Core Insights - Zacks Premium offers various tools for investors to enhance their stock market engagement and confidence [1] - The Zacks Style Scores are designed to help investors select stocks with the highest potential to outperform the market in the short term [2] Zacks Style Scores Overview - Stocks are rated A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, with higher scores indicating better performance potential [3] - The Style Scores are categorized into four types: Value Score, Growth Score, Momentum Score, and VGM Score [3][4][5][6] Value Score - Focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios such as P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, and Price/Cash Flow [3] Growth Score - Concentrates on a company's financial health and future growth potential, analyzing projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow [4] Momentum Score - Aims to capitalize on price trends by evaluating recent price changes and earnings estimate revisions [5] VGM Score - Combines the three Style Scores to identify stocks with attractive value, strong growth forecasts, and positive momentum [6] Zacks Rank Integration - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that utilizes earnings estimate revisions to assist investors in portfolio building [7] - Stocks rated 1 (Strong Buy) have historically achieved an average annual return of +23.75% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [8] Stock Selection Strategy - For optimal returns, investors should prioritize stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B [10] - Stocks with a 3 (Hold) rank should also have A or B Scores to maximize upside potential [10] Earnings Estimate Revisions - The direction of earnings estimate revisions is crucial in stock selection, as stocks with lower ranks but high Style Scores may still face price declines [11] Company Spotlight: Affirm Holdings - Affirm Holdings, a financial technology company, specializes in payment solutions offering flexible installment loans [12] - Currently rated 3 (Hold) with a VGM Score of B, Affirm has a Momentum Style Score of B and a 10.5% increase in shares over the past four weeks [12][13] - The company has seen upward revisions in earnings estimates, with an average earnings surprise of +102.2% [13]

Company Performance - Affirm Holdings closed at $68.56, reflecting a +1.68% change from the previous day, outperforming the S&P 500's loss of 0.37% [1] - Over the last month, Affirm's shares decreased by 1.37%, while the Computer and Technology sector gained 4.58% and the S&P 500 gained 2.68% [1] Upcoming Earnings - The upcoming earnings disclosure is expected to show an EPS of $0.11, a significant increase of 178.57% year-over-year [2] - Revenue is projected at $839.88 million, representing a 27.41% increase from the same quarter last year [2] Annual Forecast - For the entire year, earnings are forecasted at $0.05 per share, indicating a +102.99% change, while revenue is expected to remain at $3.19 billion, showing no change from the previous year [3] Analyst Estimates - Recent revisions in analyst estimates are crucial as they reflect near-term business trends, with positive revisions indicating confidence in performance and profit potential [3][4] - The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has increased by 7.74% over the past month, and Affirm Holdings currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [5] Valuation Metrics - Affirm Holdings has a Forward P/E ratio of 88.98, significantly higher than the industry average of 28.48, suggesting it is trading at a premium [6] - The company has a PEG ratio of 2.49, compared to the Internet - Software industry's average PEG ratio of 2.18 [7] Industry Context - The Internet - Software industry, part of the Computer and Technology sector, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 73, placing it in the top 30% of over 250 industries [8]

Market Overview - The U.S. equity markets have reached record highs, driven by strong quarterly earnings across all sectors, particularly from blue-chip technology stocks, highlighting the impact of AI infrastructure spending on investor sentiment [1] - Renewed trade deals between the U.S. and its trading partners have contributed to positive market conditions, with investors looking for clarity on potential interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve [1] Momentum Investing Strategy - Momentum investing is characterized by the strategy of "buying high and selling higher," based on the belief that stocks with established trends are likely to continue in that direction [3] - This strategy has been shown to generate alpha over time and across various market conditions, although it requires skill in detecting trends [4] Screening Parameters for Momentum Stocks - The screening process identifies the top 50 stocks with the best percentage price change over the last 52 weeks, ensuring selection of stocks that have appreciated steadily [5] - From these, the bottom 10 performers over the past week are chosen to identify those experiencing short-term pullbacks [6] - Stocks with a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) and a Momentum Style Score of B or better are prioritized, indicating a higher probability of success [7] Selected Momentum Stocks - Netflix (NFLX) has seen an 86.2% increase over the past year but a 7.3% decline in the last week, earning a Momentum Score of A [8] - Robinhood Markets (HOOD) has surged 381.3% in the past year but dropped 3.3% last week, also holding a Momentum Score of A [10] - Affirm Holdings (AFRM) has gained 148.7% annually with a 5.2% decline last week, resulting in a Momentum Score of B [11]

Core Insights - Visa Inc. and Affirm Holdings are positioned at the forefront of the payments landscape, with Visa as a long-established card network and Affirm as a rapidly growing fintech innovator in the buy now, pay later (BNPL) space [1][2] Group 1: Visa's Position - Visa reported Q2 fiscal 2025 net revenue of $9.6 billion, a 9.3% year-over-year increase, driven by an 8% gain in payments volume and strong cross-border growth [3] - Visa's extensive global network captures over half of the purchase volume in the U.S. and billions of digital transactions, providing a durable competitive advantage [3][4] - The company returned $5.6 billion to shareholders through buybacks in the last quarter and has a new $30 billion repurchase authorization, indicating strong cash flow [4] - Visa is expanding into digital payments through Visa Direct and investing in real-time payments infrastructure to adapt to a digitizing financial landscape [5] - Visa's business model is primarily fee-based and dependent on banks and merchants, which may be less appealing to tech-savvy consumers seeking speed and flexibility [6] Group 2: Affirm's Growth - Affirm's revenues increased by 36% year-over-year to $783.1 million in Q3 FY25, supported by higher gross merchandise volume and expanded merchant relationships [7] - The active consumer count for Affirm rose to 21.9 million, with transactions per active user growing by 21.7%, indicating rising engagement [7] - Affirm operates outside traditional credit-card networks, partnering with major retailers like Shopify and Amazon, allowing it to directly tap into consumer spending [8] - The company has diversified its funding model with 24 securitizations totaling $12.25 billion and over 150 capital partners, showcasing operational maturity [10] - Affirm is expanding internationally through partnerships and is investing in new offerings like debit cards and B2B tools to diversify its business [11] Group 3: Financial Comparisons - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Affirm's fiscal 2025 EPS indicates a 101.8% year-over-year improvement, while Visa's is projected at 13.1% [13] - On a price-to-sales basis, Visa trades at 15.04X forward revenues, significantly above the industry average of 6.30X, while Affirm's price-to-sales multiple is at 5.41X, indicating potential for growth [14] - In the past year, Visa has returned 32.5%, while Affirm has delivered a remarkable 127.5% return, reflecting their respective revenue growth and market performance [16] Group 4: Conclusion - Visa continues to dominate global payments with scale and profitability, but its growth is tied to economic activity [19] - Affirm is benefiting from structural tailwinds and a flexible payment model, positioning it for future growth [20] - Despite higher leverage, Affirm's valuation reflects its growth potential, making it a compelling investment opportunity for those seeking exposure to the evolving fintech landscape [21]

Company Performance - Affirm Holdings (AFRM) closed at $66.75, reflecting a -3.12% change from the previous day, underperforming the S&P 500 which gained 0.14% [1] - Over the past month, shares of Affirm Holdings have increased by 11.02%, outperforming the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 7.37% and the S&P 500's gain of 5.35% [1] Upcoming Financial Results - The upcoming earnings report for Affirm Holdings is expected to show an EPS of $0.1, representing a 171.43% increase year-over-year [2] - Revenue is anticipated to reach $838.52 million, indicating a 27.21% increase compared to the same quarter last year [2] Fiscal Year Projections - For the entire fiscal year, earnings are projected at $0.03 per share, reflecting a +101.8% change from the prior year, while revenue is expected to remain at $3.18 billion, unchanged from the previous year [3] Analyst Estimates and Stock Performance - Recent adjustments to analyst estimates for Affirm Holdings suggest positive short-term business trends, with positive revisions indicating a favorable business outlook [3] - The Zacks Rank system, which incorporates estimate changes, currently ranks Affirm Holdings as 1 (Strong Buy), indicating strong potential for stock price performance [5] Valuation Metrics - Affirm Holdings has a Forward P/E ratio of 93.83, significantly higher than the industry average of 29.16, indicating a premium valuation [6] - The company has a PEG ratio of 2.63, compared to the Internet - Software industry average PEG ratio of 2.2 [6] Industry Context - The Internet - Software industry, part of the Computer and Technology sector, holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 79, placing it in the top 32% of over 250 industries [7] - Research indicates that industries in the top 50% of the Zacks Rank tend to outperform those in the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [7]

Core Insights - Affirm Holdings Inc (AFRM) is focusing on vertical integration to enhance profitability in the competitive Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) industry, amidst regulatory pressures and high interest rates [1][4] Vertical Integration Strategy - The company is taking control of the entire BNPL value chain, including underwriting, loan origination, servicing, and collections, using its own in-house algorithm for creditworthiness assessment [2][9] - This strategy allows for better risk-based pricing, quicker approvals, and greater control over loan performance [2][9] Funding and Profitability - AFRM is increasingly relying on in-house funding, blending its balance sheet with warehouse credit funding to reduce dependence on expensive external capital, thereby improving its net interest margin [3][9] - This structural shift is expected to mitigate the impact of rising costs of funds, which pose challenges to profitability for many BNPL companies [3] Financial Performance - In Q3 of fiscal 2025, AFRM's total revenues increased by 36% year over year, and its adjusted operating margin improved by 860 basis points [4][9] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2025 earnings indicates a growth of 101.8% compared to the previous year [11] Competitive Landscape - Competitors like PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL) and Block, Inc. (XYZ) have different approaches; PayPal manages the entire value chain efficiently, while Afterpay, part of Block, is less vertically integrated and relies on Block's capital access [5][6] Valuation Metrics - AFRM's shares have increased by 131.9% over the past year, outperforming the industry growth of 41.8% [7] - The company trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 5.64, slightly below the industry average of 5.7 [10]

Core Insights - Affirm Holdings, Inc. (AFRM) has established a strong technology infrastructure that supports a significant increase in transaction volume, with approximately 358,000 active merchants as of March 31, 2025 [1] Company Performance - The company's revenue is closely linked to transaction volume, which saw a 46% year-over-year increase in Q3 of fiscal 2025 [2][8] - Affirm's 0% APR monthly installment GMV increased by 44% year-over-year in Q3 fiscal 2025, although this impacts interest margins negatively [3][8] - The company is focusing on attracting higher-quality borrowers through 0% APR plans, which can enhance conversion metrics and reduce risk [3] Competitive Landscape - Key competitors in the buy now, pay later (BNPL) market include PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL) and Visa Inc. (V), both of which have a strong market presence [4] - PayPal processed 6 billion transactions in Q1 2025, with net revenues rising 1% year-over-year to $7.8 billion [5] - Visa's processed transactions increased by 9% year-over-year in Q2 fiscal 2025, with total revenues advancing 9% year-over-year [6] Valuation and Estimates - Affirm's shares have increased by 104.9% over the past year, outperforming the industry growth of 42.3% [7] - The forward price-to-sales ratio for AFRM is 5.38, which is below the industry average [10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Affirm's fiscal 2025 earnings suggests a 101.8% improvement year-over-year, with revenue growth projected at 37% [12]

Core Viewpoint - Michelin has received strong credit ratings from both Scope Ratings and Moody's, indicating a solid business risk profile and improving credit metrics [2][3]. Group 1: Credit Ratings - Scope Ratings affirmed Michelin's Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) of 'A' with a Stable outlook on July 11, 2025, reflecting a solid business risk profile and very strong credit metrics [2]. - Moody's affirmed its Long-Term rating of 'A2' with a Stable outlook on July 9, 2025, highlighting Michelin's attractive margins and strong brand recognition [3]. Group 2: Business Strengths - Michelin's strong credit ratings are supported by its unique market position, innovation capabilities, and brand recognition, which contribute to its attractive margins [3].

Group 1 - Affirm Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:AFRM) shares are down 1% to $64.06 following a downgrade from BTIG Research to "neutral" from "buy" due to increased competition from traditional lenders like Capital One Financial and Synchrony Financial [1] - The stock is experiencing its third consecutive daily drop after a rally that reached four-month highs earlier this month, with the 40-day moving average providing support at the $60 level [2] - Year-to-date, the equity has increased by 5% [2] Group 2 - In the options market, call volume remains high with 11,000 calls exchanged, while put volume has surged to 8,293, which is three times the typical volume [3] - The most popular options are the March 70 call and the July 63 put, with new positions being sold to open at the latter [3] - Short interest has decreased but still represents 5.3% of the stock's available float, requiring over two days to cover at the average trading pace [3]

Group 1: Company Performance - Affirm Holdings (AFRM) closed at $64.72, reflecting a -5.58% change from the previous day, which is less than the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.33% [1] - Over the past month, shares of Affirm Holdings have appreciated by 12.28%, outperforming the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 5.24% and the S&P 500's gain of 4.07% [1] Group 2: Earnings Projections - The upcoming earnings release for Affirm Holdings is projected to show earnings per share (EPS) of $0.09, indicating a 164.29% increase from the same quarter last year [2] - Revenue is expected to reach $835.09 million, reflecting a 26.69% increase compared to the year-ago quarter [2] - For the full year, earnings are projected at $0.03 per share and revenue at $3.18 billion, representing changes of +101.8% and 0%, respectively, from the prior year [3] Group 3: Analyst Estimates and Rankings - Recent modifications to analyst estimates for Affirm Holdings indicate changing near-term business trends, with positive revisions suggesting analysts' confidence in business performance [4] - The Zacks Rank system, which includes estimate changes, currently ranks Affirm Holdings at 3 (Hold) [6] Group 4: Valuation Metrics - Affirm Holdings is trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 97.46, which is a premium compared to the industry average Forward P/E of 28.6 [7] - The company has a PEG ratio of 2.49, compared to the industry average PEG ratio of 2.21 [7] Group 5: Industry Context - The Internet - Software industry, part of the Computer and Technology sector, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 67, placing it in the top 28% of all industries [8]