Tech stocks continue to experience a bear market. Numerous growth tech stocks have fallen by more than 75% from their highs, and even some large-caps lost more than half of their value.
However, even at their lower share prices, few of these tech growth stocks have fallen to a price below $20 per share. This makes tech-oriented financial stocks such as SoFi Technologies (SOFI 4.00%) and Nu Holdings (NU 2.89%) all the more uncommon.
1. SoFi Technologies
SoFi sells for around $5 per share, representing a discount of almost 80% from its year-ago high. Still, this low share price should not detract from its value proposition. Numerous companies emerged to address the challenges in the emerging fintech industry, but SoFi stands out by acting as both a traditional bank and a fintech company.
NASDAQ: SOFI
Key Data Points
It holds a bank charter by virtue of its purchase of Golden Pacific Bank. This places it among the ranks of Block's Square ecosystem and Ally Financial, which holds a presence in both banking and fintech.
Additionally, it owns fintech-related products like Galileo, the API and payments platform that supports product lines such as its checking and savings accounts. The acquisition of Technisys added a cloud-native platform for banking products to its ecosystem. The company believes this combination will make it the "Amazon Web Services of fintech."
Investors should remember that SoFi started as a student loan lender, so it maintains a significant presence in that business. Thus, the upcoming end of the student loan moratorium could serve as an additional tailwind.
But even with that temporary challenge, growth is still robust. Third-quarter revenue of $424 million surged 56% year over year. Admittedly, a 65% surge in non-interest expenses led to a $74 million net loss, up from $30 million 12 months ago.
However, product numbers grew by almost 69% to more than 7.2 million in Q3. Management has also raised its 2022 revenue guidance for three quarters in a row. That now stands at $1.52 billion at the midpoint, 50% higher than revenue in 2021. Such growth could make now the time to buy fintech stocks such as SoFi.
2. Nu Holdings
Admittedly, few American investors are familiar with Brazilian fintech bank Nu Holdings. Even though it attracted a pre-IPO investment from Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, many investors may not want to add shares despite the $4.80 per share price.
Nonetheless, Latin America is primarily a cash-based society. Since a few institutions control banking in that region, much of the population lacks a bank account or credit card. Now, through NuBank, the company targeted such consumers in Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia.
Through those efforts, more than 5 million people have obtained their first bank account or credit card. This gives these account holders direct access to the financial system and allows them to buy online more easily. That benefit could turn Latin America into a more cashless society over time.
NYSE: NU
Key Data Points
It also helps turn Nu Holdings into a growth engine. As of the end of the second quarter, Nu claimed more than 65 million customers, with nearly 24 million added over the last 12 months. That helped its quarterly revenue grow to nearly $1.2 billion, a 230% increase year over year.
Still, its adjusted Q2 net income is $17 million, compared with $16.5 million in the year-ago quarter. Share-based compensation costs and tax effects weighed heavily on the bottom line.
And even with that growth and Buffett's involvement, the stock continues to languish. It has fallen by about 60% from the 12-month high.
However, the company's rapid growth should continue as NuBank becomes the segue to the financial system for millions of Latin Americans. That transformation may eventually prove Buffett's instinct right about this emerging Brazilian fintech company.
