Investing in $PYPL has been a grueling four-year experience for many—the company generates solid earnings, yet the stock price keeps sliding lower, day after day. Nothing outright broken, just this slow, relentless decay that eats away at conviction. This is the classic value trap in action. The fundamentals look decent on the surface, but the market refuses to reward it.

Here's the real lesson: stock appreciation doesn't happen in a vacuum. Beyond profitability and balance sheet health, investors crave a forward-looking narrative—a tangible catalyst that signals where the company is heading next. Without that compelling growth story or a clear inflection point, even profitable businesses can languish. Markets price in expectations, not just today's earnings. A stock needs a reason to move up, not just reasons to hold.