Founded in 2009, Block provides payment services to merchants, along with related services. The company also launched Cash App, a person-to-person payment network. In 2025, Square's payment volume was almost USD 260 million.

Earnings season is almost over, with about 97% of S&P 500 companies having reported as of Friday. Many knocked it out of the park, delivering earnings and revenue numbers that were well ahead of expectations. We always look at trends and, as usual, there are companies increasing guidance. Raising guidance is one of our Investing Themes for the second half of 2026. We view management's ability to raise guidance consistently as a catalyst for possible market-beating returns in the quarters ahead. It's even harder for companies to lift guidance during uncertain economic times, as vision is murky. This is true now, as the war in the Middle East drags on. As well, Wall Street has a new chairman of the Federal Reserve, one with a different view about forward-looking guidance (or in this case, a lack thereof). As many companies increased guidance during this earnings cycle, we put out two lists. The first was back on August 3 -- and now we offer up our second list, made up of companies in Argus' fundamental Universe of Coverage. Many of the names in this latest list are in the consumer space, as these companies tend to report at the end of earnings season.

The major stock indices all finished the session lower on Thursday, but not by significant amounts. The recently surging Dow Jones Industrial Average took the biggest hit, down 0.85%. Earnings reports are still driving individual names higher and lower, but other headlines got attention as well. For one, oil moved almost 4% higher on news that Iran will seek to bar U.S. and Israeli ships from using the Strait of Hormuz. Investors also spent the day looking ahead to the nonfarm payrolls report, which will be released before the bell today.

Block, which changed its name from Square in late 2021, is a technology platform company that provides payment and point-of-sale solutions to merchants worldwide. While changing its name, Block retained many of its well-known product titles, including its Square terminals. The company provides merchants with hardware for sales and payment solutions, along with software that converts iPads to payment terminals. Payments can be made on Square terminals via a tap, dip, or swipe or through the company's Block Cash electronic tender. Block also provides Cash App, which allows consumers to send, spend, and store money on an app. Block processes transactions in the U.S. and internationally.