** Shares of payments firm Block XYZ.N rise 1.4% to $69.28 premarket

** BMO Capital Markets upgrades XYZ to "outperform" from "market perform," saying that it sees an attractive entry point following the Q4 results sell-off

** XYZ stock slumped 17.7% on Friday as a slowdown in spending growth fueled investor concerns

** Brokerage says the Street estimates now have less downside risk, while the sentiment is more balanced

** Adds that it sees potential for sentiment to improve through 2025 as Block's Cash App and Square accelerate gross profit growth

** XYZ's valuation is attractive, especially if estimates have indeed bottomed - BMO

** Brokerage, however, cuts XYZ PT to $89 from $100

** New PT is 30.2% upside to stock's last close

** 35 of 44 brokerages rate the stock "buy" or higher, six "hold" and three "sell"; their median PT is $100, according to data compiled by LSEG

** XYZ stock down 19.6% YTD

(Reporting by Arasu Kannagi Basil in Bengaluru)

((ArasuKannagi.Basil@thomsonreuters.com;))