Nu Holdings Ltd. NU, the company behind the Nubank brand, announced an agreement to acquire Banco Porto Real de Investimentos in Brazil to add a new banking license to its local operations. The deal, which remains subject to approval from Brazil’s Central Bank, will help Nubank meet regulatory requirements governing the use of bank-related names by financial institutions.
For Brazilian customers, the company said that nothing will change, as the app, products, services, brand and name will remain the same. The acquired license joins NU’s existing payment, credit, investment, financing and brokerage licenses without requiring additional capital or liquidity requirements. Brazil remains its core market, with more than 115 million customers and a planned investment of R$45 billion in 2026.
Nubank is also expanding its banking operations in Mexico. This month, Nu Mexico received final authorization to operate as a bank and must complete the transition within 30 days. It serves 15 million customers, adds about 12,000 customers daily and plans to invest $4.2 billion in the country through 2030.
The timing is backed by strong operating results. NU ended first-quarter 2026 with 135.2 million customers and generated $5.32 billion in managerial revenues. Its credit portfolio rose 40% year over year to $37.2 billion, while deposits increased 22% to $42.4 billion.
Still, investors should view the Brazil move mainly as a regulatory and strategic step rather than an overnight earnings trigger. The larger opportunity lies in deeper product adoption across Brazil’s addressable pool, which exceeds $100 billion in annual gross profit. NU estimates its share of that pool at roughly 7%, leaving room to expand lending, deposits, investments and services.
How Are SOFI & XYZ Faring?
SoFi Technologies SOFI is expanding beyond consumer lending by adding small-business loans, home-equity products, AI financial tools, enterprise banking and blockchain-based services. SOFI's partnerships are also bringing more funding onto its loan platform, reducing reliance on balance-sheet lending. Three agreements announced in March 2026 covered more than $3.6 billion in personal loans.
Block XYZ is widening its reach through Cash App, Square, Afterpay and bitcoin products, linking consumer payments with merchant services and credit. Its tools include installment plans for peer-to-peer transfers, contactless payments and restaurant technology. Across Cash App Borrow, Afterpay and Square Loans, XYZ has provided customers with access to more than $200 billion.
NU’s Price Performance, Valuation, and Estimates
Shares of NU have declined 5.1% in the past three months, underperforming the broader industry and the S&P 500 Index.
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From a valuation standpoint, NU trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 13.87X, well above the industry’s 11.19X. It carries a Value Score of C.
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NU’s estimates have declined a cent over the past two months. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for full-year 2026 EPS is pegged at 83 cents.
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NU stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).