Fundamental view:
The WalmartâKlarna win does remove one of the larger âbrickâandâmortarâ partners from Affirmâs pipeline, but the impact on topâline growth is limited. Walmartâs BNPL volume was a modest slice of total merchant spend and accounted for a relatively low proportion of FYâ23 revenue (roughly 3â4âŻ%). CEO Max Levchin emphasized that consumer demand remains âstrongâ and that the company is expanding its merchant base across grocery, healthâcare and DTC brands, while its own âBuyâNowâPayâLaterâ (BNPL) and âBuyâNowâPayâLaterâasâaâServiceâ (BNaaS) offerings are scaling faster than the loss. As a result, the consensus revenue guidance for FYâ24 (ââŻ+âŻ30âŻ% YoY) is unchanged, and the market has already priced in the Walmart hit. In practice, the loss will shave a few points off the growth rate, but it is unlikely to erode the broader trajectory or the companyâs ability to capture a larger share of the overall BNPL market, which is still underâpenetrated in the U.S.
Marketâshare & trading implications:
Klarnaâs acquisition of Walmartâs BNPL volume may shift a portion of the âlargeâticketâ shareâofâwallet to a competitor, but Affirmâs competitive advantage lies in its higherâmargin âmerchantâfinancingâ model and its growing SaaSâstyle BNaaS platform, which can be sold to any retailer at a lower cost of integration. This diversification cushions marketâshare loss and even positions Affirm to win back volume from merchants that favor a more dataârich, flexible partner. Technically, the stock jumped ~15âŻ% on the earnings beat, breaking above the 50âday EMA and holding near its recent high. RSI is now in the 70â75 zone, suggesting a shortâterm overbought condition, but the bullish momentum and strong earnings narrative give room for a pullâback and reâentry.
Actionable takeâaway:
For traders, the key risk is a potential earnings revision if Walmartâs volume proves more material than consensus assumed. Until such data surfaces, the upsideâbias remains intact: consider buying on a modest pullâback (e.g., near the 20âday EMA) with a stop just below the recent low (~$XX), or hold existing long positions with a target at the next resistance level (~$YY). Keep an eye on any forwardâlooking commentary about new merchant wins or BNaaS adoption rates, as those will be the primary drivers of future revenue growth and marketâshare expansion.