Should You Buy Affirm Stock Before its Q3 Earnings Release?

Core Viewpoint - Affirm Holdings, Inc. is expected to report its third-quarter fiscal 2025 results on May 8, 2025, with a projected loss of 8 cents per share on revenues of $783.1 million, indicating significant year-over-year improvements in both earnings and revenues [1][2]. Financial Performance - The fiscal third-quarter earnings estimate has improved by 2 cents over the past month, reflecting an 81.4% year-over-year improvement [1]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly revenues suggests a year-over-year growth of 35.9% [1]. - For the current fiscal year, the revenue estimate is pegged at$ 3.2 billion, implying a rise of 37.1% year over year, while the EPS consensus is a loss of 6 cents, indicating a 96.4% improvement year over year [2]. Earnings Expectations - Affirm is predicted to beat earnings estimates due to a positive Earnings ESP of +63.27% and a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) [3]. - The company has consistently beaten consensus estimates for earnings in the last four quarters, with an average surprise of 84.1% [2]. Revenue Drivers - Merchant network revenues are expected to reach $199.5 million, indicating a 25.2% rise from the prior-year quarter [5]. - The Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) is anticipated to grow by 29.2% year-over-year, with management estimating it to be in the range of$ 8- $8.3 billion [6]. - Active consumers are projected to grow by 17.4% year-over-year, and transactions per active consumer are expected to rise by 16.5% [7]. Card Network and Interest Income - Card network revenues are expected to improve by 30% year-over-year, while interest income is pegged at$ 414.4 million, indicating a 31.3% year-over-year rise [8]. - Servicing income is estimated to reach nearly $31.3 million, reflecting a 23.6% increase from the year-ago quarter [9]. Transaction Costs - The company anticipates higher transaction costs in the range of$ 415-$430 million for the quarter [9]. Stock Performance - Affirm's stock has increased by 38.6% over the past month, outperforming the industry growth of 19.4% and significantly surpassing the S&P 500's increase of 12.3% [10]. Valuation - Despite the recent stock price appreciation, Affirm's valuation remains relatively cheap at 4.34X forward 12-month sales, below the industry average of 5.12X [13]. Competitive Landscape - The delay of Klarna's IPO has reduced competitive pressure in the BNPL space, benefiting Affirm as one of the few publicly traded players [18]. - Concerns regarding Walmart's relationship with Affirm are considered overblown, as Walmart contributed only 5% to Affirm's GMV [18]. Long-term Outlook - Affirm is expanding internationally and diversifying its offerings, which positions it to compete with major players like Visa and PayPal [19]. - The company is focusing on profitability by tightening underwriting standards and improving margins, which is expected to bolster investor confidence [19].