Jason Wilk
Source: Jason Wilke
Jason Wilk, CEO of Digital Banking Services daveremembers the absolute low point in his short career as the head of a public company.
It was June 2023, and his company’s stock price had recently fallen below $5 per share. Desperate to keep Dave afloat, Wilk finds himself in a Los Angeles home Meeting For micro-caps, he pitches investors for small shares of his company worth $5,000.
“I’m not going to lie, this was probably the hardest time of my life,” Wilke told CNBC. “Going from a $5 billion company to a $50 million company in 12 months is really tough.”
But over the next few months, Dave turned a profit and continued to beat Wall Street analysts’ revenue and profit estimates. Wilke’s company is now the biggest gainer among U.S. financial stocks in 2024, with shares up 934% year-to-date as of Thursday.
The fintech company, which makes money by providing small loans to cash-strapped Americans, is emblematic of a larger shift that is still in its early stages, said JMP Securities analyst Devin Ryan.
In 2022, investors have dumped promising fintech companies as a wave of unprofitable companies like Dave’s went public through special purpose acquisition companies. The environment suddenly shifted from rewarding growth at all costs to deep doubts about how loss-making companies would respond to rising interest rates as the Federal Reserve battles inflation.
Now, as the Federal Reserve eases interest rates, investors are flocking back to financial companies of all sizes, including alternative asset managers such as KKR and credit card companies, e.g. American Expressare the best performers among financial stocks this year, with market capitalizations of at least $100 billion and $200 billion respectively.
Large investment banks include Goldman SachsThe biggest gainer among the Big Six U.S. banks has also surged this year on hopes of a rebound in Wall Street trading activity.
Dave, a fintech company that competes with big banks like JPMorgan Chase, has been an outperforming stock this year.
But fintech companies like Dave Robin HoodRyan says the commission-free trading app is the most promising app for next year.
Robinhood’s shares have soared 190% this year, the biggest gain among financial companies with a market value of at least $10 billion.
“Both Dave and Robin Hood went from losing money to incredibly profitable companies,” Ryan said. “They’re getting their lives in order by accelerating income growth while managing expenses.”
While Ryan believes valuations at investment banks and alternative asset managers are approaching “stretched” levels, he said, “Fintech companies still have a long way to go; they are still in their infancy.”
The financial sector was already beginning to benefit from the Federal Reserve’s easing cycle when Donald Trump’s election victory last month boosted interest in the sector. Investors expect Trump to loosen regulations and allow for more innovation through government appointees, including former officials.PayPal Executive and Silicon Valley investor David Sacks serves as artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency czar.
These expectations have been raised like JPMorgan Chase and Citigroupbut has a greater impact on would-be disruptors like Dave, who can see more benefit from a looser regulatory environment.
gas and groceries
Dave has built a niche among Americans who are underserved by traditional banks by offering free checking and savings accounts.
Wilk said the company makes money primarily by issuing small loans of about $180 each to help users “pay for gas and groceries” until their next paycheck. Dave’s average income per loan is approximately $9.
Customers stand out by avoiding more expensive forms Credit from other institutions included a $35 overdraft fee charged by the bank, he said. Dave, this is not a bank; Partners There are no late fees or interest on cash advances.
The company also offers debit cards, and interchange fees from Dave’s customer transactions will represent an increasing share of revenue, Wilk said.
While the fintech company faces far less skepticism now than it did in mid-2023 — all seven analysts tracking the company rate the stock a “buy,” according to Factset — Wilk said , the company still has more to prove.
“Our business is much better now than when we went public, but the price is still 60% lower than the IPO price,” he said. “Hopefully we can find our way back.”
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