Core Insights - Affirm has formed partnerships with ServiceTitan and Vagaro to provide pay-over-time options for service providers in various industries, enhancing payment flexibility for consumers and businesses alike [1][4]. Group 1: Partnership with ServiceTitan - The integration with ServiceTitan's digital payments solution allows contractors to offer clients the ability to split home repair bills into biweekly or monthly payments [2]. - ServiceTitan's VP stated that this collaboration will provide a "flexible, responsible" payment option for homeowners, who typically spend an average of $8,800 annually on home improvement [3]. - Affirm's Chief Revenue Officer noted that this payment option helps contractors reduce friction, win more jobs, and improve customer satisfaction [3]. Group 2: Partnership with Vagaro - The partnership with Vagaro enables salons, spas, fitness studios, and wellness providers to offer pay-over-time options during both online and in-store checkouts [4]. - Vagaro's CEO mentioned that this option will assist businesses using the platform in growing and better serving their customers [4]. - Affirm's Senior VP highlighted that this initiative will provide consumers with "more choice and control at checkout" [4]. Group 3: Growth and Market Trends - Affirm reported a 39% growth in the services category during the June quarter, which now constitutes 3% of the company's overall mix [4]. - The CEO of Affirm indicated that the demand for their services is accelerating, as evidenced by a new record in gross merchandise volume (GMV) [5]. - The evolution of buy now, pay later (BNPL) services is characterized by increased consumer trust and a desire for predictability and control over repayment [5][6].

Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE:FI) is one of the Top Large Cap Stocks to Buy At 52-Week Low. On September 5, Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE:FI) announced the completion of the acquisition of the remaining 49.9% of AIB Merchant Services. AIB Merchant Services is its joint venture of AIB Group. Management noted that this strategic move gives the company full ownership of one of Ireland’s largest payment solution providers and a top e-commerce acquirer in Europe. It also supports Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE:FI) plans to grow in the wider Eu ...

Core Thesis - BILL Holdings, Inc. is experiencing strong growth in revenue and customer adoption, positioning itself as a leader in intelligent financial operations [1][6]. Financial Performance - For fiscal 2025, BILL reported $1.5 billion in revenue, a 16% increase in core operations, with Q4 revenue of $383 million growing 11.5% year over year [2]. - Earnings per share (EPS) for Q4 was $0.53, exceeding estimates by 29% [2]. - Subscription and transaction fees contributed 90% of total revenue, rising 15% to $346 million [2]. Customer Growth and Engagement - The company added 4,700 net new accounts payable/accounts receivable (AP/AR) customers, bringing the total to nearly 170,000 [3]. - BILL's digital ecosystem is increasingly sticky, with 54% of payments completed within its network [3]. Profitability and Cost Management - Non-GAAP operating income for the year was $240 million, 23% above initial expectations, although margins were impacted by higher sales and marketing costs [4]. - Efficiency gains in fraud prevention and proactive credit line expansion supported overall growth [4]. Product Innovation - New product offerings such as Supplier Payments Plus, bulk payments, and Embed 2.0 are expanding monetization opportunities [4]. - Upcoming AgenTeq AI agents are expected to enhance the company's capabilities in autonomous financial operations [4]. Future Guidance - Guidance for FY2026 is cautious, projecting revenue between $1.59 billion and $1.63 billion, reflecting a 9-11% year-over-year increase, which is below consensus expectations [5]. - Despite this, BILL remains well-positioned with over 1% of U.S. GDP flowing through its platform, supported by mid-market adoption and ongoing share repurchases [5].

You can find original article here Wealthmanagement. Subscribe to our free daily Wealthmanagement newsletter. We’re two father-son teams. Lowell (Weiss) and I have our knowledge of the current technology ecosystem. We also know where our dads thrive and where they sometimes have trouble—similar to how some of our clients might have trouble. We want to help our clients use technology to their benefit. Not as something big and scary out there that pushes them away.   We came from Raymond James [before ...

Core Insights - Affirm Holdings Inc. has announced two significant partnerships to expand its "buy now, pay later" services into new markets [1][2] - The collaborations are with ServiceTitan Inc. and Vagaro, targeting sectors with high-cost services [1][2] Group 1: Partnerships - Affirm has entered a multi-year agreement with ServiceTitan, allowing homeowners to pay for repairs and upgrades in biweekly or monthly installments, with no hidden or late fees [3] - The average household spends approximately $8,800 annually on home improvements, highlighting the need for flexible financing options [3] - The partnership with Vagaro will enable nearly 100,000 businesses to offer Affirm's installment plans at checkout, both online and in-person [4] Group 2: Market Positioning - By integrating its services within these platforms, Affirm aims to become a preferred payment option in markets where high costs deter consumer spending [2] - Vagaro's CEO emphasized that the partnership will provide customers with a "flexible, responsible way" to pay, while also supporting business growth [4] Group 3: Stock Performance - Affirm's stock has seen a significant increase of over 97% in the past year, although it was trading lower by 1.77% to $87.85 at the latest check [5]

Core Insights - MANTL's clients raised over $3 billion in deposits in the first half of 2025, showcasing the potential for financial institutions to achieve sustainable growth through enhanced customer relationships [1][2] - Nearly 130,000 deposit accounts were opened by MANTL clients from existing customers, with an average funding amount exceeding $24,000 [2] - Nine institutions generated over $100 million in deposits each from existing account holders, indicating the effectiveness of MANTL's technology in activating existing banking relationships [2][3] Company Overview - MANTL is a leading provider of loan and deposit account opening technology, recently acquired by Alkami Technology, Inc. in March 2025 [6] - The company offers a unified account origination technology that allows banks and credit unions to open accounts seamlessly across various channels in real time [6] - MANTL's solutions enable consumers to open new deposit accounts in under five minutes and businesses in under ten minutes, significantly enhancing the efficiency of the account opening process [6] Strategic Growth - MANTL is redefining relationship banking by providing financial institutions with technology and data insights to deepen existing customer relationships and increase lifetime value [3] - The company emphasizes the importance of retaining deposits and expanding existing banking relationships in a competitive deposit environment [3] - MANTL's Deposit Origination streamlines the account opening process for existing customers, offering a more cost-effective path to deposit growth compared to traditional acquisition strategies [3] Upcoming Events - MANTL is hosting a webinar titled "Turning existing relationships into results: $3B in 6 months" on September 17, featuring discussions on leveraging an omnichannel deposit strategy to enhance deposit growth [4]

Group 1 - JPMorgan Chase and Plaid have announced a new agreement that includes a pricing structure and commitments to ensure safe and consistent consumer data access in the future [3][7] - The agreement extends a deal that has been in place since 2018 and will not affect current customer agreements or pricing for data gathered and resold by Plaid [5] - The new fees for accessing consumer data, which JPMorgan Chase previously provided at no cost, have raised concerns among fintech groups, with some labeling the fees as "extortionate" [4][7] Group 2 - The fintech industry is facing regulatory uncertainty, particularly since federal regulators enacted a rule in October 2024 that has implications for open banking [7] - Trade groups representing fintechs have criticized the new agreement, claiming that large data providers are exploiting regulatory uncertainty to impose unlawful fees on consumers and competition [7][6]

Company Overview - Affirm Holdings, Inc. is a leading financial technology company that offers installment loans to consumers at the point of sale, founded in 2012 [1] - The company competes with other buy-now-pay-later services like Afterpay and Klarna [1] Financial Metrics - Affirm has a high price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 560.21, indicating a high valuation relative to its earnings, yet investor interest remains strong [2][6] - The price-to-sales ratio stands at 8.95, suggesting that investors are willing to pay nearly nine times the company's sales per share, reflecting confidence in its growth potential [3][6] - The enterprise value to sales ratio is 10.97, highlighting the company's total valuation in relation to its sales [3] - The enterprise value to operating cash flow ratio is 44.55, indicating a high valuation compared to its cash flow from operations [4] - The earnings yield is relatively low at 0.18%, which may concern some investors [4] - Affirm's current ratio is strong at 54.19, demonstrating its robust ability to cover short-term liabilities with short-term assets [4] Leverage and Growth Strategy - The debt-to-equity ratio is 2.56, showing that Affirm has more than twice as much debt as equity, which may pose risks but also highlights the company's aggressive growth strategy [5][6]

Core Insights - Nukkleus Inc. shares surged 16.12% to $5.98 in after-hours trading following the company's withdrawal of its S-1 registration statement from the SEC [2][4] - The company decided not to proceed with its public offering plans, which were initially filed on February 12 and amended on June 15 [3][4] Trading Activity - Following the withdrawal, Nukkleus experienced increased trading activity, with an average trading volume of 6.87 million shares [4] - The stock has shown significant volatility, with a market capitalization of $36.42 million and trading between $1.30 and $78.32 over the past year [6] Stock Performance - Over the past six months, Nukkleus' stock declined by 64.56%, from a high of $21.69 in May to $5.15 recently, but has rebounded with a 25.61% gain in the last month [5] - The stock has demonstrated a remarkable 234.42% increase over the past year, despite its recent volatility [5][6]

Core Insights - Klarna Group's recent IPO on the NYSE was highly successful, pricing at $40 per share and debuting with a 30% premium at $52, indicating strong demand in the digital payments sector [1] - The company's long-term growth narrative is supported by a 38% year-over-year revenue increase in the U.S. and a 19% increase in Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) to $31.2 billion [2][3] - Klarna's strategic partnerships with major retailers enhance its brand presence and create a network effect, contributing to a 31% increase in active consumers to 111 million and a 34% expansion in its merchant network to 790,000 partners [3] Financial Performance - Klarna achieved five consecutive quarters of positive adjusted operating profit, reaching $29 million in Q2 2025, indicating a sound core business model [6] - Despite a net loss of $53 million for the quarter, this was primarily due to growth-related expenses, including a $24 million one-time charge for lease restructuring and $26 million in non-cash compensation [7] - Revenue grew by 20% in Q2 while adjusted operating expenses only rose by 3%, demonstrating effective operational efficiency and a strong average revenue per employee of $1 million [8] Risk Management and Credit Quality - Klarna has maintained disciplined underwriting standards, with a delinquency rate on its core Pay in 4 product falling to 0.89%, reflecting effective risk management [9] Future Outlook - Klarna's market debut validates its business strategy, with a strong growth trajectory in the U.S. and a technology-driven approach for achieving profitable scale [10] - The company has evolved from a buy-now, pay-later service into a comprehensive financial technology ecosystem, positioning itself for future growth [11]