Key Points SoFi Technologies and Interactive Brokers have delivered substantial returns to investors in recent years. SoFi is expanding its financial services platform and continues to see its customer base grow rapidly. Interactive Brokers offers a global brokerage platform with efficiency and low costs, making it especially appealing to high-volume traders. 10 stocks we like better than SoFi Technologies › SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ: SOFI) and Interactive Brokers Group (NASDAQ: IBKR) are two gro ...

Across brokerage reports of Systematix, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, Credit growth holds firm across segmentsOne of the strongest signals heading into Q3 is the durability of loan growth. RBI data shows banking system advances growing nearly 12% year-on-year and 4.5% quarter-on-quarter as of mid-December 2025. Growth has improved across key segments, especially micro and small enterprises, services and retail loans.Industrial credit growth has picked up meaningfully, driven by small businesses, while services len ...

Key Points SoFi’s fintech platform continues to attract millions of new users. It’s expanding its fee-based ecosystem to reduce its dependence on interest income. Its stock looks reasonably valued, but Wall Street’s expectations might be too high. 10 stocks we like better than SoFi Technologies › SoFi's (NASDAQ: SOFI) stock has nearly doubled in value over the past 12 months. The fintech company impressed the market again, gaining more users, growing its revenue at double-digit rates, and expandin ...

Core Insights - Public sector banks (PSUs) are actively gaining market share in MSME and home loans, reshaping competitive dynamics in India's financial system [1][14] - The credit cycle is transitioning into a more sustainable, execution-led phase, with systemic loan growth projected to hold at about 12% or more year-on-year in FY26 [11][15] MSME Lending - PSU banks are sanctioning MSME and working-capital loans with turnaround times of two to four days, with the State Bank of India often completing approvals within 48 hours [1][2] - The use of CGTMSE-backed structures allows loans of up to ₹500 million to be sanctioned without collateral, narrowing the rate differential with private banks [2] - A strong central push to scale MSME credit has accelerated PSU bank execution, enabling them to gain market share over the past six to nine months [2] Unsecured Business Lending - Growth in unsecured business lending has moderated to about 10–20%, down from 30–40% in previous years, despite a pricing correction to around 12–12.5% [4] - Stress is evident in agri-linked commodity businesses and FMCG distributors, with payment cycles stretching from about 10 days to nearly 40 days [5] Housing and Real Estate - Housing and real estate momentum remains strong, supported by improved disbursement rates and activity among large developers [7] - PSU banks are regaining relevance in home loans due to lower rates and faster turnaround times, particularly in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities [8] Credit Cards and Personal Loans - Credit card growth remains subdued, with selective issuances and elevated delinquency levels compared to historical norms [9] - Personal loans are showing early signs of stabilization, with incremental disbursements skewed towards existing customers and higher-quality repeat borrowers [10] Investment Preferences - The brokerage favors lenders with execution strength and stable asset quality, specifically ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, State Bank of India, and AU Bank for their growth potential [13][15]

Financial giants have made a conspicuous bullish move on LendingClub. Our analysis of options history for LendingClub (NYSE:LC) revealed 14 unusual trades.Delving into the details, we found 57% of traders were bullish, while 21% showed bearish tendencies. Out of all the trades we spotted, 9 were puts, with a value of $600,700, and 5 were calls, valued at $276,500.What's The Price Target?Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price ra ...

Company Overview - Upstart Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:UPST) is a fintech firm founded in 2012 that has originated approximately $48 billion in loans, representing a small share of the overall lending market [2] - The company partners with over 100 banks and credit unions, offering personal loans, auto refinancing, and home equity lines of credit, which together represent a multi-trillion-dollar opportunity [2] Innovation and Technology - A key innovation of Upstart is the use of artificial intelligence to replace traditional FICO credit scoring, analyzing more than 2,500 borrower variables to better assess credit risk and reduce defaults [2] Recent Developments - In early November, Upstart announced a new 12-month forward-flow agreement with alternative investment firm Castlelake, under which Castlelake has agreed to purchase up to $1.5 billion in consumer loans originated on the Upstart platform [3] - This agreement marks the third deal between Upstart and Castlelake, following earlier purchase agreements of $4 billion and $1.2 billion [3] Market Position - Upstart operates a cloud-based AI lending platform in the United States, positioning itself within a rapidly evolving fintech landscape [3]

Leading non-banking financial company (NBFC) Shriram Finance on Friday said Japan-based MUFG Bank would invest Rs 39,618 crore, or $4.4 billion, to acquire a 20 per cent stake on a fully diluted basis through a preferential issue of equity shares.Illustration: Uttam GhoshThis will be the largest foreign direct investment (FDI) ever in India’s financial services sector, which has seen a spate of large deals this year.The transaction will surpass Emirates NBD’s October deal to acquire a 60 per cent stake in R ...

Premiere digital personal finance company Achieve to leverage Pagaya's credit-decisioning technology and data network to responsibly broaden access to personal loans for consumers SAN MATEO, Calif., Dec. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Achieve, the leader in digital personal finance, and Pagaya Technologies LTD. (NASDAQ: PGY) ("Pagaya"), a global technology company delivering AI-driven product solutions for the financial ecosystem, have partnered to responsibly expand consumers' access to personal loans on Achieve ...

Core Insights - The couple, once debt-free, is now facing $46,000 in debt due to poor financial decisions made after achieving financial stability [1][2] Financial Situation - The couple's monthly income is approximately $3,100 from Social Security and side work, while their mobile home and land are valued at around $135,000 [4] - They have opened 13 credit cards and taken out three major personal loans, leading to a cycle of debt repayment that has not resolved their financial issues [3][5] Financial Advice - Financial experts emphasized that relying on debt as a solution is flawed and that the couple has not learned from their past experiences [4][5] - Consistent bill payments do not address the underlying issue of living beyond their means, which is exacerbated by the high cost of living in their area [5][6] - The experts highlighted that the couple's financial pattern is unsustainable, indicating a need for a fundamental change in their financial habits [6]

Core Insights - SoFi and Affirm are both high-growth fintech companies aiming to disrupt traditional financial institutions, with SoFi offering a wide range of financial services and Affirm focusing on "buy now, pay later" solutions [1][2] SoFi Overview - SoFi has expanded its services from student loans to include mortgages, auto loans, personal loans, credit cards, insurance, estate planning, stock trading, and banking, positioning itself as a comprehensive digital financial platform [1][4] - The company targets younger, digitally native users and has grown significantly, quadrupling its member base from 2.5 million in 2021 to 10.1 million in 2024, with projections to reach 12.6 million by Q3 2025 [7][8] - SoFi's revenue and adjusted EBITDA are expected to grow at a CAGR of 27% and 44% respectively from 2024 to 2027, driven by its loan platform business, increased deposits, and new features [9] Affirm Overview - Affirm's BNPL platform caters to younger and lower-income consumers, offering microloans without compound interest or hidden fees, and has seen significant growth, with active consumers increasing from 7.1 million in fiscal 2021 to 23 million in fiscal 2025 [10][11] - The company has secured partnerships with major merchants like Amazon and Walmart, contributing to its gross merchandise volume (GMV) growth from $8.3 billion to $36.7 billion during the same period [11] - Analysts expect Affirm's revenue to grow at a CAGR of 25% from fiscal 2025 to 2028, with adjusted EBITDA projected to increase at a CAGR of 131% through 2028, supported by the growing usage of its Affirm Card and international expansion [14] Valuation Comparison - SoFi has an enterprise value of $32.5 billion, trading at 31 times this year's adjusted EBITDA, while Affirm has an enterprise value of $27.2 billion, trading at 24 times this year's adjusted EBITDA [15] - Despite both companies being strong growth stocks, Affirm is considered more attractive due to its narrower focus, superior growth rates, and lower valuations [15]