Core Insights - Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales reached record levels in 2025, driven by e-commerce despite low consumer sentiment and inflation pressures [2] E-commerce Performance - U.S. shoppers spent $11.8 billion on Black Friday, with Shopify merchants generating $14.6 billion in sales, a 27% increase from the previous year [3][4] - The average cart price on Shopify was $114.70, with top-selling cities including Los Angeles, New York, London, San Francisco, and Miami [3] AI Influence - AI tools increased online traffic to retail websites by 805% year-on-year, as consumers sought the best deals [5] - Amazon's AI shopping agent, Rufus, saw over 250 million users this year, with a 149% increase in monthly average users [7] Payment Trends - "Buy Now, Pay Later" (BNPL) options accounted for $747.5 million in online spending on Black Friday, an 8.9% increase year-over-year [7] - Adobe predicted BNPL usage would exceed $1 billion by the end of Cyber Week, indicating consumer willingness to spend despite cash constraints [7] Foot Traffic Insights - Mall attendance reached new records, with the Mall of America seeing 235,000 visitors on Black Friday, an 8% increase [9] - However, small retailers experienced a 5.3% decrease in foot traffic, as shoppers preferred e-commerce for convenience [10][11]

The offices of seven state Democratic attorneys general asked providers of Buy Now, Pay Later services for details about the cost and structures of their installment loans, as well as consumers’ ability to repay them https://t.co/jEmeXDg31h ...

Core Insights - Retail giants Walmart and Amazon are expanding their lending operations in India, targeting small businesses and eCommerce shoppers [2][4] Group 1: Amazon's Initiatives - Amazon plans to offer loans to small business owners in India, having acquired the nonbank lender Axio, which provides BNPL and personal loans [2] - The company aims to design tailored lending propositions to enhance cash flow management for merchants and small businesses [3] Group 2: Walmart's Flipkart Developments - Flipkart, owned by Walmart, is exploring buy now, pay later (BNPL) products and has registered its nonbank lending arm, Flipkart Finance, awaiting regulatory approval [4] - Flipkart plans to offer no-cost monthly installment loans for eCommerce shoppers and loans for consumer durables with interest rates between 18% and 26% per year, expected to launch next year [4]

well idk thats why i twote the tweetReality (@realityuk):@blknoiz06 How do you think “buy now, pay later with 0 interest” schemes make money? Lol ...

Core Insights - Seeking Alpha welcomes a new contributing analyst, Tyler Franklin, who encourages others to share investment ideas [1] Group 1 - The analyst graduated from the University of Alabama in 2017 with a degree in Management Information Systems [2] - Currently employed at Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, TX, as an application developer [2] - The analyst has been investing since 2017 and emphasizes the importance of thorough research before initiating positions in quality or undervalued businesses [2] Group 2 - The analyst holds a beneficial long position in the shares of PRG, owning 107 shares [3][4] - The article expresses the analyst's personal opinions and is not influenced by any business relationships with companies mentioned [3]

Core Insights - Affirm Holdings, Inc. (AFRM) is experiencing a high valuation with a forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) multiple of 5.12X, significantly above its three-year median of 4.08X and the broader industry's 4.78X, indicating that investors are pricing in an almost flawless future [1][2] - The company generated $769 million in free cash flow over the past year, marking a 27.8% increase, which reflects improving operational traction, although it trades at a price-to-free-cash-flow (P/FCF) ratio of 31.16X, higher than the industry's 27.25X [4] - Affirm's repeat customer transactions accounted for 96% in the first quarter of fiscal 2026, indicating strong customer loyalty and potential for sustained transaction growth [5][7] Financial Performance - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Affirm's fiscal 2026 earnings suggests a 566.7% year-over-year increase to $1 per share, with revenue projections for fiscal 2026 and 2027 expected to grow by 26% and 22.8%, respectively [10] - Affirm's Gross Merchandise Value is anticipated to exceed $47.5 billion for fiscal 2026, with the company beating earnings estimates in each of the past four quarters, averaging a surprise of 129.3% [11] Market Position and Growth Strategy - Affirm has broadened its relevance in everyday spending categories, with active merchants increasing by 30% year-over-year to 419,000, supporting a 52.2% year-over-year jump in transactions to 41.4 million [6][7] - The Affirm Card is a strategic growth initiative aimed at becoming a primary access point for Affirm services, with 500,000 card members added in the fiscal first quarter [8] - The partnership with Shopify is set to expand into Europe, which is expected to enlarge the addressable market and diversify revenue streams, with active consumers reaching 24.1 million, a 24% year-over-year increase [9] Competitive Landscape - Competition in the buy now, pay later (BNPL) segment remains intense, with well-capitalized players like PayPal and Block expanding aggressively, and Walmart's shift to Klarna highlights the challenges in retaining major merchants [15] - Affirm faces rising operating expenses, which increased by 25.9% in fiscal 2023 and continued to rise in subsequent years, necessitating firm cost control to maintain margins [16] Financial Health - The company ended the fiscal first quarter with $1.4 billion in cash and cash equivalents, a 5.5% increase from the end of fiscal 2025, while funding debt rose to $1.8 billion, resulting in a long-term debt-to-capital ratio of 70.6%, significantly above the industry's 13.4% [17]

Key Takeaways Cash App and Afterpay pilot a Flex Card, letting users split purchases into six weekly installments on Visa.The feature broadens pay-over-time use across Visa's network, supporting volume as preferences shift.Cash App evaluates cash-flow data and pauses access to new loans when repayment issues appear.Visa Inc. (V) is set to gain some exciting new traction as Cash App and Afterpay launch a fresh pay-over-time feature that can be used where Visa is accepted. This upcoming pilot will roll out th ...

Core Insights - Klarna has expanded its payment options on Apple Pay to customers in Spain, Denmark, and Sweden, enhancing transparency and flexibility for users in these regions [1] - This expansion follows similar launches in the UK, Canada, and the US, positioning Klarna as one of the first buy now, pay later (BNPL) providers available through Apple Pay in these markets [2] - Customers can split purchases into three monthly installments or opt to pay up to thirty days later, both interest-free options [2] Financial Performance - Klarna reported a 26% increase in revenue to $903 million in Q3 2025, with gross merchandise volume (GMV) rising 23% to $32.7 billion [4] - In the US market, GMV increased by 43%, while revenue grew by 51% during the same period [4] - The Klarna Card achieved four million signups since July and accounted for 15% of worldwide transactions in October [5] Future Projections - For Q4 2025, Klarna projects GMV between $37.5 billion and $38.5 billion, revenue between $1.065 billion and $1.08 billion, and total managed deposits between $390 million and $400 million [5] - Klarna is expected to launch its services via Apple Pay in France in the coming weeks [3]

Core Insights - Klarna's shares have decreased by approximately 30% since its IPO, indicating a challenging post-IPO environment for the company [1][5] - Despite reporting better-than-expected results, Klarna's shares fell 9% due to a wider-than-anticipated adjusted operating loss of $14 million [2][8] - The company reported a third-quarter net loss of $0.25 per share on revenue of $903 million, with gross merchandise value (GMV) reaching $32.7 billion and active users at 114 million, both surpassing analyst expectations [3][4] Financial Performance - Klarna's adjusted operating loss was $14 million, compared to the expected loss of $11.3 million [2] - The third-quarter revenue was $903 million, exceeding analyst consensus [3] - Klarna's GMV for the third quarter was $32.7 billion, also beating estimates [3] Future Outlook - Klarna provided guidance for fourth-quarter revenue between $1.065 billion and $1.080 billion, and GMV between $37.5 billion and $38.5 billion, both better than analyst estimates [3] - The company plans to sell up to $6.5 billion in loans from its Fair Financing portfolio to Elliott Investment Management over the next two years [6][8] Market Position - Klarna's performance reflects the transition of buy now, pay later (BNPL) services from niche offerings to mainstream payment methods for everyday purchases [4] - The company is focusing on expanding its U.S. presence and banking products while managing growth and profitability [4][5]

Core Insights - Klarna is transitioning from a payment service to a full-scale neobank, emphasizing trust, customer obsession, and AI as key components of its strategy [1][2][3] - The company reported an average outstanding balance of $88 for its buy now, pay later (BNPL) service, significantly lower than the average credit card balance of $6,500, positioning BNPL as a healthier credit model [6] Financial Performance - Klarna's third-quarter earnings revealed a GMV of $32.7 billion, with a 43% year-over-year growth in the U.S. market [7] - Revenue reached $903 million, reflecting a 51% increase in the U.S. [7] - Average revenue per active consumer is $28, increasing to $90 for users utilizing in-app shopping features and $130 for Klarna Card users [5] User Engagement - The company has 114 million active consumers, a 32% increase year-over-year, and 850,000 merchants, up 38% [4] - App penetration is at 76% of the user base, with approximately 49 million monthly active users engaging within the product environment [5] - The Klarna Card has 3.2 million global active users, with 1.4 million in the U.S., and a trailing 12-month purchase frequency of 125 transactions [8] Strategic Initiatives - Fair financing grew by 139% year-over-year, with the number of merchants offering it increasing from 79,000 to 151,000 [6] - The company aims to re-underwrite more than half of its balance sheet in about 60 days, contrasting with traditional lenders [9] - Klarna is focused on expanding its banking capabilities and aims to be available wherever Visa operates [9] Future Outlook - Revenue growth for the fourth quarter is projected to exceed 30% [11] - The company is leveraging AI to enhance its services and reduce switching friction in financial transactions [10]