Latest news with #communitybanks
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. (JKHY): A Bull Case Theory
We came across a bullish thesis on Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. on Bob's Payment Stock's Substack by Bob Hammel. In this article, we will summarize the bulls' thesis on JKHY. Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.'s share was trading at $180.90 as of July 24th. JKHY's trailing and forward P/E were 30.82 and 28.33, respectively according to Yahoo Finance. A customer using a mobile banking app at home to securely transfer money. Jack Henry & Associates stands out among bank technology providers with consistent 7%+ organic revenue growth, stable demand, and strong relationships with U.S. community banks and credit unions, supported by six-year contracts and low attrition. The company's portfolio includes core processing systems, digital banking through its Banno platform, card processing, ACH, bill pay, and fraud management, all benefiting from user- and account-based revenue models that scale with clients. Despite its durable growth, margins have stagnated due to rising costs, continued investment in innovation and security, and margin-dilutive acquisitions, while free cash flow conversion has fallen to 69% from nearly 90% historically, largely because of tax code changes, lower deconversion fees, and increased vendor prepayments. Shares trade at 26.8x fiscal 2026 EPS estimates, a multiple compressed from prior highs despite EPS compounding at 9% annually since 2019, as investors question the pace of margin expansion and free cash flow recovery. With gross leverage of just 0.2x, disciplined capital allocation, and returns on tangible assets in the low-20% range, Jack Henry is positioned to support increased dividends and opportunistic buybacks. Management's modernization roadmap, modular product design, and continued share gains from Fiserv and FIS underscore a long-term growth runway. Risks include banking consolidation, technological disruption, and competitive pressure, but resilient demand, embedded customer relationships, and a prudent operating model provide a strong buffer. A fair value estimate of $168 implies limited upside at current prices, with $150 seen as an attractive entry. Successful margin expansion and restored free cash flow conversion could drive a meaningful rerating. Previously, we covered a bullish thesis on Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation (CTSH) by Magnus Ofstad in May 2025, which highlighted CTSH's AI-led productivity strategy, accelerating revenue growth, and expanding partnerships. The company's stock price has depreciated by approximately 1.24% since our coverage as macro uncertainties tempered sentiment. The thesis still stands as CTSH advances its AI-focused growth. Bob Hammel shares a similar view, emphasizing Jack Henry's predictable growth and disciplined capital allocation in bank technology. Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. is not on our list of the 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 31 hedge fund portfolios held JKHY at the end of the first quarter which was 31 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of JKHY as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock. Disclosure: None. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Best savings interest rates today, July 24, 2025 (top account pays 4.3% APY)
If you're looking to supercharge your savings, a high-yield savings account could provide an above-average return to help your balance grow faster. However, not all banks offer high savings account rates, which is why it's important to shop around and find the most competitive savings interest rates available. Read on to learn more about where to find the best savings interest rates today. Banks with the best savings interest rates today Savings account rates have been trending down since last year, when the Federal Reserve began cutting the federal funds rate. The good news is that many high-yield savings accounts still offer rates of around 4% APY and up. The best rates are typically offered by online banks, although you may be able to find comparable savings interest rates at some credit unions and community banks. As of July 24, 2025, the highest savings account rate available from our partners is 4.44% APY. This rate is offered by Peak Bank and requires no minimum opening deposit. Here is a look at some of the best savings interest rates available today from our verified partners: Questo contenuto incorporato non è disponibile nella tua area geografica. How do I choose the best savings account? Selecting a savings account with a competitive interest rate is important. The higher the rate, the faster your balance will grow over time. That said, the interest rate shouldn't be your only point of comparison. Other factors, such as fees, ATM locations, the bank's reputation, and more should also be considered. The best savings accounts offer a combination of high rates, low fees, accessibility, and an overall positive banking experience. Not sure where to start? Check out our ranking of the 10 best high-yield savings accounts available today. Savings account interest rate forecast Following several years of near-zero interest rates, the Federal Reserve began raising the the federal funds rate in 2022 in order to combat rapidly rising inflation. As a result, savings interest rates skyrocketed, reaching a 15-year high. However, in late 2024, the Fed implemented a series of cuts to the federal funds rate, and savings account rates have started dropping. It's also expected that the Fed will implement more rate cuts in 2025. It's difficult to predict exactly how and when interest rates will change going forward, but one thing is for sure: Today's high savings account rates won't last forever. So, if you're hoping to give your savings a boost and take advantage of the best rates on the market, there's no better time than now. How to open a savings account The requirements involved in opening a savings account vary by financial institution. However, if you're ready to open an account, you can follow these general steps: Research savings account rates: Of course, when choosing a savings account, one of the most important factors to evaluate are the interest rates. Be sure that you select a savings account with a competitive rate to help your money grow. Figure out your must-haves: Although savings account interest rates should be top of mind, that's not the only factor to consider. You'll also want to think about what else you need from your account, whether it's no minimum balance requirement, low fees, or other perks. Finding a savings account with a solid rate that also helps you achieve your goals is key. Prepare documentation: Opening a bank account requires you to provide a few important personal details and documents. Before you start your application, be sure you have your Social Security number, driver's license or passport number, and proof of address. Fill out the application: In many cases, you can apply for savings account online. However, some financial institutions may require you to visit the branch in person to apply. Either way, the application for a new savings account should only take a few minutes to complete. In many cases, you'll get your approval decision instantly. Fund your account: Once your savings account application is approved, you'll need to add funds to the account. Be sure you're aware of any minimum opening deposit requirements and timeline for funding. Read more: Step-by-step instructions for opening a high-yield savings account
Finextra
15-07-2025
- Business
- Finextra
Eltropy to launch AI certification for credit union and community bank employees
Eltropy, the leading AI-powered conversations platform for community financial institutions (CFIs), today announced the upcoming launch of its on-demand AI Certification Program designed for credit union and community bank employees across every function – from frontline service to back-office operations. 0 This content is provided by an external author without editing by Finextra. It expresses the views and opinions of the author. The AI certification program builds on the momentum of Eltropy's successful hands-on certification at its annual user conference EMERGE 2025, where more than 130+ CFI professionals earned their Eltropy AI Practitioner Certificate. The training that was delivered live at EMERGE to an audience of 350+ marked the industry's first practical certification in Generative and Agentic AI for community finance. "This is the turning point for AI in community finance – we've moved beyond experimentation,' said Saahil Kamath, VP of Product and Head of AI at Eltropy. 'Our AI certification program proves that credit unions and community banks can build, deploy, and benefit from AI, not tomorrow but today. In under one hour, participants were able to create real bots on real channels, not just slides and ideas. That's what practical AI looks like, and that's how we close the gap between innovation and impact." About the AI Certification Program Launching later this summer, the self-paced online course will equip learners with foundational knowledge in AI, practical applications of Agentic AI, and safe, compliant usage tailored to regulated financial environments. The attending professionals will gain hands-on experience building live bots for telephony, websites, and internal knowledge systems, while mastering key AI technologies including LLMs, RAG, prompt engineering, and QA automation. 'Our goal is to demystify AI,' said Rahul Prakash, Head of AI Engineering at Eltropy. 'By the end of the course, every participant should have a working solution – whether for voice, web, or internal operations – while gaining clarity on responsible AI usage in regulated environments.' Unlike theoretical training programs, Eltropy's upcoming AI certification will provide participants with practical, deployable AI skills through immersive, hands-on sessions. Each certified professional will receive an official Eltropy AI Practitioner Certificate, along with access to advanced learning materials and tools they can immediately put to work at their institutions. 'EMERGE was our proof point,' said Kamath. 'Now we're democratizing access. Every credit union and community bank employee – not just tech teams – can get AI-ready with tools they'll use in their day-to-day work. Our new program brings that same hands-on energy, but at their own pace.' Certification at EMERGE: A Glimpse of What's Possible At EMERGE 2025, over 130+ participants completed the live course in under an hour, walking away with a working bot and actionable understanding of LLMs, RAG, prompt engineering, and more. "We came in curious and walked out certified – with a working voice bot, a clear understanding of LLMs, and a plan to bring it all back to our credit union. Eltropy made AI real and doable," said one participant from a Midwest credit union. "It was both insightful and educational. We gained hands-on training in how AI can enhance both staff and member experiences, and we look forward to putting this knowledge into action with the launch of our Gen AI chatbot later this year," said Kate Alter, AVP, Enterprise Applications, TruStone Credit Union. Sign Up for Early Access "We're building a community of AI-certified professionals who know how to apply these tools responsibly and effectively,' said Ashish Garg, Co-founder and CEO of Eltropy. 'This certification program reflects our commitment to equipping community banks and credit unions with practical skills for their day-to-day operations." Eltropy's new AI certification program represents a major step forward in AI literacy and operational readiness for credit unions and community banks. It's designed not just to educate, but to activate – giving staff confidence to adopt, manage, and scale AI in everyday operations.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Community banks view embedded finance as key to longevity: report
This story was originally published on Banking Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Banking Dive newsletter. Nearly all community bank leaders see the integration of embedded finance as crucial to the long-term survival of their institutions, a new report published Tuesday revealed. Sixty percent of respondents deemed embedded finance as 'extremely important,' according to the report from banking-as-a-service platform Treasury Prime, which highlighted how community banks are thinking about embedded finance. For these banks, embedded finance enables the creation of new revenue streams, acquisition of low-cost deposits, and enhancement of the customer experience by partnering with fintech companies, according to the report. Embedded finance allows banks to integrate financial services, such as payments, lending, or banking services, into non-financial platforms and applications. Not all banks are looking to grow deposits through embedded finance, since each bank's strategic priorities vary significantly based on its size, growth objectives, and regulatory considerations, said Jeff Nowicki, chief banking officer at Treasury Prime. Some banks focus primarily on deposit growth, while others approaching regulatory thresholds like the $10 billion mark may not, Nowicki pointed out. Many financial institutions prioritize fee revenue generation, while some measure success by client acquisition metrics, he noted. 'In this embedded space, you can tailor the opportunities to what you want to do,' Nowicki said. BaaS has garnered headlines in the last couple of years due to shortcomings — highlighted through enforcement actions against banks implementing the programs — leading to heightened scrutiny. But the report found that smaller, regional financial institutions are ready to leap. More than half of bank respondents indicated they were considering offering BaaS or embedded banking capabilities. At the same time, compliance-related solutions, such as fraud detection, know-your-customer, and anti-money laundering solutions, ranked lower. Although compliance-related factors, such as risk management approach, strong security and data protection, and regulatory and compliance adherence, were rated highly by bank leaders surveyed, technological concerns, including seamless application programming interface integration and scalability or growth potential, followed closely – all above 30%, the report found. Community banks have an edge over larger established banks since their local insights serve as a 'competitive superpower,' especially for embedded finance, said Yaacov Martin, CEO of embedded lending platform Jifiti. 'Moreover, the fact that they are designated community banks means that their 'feedback loop' can also work swiftly - so that they are quickly able to assess the value that they are creating with these projects,' Martin said in an emailed response. 'Working with a fintech partner enables them to effectively test out their offerings, get feedback quickly and iterate as needed,' he added. Treasury Prime surveyed executives at more than 300 U.S.-based community and regional banks and credit unions with assets of less than $100 billion between March 23 and April 8. 'Legacy systems are rarely API-ready,' Martin said, adding that most community banks weren't built for real-time data exchange or for embedded finance. 'Then there's cultural resistance - the fear of disrupting the traditional community branch model. Finally, the fintech partner ecosystem can be overwhelming, as firstly identifying what technology they actually need as well as which providers are the most relevant and compliant can require specialized knowledge and market analysis,' Martin pointed out. Banks new to embedded finance need to revisit existing policies and procedures to align with a digital-first approach. Traditional banking policies often include requirements incompatible with digital banking, such as physical signature requirements, in-person document verification processes, and business documentation procedures designed for branch interactions, Nowicki said. Recent industry developments, including Synapse's bankruptcy and enforcement actions in the banking space, have led to increased scrutiny, while banks have become more cautious about launching embedded finance initiatives, he noted. Though this thoroughness extends timelines, it's the appropriate approach in the current regulatory climate. 'Every t needs to be crossed, every i needs to be dotted before bringing a single client on,' the banking chief said. Maintaining risk management and compliance standards throughout the lifecycle of an embedded finance program is challenging, the report found. Survey participants flagged consumer protection law compliance (38%) and open-banking and data-sharing compliance (37%) as the compliance pain points around embedded finance adoption. "Compliance is key,' said Brandon Oliver, principal at BankTech Ventures, an investment fund focused on community banks. Community financial institutions need to develop a separate cultural framework for embedded finance initiatives, while their 'internal thinking' for this business line must differ from other banking operations, Oliver said in an email. 'Embedded finance is also not for the faint of heart,' he said. 'To see success, banks will need to launch multiple partnerships over time. The idea that a bank will hit a home run on its first at-bat is a bit of a pipe dream.' Oliver said community banks should ensure fintech partners are 'as buttoned up from a compliance standpoint as they can be' and make them give 90% to make the partnership work, especially when partnering with multiple fintechs, since fourth- and fifth-party risks are heavily scrutinized. 'Be pragmatic in your timeline of launch and make sure the fintech partner has the financial backing to walk hand-in-hand with you throughout that timeline,' he recommends. 'Above all else, communicate daily with that partner and be as transparent as you can be with them throughout the journey of an introduction, launch and program monitoring." Recommended Reading Marqeta CEO says his platform is no 'single-trick pony'
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
KlariVis Recognized as a 2025 Tearsheet Data Award Winner for Best Customer Data Implementation
ROANOKE, Va., July 10, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KlariVis, a leading data analytics solution for financial institutions, today announced that it has received the 2025 Tearsheet Data Award for Best Customer Data Implementation — a recognition that reflects the company's growth, rapid client adoption, and commitment to delivering actionable insights to community banks. The award celebrates the creative implementation and presentation of customer data that provides clear value to the end user. KlariVis was recognized for transforming how community banks access and utilize their data. Since 2019, the company has empowered over 130 financial institutions through an interactive, cloud-based analytics platform designed specifically for the challenges and priorities of community banking. "This recognition is really about what our clients are achieving," said Kim Snyder, CEO and founder of KlariVis. "Banks using KlariVis are making smarter pricing decisions, identifying growth opportunities, and coaching teams in real time — not weeks after the fact. We're proud that our platform makes data analysis not only possible but practical for institutions with limited resources. And we'll continue building with and for our clients to ensure they stay ahead in a fast-changing industry." Built by former bankers, KlariVis consolidates critical operational and customer data from siloed systems into intuitive, role-based dashboards accessible across the organization. The platform requires no technical expertise and is fully integrated alongside KlariVis' award-winning implementation team in as little as 90 days, giving leadership and frontline teams the ability to act on data insights faster and with more confidence. The platform's consistent evolution is driven by client feedback and banker input received during KlariVis' Executive Data & Innovation Summits, ensuring the product roadmap stays aligned with real-world banking needs. KlariVis' proprietary Transactional Intelligence suite, developed in response to client requests, played a key role in the award selection. This new enhancement allows banks to turn their raw transaction data into enriched insights that help deepen customer relationships, detect wallet-share risks, and drive revenue growth. As community banks face increasing competition from both fintechs and large institutions, KlariVis delivers a scalable, efficient way to unify and activate the data they already have — driving meaningful outcomes without the heavy lift of traditional business intelligence tools. For more information, visit About KlariVis KlariVis® is the only data analytics platform built by former community bank executives to help financial institutions turn their data into actionable insights. By consolidating and simplifying data from across the bank into interactive dashboards and reports, KlariVis empowers teams to make informed decisions that drive growth, efficiency, and customer impact. Built on a modern technology stack, KlariVis eliminates the need for manual reporting, allowing banks to focus on strategy, performance, and innovation. To learn more, visit View source version on Contacts Media Contact Gracie GayWilliam Mills Agencygracie@ KlariVis Contact Erica StarrChief Marketing Officerericastarr@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
