dynamic. Source

Segments and regions

  • U.S. revenue grew faster than international: U.S. net revenues rose 9% to $4.9 billion. International net revenues rose 4% to $3.5 billion, or flat currency-neutral. Source
  • Transactions led revenue mix: Transaction revenues rose 7% to $7.5 billion; other value added services rose 10% to $852 million, including interest on customer balances. Source
  • Revenue fell from fourth quarter: Compared with the fourth quarter of 2025, net revenues fell 4%, TPV fell 2% and payment transactions fell 4%. Source

“We are taking deliberate steps to sharpen our strategy, simplify our organization, and improve both our growth trajectory and cost structure by focusing our investments where we believe they will have the greatest impact.”

Enrique Lores President and CEO

Payment volume, transactions and accounts

  • Payment volume up 11 percent: Total payment volume was $464.0 billion, up 11%, or 8% currency-neutral. Source
  • Transactions rose 7 percent: Payment transactions rose 7% to 6.5 billion. Excluding payment service provider transactions, growth was also 7%. Source
  • Active accounts up 1 percent: Active accounts rose 1% to 439 million. Sequentially, active accounts decreased by 0.2 million, or 0.04%. Source
  • Per-account activity rose excluding PSP: Transactions per active account fell 1% on a reported basis; excluding payment service provider accounts and transactions, the measure rose 6%. Source

Costs and margins

  • Operating costs rose faster than revenue: Total operating expenses were $6.9 billion, up from $6.3 billion. Transaction expense was $4.2 billion, up from $3.7 billion. Source
  • Transaction margin fell to 45.6 percent: Transaction margin was 45.6%, down from 47.7% a year earlier and 46.5% in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Non-GAAP margin contracted 229 basis points: Non-GAAP operating margin fell 229 basis points to 18.4%; GAAP operating margin fell 182 basis points to 17.8%. Source

“I am confident in our ability to put the company on a more durable path to long-term growth and shareholder value creation, and we are executing with urgency.”

Enrique Lores President and CEO

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Repurchases of $1.5 billion: About 34 million shares were repurchased in the quarter. Over the trailing 12 months, repurchases totaled about 100 million shares, or $6.0 billion. Source
  • Free cash flow fell, adjusted rose: Free cash flow was $0.9 billion, down 6%. Adjusted free cash flow rose 25% to $1.7 billion. Source
  • Cash and debt balances reported: Cash, cash equivalents and investments totaled $13.5 billion, against $11.6 billion of debt, at March 31, 2026. Source
  • Quarterly dividend declared: The Board declared a cash dividend of $0.14 per share on common stock. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Strategy sharpened, organization simplified: Management said it is focusing investment where it believes the impact will be greatest, to improve growth and cost structure. Source
  • Capital spending rose: Purchases of property and equipment were $231 million, against $196 million a year earlier. Source
  • Acquisition cash outlay: Acquisitions, net of cash acquired, used $122 million in the quarter, with none shown in the prior-year quarter. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 May 2026

  • Dividend payment date: The $0.14 per share dividend is payable June 25, 2026, to holders of record at the close of business June 4, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total payment volume (TPV) Source$464.0 billion, up 11% (8% FXN)
Payment transactions Source6.5 billion, up 7%
Active accounts Source439 million, up 1%
Payment transactions per active account (trailing 12 months) Source58.7, down 1%

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Strategic investment and crypto holdings produce gains and losses that move GAAP EPS; non-GAAP results exclude them. Source
  • External: Interest on customer balances fell $24 million; management says interest-rate movements are outside the company's control. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: February release stated intent to pay a dividend quarterly; the May release declared a $0.14 per share dividend.

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.