Needham Analysts Think This Fintech Stock Can Soar 46% from Here. Should You Buy It Now?

Group 1 - Affirm Holdings has submitted an application to establish Affirm Bank, a Nevada-chartered industrial loan company, which would allow the company to have an FDIC-insured institution and scale its business [1] - Analyst Kyle Peterson upgraded AFRM stock from "Hold" to "Buy" with a price target of $100, indicating a potential upside of 60% from current levels, viewing Affirm Bank as a "game-changer" for the company [2] - Approval for Affirm Bank is expected to be likely due to the government's push for deregulation and the company's strong risk management track record [3] Group 2 - Affirm offers Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) solutions, allowing customers to split purchases into flexible installments, and partners with retailers to provide seamless payment options [3][4] - The company has a market capitalization of $21.6 billion and extends unsecured loans assessed through credit evaluations and AI-driven models [4] - AFRM stock has experienced a 6% gain over the past 52 weeks but has declined 8% over the past six months, with a 38% drop from its 52-week high of $100 [5]