20 Stocks to Sell Now

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Hello –

Today, we’re inviting you to take a free look at MarketBeat’s proprietary, up-to-the-minute list of 20 stocks that Wall Street’s top-rated analysts hate.

These aren’t mild downgrades or lukewarm opinions.
These are true Strong Sell stocks.

Some of them may look fine on the surface. A few even have what appear to be solid fundamentals. But when analysts issue a rare Sell rating, it’s usually because something beneath the surface is deeply wrong.

Sell-side analysts may not nail every Buy call… but when they raise red flags, they’re almost always worth listening to.

If any of these stocks are lurking around in your portfolio, you may seriously want to consider dumping them. 

Click here to see the list now.

Stay one step ahead,

Matthew Paulson
Founder & CEO, MarketBeat

P.S. Access to 20 Stocks to Sell Now is completely free. Don’t miss your chance to review these timely, high-conviction warnings before the market reacts.

Just For You

Affirm: A Solid Footing or More Volatility Ahead?

By Peter Frank. Published: 3/29/2026. 

Smartphone displaying Affirm app tapped on a payment terminal, illustrating buy-now-pay-later checkout in retail setting.

Key Points

  • Affirm is delivering strong growth and improving profitability as adoption expands across merchants and consumers.
  • Partnerships and network effects are strengthening its position in the competitive buy-now-pay-later market.
  • Rising credit risks and intense competition could pressure margins if economic conditions weaken.
  • Special Report: The Biggest IPO Ever: Claim Your Stake Today

If you’ve ever split a purchase into separate payments at checkout, there’s a good chance you’ve been a customer of Affirm Holdings (NASDAQ: AFRM). The company sits at the center of the buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) boom. After years of prioritizing growth over profits, it’s beginning to deliver both.

That’s the good news. But there are reasons to be cautious.

Strong Growth and Profitability Signal Momentum

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Affirm’s most recent quarter was a standout. In its second fiscal quarter ended Dec. 31, gross merchandise volume (GMV), the total value of purchases financed through its platform, reached $13.8 billion, up 36% year over year.

Revenue climbed 30% to $1.12 billion, and net income rose 61% year over year to $130 million. The company beat Wall Street’s expectations, reporting earnings of $0.37 per share, and posted an adjusted operating margin of 30%.

Underlying operating metrics were also encouraging. Total transactions in the quarter jumped 44% to nearly 55 million, merchants offering Affirm at checkout grew 42% to 478,000, and active customers rose 23% to 25.8 million.

That increased adoption matters because, beyond any single partnership, it points to a network effect that can become self-reinforcing over time.

Expansion Strategy and Partnerships Drive Scale

Management has outlined a clear roadmap. Full-year GMV is projected to reach $48.3–$48.85 billion, with revenue between $4.09 and $4.15 billion. Hitting those targets would bolster the case that Affirm has moved from fast-growing startup toward a durable, growing business.

Affirm is also expanding its reach. Partnerships with Shopify (NASDAQ: SHOP), Wayfair (NYSE: W), Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU), Expedia (NASDAQ: EXPE), Worldpay, Fiserv (NASDAQ: FISV), and others show the company moving beyond discretionary retail and into everyday commerce. A partnership with Stripe, for example, enables shared payment tokens to flow to Stripe-connected sellers.

Analyst Sentiment and Stock Volatility

Given the company’s prospects, analysts are broadly bullish, rating the stock a Moderate Buy. Of 28 firms covering Affirm, 19 rate it a Buy and nine a Hold. The 12-month target ranges from $55 to $110, with an average target of $85 per share—nearly double the current market price.

The current price, however, remains well below peaks seen earlier in the company’s trading history. The stock is down more than one-thirdfrom where it traded five years ago shortly after its IPO and has fallen roughly 40% since the start of this year. Those swings may or may not present buying opportunities.

Credit Risks and Competitive Pressure

While revenue and profits look solid, investing in a company like Affirm carries meaningful risks.

Credit markets are generally jittery. Delinquency rates at Affirm are up, and provisions for credit losses have risen. Affirm is effectively a lender, and if the economy softens and consumers struggle to repay, losses could climb and profits could fall. Unlike traditional banks with decades of credit-cycle experience, Affirm is still operating in a relatively young category.

Competition is also stiff. PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL), Klarna (NYSE: KLAR), Afterpay, and major banks are all pushing installment-payment products. Affirm’s partnerships help defend its position, but they also introduce the risk of losing a major partner. For example, Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT) shifted its primary BNPL relationship to Klarna last year, a move that can quickly impact volume and revenue.

Another point worth noting: CEO Max Levchin has sold more than $110 million in company shares since September 2025, with nearly half that in January when the stock was above $80 per share. The significance of those sales is ambiguous—executives sell for many reasons—but investors should monitor insider activity. There are no records of recent significant insider purchases.

Overall, Affirm belongs in the high-risk, high-reward portion of a diversified portfolio that includes the financial services sector. The growth story is intact, profitability is improving, and the partnership strategy is scaling the business. It could be an attractive play for investors interested in digital payments and consumer lending over the long term—or for traders chasing rallies. Either way, investors should be mindful of the risks associated with AFRM before opening a position.

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Published by RJ Hamster

I was born on 6 August 1956 in San Francisco, California to Janet and (the late) Richard Hovis. I grew up in Santa Monica, California where I attended elementary, junior high school, and high school (graduating in 1974), in addition to involvement in sports and recreation (Little League +, the Boy’s Club ++). Further, it was in elementary school – St. Augustine’s By-the -Sea Parish School that I found, and made the choice to truly journey with God. I attended Arizona State University from 1974 to 1977 – seeking to become an architect, however, I was not accepted, and, as such, I graduated with a Liberal Arts degree. Upon graduation from Arizona State University, I attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and studied City and Regional Planning at the Master’s level. I successfully completed one (1) year in a two (2) year program – I did not complete the Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning – due to personal reasons. I returned to Santa Monica where I started (October 1979) my career as graphic designer with Exxon Company, USA. I spent five years with Exxon Company, USA. While working with Exxon Company, USA I was accepted into architectural school – Sci-Arc in Southern California, however, I did not attend preferring to stay with Exxon.. In 1982 I married Laura Flosi and in April 1983 we had our one and only child – Lauren Alain Hovis – a gift from God. We moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1984 from Los Angeles, where I went to work as a graphic designer with Kitchell CEM (from 1985 -1987). From 1987 – 1995 I was an independent contractor, and a registered representative in mortgage finance, financial management, graphic design, and drafting. Further, I attended the University of Phoenix and successfully obtained a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in 1982. I was also a member of the Scottsdale Jaycees, where I became very involved in community events and projects. In 1994, I accepted a cartography position with the Defense Mapping Agency in Reston, Virginia. As such, I relocated from Phoenix to Reston. In 1998, I was accepted and worked as a Visual Information Officer with the Central Intelligence Agency. In 2002, I worked as a Support Officer until my retirement (due to a need for shoulder surgery) in September 2018. Away from my Federal Government service, I have been involved in various organizations and activities in Northern Virginia. In November of 2011, I married Rebecca Ouellette in Santa Monica, California. I reside in San Tan Valley, AZ with my two hamster - Jess and Timothy, our fish, our lizard - RJ Lizard., and our cats - Pearl and Grey. As to hobbies, I enjoy playing sports, attending sporting events, mentoring individuals from financial management to hamsters, building models, photography, travel, multimedia design, managing partner for RJ Hamster, and jazz – smooth jazz to a samba or a bossa nova. Love and God Bless, Peter – aka RJ Hamster Jo hi

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