It’s been over two years since I last covered PROG Holdings, Inc. ( PRG ), so I thought I’d give an update, go through its performance, and talk about the promising shift in focus toMSc in Finance. Long-term horizon investor mostly with 5-10 year horizon. I like to keep investing simple. I believe a portfolio should consist of a mix of growth, value, and dividend-paying stocks but usually end up looking for value more than anything. I also sell options from time to time.Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have no sto ...

Key Points Financial stocks continue to deliver returns for investors, since everyone needs to use and manage money. Sezzle continues to gain market share in the BNPL industry and looks attractive after the recent correction. Robinhood has multiple high-growth revenue opportunities and continues to attract new investors. 10 stocks we like better than Sezzle › No matter what innovations reach the marketplace, people will exchange money to buy goods and services. Financial institutions and fintech ...

Core Insights - Affirm Holdings, Inc. (AFRM) is rapidly expanding its merchant network, enhancing its position in the buy now, pay later (BNPL) market with a 30% year-over-year increase in active merchants to 419,000 in Q1 FY26 [1][8] Merchant Network Expansion - The expanding ecosystem allows AFRM to strengthen its presence in both small-ticket and big-ticket purchases, creating more opportunities for transaction volume growth and user engagement [2] - The flexible payment technology offered by AFRM aids merchants in improving checkout experiences and boosting conversion rates [2] Revenue Growth - Revenue growth is keeping pace with the expansion, with total revenues increasing by 34% year over year in Q1 FY26, supported by initiatives like the Affirm Card that promote deeper adoption and frequent usage [3][8] - Smaller purchases and interest-free plans contribute to user engagement, establishing long-term usage habits that are expected to enhance revenues as repeat customers and larger transactions increase [3] Competitive Landscape - Competitors in the BNPL space include Klarna Group plc (KLAR) with a merchant network of 850,000 and 3.4 million daily transactions, reporting a 28% year-over-year revenue increase in Q3 2025 [5] - PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL) reported 438 million active accounts and a 7% year-over-year revenue increase to $8.4 billion in Q3 2025, with total payment volume rising by 8% [6] Valuation and Estimates - AFRM shares have gained 13.3% year-to-date, outperforming the industry average of 9.5% [7] - The forward price-to-sales ratio for AFRM is 5.09, above the industry average of 4.92, with a Zacks Value Score of D [9] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 earnings implies a 566.7% growth from the previous year, with a revenue growth estimate of 26% year-over-year [10]

Core Insights - Block, Inc.'s subsidiary Afterpay has announced new partnerships to enhance payment flexibility for consumers ahead of the holiday shopping season [1] Group 1: Partnerships and Offerings - Afterpay has formed partnerships with various brands across multiple categories, including Fashion & Apparel (Jenni Kayne, Diesel), Footwear & Outdoors (Hibbett, Tecovas), Jewelry & Accessories (Effy Jewelry), Home & Creative (Z Gallerie), and Beauty (Caliray Beauty) [2][3] - Many of these brands will provide Afterpay services both online and in select retail locations, allowing customers to manage their budgets more effectively [3] Group 2: Consumer Trends and Research - Research indicates that 44% of financially stressed consumers plan to utilize Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services for holiday shopping this year, with 63% of Gen Z consumers preferring BNPL over credit cards due to its transparency [4] - Afterpay's "Pay in 4" service allows customers to split purchases into four interest-free installments, while "Pay Monthly" facilitates larger purchases over time [5] Group 3: Market Performance and Valuation - Block's shares have declined by 27.6% year to date, underperforming the broader industry and the S&P 500 Index [8] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Block's full-year 2025 EPS has been revised downward, indicating a projected 28.2% decrease year over year [11] - Block's current valuation is considered overvalued, reflected by a Value Score of C [10]

Key Takeaways Affirm partners with Pacsun to offer installment payments during the holiday shopping season.Shoppers can choose interest-free biweekly plans or monthly options of up to 24 months.AFRM expects December-quarter revenues of $1.03-$1.06B as holiday BNPL volume rises.Affirm Holdings, Inc. (AFRM) recently partnered with Pacsun, a youth-focused fashion retailer, to power pay-over-time options at checkout. Shoppers can split purchases into installments directly using Affirm when buying Pacsun’s colle ...

Core Insights - Klarna is expanding its membership plans, Premium and Max, to the U.S. market, offering an alternative to traditional credit cards [2] - The membership program aims to provide benefits such as airport lounge access, travel insurance, and lifestyle subscriptions without the need for debt accumulation or spending thresholds [2][4] - The launch coincides with a trend where higher-income earners and younger consumers are increasingly favoring buy now, pay later (BNPL) options over credit cards [3][5] Membership Program Details - The U.S. membership program is designed to challenge the notion that expensive credit cards are necessary for premium rewards [4] - Klarna's collaboration with WebBank includes the recently launched Klarna Card, a debit product that offers flexible payment options [4] - The program is positioned to attract consumers who prefer convenience and speed over traditional credit card benefits [7] Consumer Trends - Research indicates that 18% of Generation Z consumers utilize BNPL products, compared to 12% of older consumers, highlighting a shift in financing preferences [5] - Only 55% of Generation Z have credit cards, with average monthly balances of $1,667, which is lower than the $1,959 average for older consumers [6] - The changing landscape suggests that credit building and rewards preferences are evolving, necessitating adjustments in underwriting models [6][7]

Core Insights - Klarna Group is launching new membership tiers, Premium and Max, in the U.S. to provide premium rewards without requiring a credit card [1][2] - The new offerings target affluent consumers who are moving away from traditional credit cards and seeking alternative financial tools [2][3] Membership Tiers - The Premium membership costs $19.99 per month, while the Max membership is priced at $44.99 per month, expanding on existing Core and Plus offerings [1] - These tiers are designed to provide benefits typically associated with high-end credit cards without the usual spending thresholds, APRs, or annual fees [2][4] Market Trends - A significant portion of U.S. adults, 11.2%, canceled a credit card in the past year, with the figure rising to 15.1% among those earning over $100,000 [3] - Approximately 30% of high-income consumers now prefer Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options as a payment method [3] Consumer Preferences - Affluent consumers are increasingly dissatisfied with traditional credit card dynamics, including high annual fees and the need to overspend to earn rewards [4] - Klarna's new tiers offer transparent pricing, immediate access to benefits, and no requirement to incur debt, appealing to this demographic [4][5] Competitive Positioning - Klarna aims to redefine premium rewards by eliminating the debt requirement and providing access to benefits typically reserved for cards with high annual fees [5] - The company positions itself against traditional card networks by offering a model that does not rely on increased spending to earn rewards [5]

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]