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Is SOFI Stock's 150% Rally Just The Beginning?

Is SOFI Stock's 150% Rally Just The Beginning?

Forbes3 days ago
Just last month, we talked about how SoFi stock could climb toward $30 levels. Fast forward a few weeks, and the stock is now trading near $24 – an impressive 2.5x increase from its April lows of below $10. Although crypto trading announcements first ignited this rally, recent developments indicate this momentum may have further staying power.
That said, if you're seeking an upside with less volatility compared to holding an individual stock, consider the High Quality Portfolio. It has significantly outperformed its benchmark—a mix of the S&P 500, Russell, and S&P Midcap indexes—and has delivered returns exceeding 91% since its inception. Additionally, check out – Ethereum: ETH Price To $10,000?
The Interest Rate Tailwind
The most recent economic data is casting a more positive light on SoFi. The Consumer Price Index increased just 0.2% last month, down from June's 0.3% rise, as reported by the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics on August 12, 2025. This easing inflation data brings the Federal Reserve closer to a potential rate cut in September, with the market probability of such a cut now significantly high. [1]How Rate Cuts Benefit SoFi
Rate cuts provide several tailwinds for SoFi's business model. The most substantial impact is seen in the lending segment. Lower rates decrease SoFi's funding expenses while likely boosting loan demand as borrowing becomes more affordable for consumers. This creates a conducive environment for growth in loan origination, which is vital since lending continues to be SoFi's largest revenue segment. Furthermore, lower rates might rejuvenate growth in student loan refinancing and personal loans, two critical areas where SoFi has traditionally thrived. Take a look at our in-depth analysis on SoFi's revenue comparison.
Potential Headwinds to Watch
Despite the favorable momentum, several risks could hinder this rally:
The Rally May Have More Room
The convergence of two formidable catalysts – crypto platform expansion and the potential for declining interest rates – sets up a compelling scenario for ongoing gains. Digital lending companies like SoFi are well-positioned to gain significantly from rate cuts, while the crypto offering introduces an entirely new revenue stream not included in earlier growth forecasts.
The timing couldn't be more advantageous. As interest rates fall, SoFi's core lending business should experience improved margins and heightened demand. Meanwhile, the crypto platform launch taps into a fast-growing market segment that has generated hundreds of millions for competitors like Robinhood.
While uncertainties linger, the fundamental factors indicate this rally may continue to gain momentum. Investors who missed the initial move from $10 may still discover opportunities, though they should remain aware of the high valuation, execution risks, and competitive challenges ahead. Remember, there is always a significant risk when investing in a single, or just a few, stocks. Consider Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio, which, with a collection of 30 stocks, has a proven track record of comfortably outperforming the S&P 500 over the last 4-year period. Why is that? Overall, HQ Portfolio stocks have delivered better returns with lower risk compared to the benchmark index; less of a roller-coaster experience as shown in HQ Portfolio performance metrics.
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History Shows That Palantir Stock's Monster Run Is Speeding Toward an Epic Crash -- and It All Might Come Down to 1 Detail That No One Is Talking About
History Shows That Palantir Stock's Monster Run Is Speeding Toward an Epic Crash -- and It All Might Come Down to 1 Detail That No One Is Talking About

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History Shows That Palantir Stock's Monster Run Is Speeding Toward an Epic Crash -- and It All Might Come Down to 1 Detail That No One Is Talking About

Key Points Palantir stock is surging thanks to the company's ability to consistently deliver record-breaking growth from its artificial intelligence (AI) products. While it's tempting to follow momentum, Palantir is trading at valuations that eclipse even those seen during prior stock market bubbles. Institutional investors appear to be reining in their buying activity. 10 stocks we like better than Palantir Technologies › As of the closing bell on Aug. 12, shares of data mining darling Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) have skyrocketed by 147% year to date -- making it the top-performing stock in the S&P 500 for two years running. The obvious talking point here is that Palantir has been on a monster run throughout the course of the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution. Skeptics point to Palantir's lofty valuation as the cornerstone of the bear argument, as the stock trades at levels encroaching on dot-com-era bubble territory. While that's true, such concerns haven't stopped the stock from repeatedly notching new highs. I think there is a far subtler detail surrounding Palantir stock that rarely gets discussed. If history is any guide, it could set the stage for an epic reversal. Is now the time to sell Palantir stock? Read on to find out. Valuation that redefines what it means to be "expensive" During the late 1990s, internet companies were often measured by non-financial metrics based on user engagement. Businesses such as Amazon, Cisco, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Yahoo! were valued based on eyeballs and clicks rather than sales and profits. At the peak of dot-com euphoria, many of these internet pioneers traded at price-to-sales (P/S) multiples between 30 and 40 -- considered unsustainably high at the time. Palantir has completely redefined how next-generation technology businesses are valued, though. As of Aug. 12, Palantir boasts a market cap of nearly $444 billion -- larger than Salesforce, SAP, and Adobe, which are far more mature, diversified businesses. Perhaps even more striking is that Palantir's P/S of 137 exists in its own stratosphere -- completely outside the dimensions of its software-as-a-service (SaaS) peers. Some argue that traditional valuation methodologies such as P/S or earnings multiples don't fully capture Palantir's true value or its full potential. Instead, they urge investors to focus on industry-specific and financially engineered metrics such as the Rule of 40 to see just how "cheap" Palantir stock really is. I think this argument is flawed. There's a more telling metric -- and one that almost nobody talks about -- that makes me think Palantir stock could be on a collision course with history. Is "smart money" trying to tell us something? The chart below tracks buying activity in Palantir stock across institutional investors since its initial public offering (IPO) in late 2020. Initially, there was a wave of "smart money" buying during early 2021, which was met with substantial selling during the latter half of that year. Palantir's institutional ownership picked up again following the company's splash into the AI realm a couple of years ago. It's this dynamic where I think the retail investing crowd is missing the bigger picture and buying into a mirage. As the chart above illustrates, there is a convergence happening between the institutional buying and selling in Palantir stock. When net demand tightens -- meaning that buying is no longer materially higher than selling -- it takes less downside pressure to inspire a precipitous drop in share price. I see the dynamics illustrated in the chart above as an inflection point for Palantir stock. In addition, banks, wealth management firms, mutual funds, and hedge funds all have different priorities. Many of these institutions are required to hold large-cap stocks for benchmarking purposes, not because they think the stock is undervalued or because they carry some "diamond hands" conviction that shares are going higher despite abnormal volatility in the present. When a stock becomes an abnormally high weight relative to the overall portfolio, institutional investors often trim their exposure. This is known as portfolio rebalancing. This scenario can be perfectly explained in the video clip above in which mutual fund billionaire Ron Baron describes his fiduciary responsibility to take profits from time to time in even his highest-conviction positions, such as Tesla. If a stock becomes overinflated, institutions will use this market liquidity as a mechanism to sell their shares to retail at a premium. 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Why Wall Street kept sending the S&P 500, Nasdaq to fresh records this week
Why Wall Street kept sending the S&P 500, Nasdaq to fresh records this week

CNBC

time37 minutes ago

  • CNBC

Why Wall Street kept sending the S&P 500, Nasdaq to fresh records this week

The stock market ended the week higher as Wall Street speculated on how a spate of economic releases would impact the Federal Reserve's next interest rate decision. The S & P 500 and Nasdaq both gained nearly 1% over the past five sessions. Both benchmark gauges hit several record closes this week, with the S & P 500 reaching the milestone on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The tech-heavy Nasdaq closed at record highs on Tuesday and Wednesday. Both indexes hit all-time intraday highs on Friday but closed the session modestly lower. Inflation data Stocks were pushed much higher on Tuesday, which carried the week, after the July consumer price index showed inflation had cooled more than expected. This caused Fed rate cut expectations for September to rise. The stock market's run continued into Wednesday's session. On Thursday, however, stocks lost some momentum after July's producer price index indicated that wholesale inflation rose more than expected last month. 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The Club reiterated our buy equivalent 1 rating , and maintained our price target of $78. "In a market that rewards AI-exposed companies with lofty valuations, Cisco trades at a very reasonable high teens price-to-earnings multiple. That valuation is too cheap to us," Jeff Marks, director of portfolio analysis for the Club, wrote in his earnings analysis. Later in the week, commentary from one Wall Street firm sent Cisco stock lower again. Shares fell 5.5% on Friday after HSBC downgraded the stock to a hold rating from a buy, and lowered its price target to $69 from $73. Analysts viewed Cisco's quarterly report as lackluster and said more stock gains would be hard to come by. "Though the company reported more than USD2bn of AI infrastructure orders in FY25, strength seems to be getting offset by weakness elsewhere," HSBC wrote in a Thursday note to clients. Record highs Although Cisco stock had a tough week, many other portfolio names experienced big runs. 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Billions in Ethereum Waiting to Be Unstaked Could Add Sell Pressure to ETH: Analyst
Billions in Ethereum Waiting to Be Unstaked Could Add Sell Pressure to ETH: Analyst

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time38 minutes ago

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Billions in Ethereum Waiting to Be Unstaked Could Add Sell Pressure to ETH: Analyst

Ethereum holders are increasingly lining up to unstake their tokens, a trend that could put significant sell pressure on the cryptocurrency, according to one crypto expert. The Ethereum blockchain's validator exit queue hit 855,158 ETH on Friday—the highest it's ever been, according to The tokens were worth a combined $3.7 billion as of late Friday, according to data provider CoinGecko. Staking is a process by which digital asset holders lock up their tokens to secure a blockchain network and earn rewards. Stakers may choose to unlock and reclaim their crypto amid uncertain market conditions, transferring them to comparatively risk-off assets or cashing out. The Ethereum networks limits the amount of ETH that can be unstaked at a given time. The limit is designed to maintain network stability by preventing mass validator exits, which could disrupt the blockchain's consensus mechanism. Currently, the queue is expected to take 15 days to clear. The mounting queue of soon-to-be-unstaked ETH could be driving the asset's recent retracement, Bitwise Senior Investment Strategist Juan Leon told Decrypt. The second-largest crypto asset by market cap has shed hundreds of dollars in recent days after coming close to setting a new all-time high mark. The unstaked Ethereum queue could negatively affect ETH's price, particularly if staked ETH trades at a discount to ETH, he explained. 'Tokens like stETH can trade at a discount. That discount reduces their value as collateral, triggering risk cuts, hedges, or even liquidations that lead to spot ETH selling,' Leon said. What's Driving Ethereum's Surge—And Can It Last? He added that some trades may unwind as the unstaking queue grows, particularly if the cost to borrow ETH spikes. When that occurs, 'leveraged 'stETH loop' trades via liquidity pools on DeFi protocols stop being profitable,' Leon said. 'Traders unwind by exiting positions and selling ETH to repay loans, creating synchronized sell pressure.' Growing efforts to unstake ETH came shortly after the token on Thursday came within striking distance of its record price of $4,878 hit in November 2021, per data from CoinGecko. Since then, the altcoin has retraced its gains, weighed down by growing geopolitical uncertainty and a hotter-than-expected producer-price-index report from the U.S. Despite concerns about Ethereum's validator exit queue, Leon cautioned that a rise in ETH waiting to be unstaked doesn't necessarily signal that the token's price will continue to edge down. 'Unstaking doesn't usually cause a sudden crash, but under stress it can act like a steady tap of new supply,' he said, 'pressuring prices lower if it overwhelms new demand for ETH.'

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