12 Most Promising Small-Cap Stocks According to Wall Street Analysts

6. Marqeta, Inc. (NASDAQ:MQ)

Marqeta, Inc. (NASDAQ:MQ) is placed sixth among the most promising stocks on our list.

TheFly reported on February 25 that Morgan Stanley reduced its price target for MQ to $5 from $6 while keeping an Equal Weight rating on the shares. The firm emphasized that after the Q4 report, it still views MQ as a “show-me” company and that its inconsistent financial results are a major factor in the continued investor concern.

Marqeta, Inc. (NASDAQ:MQ) released its 2025 full-year and fourth-quarter results on February 24. The corporation highlights that with net revenue of $172 million and gross profit of $120 million, representing advances of 27% and 22%, respectively, the company’s Q4 total processing volume increased 36% year over year to $109 billion. Adjusted EBITDA increased to $31 million, while GAAP net loss shrank to $1 million.

The company said that full-year processing volume increased by 31% to $383 billion, net revenue jumped by 23% to $625 million, and gross profit increased by 24% to $437 million, with a gross margin of 70%. Adjusted EBITDA came to $110 million, while the full-year GAAP net loss was $14 million. The findings show robust increases in transaction volumes, increased profitability, and greater operational efficiency, laying the groundwork for growing consumer involvement and reach in 2026.

Marqeta, Inc. (NASDAQ:MQ) is a cloud‑based financial technology company providing an open API platform for modern card issuing and payment processing. It enables businesses to launch customized physical and virtual card programs, streamline payments, and embed scalable fintech solutions.