Latest news with #millennials
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
7 Items Millennials Are Buying Secondhand To Avoid Tariffs
Tariffs are taxes imposed by a government on goods and services imported from other countries, and they have a direct effect on what you pay. According to the Tax Foundation, the Trump tariffs amount to an average tax increase of nearly $1,200 per U.S. household in 2025. Be Aware: Try This: One way that millennials are pushing back is by skipping new purchases and heading straight to thrift stores. Even though 68% of Gen Z and millennials already buy used items, according to ThredUp's 2025 Resale Report, tariffs will only drive more young people to visit secondhand stores. Here are some of the items millennials may be buying secondhand to avoid getting hit by rising prices. Tariffs on imported furniture, especially from countries like China, have made brand-new couches, desks and bed frames more expensive. Instead of spending thousands on new furniture, many millennials are shopping at Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and local thrift stores to get similar items at a fraction of the price. Plus, vintage or upcycled furniture often adds more character to a space than mass-produced pieces. Explore More: Platforms like Poshmark, Depop and ThredUp make it easy to buy (and sell) gently used clothing, especially name-brand items that might be out of budget otherwise. Plus, since you can sell your own stuff too, it feels more like swapping than spending. New laptops, tablets and phones can get hit hard with tariffs and supply chain issues. As a result, refurbished and secondhand electronics are seeing a surge in popularity. Millennials are now using sites like eBay, Back Market and Swappa to find used or certified refurbished gadgets that work just as well as new ones but come at a lower cost. Appliances like refrigerators, washers and vacuums can also be pretty expensive when tariffs hit. For millennials who are moving into new spaces or replacing old appliances, buying from local buy-sell groups or discount appliance outlets will typically make more financial sense than buying brand new. Books and textbooks aren't immune to price hikes either. Even though books are exempt from the latest U.S. tariffs, printing materials may still face duties and affect publishers. To avoid getting hit by higher prices, millennials are buying used books from places like ThriftBooks, AbeBooks or their local library's sale section. Sites like Amazon and eBay also offer used copies of popular titles at steep discounts. Imported home decor goods like rugs, dishes and light fixtures have all seen price increases thanks to tariffs. For example, Accent Decor said it is implementing a 5% tariff surcharge on new orders beginning in June. So, instead of hitting up big-box stores, many millennials are decorating their homes with secondhand finds. Thrift stores and flea markets are often full of unique and high-quality pieces you can't find at Target or other home decor stores. Outdoor gear and fitness equipment like hiking backpacks, yoga mats and stationary bikes can be pretty pricey when you buy them brand new. And now, with tariffs making things even more expensive, millennials who want to stay active without overspending are heading to resale shops like Play It Again Sports, OfferUp and REI's used gear program. These items are often gently used and still in great condition. You can find almost anything used now: Clothes, furniture, tech. And most of the time, it still looks great and works just fine. So before you drop full price on something new, check your local thrift store, go on Facebook Marketplace or scroll through Poshmark. You might find exactly what you need (minus the extra cost). More From GOBankingRates 3 Luxury SUVs That Will Have Massive Price Drops in Summer 2025 7 Tax Loopholes the Rich Use To Pay Less and Build More Wealth 10 Used Cars That Will Last Longer Than an Average New Vehicle This article originally appeared on 7 Items Millennials Are Buying Secondhand To Avoid Tariffs
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I'm Sorry Millennials, But There's Absolutely Zero Chance You Will Be Able To Pass This Quiz...Plus Four More Quizzes You Might Do Well On
The aim of these quizzes is to distinguish all the millennials out there from Gen Z, Gen X, or cuspers on either end. Nobody's saying any one generation is better than the other, only that there are certain things the millennial mind will remember a bit better. 1.I'm Sorry Millennials, But There's Absolutely Zero Chance You Will Be Able To Pass This Quiz In theory, millennials shouldn't do so great on this quiz unless you were particularly observant and have a great memory. Are you up for the challenge? Take the quiz here. Related: Most People Can't Make It To Letter Q Or Further In This Alphabetical Logo Quiz — Can You? Millennial Women Will Remember What These Specific Products From The '90s And 2000s Are These products were incredibly popular among teenagers in their heyday, so if you're the right age you'll definitely remember them. Take the quiz here. Related: If You Get 12/15 On This Honors Vocab Quiz, Your IQ Has To Be At Least 150 Officially An Elder Millennial Or Young Gen X'er If You've Done Half Of These 48 Things (Unless You Lie And Say You Did) This quiz won't ask you to recognize any more ancient artifacts, but it will ask you to admit if you ever did something as embarrassing as drawing a fingerstache or wearing a fedora. Take the quiz here. Millennials Will Be Able To Correctly Answer These Real Jeopardy! Questions About 1990s Movie Quotes Really, anyone with good taste should recognize these movie lines. But millennials should find these Jeopardy! questions especially easy. Take the quiz here. Millennials, If These 31 Films Aren't On Your Watched List, Are You Really One Of Us? No right or wrong answers here. We just want to know if you're familiar with these cinematic touchstones of millennial culture. Take the quiz here. Also in BuzzFeed: This 30-Question Quiz About Your Life Will Reveal Your Entire Personality Type Also in BuzzFeed: I'm Sorry, But I HIGHLY Doubt Anyone Can Name 16/16 Of These Logos Based On Their Mascots Alone Also in BuzzFeed: 18 Facts That Are So Creepy, I Looked Around In Paranoia After I Read Them
Globe and Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Looking for Fintech Growth? Here's How Affirm and SoFi Stack Up
Affirm Holdings, Inc. AFRM and SoFi Technologies, Inc. SOFI are two standout names in the fast-evolving fintech sector. Both cater to Gen Z and millennial consumers, as well as older consumers, through technology-driven financial solutions that blend lending, digital banking and personal finance. While Affirm primarily focuses on point-of-sale financing through its buy now, pay later ('BNPL') model, SoFi operates a broader platform, encompassing lending, investing, banking and tech infrastructure. With digital financial services becoming more competitive and investors seeking scalable profitability, it is the perfect time to examine these two disruptive players side by side. Let us take a closer look at their fundamentals, execution strategies, and market positioning to see which one currently holds stronger growth potential. The Case for Affirm Affirm is witnessing rapid growth. In its third-quarter fiscal 2025 results, the company posted $783.1 million in revenues, up 36% year over year, and recorded an adjusted EPS of a penny, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a wide margin. Affirm had long operated at a loss, but since the second quarter of fiscal 2025, it has demonstrated that scale and disciplined growth can translate into bottom-line results. Management also raised full-year guidance; revenues are now anticipated to be in the range of $3.163-$3.193 billion, higher than the prior outlook of $3.13-$3.19 billion. Affirm's success is rooted in its expanding merchant partnerships, ranging from Shopify and Apple Pay to Amazon and FIS, and its growing international presence, including Canada, the U.K. and Western Europe. The company's technology platform, which seamlessly integrates into e-commerce checkouts, is helping Affirm capture greater market share in the increasingly competitive BNPL space. Its adjusted operating margin for fiscal 2025 is expected to be 23-23.6%. Affirm's focus on unit economics, expanding partnerships, and disciplined cost structure makes it an increasingly attractive fintech growth story. The company is delivering on what investors want to see in 2025: profitable growth. Affirm is increasingly leveraging AI to boost employee productivity, including the use of a large language model-powered chatbot that manages a high volume of daily customer interactions with speed and accuracy. The company also plans to launch advanced tools aimed at helping merchants optimize customer acquisition, creating value on both sides of the transaction. With a strong track record in risk management, Affirm continues to expand its long-term funding relationships to support rising loan originations. It has already completed 24 asset-backed securitizations totaling $12.25 billion, backed by more than 150 diverse capital partners, underscoring the depth and resilience of its funding network. The Case for SoFi SoFi Technologies, too, has had an impressive run. In first-quarter 2025, it delivered record revenue of $770.7 million, growing 33% from a year ago, with net income jumping more than 200% to $71.5 million. Membership growth remains strong, with the platform adding more than 800,000 new users in the quarter, bringing the total to a whopping 10.9 million. SoFi's multi-pronged model, which spans banking, lending, investing, and even fintech infrastructure (through Galileo), has created a diversified business capable of capturing value across multiple verticals. In addition, SoFi's adjusted EBITDA rose to $210.3 million in the first quarter, reflecting a healthy 27% margin, and the company raised guidance for the full year. Its expanding suite of products and cross-selling ability positions SoFi as a well-rounded player in the digital finance space. However, the company's broad scope also introduces greater complexity. Executing across so many business lines simultaneously requires exceptional coordination. SoFi's heavy reliance on unsecured personal loans, which make up nearly 70% of its lending portfolio, raises concerns about the sustainability of its growth in the face of potential economic stress. This concentration exposes the company to elevated credit risk, especially given that the borrower-level delinquency rate for unsecured personal loans was 3.49% in the first quarter of 2025, per reports. SoFi's liquidity appears strained, with $27.9 billion in current liabilities, just $2.7 billion in cash as of March 31, 2025, and a current ratio of 0.8, which is below the industry average. This suggests limited flexibility to meet near-term obligations. In contrast, Affirm's robust current ratio of 11.5 highlights significantly stronger short-term financial health. How Do Zacks Estimates Compare for AFRM & SOFI? Zacks estimates show Affirm on a sharp upward trajectory. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AFRM's fiscal 2025 sales and EPS implies a year-over-year improvement of 37% and 101.8%, respectively. The EPS estimates have been trending northward over the past 60 days. (See the Zacks Earnings Calendar to stay ahead of market-making news.) Image Source: Zacks Investment Research In contrast, SoFi is also expected to grow earnings, but the momentum is with AFRM. The consensus estimate for SoFi's 2025 sales and EPS implies a year-over-year rise of 26.2% and 80%, respectively. The EPS estimates have been trending northward over the past 60 days. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Price Performance Comparison Over the year-to-date period, AFRM shares gained 9.8% while SOFI witnessed an 8.9% growth. During this time, the S&P 500 Index grew 2.9%. Affirm also shows stronger short-term momentum, with a 1-month gain of 32% compared to SoFi's 25.9%. Overall, Affirm's superior performance so far this year, driven by better earnings visibility and market sentiment, gives it a modest edge over SoFi. Price Performance – AFRM, SOFI & S&P 500 Valuation: AFRM vs. SOFI AFRM is currently trading at 5.49X forward 12-month P/S, higher than SOFI's 5.15X. Although SoFi appears cheaper, it is important to consider context: Affirm is rapidly scaling and has entered profitability, giving investors confidence in its underlying economics and growth potential. SoFi, by comparison, has a broader but more complex business model, one that the market is valuing relatively conservatively, perhaps reflecting its operational diversification and execution risks. Last Words Both Affirm and SoFi are standout fintech innovators with strong growth narratives, but Affirm currently has more room to run. It is 18.9% below its 52-week high of $82.53, while SOFI is 9% away from its 52-week high of $18.42. AFRM has demonstrated a decisive pivot to profitability, posted robust revenue growth, and continues to expand its merchant ecosystem with disciplined execution. Its AI integration, risk-managed lending and deep capital partner network support its long-term scalability. In contrast, SoFi's broad platform comes with greater complexity and credit concentration risk, especially in unsecured personal loans. Liquidity pressures and a lower current ratio add further caution. With stronger earnings momentum, better short-term liquidity, and a focused business model gaining traction, Affirm stands out as the fintech stock with more attractive upside potential, even though the companies currently carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) each. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Zacks' Research Chief Picks Stock Most Likely to "At Least Double" Our experts have revealed their Top 5 recommendations with money-doubling potential – and Director of Research Sheraz Mian believes one is superior to the others. Of course, all our picks aren't winners but this one could far surpass earlier recommendations like Hims & Hers Health, which shot up +209%. See Our Top Stock to Double (Plus 4 Runners Up) >> Affirm Holdings, Inc. (AFRM): Free Stock Analysis Report
CTV News
2 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
‘Agent in your pocket': How AI tools are being used to provide better investment outcomes
Sorry, we're having trouble with this video. Please try again later. [5006/404] Canadians are rethinking the way they invest and are leaning into artificial intelligence to help make financial decisions, according to the president of one of Canada's technologies services company. Karin Kirkwood, president of Broadridge Canada, a provider of wealth management and capital markets technology services, says millennials in particular are seeking investment information from generative AI. 'When we look at technology, we see millennials are seeking information, and that's why they're using digital tools and enablement,' Kirkwood told BNN Bloomberg in a Wednesday interview. 'The clients that we work with specialize in providing capabilities, investment tools and services online so investors can find the information that they're looking for. The interesting thing with millennials, though, is that they act on that information, but equally, they reach out to friends and social media for more information on how to best invest.' Kirkwood says AI tools and technologies do not take away from analysts and advisors but rather provide better outcomes. 'Imagine AI is the sort of an agent in your pocket that can go compile information and personalize that information for the investor that you're dealing with, and then the advisor is powered to provide better advice in the moment and provide that personal touch,' said Kirkwood. 'Investing is deeply personal, even for millennials that are so involved in social media and really aren't interactive in the same way. A new survey from Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc. looked at how Canadian investors are feeling and fairing in this moment with a newly elected prime minister and ongoing tariff tensions with the United States. Surveyors found that 88 per cent of people of all demographics who have used AI say they are likely to act on the information it provides. According to the study, AI is beginning to make its mark on Canadian investing behavior, but widespread trust remains elusive. Nearly nine in ten investors (87 per cent) of all demographics worry about the use of AI, citing data security, misinformation, and ethical concerns like algorithmic bias as top issues. Younger generations are even more cautious than their elder peers with 93 per cent of Gen Zs voicing concerns compared to 85 per cent of Gen Xers. Kirkwood has some advice for those using AI to help with their investment portfolio and says personal information needs to be protected when using AI and the tools and capabilities of AI systems need to have regulatory overlays when using services through technology. 'AI is assumed to be a high-risk situation, and it can be in certain cases, but the institutions that we work with and the tools and technologies that we provide bring data together in a safe and meaningful way,' says Kirkwood. 'Personal protection and information need to be protected when we use AI, and the tools and capabilities need to ensure that regulatory overlays are put together and serviced through that technology. That's the key part. I think young millennial investors are very comfortable with technology, but our survey also indicated that older generations, also like to use technology. So that goes to show you that no matter the demographic, we need to be able to support the digital services through AI.' Methodology The survey presents the findings of a CARAVAN survey conducted by Big Village Insights among a sample of 1,004 adults, aged 18 and older, who live in Canada and have household investable assets of $100,000 or more. The survey was conducted from March 20 to March 26.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
‘Agent in your pocket': How AI tools are being used to provide better investment outcomes
Sorry, we're having trouble with this video. Please try again later. [5006/404] Canadians are rethinking the way they invest and are leaning into artificial intelligence to help make financial decisions, according to the president of one of Canada's technologies services company. Karin Kirkwood, president of Broadridge Canada, a provider of wealth management and capital markets technology services, says millennials in particular are seeking investment information from generative AI. 'When we look at technology, we see millennials are seeking information, and that's why they're using digital tools and enablement,' Kirkwood told BNN Bloomberg in a Wednesday interview. 'The clients that we work with specialize in providing capabilities, investment tools and services online so investors can find the information that they're looking for. The interesting thing with millennials, though, is that they act on that information, but equally, they reach out to friends and social media for more information on how to best invest.' Kirkwood says AI tools and technologies do not take away from analysts and advisors but rather provide better outcomes. 'Imagine AI is the sort of an agent in your pocket that can go compile information and personalize that information for the investor that you're dealing with, and then the advisor is powered to provide better advice in the moment and provide that personal touch,' said Kirkwood. 'Investing is deeply personal, even for millennials that are so involved in social media and really aren't interactive in the same way. A new survey from Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc. looked at how Canadian investors are feeling and fairing in this moment with a newly elected prime minister and ongoing tariff tensions with the United States. Surveyors found that 88 per cent of people of all demographics who have used AI say they are likely to act on the information it provides. According to the study, AI is beginning to make its mark on Canadian investing behavior, but widespread trust remains elusive. Nearly nine in ten investors (87 per cent) of all demographics worry about the use of AI, citing data security, misinformation, and ethical concerns like algorithmic bias as top issues. Younger generations are even more cautious than their elder peers with 93 per cent of Gen Zs voicing concerns compared to 85 per cent of Gen Xers. Kirkwood has some advice for those using AI to help with their investment portfolio and says personal information needs to be protected when using AI and the tools and capabilities of AI systems need to have regulatory overlays when using services through technology. 'AI is assumed to be a high-risk situation, and it can be in certain cases, but the institutions that we work with and the tools and technologies that we provide bring data together in a safe and meaningful way,' says Kirkwood. 'Personal protection and information need to be protected when we use AI, and the tools and capabilities need to ensure that regulatory overlays are put together and serviced through that technology. That's the key part. I think young millennial investors are very comfortable with technology, but our survey also indicated that older generations, also like to use technology. So that goes to show you that no matter the demographic, we need to be able to support the digital services through AI.' Methodology The survey presents the findings of a CARAVAN survey conducted by Big Village Insights among a sample of 1,004 adults, aged 18 and older, who live in Canada and have household investable assets of $100,000 or more. The survey was conducted from March 20 to March 26.
