Affirm is partnering with Costco to offer online shoppers the option to pay over time for transactions.The financial services company announced the collaboration Thursday (May 8) in a shareholder letter. Customers, if approved, will be to able select monthly Affirm payment plans when shopping on Costco’s website.“[We] are proud to announce our online partnership with Costco — a brand and a retailer I have personally admired for a long time because of their unwavering commitment to customer experience and tr ...

Fresh off Tuesday’s announcement that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) would not treat buy now, pay later (BNPL) companies like credit card networks, Sezzle’s first quarter 2025 results highlight a company in the midst of rapid transformation, with nonfinancial developments signaling a strategic pivot toward deeper consumer engagement and platform innovation. The Minneapolis-based BNPL provider rolled out several new features this quarter, including a Pay-in-5 beta program, enhanced shopping ...

Sezzle (SEZL) Q1 2025 Earnings Call May 07, 2025 05:00 PM ET Company Participants Charlie Youakim - Executive Chairman & CEOKaren Hartje - Chief Financial OfficerHal Goetsch - Managing DirectorPaul Paradis - Executive Director & PresidentMike Grondahl - Head of Equities & Director of Research Operator After today's presentation, there will be an opportunity to ask questions. Please note this event is being recorded. I would now like to turn the conference over to Charlie Yeohkin, CEO. Please go ahead. Charl ...

Core Insights - Sezzle Inc. has raised its 2025 Net Income guidance by nearly 50% to $120 million due to stronger consumer activity and better-than-expected repayment trends [2][16] - The company reported significant growth in key financial metrics for the first quarter of 2025, including a 64.1% year-over-year increase in Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) to $808.7 million [5] - Total Revenue for 1Q25 reached a new high of $104.9 million, reflecting a 123.3% year-over-year growth, driven by higher engagement and a partnership with WebBank [5] Financial Performance - Operating Income surged 260.6% year-over-year to $49.9 million, with an Operating Margin of 47.6%, an increase of 18.2 points from the previous year [5] - Net Income more than quadrupled year-over-year to $36.2 million, representing 34.5% of Total Revenue, equating to Earnings per Diluted Share of $1.00 [5] - Adjusted EBITDA grew 243.7% year-over-year to $51.4 million, accounting for 49.0% of Total Revenue, marking a 17.1-point expansion from 1Q24 [5] Cost Management - Total Operating Expenses increased 66.0% year-over-year to $55.0 million, but as a share of Total Revenue, it improved by 18.2 points to 52.4% [5] - Transaction Related Costs as a percentage of GMV decreased from 4.3% to 3.8% year-over-year, attributed to better credit performance and effective payment processing strategies [5] - Non-Transaction Related Operating Expenses rose 65.9% year-over-year to $26.9 million, but improved as a share of Total Revenue, declining to 25.6% [5] Guidance Update - The updated FY2025 guidance includes raising Net Income and Adjusted Net Income to $120 million from $80.4 million, and Total Revenue Growth guidance to 60-65% from 25-30% [16] - The company anticipates an effective tax rate of 25% for FY2025 [16] Strategic Initiatives - Sezzle launched new features such as Pay-in-5, enhanced shopping tools, and Money IQ to deepen consumer engagement and streamline the shopping experience [16] - The company expanded its merchant network, adding Scheels and WHOP to its partnerships [16] Upcoming Events - Sezzle will host its first quarter earnings conference call on May 7, 2025, and will participate in several investor conferences throughout May and June [9][16]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q1 2025, consolidated revenue reached $684.1 million, a 6.6% increase year-over-year from $641.9 million [26] - Adjusted EBITDA was $70.3 million, slightly down from $72.6 million in the previous year [26] - Non-GAAP EPS was $0.90, exceeding the high end of the outlook [26] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Progressive Leasing's GMV was $402 million, down 4% year-over-year, primarily due to the bankruptcy of a large retail partner [22][23] - Excluding the impact of the Big Lots bankruptcy, GMV growth was low to mid-single digits [22][23] - Ford Technologies continued to grow revenues at a triple-digit rate, achieving its first quarter of positive adjusted EBITDA [11][81] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The lease portfolio balance as of December 31, 2024, was up 6.1% year-over-year, compared to a 5.2% decline at the same point in 2023 [10] - Write-offs for Q1 came in at 7.4%, slightly better than expected, with a targeted annual write-off range of 6% to 8% [10][24] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on executing its ecosystem strategy, which includes both leasing and BNPL products to meet consumer needs [11][19] - Strategic investments will continue in marketing and technology to optimize decision-making and manage risk [12][19] - The company aims to maintain a disciplined approach to spending while prioritizing areas with the greatest impact [14][19] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - The macro environment has deteriorated, with inflation and tariff concerns impacting consumer confidence and spending [12][28] - Despite challenges, the company remains confident in its ability to grow share and deliver sustainable profitable growth [13][30] - The revised revenue outlook for 2025 reflects the GMV headwinds, with expectations for revenue between $2.425 billion and $2.5 billion [29] Other Important Information - The company returned capital to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases, with a quarterly cash dividend of $0.13 per share [26] - The company has $335.2 million remaining under its $500 million share repurchase program [26] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the dynamics of the trade-down environment? - Management noted that trade-down behavior still exists but is more muted compared to the latter half of 2024, with no significant tightening observed [36] Question: How has retail softness progressed? - The quarter started encouragingly, but a downshift in consumer sentiment was noted, with no significant rebound observed [40] Question: What is the impact of the Big Lots bankruptcy on GMV? - The $30 million GMV headwind from the lost customer is expected to be consistent across the quarters, with some seasonal variations [41][42] Question: How are inflation and tariffs affecting retail partners? - Management indicated that modest price increases could be beneficial, but significant price shocks and demand destruction are concerning [46] Question: What is the outlook for GMV in Q2 and the rest of the year? - No specific GMV guidance was provided due to uncertainty, but management remains focused on maintaining a healthy portfolio and managing expenses [95][96]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for Q1 2025 was $684.1 million, a 6.6% increase year over year, driven by a larger lease portfolio and higher purchase activity [9][27] - Adjusted EBITDA was $70.3 million, slightly down from $72.6 million in the previous year [27] - Non-GAAP EPS was $0.90, exceeding the high end of the outlook [10][27] - The lease portfolio balance increased by 6.1% year over year, compared to a 5.2% decline at the same point in 2023 [10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Progressive Leasing's GMV for Q1 was $402 million, down 4% from the previous year, primarily due to the bankruptcy of a large retail partner [22][24] - Excluding the impact of the Big Lots bankruptcy, GMV growth was low to mid-single digits [8][24] - Ford Technologies, the BNPL platform, achieved triple-digit revenue growth and positive adjusted EBITDA for the first time [11][80] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The macroeconomic environment has deteriorated, with inflation and tariff concerns impacting consumer confidence and spending [12][29] - Consumer behavior has shifted, with many delaying discretionary spending, particularly in big-ticket categories [8][12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on executing its ecosystem strategy, which includes enhancing both leasing and BNPL products to meet consumer needs [11][19] - Strategic investments in marketing and technology are prioritized to drive growth and optimize risk management [12][19] - The company aims to maintain a disciplined approach to spending while making selective capital investments [14][19] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the challenging macro environment but expressed confidence in the company's ability to navigate through it [12][29] - The revised 2025 outlook reflects increased macro uncertainty and a decline in consumer confidence, particularly in key categories [29][30] - Management expects lease portfolio performance to remain within the targeted 6% to 8% annual write-off range [30] Other Important Information - The company returned capital to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases, with a quarterly cash dividend of $0.13 per share [27] - The company has $335.2 million remaining under its $500 million share repurchase program [27] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the dynamics of the trade-down environment? - Management noted that trade-down behavior still exists but is more muted compared to the latter half of 2024, with no significant tightening observed [36] Question: How has retail softness progressed? - Management indicated that while the quarter started encouragingly, there was a noticeable downshift in consumer sentiment, with no significant rebound observed [40] Question: What is the impact of the Big Lots bankruptcy on GMV? - Management confirmed that the $30 million GMV headwind from the lost customer is expected to be consistent across the quarters [41][42] Question: How are inflation and tariffs impacting retail partners? - Management highlighted that modest price increases could be beneficial, but significant price shocks and demand destruction are concerning [46] Question: What is the status of the American Signature partnership? - Management reported positive progress with American Signature, indicating strong connectivity and training efforts [64] Question: What is the reduction in lease approval rates? - Management stated that lease approval rates are approximately 300 to 400 basis points lower year over year, influenced by tightening actions and a shift in application quality [70]

Marqeta, Inc. (NASDAQ:MQ) Q4 2024 Earnings Conference Call February 26, 2025 4:30 PM ET Company Participants Stacey Finerman - Vice President of Investor Relations Mike Milotich - Interim Chief Executive Officer & Chief Financial Officer Conference Call Participants Tien-Tsin Huang - JPMorgan Timothy Chiodo - UBS Darrin Peller - Wolfe Research Andrew Bauch - Wells Fargo Sanjay Sakhrani - KBW Chris Kennedy - William Blair Operator Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Marqeta, Inc.’s Fourth Quarter 2024 Earnings ...

Marqeta (MQ) Q4 2024 Earnings Call February 26, 2025 04:30 PM ET Company Participants Stacey Finerman - Vice President, Investor RelationsMike Milotich - Interim CEO & CFOTimothy Chiodo - Managing DirectorDarrin Peller - Managing DirectorAndrew Bauch - Director - Equity ResearchSanjay Sakhrani - Managing Director Conference Call Participants Tien-tsin Huang - Senior AnalystNone - AnalystCristopher Kennedy - Research Analyst - Financial Services & Technology Operator Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Marqeta ...