The Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) share price has gone up more than 5% after its latest quarterly update.Zip is one of the larger buy now, pay later businesses in Australia and the US.FY26 first quarterZip reported total transaction value (TTV) increased by 38.7% year on year to $3.9 billion and total income grew by 32.8% to $321.5 million.Income grew at a slower pace than TTV because the revenue margin declined to 8.2%, down from 8.6% a year ago. This was due to the higher contribution from the US.Both customer an ...

Core Insights - The U.S. IPO market is undergoing a transformation, with companies allocating a larger share of IPOs to retail investors to stabilize stock price volatility and maximize fundraising effectiveness [1][6][10] Group 1: Retail Investor Allocation - Companies like Gemini Space Station are reserving nearly 30% of their IPO shares for retail investors, significantly higher than the traditional 6% allocation [1][7] - Klarna allocated over 10% of its shares to retail investors during its IPO, achieving a first-day price increase of around 15% [3][7] - Bullish, a cryptocurrency exchange, allocated 20% of its shares to retail investors, which helped mitigate excessive first-day price surges despite a substantial initial increase of 84% [7][10] Group 2: Pricing Strategy Reevaluation - The trend reflects a reevaluation of IPO pricing strategies, as many large IPOs have experienced significant first-day surges, leading to missed fundraising opportunities for companies and early investors [6][8] - Underpricing in IPOs has resulted in companies like Figma missing out on approximately $3 billion in potential gains due to excessive first-day price increases [8][9] Group 3: Market Environment Changes - The shift towards greater retail participation is influenced by changing market conditions, with advocates like Robinhood's CEO promoting larger allocations for retail investors [10] - The understanding that a large and active retail shareholder base can benefit businesses has gained traction, as evidenced by Robinhood's own IPO strategy [10]

Core Insights - Klarna Group Plc is pricing its IPO at $40 per share, implying a market capitalization of $15.1 billion, which is expected to yield significant returns for its major investor, Sequoia Capital [1][2] - Sequoia Capital's total investment in Klarna is approximately $500 million, and the value of its shares at the IPO pricing is around $3.2 billion, indicating a potential return of over six times the original investment [1][2] - Klarna's valuation has fluctuated dramatically, peaking at $45.6 billion in 2021 and dropping to about $6.7 billion in 2022 due to market volatility [2] Company Overview - Klarna Group, founded in 2005 in Stockholm, Sweden, specializes in "buy now, pay later" (BNPL) services, offering payment solutions for both consumers and merchants [4] - The company provides various BNPL options, including "Pay in 4" and "Pay in 30 days," and integrates features like price comparison and cashback within its app [4] - Klarna serves over a hundred thousand merchants and has accumulated around 111 million users globally, positioning itself as a significant player in the BNPL sector [4] Market Context - The IPO market is experiencing a resurgence, with Klarna being one of the notable IPOs this year, following other significant listings in the tech and cryptocurrency sectors [2] - Investor enthusiasm for new IPOs has led to Klarna's stock being priced above its marketing range, reflecting a broader recovery in the U.S. IPO market [2]

Core Viewpoint - Klarna Group Plc is set to go public with an IPO priced at $40 per share, reflecting an implied market capitalization of $15.1 billion, which is expected to yield significant returns for its major investor, Sequoia Capital [1][2] Company Overview - Klarna Group, founded in 2005 and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, specializes in "buy now, pay later" (BNPL) services, offering online and offline payment solutions to consumers and merchants [4] - The company has over 100 million users globally and serves tens of thousands of merchants, positioning itself as a key player in the BNPL sector [4] Financial Performance and Valuation - At its peak in 2021, Klarna's valuation reached $45.6 billion following a $639 million investment led by SoftBank Group, but it plummeted to approximately $6.7 billion by 2022 due to market volatility [2] - Sequoia Capital's investment of around $500 million in Klarna is now valued at approximately $3.2 billion, indicating a potential return of over six times the original investment [1][2] Market Context - The IPO market is experiencing a resurgence, particularly in the U.S., with Klarna's IPO being one of the significant offerings this year, following other notable IPOs in the tech sector [2] - Klarna's main competitor, Affirm Holdings Inc., has seen its stock price increase by over 40% this year, highlighting the competitive landscape in the fintech sector [2] Corporate Governance - Klarna faced a notable boardroom conflict involving Sequoia's leadership, which included attempts to remove a long-time board member, Michael Moritz, who has been a strong supporter of the company [3]

Core Viewpoint - UBS maintains a "neutral" rating on Affirm Holdings, citing strong performance in key metrics such as Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) and Revenue as a Percentage of GMV (RLTC), despite potential risks [1][4] Group 1: Financial Performance - Affirm's GMV is expected to grow over 26% in fiscal year 2026, a significant recovery from a decline of 38% in fiscal year 2025 [1] - The company's RLTC and adjusted operating income exceeded market expectations, indicating robust business performance [1] - The quarter saw a 93% year-over-year increase in 0% interest loans, driven by higher conversion rates observed by merchants [1] Group 2: Partnerships and Market Position - The top five merchant/platform partners contributed approximately 46% of GMV, with this segment growing by 41% year-over-year [1] - Affirm maintains strong partnerships with major e-commerce platforms and retailers, enhancing its market position [3] - The company is well-positioned in the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) sector due to its diversified and flexible business model [3] Group 3: Future Outlook - The company anticipates a 12% slowdown in GMV growth guidance due to the termination of a partnership with a major client, which contributed about 5% of total GMV in the second half of 2024 [2] - Excluding the impact of this client loss, the slowdown in growth guidance would narrow to approximately 8% [2] - Affirm's RLTC is expected to remain around 4% in fiscal year 2026, supported by favorable credit loss provisions and funding costs [2] Group 4: Risks and Challenges - The company faces concentration risk, with Amazon and Shopify accounting for over 35% of GMV [4] - Competition from larger BNPL service providers poses a threat to Affirm's market share [4] - High consumer credit risk exposure and elevated valuation levels necessitate sustained compound growth to support current valuation [4]