Retail and Business Customers[Alkami Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALKT) ("Alkami"), a digital sales and service platform provider for financial institutions in the U.S., today...][More Releases From This Source]## Explore[Computer Software][Computer Software][Computer & Electronics][Banking & Financial Services] [News Releases in Similar Topics]---- -- MANTL Partners with MeridianLink to Offer Integrated Point-of-Sale (POS) Solution [Accessibility Statement] Skip NavigationWith the launch of the MANTL and Meri ...

Core Insights - The FICO UK Credit Card Market Report for December 2025 indicates that average credit card balances have reached the highest level since FICO began tracking this data, reflecting ongoing financial pressures on consumers [1] - There is a notable increase in the number of customers missing payments, with a month-on-month rise of 6.4% for those missing one payment and a 3.7% increase for those missing three payments [1] - The average active balance rose to £1,950, marking a 1.7% increase from November and a 4.8% increase year-on-year, highlighting affordability challenges for UK consumers [1] Spending and Payment Trends - Average credit card spending increased by 5.6% from November to December, reaching £830, although this figure is 3.5% lower than December 2024 [1] - The percentage of overall balance paid stabilized at 33.4%, which is a slight increase of 0.1% from November but a significant decrease of 6.8% year-on-year [1] - The average credit limit rose to £5,930, reflecting a 0.2% month-on-month increase and a 2.4% year-on-year increase [1] Customer Payment Behavior - The report indicates that 1.4% of accounts had one missed payment, a month-on-month increase of 6.4% and a year-on-year decrease of 4.3% [1] - Accounts with two missed payments accounted for 0.3%, showing a month-on-month decrease of 1.2% but a year-on-year increase of 3.1% [1] - The percentage of accounts with three missed payments rose to 0.2%, with a month-on-month increase of 3.7% and a year-on-year increase of 4.9% [1] Financial Stress Indicators - The persistent rise in average balances and low payment rates suggest continued financial stress for consumers, with expectations of increased payment rates in January as consumers focus on settling holiday spending [1] - The report emphasizes the need for risk teams to enhance monitoring of payment patterns and implement proactive intervention strategies in response to potential payment stress in early 2026 [1]

Core Insights - MeridianLink, Inc. announced a series of enhancements for its MeridianLink One platform, focusing on consumer and mortgage solutions to help financial institutions leverage data, enhance personalization, and acquire more consumers digitally [1][2]. Group 1: Product Enhancements - The enhancements include the introduction of MeridianLink® Insight for Mortgage, which provides analytics and benchmarking tools to improve decision-making and growth for lenders by utilizing over 2000 data points [3]. - MeridianLink® Insight for Collect offers advanced tools for managing collections, including the Propensity to Pay Index and performance dashboards, enabling institutions to prioritize accounts and improve ROI [4]. - New features in MeridianLink® Access and MeridianLink® Opening allow financial institutions to present personalized product offers to consumers in real-time, enhancing cross-sell opportunities [5]. Group 2: Digital Consumer Acquisition - The platform supports Second Chance Checking, allowing consumers access to inclusive financial options, and custom branded business account opening experiences for business owners [8]. - The enhancements aim to streamline the account opening process across various product offerings, including minor, trusts, memorial, and estate accounts, broadening the capabilities of financial institutions [8]. Group 3: Strategic Goals - MeridianLink's commitment to innovation is aimed at helping customers compete and grow in a rapidly evolving banking landscape, supporting every stage of a consumer's financial journey [2][6]. - The platform's seamless integration reduces operational silos and increases efficiencies, ultimately enhancing the experience for both staff and consumers [2][6].

Group 1: Apple Inc. (AAPL) - Apple is approaching a $4 trillion market cap, with shares rising nearly 4% recently [2] - Strong demand for the iPhone 17 has been noted, with Loop Capital upgrading Apple to Buy and raising the price target to $315 from $226, while Evercore ISI added Apple to its Tactical Outperform List with a $290 price target [3] - The iPhone 17 series has outsold the iPhone 16 series by 14% in its first 10 days, with the base model driving a 33% increase in sell-out data compared to the iPhone 16 [4] Group 2: Unilever (UL) - Unilever is postponing the planned demerger of its ice cream business due to the U.S. government shutdown, which affects the SEC's ability to declare the registration statement effective for the listing [5] - Despite the delay, Unilever will still hold the general meeting of shareholders to vote on the proposed consolidation of its share capital as scheduled [6] Group 3: e.l.f. Beauty (ELF) - e.l.f. Beauty shares fell nearly 7% after reporting disappointing sales of rhode beauty, totaling $40.2 million for the quarter ending June 30, which was below investor expectations [7] - Analysts had projected that the $1 billion acquisition of rhode would add approximately $0.38 to FY25 earnings, but this may be reduced due to uncertain tariff conditions and recent disclosures [8]

Core Insights - The U.S. homeowners currently hold a record $17.8 trillion in equity, with $11.6 trillion being tappable, indicating a strong potential for continued HELOC and second mortgage offerings [1] - The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) anticipates a rise in overall origination points from $1.7 trillion last year to $2 trillion this year, with unit origination expected to increase from 4.572 million to 5.598 million [1] - Non-QM loans have seen a significant growth of 53% over the past year, increasing their market share from 5.21% to 8%, with projections suggesting a potential rise to 15% in less than two years if the current growth rate continues [8][9] Industry Trends - The mortgage market is experiencing a shift towards non-agency loans, with innovative lending solutions becoming increasingly necessary as traditional banks withdraw from conventional lending [8][9] - The introduction of AI-powered tools, such as ACES Intelligence, is redefining quality control in mortgage services, enhancing efficiency and productivity for loan reviews and compliance [4] - The updated MeridianLink® Mortgage product suite aims to streamline the mortgage lending process, providing lenders with greater control and efficiency [2] Economic Indicators - New home sales unexpectedly surged by 20.5% in August, attributed to lower mortgage rates and builder incentives, although caution is advised due to the volatility of the data [17][18] - The overall trend in new home sales has been relatively flat, with expectations of a slowdown in single-family construction impacting GDP growth in the coming quarters [18] - Seasonal hiring in 2025 is projected to decline, reflecting ongoing economic uncertainty and a shift towards leaner staffing strategies among companies [13]

Core Insights - MeridianLink has been recognized once again on the IDC FinTech Rankings for 2025, highlighting its continued prominence in the digital lending sector [1] Company Summary - The recognition by IDC signifies MeridianLink's strong position and reputation within the financial technology industry, particularly in digital lending solutions [1]

A group of private credit firms are providing nearly $1.4 billion of loans to support Centerbridge’s acquisition of financial software platform MeridianLink, according to sources https://t.co/j5Y9mb4cP0 ...

Group 1 - Class Action Attorney Juan Monteverde's firm, Monteverde & Associates PC, has recovered millions for shareholders and is recognized as a Top 50 Firm in the 2024 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report [1] - The firm is investigating MeridianLink, Inc. regarding its sale to affiliates of Centerbridge Partners, L.P. for $20.00 per share in cash, raising questions about the fairness of the deal [1] - Monteverde & Associates PC is headquartered in the Empire State Building, New York City, and has a successful track record in trial and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court [2][3] Group 2 - The firm emphasizes that not all law firms are equal and encourages potential clients to inquire about their track record before hiring [2] - The firm offers free consultations for shareholders with concerns about their investments in MeridianLink, Inc. [3] - Contact information for Juan Monteverde, Esq. is provided for shareholders seeking additional information [3]

Core Viewpoint - The law firm Wohl & Fruchter LLP is investigating the fairness of the proposed sale of MeridianLink, Inc. to Centerbridge Partners for $20.00 per share, which is significantly lower than its 52-week high and analyst price targets, indicating a potentially opportunistic acquisition by Centerbridge [1][3]. Group 1: Sale Details - MeridianLink has agreed to be sold to Centerbridge for $20.00 per share in cash [3]. - The sale price is below the 52-week high of $25.33 per share and below the price target of $24.00 set by at least one Wall Street analyst [1][3]. Group 2: Investigation Purpose - The investigation aims to determine if the MeridianLink Board of Directors acted in the best interests of shareholders when approving the sale [4]. - It will assess whether the agreed price is fair and if all material information regarding the transaction has been disclosed [4]. Group 3: Legal Representation - Wohl & Fruchter LLP has a history of representing investors in litigation related to corporate misconduct and has recovered significant damages for investors [4].

Core Insights - MeridianLink (MLNK) reported quarterly earnings of $0.13 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.09 per share, and up from $0.04 per share a year ago [1][2] - The company achieved revenues of $84.6 million for the quarter ended June 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.62% and increasing from $78.68 million year-over-year [3] Earnings Performance - The earnings surprise for the quarter was +44.44%, following a previous quarter where the company reported earnings of $0.09 against an expectation of $0.11, resulting in a surprise of -18.18% [2] - Over the last four quarters, MeridianLink has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times [2] Revenue Insights - MeridianLink has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the last four quarters [3] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.10 on revenues of $83.25 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $0.35 on revenues of $329.49 million [8] Market Performance - MeridianLink shares have declined approximately 23.1% since the beginning of the year, contrasting with the S&P 500's gain of 8.6% [4] - The company's Zacks Rank is currently 3 (Hold), indicating expected performance in line with the market in the near future [7] Industry Context - The Technology Services industry, to which MeridianLink belongs, is currently in the top 37% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable outlook compared to the bottom 50% [9] - Empirical research indicates a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can be tracked by investors [6]