Latest news with #WorldMarket
San Francisco Chronicle
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Some Bay Area couples are ditching engagement diamonds. Here's what they're buying instead
When Emilie Jehng was a teenager in San Jose in the early 2000s, jade wasn't cool. She thought the green gemstone was gaudy and primarily associated with Asian culture, which, she said, wasn't desirable among her peers. Now, as a jeweler with a cult following for designs that pay homage to her Asian American heritage, Jehng is suddenly hearing from more and more couples who want to commission jade wedding jewelry. 'The diamond symbolizes America — the platonic ideal of the beautiful, American girl — and then jade is this unsung hero that's every bit as valuable or as beautiful,' Jehng said. Jade, of course, isn't just for weddings. And it's been finding a new market among young people, and not just with Asian folks. On the internet, the gemstone has been tagged in viral TikTok posts of people from a range of racial backgrounds squeezing their hands through jade bangles in West Coast jewelry stores. Jade and fake jade face sculpting tools are now available at mainstream stores like Target, Sephora and World Market. In April, internet cool girl and Swedish clothing designer Julia Dang posted a video of her girlfriend's proposal with a chunky, pale green jade engagement ring. Chloe Zhao, who thought jade was 'too old school' as a kid growing up in China, has also noticed more interest in the gemstone from millenials and Gen Z, which is why she started her popular New York-based, jade-centric jewelry brand Seree in 2021. In May, Zhao, 33, flashed her own jade and diamond engagement ring. Now she's planning an engagement line. 'We see more and more interest in jade, not only from Asian Americans who are reconnecting with the roots, but also, more and more Americans in general,' she said. Jehng thinks jade is a fitting material for couples who want to redefine what love looks like. While diamonds are meant to stay the same forever, jade is known to take on new hues and opacities with time, and depending on the person wearing it. 'Jade is described as a living thing,' she said. 'My mom used to say that jade is like a heart of stone on your body.' In May, the traditional start of 'wedding season,' Jehng was working on rings for Emma Burke and Liz Phung, who felt, as a queer couple, that a lot of wedding traditions, including diamond engagement rings, were outdated. They landed on contrasting ring designs — one rectangular, the other round — with gemstones cut from the same hunk of marbly light green jade. 'A lot of couples are creating their own definition of what they want the engagement or the wedding to be,' Jehng said. 'It's interesting how that approach then filters into what material they want.' And as a new taste for jade emerges in the States, so do new preferences for what the ideal jade, which comes in all kinds of colors, opacities and price points, looks like. In China, jade that's 'more even, more glowy, more translucent' is popular, Jehng said. 'In the States with my clients, they prefer pieces that have more variants in it, that maybe have green veining, maybe they're more milky,' she said. One of Jehng's earlier commissions came from Horacio Lopez, who met his wife while they were working at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 2018, and who didn't know much about the classifications of jade. Both Lopez and his wife, Summer Li, had reservations about traditional weddings, which also showed up in their choice of wedding jewelry. 'We both have these questions about pushing back on certain traditions, but also, 'How do I also show some sort of admiration or love?'' Lopez said. Li proposed to Lopez during a bike ride at Stanley Park in Vancouver, not a ring in sight. Lopez later gave Li an unconventional, snake-shaped engagement ring inlaid with small diamonds, an homage to Li being born in 1989, the year of the snake. But for their wedding bands, Lopez landed on a gemstone that he remembered seeing in both Chinese and Mexican museum exhibits. 'A mutual material that we both have in common, her being of Chinese ancestry and me being of Mexican ancestry, was jade,' he said. For Lopez, who's getting his masters in sound design at Brooklyn College, and Li, who's a graphic designer, their budget-conscious approach to wedding jewelry made jade more appealing since they didn't want to go down the 'traditional, really expensive diamond route.' Fiancees Nathan Lewis and Annie Gonzales, who also went to Jehng for their wedding jewelry, had similar misgivings about the marriage industrial complex and existing traditions. Lewis, who's Jamaican British, and Gonzales, who's Filipina American, had been talking about marriage for a while. Gonzales had one condition, though. 'Annie's one thing was that she didn't want a diamond,' Lewis said. Seven years after Lewis and Annie first met in college in 2017, Lewis got down on one knee on a pathway lined with trees in the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, while Gonzales' twin sister hid out of sight with a camera to photograph the proposal. Lewis fumbled for the ring in his jacket pocket. 'I was like, 'Oh, what's happening right now?'' Gonzales remembered. 'And then it was very sweet, and I cried a little.' The ring isn't a conventional, sparkly diamond set in yellow gold, per Gonzales' request. Instead, a white gold band curves between two stones, one sapphire and one jade, which is translucent and round like a freshly peeled grape. The absence of a diamond did incite some 'shock' amongst older family members. The couple didn't want a traditional ceremony either, they said from their Brooklyn apartment, Gonzales' childhood skateboard mounted on the wall behind them. There will be no white dress, a tiered cake or a huge, formal ceremony. When Patrick Xu and Jessica Wang first met as interns at Facebook in 2015, they weren't thinking about marriage. But their relationship progressed, and in April 2024 they asked Jehng to make them jade rings akin to wedding bands. 'I'm struggling to find the right word because there's what everyone else will understand, which I think is an engagement or a wedding ring,' Wang said. 'I just think of it as a commitment to a life partnership.' Xu doesn't love the performance of weddings, which he feels are mostly for other people, not the couple. And instead of the typical diamond, they decided on jade for its homage to their shared Chinese heritage. 'It was important for me when I thought about these rings to deconstruct all of that,' Xu said. Xu and Wang, who live in Berkeley, envision having a quiet, private moment in a nearby park this summer to exchange love letters and their rings: two jade rectangles cut from the same stone and inlaid in 18k gold bands. At her jewelry studio, Jehng was sorting through chunks of jade she'd bought at a gem show in Arizona. She remembered, as a teen, not wanting to wear the jade pendant her mother and aunt had gifted her at birth because it was 'too visibly Asian.' 'I feel like when we're younger, you don't want anything that differentiates you from anyone,' she said. 'That's funny because that's exactly why I feel like people are coming to me for these pieces — because they want something that's different.'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Affirm Swings Wildly Post Q3 Earnings: Is the Fintech Losing Steam?
Affirm Holdings, Inc. AFRM has seen its stock fluctuate sharply following its fiscal third-quarter 2025 earnings report last Thursday. Shares plummeted 14.5% on Friday as investors reacted negatively to the company's fourth-quarter outlook. However, the stock rebounded 15.8% on Monday after Affirm announced a new buy now, pay later (BNPL) partnership with World Market. It remained relatively stable on Tuesday. These rapid shifts have left investors questioning Affirm's growth trajectory. Can a single merchant addition trigger such a reversal, especially when the company already boasts a merchant network exceeding 358,000 partners? Let's examine Affirm's recent earnings, growth prospects, and financial fundamentals to determine whether the stock is worth holding. It reported third-quarter fiscal 2025 earnings of 1 cent per share against the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of nine cents and the prior-year quarter's loss of 43 cents. Revenue rose 36% year over year to $783.1 million, near the upper end of the company's guidance range of $755–$785 million. Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) reached $8.6 billion, up 36% from the prior year and ahead of the $8.1 billion Zacks Consensus Estimate. The growth was supported by strong performance across Affirm's largest merchant partner, wallet integrations, and direct-to-consumer channels. Transactions totaled 31.3 million, up 45.6% year over year, driven largely by repeat customers. While fiscal fourth-quarter 2025 guidance fell short of Wall Street expectations, Affirm continues to diversify its business, which could support long-term momentum. The company anticipates Q4 revenue between $815-$845 million and GMV between $9.4-$9.7 billion. Read more here. Repeat customer growth is becoming a significant strength for Affirm. In the fiscal third quarter, 94% of transactions came from returning customers, which underscores growing brand loyalty and potential for more predictable revenue. The company's move into everyday consumer categories such as home goods and lifestyle, exemplified by the recent World Market deal, supports this shift toward more stability. Affirm is also expanding internationally. Having entered the U.K. market after success in North America, it now plans to extend operations into Western Europe, starting with France, Germany and the Netherlands, in partnership with Shopify. This global push, backed by existing merchant relationships, could unlock significant growth potential. The company's model benefits both merchants and consumers. By reducing cart abandonment and offering flexible, transparent payment options — including 0% APR monthly installments — Affirm drives sales for partners while building a strong user base. Notably, 0% APR plans rose 44% year over year in the fiscal third quarter and accounted for 13% of GMV. In addition to its BNPL offerings, Affirm is investing in complementary financial products, including debit solutions and business-to-business tools. These innovations can drive more frequent usage, deepen customer relationships and strengthen its merchant ecosystem. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Affirm's fiscal 2025 earnings suggests a 95.8% year-over-year improvement, while fiscal 2026 earnings are expected to surge nearly 960%. Revenue projections are also strong, with fiscal 2025 and 2026 expected to grow 36.9% and 23.3%, respectively. (See the Zacks Earnings Calendar to stay ahead of market-making news.) It has delivered solid financial results lately, beating earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 102.2%. Affirm Holdings, Inc. price-eps-surprise | Affirm Holdings, Inc. Quote Affirm's stock has soared 67% over the past year, significantly outperforming the broader industry and the S&P 500 Index. During this time, major BNPL service provider PayPal Holdings, Inc. PYPL grew 13.2% while Block, Inc. XYZ declined 18.6%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research In terms of valuation, Affirm is trading at a premium. Its 4.47X forward 12-month sales is higher than the three-year median of 3.49X. Meanwhile, PayPal and Block are currently trading at 2.09X and 1.39X, respectively. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research As of March 31, 2025, Affirm had a funding debt of $1.9 billion. Although it is a growing company, its long-term debt-to-capital ratio of 72.8% is significantly higher than the industry's average of 12.9%, which remains a concern. It needs to demonstrate sustained earnings over the coming quarters to assure investors about its capacity to service its debt obligations. Operating expenses have also been rising. In fiscal 2022, 2023 and 2024, expenses increased 76.6%, 25.9%, and 5.4%, respectively. In the fiscal third quarter, they rose another 7.4%. As Affirm continues to invest in growth and innovation, cost management will be critical to protecting margins. Competition in the BNPL space remains fierce. In addition to rivals like PayPal, Klarna and Block, traditional financial institutions and credit card companies are entering the market. Walmart's recent decision to switch from Affirm to Klarna illustrates the intensity of the competitive landscape and may signal challenges to Affirm's merchant retention efforts. Affirm's fiscal Q3 performance demonstrated strong revenue growth, improved margins, and rising transaction volumes, particularly from loyal, repeat customers. Its expanding merchant network, new partnerships like World Market, and push into international markets all reflect long-term growth potential. However, near-term concerns remain. Elevated debt levels, rising expenses, and intense competition, especially from both fintech peers and traditional companies, pose risks to margin stability and market share expansion. Given these mixed signals, Affirm currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Investors may want to watch for more sustained profitability and clearer margin improvement before adding or expanding positions. Affirm remains a company with high potential — but at current valuation levels, patience may be the smartest play. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Affirm Holdings, Inc. (AFRM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Block, Inc. (XYZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Sign in to access your portfolio
Globe and Mail
14-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Affirm Swings Wildly Post Q3 Earnings: Is the Fintech Losing Steam?
Affirm Holdings, Inc. AFRM has seen its stock fluctuate sharply following its fiscal third-quarter 2025 earnings report last Thursday. Shares plummeted 14.5% on Friday as investors reacted negatively to the company's fourth-quarter outlook. However, the stock rebounded 15.8% on Monday after Affirm announced a new buy now, pay later (BNPL) partnership with World Market. It remained relatively stable on Tuesday. These rapid shifts have left investors questioning Affirm's growth trajectory. Can a single merchant addition trigger such a reversal, especially when the company already boasts a merchant network exceeding 358,000 partners? Let's examine Affirm's recent earnings, growth prospects, and financial fundamentals to determine whether the stock is worth holding. Key Highlights From AFRM's Q3 Earnings It reported third-quarter fiscal 2025 earnings of 1 cent per share against the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of nine cents and the prior-year quarter's loss of 43 cents. Revenue rose 36% year over year to $783.1 million, near the upper end of the company's guidance range of $755–$785 million. Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) reached $8.6 billion, up 36% from the prior year and ahead of the $8.1 billion Zacks Consensus Estimate. The growth was supported by strong performance across Affirm's largest merchant partner, wallet integrations, and direct-to-consumer channels. Transactions totaled 31.3 million, up 45.6% year over year, driven largely by repeat customers. While fiscal fourth-quarter 2025 guidance fell short of Wall Street expectations, Affirm continues to diversify its business, which could support long-term momentum. The company anticipates Q4 revenue between $815-$845 million and GMV between $9.4-$9.7 billion. Read more here. AFRM's Long-Term Growth Drivers Remain Intact Repeat customer growth is becoming a significant strength for Affirm. In the fiscal third quarter, 94% of transactions came from returning customers, which underscores growing brand loyalty and potential for more predictable revenue. The company's move into everyday consumer categories such as home goods and lifestyle, exemplified by the recent World Market deal, supports this shift toward more stability. Affirm is also expanding internationally. Having entered the U.K. market after success in North America, it now plans to extend operations into Western Europe, starting with France, Germany and the Netherlands, in partnership with Shopify. This global push, backed by existing merchant relationships, could unlock significant growth potential. The company's model benefits both merchants and consumers. By reducing cart abandonment and offering flexible, transparent payment options — including 0% APR monthly installments — Affirm drives sales for partners while building a strong user base. Notably, 0% APR plans rose 44% year over year in the fiscal third quarter and accounted for 13% of GMV. In addition to its BNPL offerings, Affirm is investing in complementary financial products, including debit solutions and business-to-business tools. These innovations can drive more frequent usage, deepen customer relationships and strengthen its merchant ecosystem. Favorable Earnings Estimates for AFRM The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Affirm's fiscal 2025 earnings suggests a 95.8% year-over-year improvement, while fiscal 2026 earnings are expected to surge nearly 960%. Revenue projections are also strong, with fiscal 2025 and 2026 expected to grow 36.9% and 23.3%, respectively. (See the Zacks Earnings Calendar to stay ahead of market-making news.) It has delivered solid financial results lately, beating earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 102.2%. Affirm Holdings, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Affirm Holdings, Inc. price-eps-surprise | Affirm Holdings, Inc. Quote AFRM's Price Performance & Valuation Affirm's stock has soared 67% over the past year, significantly outperforming the broader industry and the S&P 500 Index. During this time, major BNPL service provider PayPal Holdings, Inc. PYPL grew 13.2% while Block, Inc. XYZ declined 18.6%. Price Performance – AFRM, PYPL, XYZ, Industry & S&P 500 Image Source: Zacks Investment Research In terms of valuation, Affirm is trading at a premium. Its 4.47X forward 12-month sales is higher than the three-year median of 3.49X. Meanwhile, PayPal and Block are currently trading at 2.09X and 1.39X, respectively. AFRM's Headwinds to Monitor As of March 31, 2025, Affirm had a funding debt of $1.9 billion. Although it is a growing company, its long-term debt-to-capital ratio of 72.8% is significantly higher than the industry's average of 12.9%, which remains a concern. It needs to demonstrate sustained earnings over the coming quarters to assure investors about its capacity to service its debt obligations. Operating expenses have also been rising. In fiscal 2022, 2023 and 2024, expenses increased 76.6%, 25.9%, and 5.4%, respectively. In the fiscal third quarter, they rose another 7.4%. As Affirm continues to invest in growth and innovation, cost management will be critical to protecting margins. Competition in the BNPL space remains fierce. In addition to rivals like PayPal, Klarna and Block, traditional financial institutions and credit card companies are entering the market. Walmart's recent decision to switch from Affirm to Klarna illustrates the intensity of the competitive landscape and may signal challenges to Affirm's merchant retention efforts. Conclusion: Is Affirm a Buy, Sell, or Hold? Affirm's fiscal Q3 performance demonstrated strong revenue growth, improved margins, and rising transaction volumes, particularly from loyal, repeat customers. Its expanding merchant network, new partnerships like World Market, and push into international markets all reflect long-term growth potential. However, near-term concerns remain. Elevated debt levels, rising expenses, and intense competition, especially from both fintech peers and traditional companies, pose risks to margin stability and market share expansion. Given these mixed signals, Affirm currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Investors may want to watch for more sustained profitability and clearer margin improvement before adding or expanding positions. Affirm remains a company with high potential — but at current valuation levels, patience may be the smartest play. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Zacks' Research Chief Names "Stock Most Likely to Double" Our team of experts has just released the 5 stocks with the greatest probability of gaining +100% or more in the coming months. Of those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian highlights the one stock set to climb highest. This top pick is among the most innovative financial firms. With a fast-growing customer base (already 50+ million) and a diverse set of cutting edge solutions, this stock is poised for big gains. Of course, all our elite picks aren't winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks' Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months. Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners Up Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL): Free Stock Analysis Report Affirm Holdings, Inc. (AFRM): Free Stock Analysis Report Block, Inc. (XYZ): Free Stock Analysis Report
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Affirm Holdings (NasdaqGS:AFRM) Partners With World Market To Expand Flexible Payment Options
Affirm Holdings has experienced a 33% increase in its share price over the past month. This significant movement likely correlates with several key developments. The company's new partnership with World Market, offering flexible payment options, aligns with consumer demand for pay-over-time solutions. Additionally, the collaboration with UATP to provide such options in the travel industry further expanded its market reach. Affirm's Q3 earnings report showed improved financial performance, contributing to investor confidence. These positive developments would have certainly outweighed the broader market's 3.9% rise, highlighting Affirm's momentum amidst favorable trends. You should learn about the 1 risk we've spotted with Affirm Holdings. The end of cancer? These 24 emerging AI stocks are developing tech that will allow early identification of life changing diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's. The recent news surrounding Affirm Holdings, including partnerships with World Market and UATP, aligns with its strategy to expand its payment solutions and enhance consumer reach. These developments potentially accelerate Affirm's revenue and earnings forecasts, as the company capitalizes on increased transaction volumes and broadened market access. The integration of AI and optimization of 0% APR loans are expected to further improve operational efficiency and support revenue growth. Such innovations could mitigate some risks associated with international expansion and margin pressure. Over the past three years culminating on April 30, 2025, Affirm's total shareholder return was substantial at 113.71%. This impressive performance, in a multi-year context, compares favorably to the broader US Diversified Financial industry, which returned 21.8% in the past year. Affirm's shares have therefore outperformed both the market and its industry peers in shorter-term assessments as well. The significant recent share price movement and partnerships might play a role in closing the gap to the analysts' price target of US$67.66, which represents a 25.44% potential upside from the current price of US$50.40. As discussions around future earnings growth include a transition from current losses to US$699.30 million in earnings by May 2028, these partnerships and product enhancements could be fundamental in justifying optimistic analyst expectations. Get an in-depth perspective on Affirm Holdings' performance by reading our balance sheet health report here. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include NasdaqGS:AFRM. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Affirm Holdings (NasdaqGS:AFRM) Partners With World Market To Expand Flexible Payment Options
Affirm Holdings has experienced a 33% increase in its share price over the past month. This significant movement likely correlates with several key developments. The company's new partnership with World Market, offering flexible payment options, aligns with consumer demand for pay-over-time solutions. Additionally, the collaboration with UATP to provide such options in the travel industry further expanded its market reach. Affirm's Q3 earnings report showed improved financial performance, contributing to investor confidence. These positive developments would have certainly outweighed the broader market's 3.9% rise, highlighting Affirm's momentum amidst favorable trends. You should learn about the 1 risk we've spotted with Affirm Holdings. The end of cancer? These 24 emerging AI stocks are developing tech that will allow early identification of life changing diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's. The recent news surrounding Affirm Holdings, including partnerships with World Market and UATP, aligns with its strategy to expand its payment solutions and enhance consumer reach. These developments potentially accelerate Affirm's revenue and earnings forecasts, as the company capitalizes on increased transaction volumes and broadened market access. The integration of AI and optimization of 0% APR loans are expected to further improve operational efficiency and support revenue growth. Such innovations could mitigate some risks associated with international expansion and margin pressure. Over the past three years culminating on April 30, 2025, Affirm's total shareholder return was substantial at 113.71%. This impressive performance, in a multi-year context, compares favorably to the broader US Diversified Financial industry, which returned 21.8% in the past year. Affirm's shares have therefore outperformed both the market and its industry peers in shorter-term assessments as well. The significant recent share price movement and partnerships might play a role in closing the gap to the analysts' price target of US$67.66, which represents a 25.44% potential upside from the current price of US$50.40. As discussions around future earnings growth include a transition from current losses to US$699.30 million in earnings by May 2028, these partnerships and product enhancements could be fundamental in justifying optimistic analyst expectations. Get an in-depth perspective on Affirm Holdings' performance by reading our balance sheet health report here. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include NasdaqGS:AFRM. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@
