Core Insights - Founder-led companies, while representing less than 5% of the S&P 500 index, contribute significantly to the market, accounting for nearly 15% of the total index's market capitalization, particularly in the technology sector [3][4]. Group 1: Founder-led Companies - Founders exhibit a unique passion and risk appetite, often leading to innovative and successful ventures that reflect their core values [2][5]. - Notable founder-led companies include NVIDIA, Amazon, Meta, Tesla, Berkshire Hathaway, and Netflix, which have redefined industries and created trillion-dollar valuations [3]. Group 2: Performance of Founder-led Companies - A Harvard Business Review study indicates that founder-led companies achieved a market-adjusted return of 12% over three years, contrasting with a negative 26% return for companies with professional CEOs [7]. - Current appealing stocks identified include Netflix, Intercontinental Exchange, and Affirm Holdings [7]. Group 3: Netflix - Netflix, co-founded by Reed Hastings, has a market capitalization of $387.7 billion and has transitioned from DVD rentals to a leading streaming service [9]. - The company is focusing on expanding its original content portfolio and has launched low-priced mobile plans in various countries to drive international growth [11]. - Netflix projects revenues between $43.5 billion and $44.5 billion for 2025, with an operating margin of 29% [13]. Group 4: Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) - ICE, founded by Jeffrey Sprecher, has a market capitalization of $95.6 billion and has reported record net revenues and earnings for 19 consecutive years [14]. - The company is well-positioned for growth due to the digitization of the U.S. residential mortgage industry and the integration of Ellie Mae into its operations [16]. Group 5: Affirm - Affirm, with a market capitalization of $16.3 billion, is a key player in the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) segment, collaborating with over 337,000 active merchant partners [18]. - The company aims for profitability starting in Q4 of fiscal 2025 and is planning international expansion into Australia and Western Europe [19].

From a technical perspective, Affirm Holdings (AFRM) is looking like an interesting pick, as it just reached a key level of support. AFRM recently overtook the 50-day moving average, and this suggests a short-term bullish trend.One of the three major moving averages, the 50-day simple moving average is commonly used by traders and analysts to determine support or resistance levels for different types of securities. However, the 50-day is considered to be more important since it's the first marker of an up o ...

Software is ubiquitous and has become the focal point of technological innovation. Software stocks have been benefiting from accelerated demand for digital transformation and the ongoing shift to the cloud. However, weakened consumer spending amid ongoing macroeconomic headwinds is hurting industry participants. Enterprises are postponing their large IT spending plans due to a weakening global economy amid inflationary pressure, still-high interest rates and unfavorable forex. These do not bode well for ind ...

Affirm Holdings (AFRM) closed at $49.13 in the latest trading session, marking a +1.92% move from the prior day. The stock's performance was ahead of the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.74%. Elsewhere, the Dow gained 0.05%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 1.26%.Shares of the operator of digital commerce platform witnessed a gain of 1.73% over the previous month, beating the performance of the Computer and Technology sector with its loss of 6.23% and the S&P 500's loss of 4.77%.The upcoming earnings release of A ...

LOS ANGELES, April 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Affirm Holdings, Inc. ("Affirm" or "the Company") (NASDAQ: AFRM) for violations of the securities laws.The investigation focuses on whether the Company issued false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors. Affirm's rival in the fintech space, Klarna, announced on March 17, 2025, th ...

Affirm will begin reporting all its pay-over-time loans to TransUnion, beginning with those issued May 1.The buy now, pay later (BNPL) provider’s expanded credit reporting will include its Pay in 4 and longer-term monthly installments, the companies said in a Tuesday (April 22) press release.While consumers will see details about all Affirm transactions on their TransUnion credit file, the transactions will not be visible to lenders and will not be factored into traditional credit scores, according to the r ...

NEW YORK, April 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of  Affirm Holdings, Inc. (“Affirm” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: AFRM).  Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at newaction@pomlaw.com or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether Affirm and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.  [Click here for information about joining the class action] On March 1 ...

Core Viewpoint - Affirm Holdings, Inc. and PayPal Holdings, Inc. are significant players in the fintech sector, each reshaping consumer payment methods with innovative solutions. PayPal is expanding its ecosystem, while Affirm is establishing itself in the buy now, pay later (BNPL) market, appealing to modern consumers [1][2]. Group 1: Affirm Holdings, Inc. - Affirm is a major player in the rapidly growing BNPL segment, offering transparent payment terms and zero hidden fees, which attract younger consumers [3][4]. - The company has a growing base of 21 million active consumers and 337,000 active merchants, indicating a robust ecosystem [4]. - Affirm is diversifying into broader financial services, developing debit products, and exploring banking integrations, which expands its addressable market and revenue streams [5]. - The company reported cash and cash equivalents of $1.2 billion, an 18.5% increase from the previous fiscal year, and generated $312 million in net cash from operations, up from $74.3 million year-over-year [7]. - Analysts project a year-over-year sales growth of 36.9% and EPS growth of 96.4% for Affirm in fiscal 2025, with positive trends in EPS estimates [12]. - Affirm's stock gained 30.8% over the past year, reflecting significant volatility but potential upside for risk-tolerant investors [14]. Group 2: PayPal Holdings, Inc. - PayPal is a well-established leader in digital payments with 434 million active users, including services like Venmo and cryptocurrency trading [8]. - Despite its scale, PayPal's growth has slowed, facing competition from platforms like Square and Affirm, and its growth prospects are less exciting compared to Affirm's [9][11]. - PayPal's cash and cash equivalents decreased by nearly 28% to $6.6 billion, while long-term debt rose to $9.9 billion, although cash flow improved to $7.5 billion from $4.8 billion year-over-year [11]. - Analysts forecast modest growth for PayPal, with a projected sales increase of 3.7% and EPS growth of 7.5% for 2025, with declining trends in EPS estimates [12]. - PayPal's stock has been more stable, reflecting its mature business model, but it has seen a 3% decline over the past year [14]. Group 3: Valuation and Investment Outlook - Affirm is trading at a higher price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 3.43 compared to PayPal's 1.77, indicating market optimism about Affirm's growth potential [17]. - While Affirm presents higher risk, it also offers higher potential rewards, especially with its expansion strategies [17]. - PayPal is viewed as a safer investment for conservative investors, but with a lower growth ceiling compared to Affirm [17]. - In conclusion, Affirm is seen as a more promising investment due to its growth potential in the BNPL sector, while PayPal offers stability and a proven track record [19].

An updated edition of the February 25, 2025 article.Mobile payments are financial transactions made using smartphones, tablets, or wearable devices, removing the need for cash or physical cards. These transactions are facilitated through digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal, or via contactless technology such as NFC (Near Field Communication). They also include peer-to-peer transfers, QR code payments and in-app purchases.As consumers move toward a cashless lifestyle, technologies like bloc ...

The recommendations of Wall Street analysts are often relied on by investors when deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock. Media reports about these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts changing their ratings often affect a stock's price. Do they really matter, though?Before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage, let's see what these Wall Street heavyweights think about Affirm Holdings (AFRM) .Affirm Holdings currently has an average ...