Commonwealth Bank of Australia (Knowing what is or isn’t a fair price to pay for the ASX: CBA ) share price can seem a little daunting, especially in the current volatility. In this short news update on the CBA share price, we’ll look at the key factors to consider when researching a bank share.Commonwealth Bank of Australia, or CBA for short, is Australia’s largest bank, with a leading market share of mortgages (20%+), credit cards (25%+) and personal loans. It has over 15 million customers with most of th ...

Westpac Banking Corp (The WBC share price is trading near $39.33 today. Like us, you might be asking if ASX: WBC ) shares are in the money.Westpac is the second-largest Big Four Australian bank. Headquartered in Sydney, Westpac’s primary role in the Aussie financial system is financing homeowners, investors and individuals (via credit cards and personal loans). It also has operations servicing business customers. WBC share price How analysts can study cultureFor long-term investors looking to invest in grea ...

Whales with a lot of money to spend have taken a noticeably bearish stance on SoFi Technologies.Looking at options history for SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ:SOFI) we detected 34 trades.If we consider the specifics of each trade, it is accurate to state that 38% of the investors opened trades with bullish expectations and 44% with bearish.From the overall spotted trades, 13 are puts, for a total amount of $1,027,687 and 21, calls, for a total amount of $1,123,883.What's The Price Target?Analyzing the Volume and ...

In Monday's trading, 10 new stocks entered Barchart’s Top 100 Stocks to Buy. Leading the way was Better Home and Finance Holding Co. (BETR), entering in the 71st spot. The company's Tinman AI mortgage platform has captured investor interest, resulting in a 559% gain in 2025, although it has since fallen back from its all-time high of $94.06, reached a week ago yesterday. More News from Barchart I have not followed the stock or its business since it went public in August 2023 through a merger with Auro ...

While many investors are still chasing the tech rally, especially following the Fed’s rate cut.  Lower interest rates tend to boost spending and lending, especially in artificial intelligence (AI), accelerating the competitive race that is already reshaping the industry. But there is a less obvious sector may deliver outsized returns: consumer discretionary, especially where lending and installment payments intersect.  Affirm TodayAFRMAffirm$76.96 -0.98 (-1.26%) 52-Week Range$30.90▼$100.00P/E Ratio590.02Pr ...

Delinquent federal student loan borrowers are staring down the prospect of wage garnishment or involuntary collections — and it’s causing them to weigh reorienting their finances, even if it means falling behind on other payments. That’s according to a new TransUnion survey of federal student loan borrowers, which found they would consider putting student loan payments ahead of bills for credit cards and personal loans, though mortgage and auto loan payments were prioritized above all else. Typically, ...

While most companies that went public through the special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) route have either gone bankrupt or slipped into oblivion, SoFi (SOFI) is a rare exception. The stock recently rose to record highs and surged past $30, which is three times the SPAC IPO price. Sell-side analysts were bearish on SoFi over the last couple of years, but the fintech giant got the best of the bears, beating the market hands down in 2023 and 2024. The story is no different this year, as the stock is up ...

Fred Alger Management, an investment management company, released its “Alger Weatherbie Specialized Growth Fund” second-quarter 2025 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. Initial volatility in April stemmed from increased trade policy uncertainty following President Trump's tariffs on April 2, which affected import-dependent companies. Stability returned on April 9 after a 90-day pause on new duties. Market sentiment improved in May following the White House’s suspension of reciproca ...

Core Viewpoint - ANZ Banking Group is a leading bank in Australia and New Zealand, with a significant focus on mortgages, personal loans, and credit, and its current share price is $33.31, raising questions about its valuation in the market [1]. Group 1: Financial Performance Metrics - ANZ's net interest margin (NIM) is crucial for its profitability, with the average NIM across major ASX banks at 1.78%, while ANZ's NIM stands at 1.57%, indicating a lower-than-average return from lending [5][6]. - The return on equity (ROE) for ANZ is 9.3%, slightly below the sector average of 9.35%, suggesting that for every $100 of shareholder equity, ANZ generates $9.30 in profit [7]. - ANZ earned 78% of its total income from lending last year, highlighting the importance of lending performance to its overall revenue [6]. Group 2: Capital and Risk Management - The common equity tier one (CET1) ratio for ANZ is 12.2%, which is above the sector average, indicating a strong capital buffer to protect against financial instability [8]. Group 3: Dividend Valuation - The total dividend for ANZ last year was $1.66, with projections for future growth rates between 2% and 4%, leading to an estimated average valuation of ANZ shares at $35.10 using a dividend discount model (DDM) [10][11]. - Adjusting for expected future dividends, the valuation increases to $35.74, compared to the current share price of $33.31, suggesting that the shares may appear expensive based on DDM analysis [11][12].

Company Overview - LendingTree operates an online marketplace that connects consumers with lenders and insurers for mortgages, personal loans, credit cards, insurance, and other financial products [1] - The company was founded in 1996 by Douglas Lebda, who is still serving as CEO [1] Leadership and Expertise - Douglas Lebda holds a PhD in Law and Economics, with a dissertation focused on corporate wrongdoing [1] - The company has a longstanding interest in the stock market, particularly in US small to mid-cap stocks, both long and short [1] Analytical Approach - The analysis aims to provide insights that go beyond previous writings on the company, utilizing academic research and modeling secular trends [1] - The focus includes correlating financial statement numbers and key performance indicators (KPIs) with external variables to uncover interesting perspectives on the company [1]