Company Performance - Qfin Holdings achieved a loan facilitation volume of RMB 833 billion in 3Q25[15] - The company reported a Non-GAAP Net Income of RMB 1508 million in 3Q25[16] - Non-GAAP ROE was 250%[17] User Base and Partnerships - Qfin Holdings has 621 million cumulative users with approved credit lines[15, 24] - The company has established partnerships with 167 financial institutions[15, 24] - The platform services contributed 551% to the loan facilitation volume[60] Shareholder Returns - Over US$1 billion worth of ADSs have been repurchased cumulatively[19] - Share count reduction through share repurchase plans is 228%[19] - The dividend per ADS for 1H25 was US$076[21] Loan Characteristics - The average drawdown is RMB 94k[26] - The weighted average contractual tenor is 106 months[26] - Repeated borrowers' loan volume contribution is 928%[26] AI and Technology - The company processes over 99% of loan applications automatically[43] - The AI-powered credit assessment engine uses over 730k data dimensions and 690 model iterations[43] - 74% of graphics & 27% of videos for marketing are generated by automated AIGC[48]

Core Insights - Qfin Holdings reported its unaudited financial results for Q3 2025, highlighting a challenging macroeconomic environment and regulatory changes impacting operations [1][13][15]. Business Highlights - As of September 30, 2025, Qfin's platform connected 167 financial institutional partners and 283.7 million consumers, marking an 11.6% increase from 254.3 million a year prior [11]. - Cumulative users with approved credit lines reached 62.1 million, up 12.6% from 55.2 million year-over-year [11]. - The number of cumulative borrowers with successful drawdowns was 38.1 million, reflecting a 15.1% increase from 33.1 million a year ago [11]. - In Q3 2025, financial institutional partners originated 22,475,059 loans through the platform [11]. - Total loan facilitation and origination volume was RMB 83,280 million, a 1.0% increase from RMB 82,436 million in the same period of 2024 [11]. Financial Highlights - Total net revenue for Q3 2025 was RMB 5,205.7 million (US$ 731.2 million), compared to RMB 4,370.2 million in the same period of 2024 [19][18]. - Net income was RMB 1,432.5 million (US$ 201.2 million), down from RMB 1,798.8 million in Q3 2024 [36]. - Non-GAAP net income was RMB 1,508.2 million (US$ 211.9 million), compared to RMB 1,825.1 million in the same period of 2024 [37]. - The weighted average contractual tenor of loans originated was approximately 10.58 months, compared to 10.12 months in Q3 2024 [11]. - The 90-day+ delinquency rate was 2.09% as of September 30, 2025 [11]. Operational Insights - The company issued nearly RMB 18.9 billion in asset-backed securities (ABS) in the first three quarters of 2025, over a 40% increase from the same period last year [14]. - Approximately 48% of the quarter-end loan balance was under the capital-light model, ICE, and total technology solutions [14]. - The company aims to maintain resilience in its baseline business while optimizing resource allocation amid macro challenges [15]. Future Outlook - For Q4 2025, the company expects net income between RMB 0.92 billion and RMB 1.12 billion, representing a year-on-year decline of 39% to 49% [43]. - For the full year 2025, net income is projected to be between RMB 5.88 billion and RMB 6.08 billion, reflecting a year-on-year change of -2% to +1% [43].

Core Insights - Qifu Technology (QFIN) and Sezzle (SEZL) are significant players in the credit tech sector, with QFIN focusing on AI-powered credit solutions in China and SEZL providing buy-now-pay-later services in the U.S. [2][8] Qifu Technology (QFIN) - QFIN operates a capital-light model that reduces credit risk and enhances growth, utilizing the Intelligence Credit Engine (ICE) to connect borrowers with financial partners [4][6] - The company reported a 15.8% year-over-year growth in total facilitation and origination loan volume, with operating income increasing by 44.8% year-over-year [5] - QFIN's AI-Plus credit strategy, launched in early 2025, aims to improve credit processes and has already led to increased loan volumes and stable delinquency rates at 0.6% [6] - The Chinese digital lending platform market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 27.3% from 2024 to 2030, indicating a favorable market environment for QFIN [7] Sezzle (SEZL) - SEZL targets the underbanked population in the U.S. fintech market, capitalizing on the growing digital payment sector expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.8% from 2023 to 2028 [8] - The company experienced a remarkable 123.3% increase in revenues year-over-year in Q1 2025, driven by a 64.1% rise in gross merchandise volume [9] - SEZL's customer purchase frequency increased to 6.5 times annually, reflecting higher transaction volumes and revenue growth [11] Financial Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for QFIN's 2025 sales is $2.6 billion, suggesting a 7.6% year-over-year growth, with earnings expected to rise by 25.3% [12] - For SEZL, the 2025 sales estimate is $441.8 million, indicating a 62.9% year-over-year growth, with earnings projected to grow by 77.2% [15] Valuation Comparison - QFIN is trading at a forward P/E ratio of 5.97X, while SEZL is at 43.86X, indicating that QFIN is relatively cheaper compared to SEZL [17] - Despite SEZL's strong growth and high Zacks Rank, QFIN presents a more attractive risk-reward profile for value-conscious investors [19][20]

Core Viewpoint - Qifu Technology reported strong financial results for Q1 2025, demonstrating resilience amid macroeconomic challenges, with significant growth in user activity and loan facilitation volume [4][5][35]. Business Highlights - As of March 31, 2025, Qifu Technology connected 163 financial institutional partners and 268.2 million consumers, marking an 11.1% increase from 241.4 million a year ago [4]. - The number of cumulative users with approved credit lines reached 58.4 million, up 11.6% from 52.3 million a year ago [4]. - Cumulative borrowers with successful drawdown totaled 35.5 million, reflecting a 13.8% increase from 31.2 million a year ago [4]. - Financial institutional partners originated 24,401,374 loans through the platform in Q1 2025 [4]. Financial Highlights - Total net revenue for Q1 2025 was RMB 4,690.7 million (US$ 646.4 million), compared to RMB 4,153.2 million in the same period of 2024 [5][9]. - Net income was RMB 1,796.6 million (US$ 247.6 million), an increase from RMB 1,160.1 million in Q1 2024 [28]. - Non-GAAP net income for the quarter was RMB 1,926.2 million (US$ 265.4 million), compared to RMB 1,204.8 million in the same period of 2024 [28]. - The weighted average contractual tenor of loans originated was approximately 10.17 months, slightly up from 10.10 months in Q1 2024 [4]. Revenue Breakdown - Revenue from Credit Driven Services was RMB 3,110.9 million (US$ 428.7 million), up from RMB 3,016.3 million in Q1 2024 [9]. - Loan facilitation and servicing fees under the capital-heavy model were RMB 429.8 million (US$ 59.2 million), significantly higher than RMB 243.8 million in the same period of 2024 [10]. - Financing income increased to RMB 1,817.2 million (US$ 250.4 million) from RMB 1,535.0 million in Q1 2024 [11]. - Revenue from releasing of guarantee liabilities decreased to RMB 778.2 million (US$ 107.2 million) from RMB 1,166.0 million in the same period of 2024 [12]. Operating Costs and Expenses - Total operating costs and expenses were RMB 2,716.0 million (US$ 374.3 million), down from RMB 2,789.1 million in Q1 2024 [17]. - Sales and marketing expenses rose to RMB 591.5 million (US$ 81.5 million) from RMB 415.6 million in the same period of 2024, reflecting increased marketing efforts [19]. - General and administrative expenses increased to RMB 196.5 million (US$ 27.1 million) from RMB 106.4 million in Q1 2024, primarily due to higher share-based compensations [20]. Share Repurchase and Financial Position - The company completed a US$ 690 million convertible notes offering, providing resources to accelerate share repurchase programs [8]. - As of May 19, 2025, approximately 4.4 million ADSs were repurchased for about US$ 178 million under the 2025 Share Repurchase Plan [33]. - The company expects to use remaining net proceeds from the convertible notes offering for further share repurchases [34]. Business Outlook - For Q2 2025, the company anticipates net income between RMB 1.65 billion and RMB 1.75 billion, representing a year-on-year growth of 24% to 31% [35].