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☆ Monzo: 2024 CNBC Disruptor 50
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Cnbc.Com Staff | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

As a digital-only bank, Monzo operates entirely within a mobile app. In September, the company partnered with BlackRock , the asset management giant, to offer three funds to Monzo customers. Founded in 2015, it has more than nine million customers, making it the largest digital bank in the U.K. and the seventh largest U.K. bank by customers. In March, Monzo raised $430 million in a new round of funding led by CapitalG, the venture arm of Alphabet. It appointed Conor Walsh, a former executive at Block's Cash App division, as the CEO at Monzo U.S. in October.

Persons: Monzo, neobanks, Starling, —, CapitalG, Conor Walsh, Anil Organizations: BlackRock, Starling Bank, Zopa, Sutton Bank, Monzo, Financial Times Locations: Monzo, U.S

☆ British neobank Monzo boosts funding round to $610 million to crack U.S. market, launch pensions
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

MonzoBritish neobank Monzo said Wednesday that it's raised another $190 million, lifting the total it's raised so far this year to $610 million. Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC also participated in Monzo's latest fundraise, a source familiar with the matter told CNBC. The total $610 million round marks the single-biggest funding round for a European fintech in the past year, according to Dealroom data. "What I like about how we're approaching this is, at the heart of it, it's not just words," Anil told CNBC in an exclusive interview Tuesday. European expansion is also on the cards, Anil said, although he didn't commit to a date for when this will happen.

Persons: Anil, Monzo, it's, GIC, we've, Monzo's, Revolut Organizations: CNBC, Hedosophia, Barclays, NatWest, BlackRock, JPMorgan, Citibank Locations: U.S, Berlin

☆ Federal prosecutors are examining financial transactions at Block, owner of Cash App and Square
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Gretchen Morgenson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

Cash App, introduced in 2013, allows users to send and receive money instantaneously among themselves and to buy stocks and Bitcoin. As of December, Cash App had 56 million active transacting accounts and $248 billion in inflows during the previous four quarters, the company said. (Merchants are considered customers at Square, while users are considered customers at Cash App.) Cash App is not a bank, but it uses external banking partners to conduct various services. On March 29, Sutton Bank settled a consent order with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. that echoed the whistleblowers' allegations.

Persons: Jack Dorsey, Block, Venezuela —, Edward Siedle, Prosecutors, Cash, OFAC, Lawrence Summers, Sharon Rothstein, Summers, Rothstein, Lord Paul Deighton, Goldman Sachs, Deighton, Dorsey, Banks, Sutton, James Booker Organizations: Twitter, Southern, of, NBC, NBC News, Securities and Exchange Commission, Block, Foreign Assets Control, U.S . Treasury, Cash, OFAC, Goldman, Financial Market, Bank of Lithuania, Payments Lithuania UAB, PayPal, Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, Sutton Bank, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, FDIC Locations: of New York, Cuba, Iran, Russia, Venezuela, Ohio, Sutton

☆ Jack Dorsey’s payments company, Block, is building its own bitcoin mining system
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Jack Dorsey says that his payments company, Block (formerly Square), is expanding its bitcoin mining ambitions from designing chips to developing a full bitcoin mining system. "Building on these insights and pursuant to our goal of supporting mining decentralization, we plan to offer both a standalone mining chip as well as a full mining system of our own design." "Mining isn't accessible to everyone," Dorsey wrote when Block first entered the business of building mining hardware in 2021. "Bitcoin mining should be as easy as plugging a rig into a power source. The company was light on the details in this latest announcement, but Dorsey posted in 2021 that the company was considering a "bitcoin mining system based on custom silicon."

Persons: Jack Dorsey, We've, Dorsey, Block, Thomas Templeton Organizations: Mining Locations: China, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia

☆ Here are Thursday's biggest analyst calls: Nvidia, Tesla, Super Micro, Meta, Wynn, Reddit, Coinbase, GM & more
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Mizuho reiterates Nvidia as a top pick Mizuho says Nvidia is still a top idea at the firm. Morgan Stanley initiates Mural Oncology at overweight Morgan said in its initiation of the biotech company that it sees a long "cash runway" lasting through 2025. Morgan Stanley downgrades Block to underweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley sees growth headwinds for the payment tech company. Morgan Stanley upgrades Zeta to overweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley said the marketing technology company has an underappreciated valuation. " Morgan Stanley reiterates Tesla at overweight Morgan Stanley lowered its price target to $310 per share from $320. "

Persons: Bernstein, Reddit, underperform Bernstein, Raymond James, Raymond James downgrades Bumble, Barclays downgrades Ferrari, it's, Mizuho, Goldman Sachs, Goldman, Morgan Stanley, Morgan, Wolfe, underperform Wolfe, Piper Sandler, Piper, Synopsys, Morgan Stanley downgrades Block, Dave, Buster's, Jefferies, Zeta, Oppenheimer, Ball, Wayfair, Wynn, bullish, Tesla, Goldman Sachs downgrades Hertz Organizations: Citi, Barclays, Ferrari, Nvidia, JPMorgan, Avis, UBS downgrades Bank of America, UBS, Apple, AstraZeneca JPMorgan, AstraZeneca, Amazon, AWS, Meta, General Motors, GMC, Chevrolet, Buick, GM, DFS, Mizuho, Eversource Energy Locations: Avis, MURA, Charlotte, Wayfair, Capital, Macau

☆ How brands like Ally and H&R Block are making reality TV-style shows to grab viewers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Advertisement"It felt like it was more authentic," Andrea Brimmer, chief marketing and PR officer of Ally Financial, parent of Ally Bank, said of the decision to use the reality format. In another recent example, H&R Block in February dropped "Responsibility Island," a limited series reality spoof based on the popular British reality dating show "Too Hot to Handle." "It is the perfect escape; reality TV is a genre that just delights them." Other brands like Neutrogena have lately co-opted the reality TV format for social media series. Advertisement"To do a purely entertainment reality series is something you don't see every day," said Zoe Fairbourn, head of strategic partnerships and branded entertainment at Hello Sunshine.

Persons: —, Emma Grede, Ashley Graham, Ally, Reese Witherspoon's, Andrea Brimmer, Andrew Brimmer, We've, it's, Jill Cress, Cress, Shopify, Zoe Fairbourn, Rick Parkhill, Block, Brimmer, Jill Kargman, Lara Spotts, It'll Organizations: Service, Ally Bank, Business, Ally Bank Brands, Procter, Gamble, Gen, National Geographic, Samsung, YouTube, Galaxy, Disney, Brand, Brands

☆ The FTC is going to war with tax services that bill themselves as free
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The FTC filed a lawsuit against H&R Block over what the commission called deceptive advertising. AdvertisementSo-called "free" online tax filing services like Intuit's TurboTax and H&R Block's Online Filing option have, for a long time, not actually been free for many Americans. The consumer protection agency filed a complaint against H&R Block last week, accusing the company of deceptive advertising and unfairly deleting users' tax data. A 2019 ProPublica investigation found Intuit and H&R Block's practices — including hiding their free filing options from Google search — are part of a decadeslong lobbying effort by the companies to keep tax filing services complicated. It was partially because of those lobbying efforts that the IRS did not roll out its own online free tax filing pilot until last year.

Persons: —, Samuel Levine, Levine, Dara Redler, Derrick L, Plummer Organizations: FTC, H, Intuit, Service, Consumer, Business, NPR, Google, IRS Locations: FTC's

☆ Block has 'gotten their act together', says Wells Fargo's Andrew Bauch
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailBlock has 'gotten their act together', says Wells Fargo's Andrew BauchAndrew Bauch, Wells Fargo, joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss what in Block's earnings results led the firm to upgrade the stock and raise their price target, the portfolio of Block's businesses, and much more.

Persons: Wells Fargo's Andrew Bauch Andrew Bauch Locations: Wells Fargo

☆ Watch CNBC's full interview with Block CFO Amrita Ahuja
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWatch CNBC's full interview with Block CFO Amrita AhujaAmrita Ahuja, Block CFO, joins 'Money Movers' to discuss the drivers behind Block's positive guidance, if the guidance is due to better monetization or efficiency steps, and much more.

Persons: Amrita Ahuja Amrita Ahuja

☆ Block CFO Amrita Ahuja on Q4 earnings: Our focus now is on growth and product velocity
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailBlock CFO Amrita Ahuja on Q4 earnings: Our focus now is on growth and product velocityAmrita Ahuja, Block CFO, joins 'Money Movers' to discuss the drivers behind Block's positive guidance, if the guidance is due to better monetization or efficiency steps, and much more.

Persons: Amrita Ahuja, Amrita

If you've filed your 2023 tax return and want to know when you'll get your refund, the IRS has several tools available to help you track its status. When will I get my tax refund? FAQs How do I check my income tax refund status? You can get updates on the status of your refund on the IRS2Go app or the IRS "Where's My Refund" tool. You can check the status of your return and any refund 24 hours after e-filing by visiting the IRS website or IRS2GO app.

Persons: you've, you'll, TurboTax, Jackson Hewitt, filers, it's Organizations: IRS, Block, Jackson, Apple, IRS Taxpayer Assistance, CNBC, CNBC Select's, Facebook, Twitter, & $ Locations: Mobile

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: UPS, General Motors, Whirlpool, Spotify and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Pfizer reported adjusted earnings of 10 cents per share, while analysts polled by LSEG expected a loss of 22 cents per share. On the other hand, the company's $14.25 billion revenue was lower than the $14.42 billion consensus estimate. Revenue came in at $24.92 billion versus the $25.43 billion expected from analysts polled by LSEG. F5 — Shares jumped 8% after the cybersecurity company reported an earnings and revenue beat in the fiscal first quarter. The manufacturing services provider reported earnings of $1.30 per share, better than the $1.15 earnings per share forecast from analysts polled by FactSet.

Persons: Batya Levi, Pfizer, LSEG, Jefferies, Sanmina, — CNBC's Michelle Fox, Hakyung Kim, Tanaya Macheel, Sarah Min, Jesse Pound Organizations: UBS, Pfizer, Oppenheimer, United Parcel Service, LSEG, General Motors, GM, JetBlue Airways —, Whirlpool —, FactSet Locations: Masimo, FactSet .

7:08 a.m.: BTIG upgrades Block to buy, bullish on Cash App and Square growth Analyst Andrew Harte upgraded Block to buy from neutral, saying margins are poised to expand. His $85 price target implies shares could gain more than 23%. Braziler's new price target of $72, higher by $10, suggests about 2.7% potential upside over the next 12 months. That is equivalent to $12B revenue or 800k units," wrote analyst Srini Pajjuri. Morgan Stanley raised its price target on Citigroup to $65 from $46, implying upside of 20.1% over the next 12 months.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Andrew Harte, Harte, Cash, — Pia Singh, Timur Braziler, …, Braziler, WAL, Oppenheimer, Brian Nagel, Nagel, Raymond James, Adam Tindle, Tindle, CrowdStrike, Batya Levi, Levi, EBITDA, Raymond James downgrades, Srini Pajjuri, Fred Imbert, Goldman Sachs Morgan Stanley, Betsy Graseck, Graseck, Goldman Organizations: CNBC, Bank of America, Citigroup, UBS, Spotify, Western Alliance, Alliance Bancorp, Palo Alto Networks, AMD, BofA, Global Banking, Markets Locations: Wells Fargo Wells, CY23, Basel

☆ Jack Dorsey's Block lays off 'large number' of staffers, adding to wave of tech industry cuts
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

While Dorsey did not specify the number of Block employees laid off on Tuesday, a person familiar with the company said the number was close to 1,000. Dorsey did say that the layoffs focused on Block workers at Cash App, Foundational, and Square. Staffers were told separately that Block would look to reduce head count by about 10%, as BI reported. Google and Amazon made significant cuts to head count, while Meta is slimming down more roundaboutly by eliminating certain job titles and telling affected workers they can reapply. You can read Dorsey's full note to Block staff below:Team,Today our Cash App, Foundational, and Square teams are parting ways with a large number of our teammates.

Persons: Jack Dorsey, Dorsey, Cash, Kali Hays Organizations: Business, Cash, BI, Google, Amazon, Meta, Marketing, Creative Locations: Commerce, khays@insider.com

The IRS has unveiled its annual inflation adjustments for the 2024 tax year, featuring a slight uptick in income thresholds for each bracket compared to 2023. Your taxable income and filing status determine both the tax rate and bracket that apply to you, outlining the amount you'll owe on different portions of your income. For 2024, the seven federal income tax rates are 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35% and 37%. Below, CNBC Select breaks down the updated tax brackets for 2024 and what you need to know about them. What we'll cover2024 tax brackets (for taxes filed in 2025)The tax inflation adjustments for 2024 rose by 5.4% from 2023 (which is slightly lower than the 7.1% increase the 2023 tax year had over the 2022 rates).

Organizations: IRS, CNBC, Better, CNBC Select's, Facebook, Twitter Locations: Mobile

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has unveiled its annual inflation adjustments for the 2024 tax year, featuring a slight uptick in income thresholds for each bracket compared to 2023. Your taxable income and filing status determine both the tax rate and bracket that apply to you, outlining the amount you'll owe on different portions of your income. For both 2023 and 2024, the seven federal income tax rates are 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35% and 37%. Below, CNBC Select breaks down the updated tax brackets of 2024 and what you need to know. What we'll cover2024 tax brackets (for taxes filed in 2025)The tax inflation adjustments for 2024 rose by 5.4% from 2023 (which is slightly lower than the 7.1% increase the 2023 tax year had over the 2022 rates).

Organizations: Internal Revenue Service, CNBC, Better, CNBC Select's, Facebook, Twitter Locations: Mobile

☆ Jack Dorsey is getting rid of annual reviews and PIPs at Block. I asked our workplace correspondent if it's a trend.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Katie Notopoulos | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Jack Dorsey says Block will no longer do performance reviews or performance-improvement plans. She told me she thought PIPs — performance improvement plans — were underused because companies don't necessarily want to do the legwork that often goes with them. Jack Dorsey's Block just announced that they're going to stop doing PIPs and just fire people who aren't up to snuff. So, having some ability to correct your things you're doing wrong — that's important. Block is also getting rid of annual performance reviews.

Persons: Jack Dorsey, Block, Tim Paradis, Dorsey, —, BI's, who's, you've, Gen Z, Korn, they're, Jack Dorsey's Block, it's Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Valley

U.S. oversight of Big Tech financial services is fragmented. The CFPB rule would toughen up supervision, requiring Big Tech to comply with its rules on privacy protections, executives' conduct and unfair and deceptive practices. Without regulatory scrutiny, they could leverage their growing dominance of consumer payments to capture other services like lending and card issuing, analysts said. 'LEG UP'Representatives for Big Tech have accused the CFPB of trying to protect traditional lenders. While Big Tech companies have deep pockets and plenty of resources to handle the new scrutiny, the rule could limit how they use and protect consumer data.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Rohit Chopra, Todd Phillips, Dodd, Frank, It's, Paige Pidano Paridon, Chopra, John Coleman, Hannah Lang, Stephen Nellis, Michelle Price, Richard Chang Organizations: Apple, REUTERS, Wall, Big Tech, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Google, Georgia State University, PayPal, Federal, McKinsey, Bank, BPI, Banks, Representatives, Big, Herrington, Thomson Locations: U.S, Washington

☆ Cramer's lightning round: Archer Aviation is 'way too speculative for me'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | In Kevinstankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon SolarEdge's year-to-date stock performance. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Arbor Realty's year-to-date stock performance. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Liberty Media's year-to-date stock performance. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Square-parent Block's year-to-date stock performance. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Becton Dickinson's year-to-date stock performance.

Persons: Archer Aviation's, I've, Arbor, We're, Philip Morris International's, Philip Morris, Becton, Becton Dickinson Organizations: Archer Aviation, SolarEdge Technologies, Arbor Realty Trust, Liberty, Philip Morris International

☆ Cramer's Lightning Round: 'Not the time' to sell Roblox
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Julie Coleman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Cameco's year-to-date stock performance. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon H&R Block's year-to-date stock performance. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Driven Brands' year-to-date stock performance. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Albertsons' year-to-date stock performance. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Roblox's year-to-date stock performance.

Persons: you've, I've Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, Albertsons Locations: AutoZone

Friday's early calls include an upgrade to a restaurant software stock and a big downgrade to a solar name. The bank downgraded Unity stock to neutral from outperform, also slashing its target price to $20 from $55. Analyst Doug Anmuth's updated price target of $510 could mean that there's still 17% room for the stock to go. Analyst Jonathan Block's price target of $70 signifies a 13% upside from the stock's Thursday closing price of $62.16. Koning has a price target of $18 per share, implying upside of nearly 30% over the next 12 months.

Persons: Baird, Tim Nollen, Lisa Kailai Han, Carlo Santarelli, — Lisa Kailai Han, JPMorgan downgrades, Drew Chamberlain, Doug Anmuth's, Anmuth, NFLX, Henry Schein, Jonathan, Freyr, BTIG, Gregory Lewis, FREY, Lewis, Stephens, Joshua Long . Long, Long, Portillo's, Mgmt, Chris Dendrinos, Dendrinos, Baird Baird, David Koning, Koning, — Fred Imbert, Julien Dumoulin, Smith, Fred Imbert Organizations: CNBC, Bank of America, Macquarie, Unity, Wynn Resorts, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan, JPMorgan downgrades Enviva, Netflix, FR, European Union, RBC Capital, FTC Solar Bank of America, FTC Solar, FTC Locations: Macquarie, Unity, UAE, Boston, Norway, Portillo's, Thursday's

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 7 (Reuters) - The top U.S. consumer financial watchdog on Tuesday proposed to regulate tech giants' digital payments and smartphone wallet services, saying they rival traditional payment methods in scale and scope but lack consumer safeguards. In a statement on Tuesday, Chopra said the tech sector had expanded into financial services traditionally provided by the closely regulated banking sector. "Today's rule would crack down on one avenue for regulatory arbitrage by ensuring large technology firms and other nonbank payments companies are subjected to appropriate oversight," he said. Representatives of Big Tech companies have previously highlighted their efforts to protect consumer data. The agency said the rule would also foster competition by ensuring that both traditional financial players and the tech sector were equally subject to the same oversight.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Block's, CashApp, Rohit Chopra, Chopra, CFPB, Lindsey Johnson, Douglas Gillison, Hannah Lang, Chris Prentice, Matthew Lewis, Mark Potter, David Gregorio Our Organizations: PayPal, REUTERS, Rights, Consumer, Apple, Big Tech, Consumer Bankers Association, Electronic Transactions Association, Thomson Locations: Washington, New York

☆ Block shares soar as Street lauds strong 2024 forecast, buyback plans
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Block Inc logo is seen displayed in this illustration taken, April 10, 2023. If premarket gains hold, the company could add nearly $5 billion to its market value, based on the stock's last trading price of $51.85, according to Reuters calculations. It took some analysts by surprise as it alluded to an increased focus on keeping expenses under control. The company would create an "absolute cap on the number of people we have...held firm at 12,000 people" until gains in the business outpaced headcount growth, CEO Jack Dorsey said. Block's initial plan to repurchase $1 billion worth of shares also raised investor spirits, as Dorsey said the buybacks would offset some dilution from share-based compensation to employees.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Block, Jack Dorsey, tsin Huang, Dorsey, Niket, Shinjini Organizations: REUTERS, PayPal Holdings, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Block shares surge after earnings beat and increased full-year guidance
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The company had previously guided to $1.5 billion in full-year adjusted EBITDA but now expects adjusted EBITDA to come in between $1.66 billion and $1.68 billion. Block is guiding to adjusted full-year operating income of $205 million to $225 million, a sharp increase from prior guidance of $25 million. Analysts surveyed by LSEG had expected full-year revenue guidance to come in at $21.54 billion. The company didn't provide full-year revenue guidance but did guide to $875 million in adjusted operating income for 2024. Cash App revenue soared $3.58 billion 34% year over year, while Square revenue grew 12% to $1.98 billion.

Persons: Jack Dorsey, LSEG, Block, Gross, we've, Dorsey Organizations: Twitter, Mana Convention, Cash Locations: Wynwood, Miami , Florida

☆ Bank of America sees more than 60% upside in this beaten-down payments stock
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Shares of Block are too cheap relative to the payment company's high-quality fundamentals, according to Bank of America. The firm reiterated its buy rating on the stock along with its price objective at $71. That target suggests a 62% upside from Monday's closing price of $43.71. SQ YTD mountain SQ YTD chart "We believe this pullback is quite unjustified, but suspect it is due to: 1. Kupferberg also pointed toward Block's strong fundamentals as a catalyst for the firm's potential upside.

Persons: Jason Kupferberg, Kupferberg, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Bank of America

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