BNPL provider Affirm's shares rise in pre-open trade after analyst upgrade
Shares of Affirm Holdings (NASDAQ:AFRM) rose 5.2% in pre-open trade following an upgrade by BTIG analysts, who revised their rating to “buy” from “neutral”, citing the company's path toward GAAP profitability and its growing market share in point-of-sale finance. BTIG's analysts flagged Affirm's operating income margin for fiscal 2025, which is projected to reach 19%, positioning it favorably against American Express (NYSE:AXP), whose margin stands at 20%. The analysts also pointed to Affirm’s increasing take-share of point-of-sale finance, which is expected to accelerate due to macroeconomic trends, including rising credit losses for traditional credit card companies like American Express.