Core Insights - Affirm Holdings, Inc. (AFRM) is focused on reinventing payments through a diverse merchant network, which has grown to approximately 358,000 active merchants as of March 31, 2025, up from around 292,000 the previous year [1][10] Merchant Network and Partnerships - The merchant partners of Affirm span various industries, including fashion, electronics, travel, and home and lifestyle, utilizing Affirm's buy now, pay later (BNPL) solutions to enhance average order values and customer conversion rates [2] - Recent partnerships include collaborations with Shopmonkey and Xsolla, extending payment solutions to auto repairs and game developers, while partnerships with Williams-Sonoma and KAYAK facilitated entry into the Canadian market [3] Financial Performance - In the first nine months of fiscal 2025, Affirm's gross merchandise volume (GMV) reached $26.3 billion, reflecting a 36% year-over-year increase, with expectations for fiscal 2025 GMV to be between $35.7 billion and $36 billion, indicating a 34.8% rise at the midpoint [5][10] - Merchant network revenues improved by 30% year-over-year during the same period [10] Competitive Landscape - Key competitors in the BNPL space include PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL) and Sezzle Inc. (SEZL), with PayPal reporting over 36 million merchants globally and a 1% year-over-year revenue increase to $7.8 billion [6][7] - Sezzle's merchant base exceeds 40,000 businesses, with total revenues more than doubling year-over-year to $104.9 million, supported by a 64.1% rise in GMV [8] Stock Performance and Valuation - Affirm's stock has surged 132.1% over the past year, outperforming the industry growth of 41.2% [9] - The company trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 5.61, which is below the industry average of 5.88 [12] Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Affirm's fiscal 2025 earnings suggests a 101.8% improvement from the previous year, with revenue growth projected at 37% year-over-year [14]

Core Insights - Affirm Holdings, Inc. (AFRM) is adapting its strategy in the competitive Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) market by focusing on transparency and flexible financing options for both high-ticket and low-ticket purchases [1][4] Group 1: Company Strategy and Performance - Affirm is shifting its focus from primarily financing larger purchases to collaborating with retailers for smaller, everyday items, such as Costco and World Market, to attract a broader audience [2][8] - Total transactions in Q3 FY25 increased by 45.6% year over year, reaching 31.3 million, driven by a significant rise in repeat customer transactions [2][8] - The number of active merchants for Affirm reached 358,000, marking a 23% year-over-year increase, as the company invests in machine learning-driven underwriting and real-time decision-making [3][8] Group 2: Competitive Landscape - Competitors like PayPal and Block are also active in the BNPL space, with PayPal's net revenues rising 1% year over year to $7.8 billion in Q1 2025, and Block's Gross Payment Volume increasing by 4.4% year over year [5][6] - PayPal's offerings, such as "Pay Monthly" and "Pay in 4," directly compete with Affirm's business model, targeting both high-ticket and low-ticket purchases [5] Group 3: Financial Metrics and Valuation - Affirm's stock has appreciated by 133.3% over the past year, significantly outperforming the industry average increase of 38.3% [7] - The company trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 5.66, which is below the industry average of 5.81 [9] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Affirm's fiscal 2025 earnings suggests a remarkable growth of 101.8% compared to the previous year [10]

Company Performance - Affirm Holdings (AFRM) experienced a daily increase of +1.98%, closing at $69.07, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 0.61% [1] - Prior to the latest trading session, shares had risen by 11.03%, surpassing the Computer and Technology sector's increase of 5.6% and the S&P 500's increase of 3.85% [1] Upcoming Earnings - The upcoming earnings disclosure is expected to show an EPS of $0.09, representing a significant increase of 164.29% compared to the same quarter last year [2] - Revenue is projected to reach $833.89 million, reflecting a 26.5% increase from the previous year [2] Annual Forecast - For the entire year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates predict earnings of $0.03 per share and revenue of $3.18 billion, indicating a year-over-year earnings increase of +101.8% and no change in revenue [3] Analyst Estimates - Recent changes in analyst estimates for Affirm Holdings are crucial for investors, as positive revisions indicate optimism regarding the company's business and profitability [3][4] - The Zacks Rank system, which incorporates these estimate changes, currently assigns Affirm Holdings a rank of 3 (Hold) [5] Valuation Metrics - Affirm Holdings has a Forward P/E ratio of 96.3, significantly higher than the industry average Forward P/E of 28.96 [6] - The company also has a PEG ratio of 2.46, compared to the Internet - Software industry's average PEG ratio of 2.22 [6] Industry Context - The Internet - Software industry, part of the Computer and Technology sector, holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 62, placing it in the top 26% of over 250 industries [7] - Research indicates that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [7]

Core Viewpoint - Affirm Holdings has seen significant interest in its stock, with a recent performance of +16.1% over the past month, outperforming the S&P 500 composite's +3.9% and the Zacks Internet - Software industry's +2.7% [2] Earnings Estimates - For the current quarter, Affirm Holdings is expected to report earnings of $0.09 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of +164.3% [5] - The consensus earnings estimate for the current fiscal year stands at $0.03, indicating a year-over-year change of +101.8% [5] - For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate is $0.70, showing no change from the previous year [6] - The Zacks Rank for Affirm Holdings is 3 (Hold), based on recent changes in earnings estimates and other related factors [7] Revenue Growth Forecast - The consensus sales estimate for the current quarter is $833.89 million, representing a year-over-year increase of +26.5% [11] - For the current fiscal year, the sales estimate is $3.18 billion, indicating a +37% change, while the next fiscal year's estimate is $3.91 billion, reflecting a +23% change [11] Last Reported Results - In the last reported quarter, Affirm Holdings generated revenues of $783.14 million, a year-over-year increase of +35.9% [12] - The EPS for the same period was $0.01, compared to -$0.43 a year ago, with an EPS surprise of +111.11% [12] - The company has consistently beaten consensus EPS estimates in the last four quarters and topped revenue estimates three times [13] Valuation - Affirm Holdings is graded F on the Zacks Value Style Score, indicating it is trading at a premium compared to its peers [17] - Valuation multiples such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF) are essential for assessing whether the stock is overvalued, fairly valued, or undervalued [15][16]

Core Insights - Affirm Holdings, Inc. (AFRM) shares have increased by 145.7% over the past year, outperforming the industry growth of 35.1% and the S&P 500's gain of 12.3% [2] - The company's strong performance is attributed to product innovation, strategic execution, and an expanding base of consumers and merchants [2] Financial Performance - In fiscal Q3 2025, 94% of transactions were from repeat customers, indicating the success of Affirm's short-term payment plans [7] - Total transactions rose by 45.6% year-over-year to 31.3 million in the last reported quarter [8] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2025 earnings suggests a 101.8% year-over-year improvement to 3 cents per share, with fiscal 2026 earnings expected to reach 73 cents [14] Business Strategy - Affirm is focusing on driving repeat usage as a sustainable growth strategy, which is more cost-effective than customer acquisition [6] - The company is expanding its merchant mix to include essential categories like food, travel, and subscriptions, enhancing daily engagement [8] - Affirm is scaling operations internationally, with plans to enter France, Germany, and the Netherlands through a partnership with Shopify [10] Product Development - Affirm's model provides value to merchants by reducing cart abandonment and increasing average order value, while offering consumers flexible payment options [12] - The company is investing in debit solutions and B2B tools to broaden its product ecosystem and increase transaction frequency [13] Market Position - Affirm is trading at 5.68X forward 12-month sales, slightly below the industry average of 5.85X, but above its three-year median of 3.59X [15] - The competitive landscape is intensifying, with legacy players like PayPal and Block expanding aggressively in the BNPL space [20]

Core Insights - Zacks Premium offers various tools to help investors make informed decisions and enhance their confidence in the stock market [1][2] - The Zacks Style Scores provide a unique rating system for stocks based on value, growth, and momentum characteristics, aiding investors in selecting securities with high potential for market outperformance [2][3] Zacks Style Scores - Each stock is rated from A to F based on its value, growth, and momentum, with A being the highest score indicating a better chance of outperforming the market [3] - The Value Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios such as P/E, PEG, and Price/Cash Flow [3] - The Growth Score assesses a company's financial health and future outlook by analyzing projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow [4] - The Momentum Score helps investors capitalize on price trends by evaluating recent price changes and earnings estimate revisions [5] - The VGM Score combines the three Style Scores to identify stocks with attractive value, strong growth forecasts, and promising momentum [6] Zacks Rank - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that utilizes earnings estimate revisions to assist investors in building successful portfolios [7] - Stocks rated 1 (Strong Buy) have historically produced an average annual return of +25.41% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [8] - There are over 800 top-rated stocks available, making it essential for investors to utilize Style Scores to narrow down their choices [9] Investment Strategy - To maximize returns, investors should focus on stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B [10] - Stocks with lower ranks, such as 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell), should be approached with caution, even if they have high Style Scores [11] Company Spotlight: Affirm Holdings - Affirm Holdings, Inc. is a financial technology company that offers flexible installment loans at the point of sale, partnering with various merchants [12] - Currently rated 3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, Affirm has a VGM Score of B and a Momentum Style Score of B, with shares increasing by 24.2% over the past four weeks [12][13] - Recent earnings estimates for fiscal 2025 have been revised upward, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate increasing by $0.12 to $0.03 per share, and an average earnings surprise of 102.2% [13]

Core Insights - Affirm Holdings, Inc. (AFRM) and SoFi Technologies, Inc. (SOFI) are prominent players in the fintech sector, targeting Gen Z, millennials, and older consumers with technology-driven financial solutions [1][2] - Affirm focuses on point-of-sale financing through a buy now, pay later (BNPL) model, while SoFi offers a broader platform that includes lending, investing, banking, and tech infrastructure [1][2] Affirm's Performance - Affirm reported $783.1 million in revenues for Q3 fiscal 2025, a 36% year-over-year increase, and achieved an adjusted EPS of $0.01, surpassing estimates [3][9] - The company raised its full-year revenue guidance to $3.163-$3.193 billion, up from the previous range of $3.13-$3.19 billion [3] - Affirm's growth is supported by expanding merchant partnerships and a growing international presence, with an expected adjusted operating margin of 23-23.6% for fiscal 2025 [4][5] - The company is leveraging AI to enhance productivity and customer interactions, and it has completed 24 asset-backed securitizations totaling $12.25 billion [6][7] SoFi's Performance - SoFi achieved record revenue of $770.7 million in Q1 2025, a 33% increase from the previous year, with net income rising over 200% to $71.5 million [8][10] - The platform added over 800,000 new users, bringing total membership to 10.9 million, and its adjusted EBITDA reached $210.3 million with a 27% margin [8][10] - However, SoFi's reliance on unsecured personal loans, which constitute nearly 70% of its lending portfolio, raises concerns about credit risk, especially with a borrower-level delinquency rate of 3.49% [11][12] Liquidity and Financial Health - Affirm's current ratio stands at 11.5, indicating strong liquidity, while SoFi's current ratio is below average at 0.8, suggesting limited flexibility to meet near-term obligations [9][12] - SoFi's current liabilities amount to $27.9 billion, with only $2.7 billion in cash as of March 31, 2025 [12] Growth Estimates - Zacks estimates indicate Affirm's fiscal 2025 sales and EPS are expected to grow by 37% and 101.8%, respectively, while SoFi's sales and EPS are projected to rise by 26.2% and 80% [13] - Affirm's earnings momentum is stronger compared to SoFi, with EPS estimates trending upward for both companies [13] Price Performance - Year-to-date, AFRM shares have increased by 9.8%, while SOFI shares have grown by 8.9%, outperforming the S&P 500 Index's 2.9% growth [16] - Affirm has shown stronger short-term momentum with a 1-month gain of 32% compared to SoFi's 25.9% [16] Valuation Comparison - Affirm is trading at 5.49X forward 12-month P/S, slightly higher than SoFi's 5.15X, reflecting investor confidence in Affirm's rapid scaling and profitability [19] - SoFi's broader but more complex business model is valued more conservatively, potentially due to operational diversification and execution risks [19] Conclusion - Both Affirm and SoFi are innovative fintech companies with strong growth narratives, but Affirm currently exhibits more growth potential due to its profitability, revenue growth, and disciplined execution [22][23] - Affirm's integration of AI, risk-managed lending, and robust capital partner network support its scalability, while SoFi faces challenges related to credit concentration risk and liquidity pressures [22][23]

Core Insights - Affirm Holdings, Inc. has partnered with Shopmonkey to become the default pay-over-time option for auto repair customers in the U.S. and Canada, allowing customers to split repair costs into manageable payments, sometimes at 0% APR, with no hidden fees [1][2][9] - This partnership provides Affirm access to a large network of small and mid-sized auto shops, expanding its presence in the auto repair spending category, which averages nearly $800 per year per car owner [2][9] - The collaboration is expected to boost Affirm's transaction volume and customer base, with total transactions growing 45.6% year-over-year to 31.3 million in the last reported quarter [3][9] Company Performance - Affirm handled over $33 billion in gross merchandise volume over the past year, enhancing brand trust and visibility by aligning with practical, recurring expenses [4] - Affirm's merchant network now exceeds 358,000 members, further expanding its reach in the market [4][9] - Year-to-date, Affirm's shares have gained 8.8%, underperforming the broader industry but outperforming the S&P 500 Index [7] Valuation and Estimates - Affirm trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 5.44X, slightly below the industry average of 5.80 [11] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Affirm's fiscal 2025 earnings implies a 101.8% improvement year-over-year, indicating strong growth potential [13]

Group 1 - Affirm Holdings is a rapidly growing player in the Buy Now, Pay Later market [1] - The company is approaching a significant inflection point with the potential achievement of GAAP operating profitability in the near term [1]

Core Insights - Shopmonkey has integrated Affirm as a default pay-later provider for auto repair shops, enabling them to offer flexible financing options to customers [2][3] - This partnership aims to enhance customer satisfaction and promote long-term growth for small and medium-sized auto shops by allowing car owners to spread out maintenance costs [3] Group 1: Partnership Details - The arrangement allows car repair shops using Shopmonkey's payment processing solution to offer pay-over-time financing through Affirm [2] - Affirm's payment options will help thousands of small and medium-sized auto shops better serve their customers [2][3] Group 2: Consumer Behavior Insights - Car owners typically spend nearly $800 annually on maintenance, and the new financing option will facilitate easier payment for necessary services [3] - Research indicates that 35% of consumers made emergency purchases of at least $250 in the past year, with a median cost of $605 [4] - Approximately half of unplanned retail purchases are made using credit, with BNPL accounting for 10% of these transactions [5] Group 3: Financial Trends - Among Americans living paycheck-to-paycheck, 75% have utilized BNPL plans, indicating a significant reliance on alternative credit sources [5] - The trend towards budget-friendly payment options is influencing consumer behavior for both large and small purchases [6] - Consumers facing cash shortfalls are more likely to use BNPL, with 8.9% reporting usage compared to those without such issues [6]