Equifax Canada® Market Pulse Quarterly Consumer Credit Trends and Insights TORONTO, Nov. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Equifax® Canada’s Q3 Market Pulse Quarterly Consumer Credit Trends and Insights shows a renewed rise in missed payments heading into the holidays, with 1.45 million consumers in Canada missing a credit payment in Q3, more than 46,000 higher than in Q2. The national 90+ non-mortgage balance delinquency rate reached 1.63 per cent, up 14 per cent year-over-year. Total consumer debt climbed to $ ...

Consumers expecting to spend about 10% less this year on holiday gifts for an average of nearly $1,600 as they prepare for higher prices according to the latest Deote holiday retail survey. Our next guest warns that consumers are strapped. We could see a January hangover.Joining us is Lockx Ganapathy of Unicus Research. She's the founder and CEO of the short investment research firm. She's also worked closely with Steve Eisman who is a friend of Fast Money of course.Locks, great to have you back. Good to se ...

OppFi (NYSE:OPFI) FY Conference Summary Company Overview - **Industry**: Specialty finance and fintech - **Company**: OppFi, a tech-enabled digital finance platform providing small-dollar, short-term, unsecured installment loans to underserved U.S. consumers through the OppLoans platform [1][2] - **Founded**: 2012 by Todd Schwartz, went public in July 2021 via SPAC [2][4] Core Business Model - **Loan Characteristics**: Transparent, fully amortizing, simple interest loans with no origination fees, prepayment penalties, late fees, or NSF fees [4] - **Operational Efficiency**: Approximately 76% of loans are processed without human intervention [4] Financial Performance - **Recent Performance**: Record originations, revenue, adjusted net income, and ending receivables reported [25] - **Profitability**: Despite challenges in 2022, the company has turned around with solid fundamentals and a strong management team [5] Market Conditions and Consumer Behavior - **Macro Environment**: General unease among consumers due to inflation and economic conditions, but no significant employment issues reported [9][10] - **Demand Trends**: Increased demand for loans as more consumers, including near-prime customers, seek financial assistance [10] Competitive Landscape - **Competitors**: Propel Holdings, Enova, OneMain, and Regional Management are noted competitors, with no significant shifts in market dynamics observed [11] - **Market Position**: OppFi operates in a unique space with a focus on higher APR loans, differentiating itself from competitors like OneMain [11] New Initiatives - **Lola Platform**: A new in-house loan management system aimed at enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency, expected to launch in early 2026 [12][13][14] - **Biddy Investment**: Acquired a 35% stake in Biddy, a revenue-based financing company for small businesses, with plans for further investment [19][20] Funding and Capital Allocation - **Funding Structure**: Two warehouse facilities totaling $400 million, with improved pricing and solid relationships with bank partners [31][32] - **Capital Allocation**: Focus on M&A opportunities, particularly in the small business and earned wage access sectors, while maintaining cash generation capabilities [37][38] Marketing Strategy - **Marketing Channels**: Utilizes lead providers, SEO, referrals, and plans to relaunch direct mail in 2025 after a suspension due to high costs [52][53] - **New Initiatives**: Exploring connected TV advertising to reach target customers effectively [54] Operational Scalability - **Efficiency Gains**: Offshoring customer service has improved operational efficiency without increasing headcount [56][58] Investor Insights - **Market Perception**: OppFi is not a subprime lender; the resilience of its consumer base and cash generation capabilities are often underestimated [59] - **Valuation Considerations**: The company's cash reserves and potential for profitable deployment are not fully reflected in its market valuation [59] Conclusion - OppFi is positioned for growth with a strong management team, innovative platforms, and a focus on underserved markets, while navigating macroeconomic challenges and competitive pressures effectively [60][61]

Market Overview - Pre-market trading has declined, reflecting a cautious sentiment towards AI infrastructure spending and a lack of economic data, particularly during what was expected to be Jobs Week [1] - The market has seen a downward trend over the past five days, moving away from all-time highs reached in late October [1] Employment Data - Non-farm payroll numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) are unavailable due to a government shutdown, with estimates suggesting a loss of 60,000 jobs last month [2] - The unemployment rate is expected to rise to 4.5%, while hourly wages are anticipated to remain steady at a year-over-year increase of 0.3% [2] - ADP reported an addition of 42,000 new jobs, which is better than BLS estimates but still indicates a weak labor market [3] - The Challenger Job Cuts report indicated 153,000 job cuts, highlighting ongoing challenges in employment [3] Interest Rate Expectations - There is a tentative expectation for a 25 basis-point interest rate cut in approximately 4.5 weeks, although market indexes may have already priced in this cut [4] - The "neutral rate" of inflation is uncertain but is believed to be higher than the optimal 2% [4] Earnings Reports - Wendy's (WEN) reported Q3 earnings of $0.24 per share, exceeding expectations by 20%, leading to a 9% increase in shares [5] - Six Flags Entertainment (FUN) posted earnings of $3.28 per share, surpassing the consensus estimate by 46.4%, although shares are down 2% in early trading [5] - Fluor (FLR) reported Q3 earnings of $0.68 per share, beating expectations by 54.55%, with shares up 4.6% in pre-market trading [6] - Constellation Energy (CEG) reported earnings of $3.04 per share, falling short of the anticipated $3.13, resulting in a 6.3% decline in shares [7] - Canopy Growth (CGC) shares increased by 12% despite reporting a loss of $0.01 per share, an improvement from the expected loss of $0.10 [8] Consumer Sentiment and Credit - The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment report for November is expected to show a slight decrease to 53.0 from 53.6, remaining above the neutral threshold of 50 [9] - Consumer credit for September is projected to total $10.0 billion [9]

Summary of Experian FY Conference Call (November 04, 2025) Industry Overview - The conference focused on the automotive finance market, particularly retail financing trends and consumer credit information [2][3] - The presentation utilized vehicle title and registration data from DMVs and OEMs to analyze the U.S. market [2] Key Points on Retail Financing - Retail financing for vehicles has increased slightly, up nearly 2% year-over-year, with approximately 17 million transactions recorded through August [3] - Cash transactions in the retail space have risen significantly, with cash purchases for new cars at about 20% and used vehicles at an all-time high [4] - Off-lease returns are at a low of 2.2 million units, leading to a scarcity of late-model vehicles [5] Leasing Trends - Leasing rates have averaged around 24% this year, with a notable increase in off-lease electric vehicles (EVs) expected in the coming years [5][6] - Honda remains the top brand for leasing, while Tesla has seen significant growth in leasing volume [6] Consumer Credit Insights - Credit scores have been steadily increasing, with average new credit scores up by 2.755 points [8] - The subprime market has seen a modest recovery, but overall, the prime population is growing, indicating a shift in consumer demographics [10][11] Lending Landscape - Banks dominate the lending market, holding nearly 29% of the market share, while captive finance companies have seen a decline [12][13] - Banks are becoming more aggressive in lending, with some expanding their financing options to older vehicles [13][29] Affordability Challenges - The average new loan amount has reached the mid-$42,000s, significantly higher than pre-COVID levels [16][17] - Over 17% of car payments now exceed $1,000, with the Ford F-150 being the most common vehicle associated with these payments [20][21] Demographic Shifts - Households earning less than $100,000 now represent less than 50% of new car buyers, while those earning over $200,000 have increased to nearly 20% [22] - Gen X remains the largest group of car buyers, but Millennials are rapidly approaching this demographic [22] Electric Vehicle Market - EVs accounted for about 12% of the new car market as of September, with a significant portion of leases expected to return in the coming years [23][26] - The majority of used EVs purchased this year were Teslas, with a projected total of around 500,000 used EVs by year-end [26] Delinquency and Fraud Concerns - Auto loan delinquency rates have reached record highs, surpassing levels seen during the 2009 financial crisis, with 0.91% of auto balances at 60-day delinquency [40][41] - Fraud has become a significant issue, with an estimated $4 billion lost to fraud in the previous year [42][43] Conclusion - The automotive finance market is experiencing significant changes driven by affordability issues, demographic shifts, and the increasing prevalence of EVs [45][46] - The overall market remains cyclical, with lenders adapting to current conditions while facing challenges related to delinquency and fraud [48][49]

Market Focus & Investment Opportunities - Investors are highly interested in banks with strong investment banking and trading operations due to anticipated strong performance in Q3, driven by robust capital markets [2] - Consumer credit trends, particularly within banks holding large credit card portfolios like Wells Fargo, will be a key area of investor focus [3] - M&A activity is expected to increase in 2025-2026, with the Fifth Third's acquisition of CoAmerica for $11 billion potentially marking the start of a consolidation trend [7] Bank Valuations & Rerating Potential - Banks, on average, are still valued slightly below the cyclical highs of January 2018, with some like JP Morgan at very high valuations [6] - A full credit cycle needs to be observed to determine if banks deserve a permanent rerating, as credit performance is crucial to bank profitability and is tested during economic downturns [5] - Regional banks could outperform money center banks in 2026 if the economy grows at 15%-2%, the Fed cuts rates by another 50 basis points, and the yield curve steepens [11][12] Regional Banks & Net Interest Income - Net interest income, a strength of regional banks, is expected to grow faster than anticipated under a scenario of healthy economic growth, Fed rate cuts, and a steeper yield curve [11] - Loan growth, fueled by a resilient economy and increased capital expenditures financed by commercial loans, could further boost the performance of regional banks [12] M&A Considerations - Fifth Third's acquisition of CoAmerica was unique because it was not dilutive to tangible book value per share, a key focus for Fifth Third's CEO [8] - Expect more deals over the next 12-24 months [8]

Beneath the surface of what’s been a remarkably resilient US economy, a series of small shocks in the world of consumer credit have combined to rock companies that service the most financially vulnerable Americans https://t.co/wogZQlmM73 ...

Joining us now is David Steinberg. He's the CEO of Zeta Global. David, we're gonna maybe brand this as David Zeta data.What do you think. >> I don't know. My my wife and kids might like it, but the uh you know, as you've said, in the current environment, getting access to data is getting harder.And what we're seeing is more and more people looking at private indicacies like the Zeta Economic Index. Yeah, because with you know and now there's all this also it's not just that government data may not happen Da ...

Consumer Credit Concerns - Consumer credit scores are falling at the fastest pace since the global financial crisis, with 90-day plus delinquency rates for credit cards exceeding 12%, the highest in 14 years, and average credit card rates around 21.5% [2][9] - There is a notable increase in loan loss reserves among subprime customers, particularly those with FICO scores under 550, indicating rising financial distress in this demographic [9][10] Market Reactions - Despite concerns regarding consumer credit, the market has not yet reflected these issues significantly, with high-yield bonds (HYG) performing well [3] - Banks experienced pressure, potentially due to rebalancing, but the overall economic outlook remains stable, with expectations that higher-end consumers will continue to perform well [4][12] Sector Performance - The performance of different financial institutions varies, with JP Morgan and Capital One expected to provide insights into consumer behavior due to their distinct customer bases [12][15] - American Express faced unexpected declines despite its higher demographic, while Mastercard and Visa held up relatively well, indicating differing impacts across financial service providers [13][14] Economic Indicators - The Federal Reserve's dual mandate of full employment and stable prices is creating a complex environment, with recent PCE data showing persistent inflationary pressures [7] - Upcoming job numbers are anticipated to shed light on the lower-end consumer's situation, which may influence market sentiment [8]

Core Insights - The article highlights the surprising profitability of Mashang Financial, which, despite having less than half the assets of Zhaolian Financial, has surpassed it in revenue and is approaching parity in net profit [1][3]. Financial Performance - Mashang Financial's revenue for 2024 is reported at 151.49 billion yuan, with net profit reaching 22.81 billion yuan [3]. - The company has incurred a total of 106.93 billion yuan in collection expenses over the past five years, with 2024's collection expenses accounting for 20.65% of its revenue [3][4]. - In the first half of 2025, Mashang Financial reported total assets of 680.99 billion yuan, with revenue of 87.35 billion yuan and net profit of 11.55 billion yuan [3]. Loan Metrics - As of the end of 2024, Mashang Financial's net loan balance was 536.66 billion yuan, with non-performing loan rates of 2.49% [4]. - The net interest margin has shown a decline from 15.78% in 2022 to 13.93% in 2024 [4]. Collection Expenses - The company has consistently invested tens of billions in collection expenses annually, with 2024's collection costs reaching 31.28 billion yuan [3][5]. - The high collection expenses have led to the establishment of a collection industry chain, with 135 collection agencies collaborating with Mashang Financial [5]. Customer Complaints - Mashang Financial has faced significant customer complaints, totaling 76,000, primarily related to aggressive collection practices and high fees [6]. - The complaints include issues such as violent collection tactics and excessive charges, indicating potential reputational risks for the company [6]. Ownership Structure - As of the end of 2024, the top four shareholders of Mashang Financial include Chongqing Department Store, Beijing Zhongguancun Technology, Wumart Technology Group, and Chongqing Bank, with ownership stakes of 31.06%, 29.51%, 16.12%, and 15.53% respectively [7].