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1. Company Snapshot

1.a. Company Description

Upstart Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates a cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) lending platform in the United States.Its platform aggregates consumer demand for loans and connects it to its network of the company's AI-enabled bank partners.The company was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in San Mateo, California.

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1.b. Last Insights on UPST

Breaking News: Upstart Holdings Inc has reported significant growth with 80 percent year over year transaction volume growth and 128 percent increase in loans approved in Q3. The company achieved positive operating income highlighting robust operating leverage and profitability momentum. Upstart has secured long term funding agreements including a 1.5 billion dollar deal with Castlelake. The company is rated a BUY due to strong execution AI driven loan automation and compelling forward valuation multiples. The recommendation is given by an analyst following the recent earnings release on December 3 2025.

1.c. Company Highlights

2. Upstart's Q3 Earnings: Strong Growth and Improving Credit Health

Upstart's Q3 2025 financial performance was impressive, with total revenue reaching $277 million, up 71% year-over-year and 8% sequentially. Revenue from fees was $259 million, while net interest income was $19 million. The company's GAAP net income was approximately $32 million, beating expectations, with an EPS of $0.52 relative to estimates at $0.42. Adjusted EBITDA was around $71 million, also ahead of expectations.

Publication Date: Nov -10

📋 Highlights
  • Transaction Volume & Revenue Growth: Q3 2025 transaction volume grew 80% YoY, revenue rose 71% YoY ($277M total revenue).
  • GAAP Net Income Surge: Net income jumped 6x QoQ to $32M, driven by $7.2M convertible debt gain and cost discipline.
  • New Product Expansion: Non-personal loan products (auto, home, small-dollar) contributed 12% of originations and 22% of new borrowers.
  • Conversion Rate Adjustments: Model conservatism reduced conversion rates from 23.9% (Q2) to 20.6% (Q3), despite 30% QoQ application growth.
  • Securitization & Funding: 7 new bank partners secured, securitization oversubscribed, and monthly available funding hit an all-time high.

Operational Highlights

The company's operational performance was equally strong, with over 2 million applications submitted in Q3, up over 30% from Q2. The risk models responded to macroeconomic signals by moderately reducing approvals and increasing interest rates, driving a reduction in conversion rate. Despite this, Upstart sees no material deterioration in consumer credit strength and has recently seen signs of improvement. As David Girouard mentioned, "We're seeing healthy growth in the auto segment, with no direct impact from recent high-profile bankruptcies."

New Product Growth

Upstart's newer products, including small-dollar loans, auto, and home, continue to improve and mature, accounting for almost 12% of originations and 22% of new borrowers in Q3. Transaction volume for auto, home, and small-dollar each grew in the range of 300% year-on-year. The company has secured 7 new bank and credit union partners, reaching a new all-time high in monthly available funding in Q3.

Valuation and Outlook

With a P/S Ratio of 3.83 and an EV/EBITDA of 70.18, the market is pricing in significant growth expectations. Analysts estimate next year's revenue growth at 23.0%. Given the company's strong operational performance and improving credit health, it remains to be seen whether Upstart can meet these expectations. The company's guidance for Q4 expects total revenues of approximately $288 million, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 22% for the full year 2025.

Credit Performance

The company's credit performance is also showing signs of improvement, with Sanjay Datta noting that "the sub-660 population is in reasonably good shape, while the 720-750 segment has elevated default rates, and the 800-plus segment is doing very well." Upstart's ability to control for thousands of variables provides a more precise understanding of credit performance in real-time, which may differ from traditional credit metrics.

3. NewsRoom

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10 AI Stocks Worth Buying Right Now

Dec -04

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Edgestream Partners L.P. Sells 17,618 Shares of Upstart Holdings, Inc. $UPST

Dec -04

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Upstart: Improving Fundamentals And A Still Discounted Price

Dec -03

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Upstart: Beware The Issues In The Auto Loan Kitchen

Dec -02

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1 Intriguing Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock That Could Soar by Up to 91%, According to Wall Street

Nov -30

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My 2 Favorite Stocks to Buy Now

Nov -28

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PGY vs. UPST: Which AI Credit Platform Has Stronger Growth Setup?

Nov -25

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Upstart's AI Lending: Can Its Underwriting Model Stay Ahead?

Nov -21

4. Business Breakdown

4.a. Revenues by Country

4.b. Revenues by Segment

5. Expected revenues mid-term growth (25.05%)

6. Segments

Fees

Expected Growth: 25.0%

Upstart Holdings, Inc.'s growth is driven by its innovative lending model, which leverages AI to assess creditworthiness, offering competitive interest rates and origination fees. This approach attracts a large customer base, fueling growth in the personal loan market.

Interest Income, Interest Expense, and Fair Value Adjustments

Expected Growth: 25.6%

Upstart Holdings' growth is driven by increasing demand for AI-powered lending, expansion into new markets, and strategic partnerships. The company's interest income from lending activities and fair value adjustments on investments contribute to its revenue growth.

7. Detailed Products

Personal Loans

Upstart offers personal loans ranging from $1,000 to $50,000 with fixed interest rates and repayment terms of 3 or 5 years.

Credit Cards

Upstart offers credit cards with no annual fee, cashback rewards, and credit-building benefits.

Auto Loans

Upstart provides auto loans for new and used vehicles, with competitive rates and flexible repayment terms.

Small Business Loans

Upstart offers small business loans with flexible repayment terms and competitive interest rates.

8. Upstart Holdings, Inc.'s Porter Forces

Forces Ranking

Threat Of Substitutes

Upstart Holdings, Inc. operates in the fintech industry, which is characterized by a moderate threat of substitutes. While there are alternative lending platforms, Upstart's AI-powered lending model and focus on prime borrowers differentiate it from competitors.

Bargaining Power Of Customers

Upstart's customers are primarily individual borrowers, who have limited bargaining power. The company's platform is designed to provide personalized loan offers, making it difficult for customers to negotiate prices.

Bargaining Power Of Suppliers

Upstart's suppliers are primarily banks and investors that provide capital for lending. The company's platform is designed to attract multiple suppliers, reducing their bargaining power.

Threat Of New Entrants

The fintech industry is characterized by a moderate threat of new entrants. While there are barriers to entry, such as regulatory compliance and capital requirements, new entrants can still disrupt the market.

Intensity Of Rivalry

The fintech industry is highly competitive, with multiple players competing for market share. Upstart faces intense rivalry from established players and new entrants, which can lead to pricing pressure and increased marketing expenses.

9. SWOT Analysis

10. Capital Structure

10.a. Balance Sheet

10.b. Weighted Average Cost of capital

Value
Debt Weight 65.32%
Debt Cost 3.95%
Equity Weight 34.68%
Equity Cost 13.95%
WACC 7.41%
Leverage 188.38%

11. Quality Control: Upstart Holdings, Inc. passed 2 out of 9 key points

12.a Historical Valuation

12.b Price/Earnings Ratio

12.c Margin Valuation

12.d Peers Valuation

Peers Group Analysis

Stock-Card
Oportun Financial

A-Score: 5.1/10

Value: 9.4

Growth: 3.3

Quality: 6.0

Yield: 0.0

Momentum: 10.0

Volatility: 2.0

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
Green Dot

A-Score: 4.5/10

Value: 9.1

Growth: 2.9

Quality: 4.9

Yield: 0.0

Momentum: 7.5

Volatility: 2.3

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
PRA Group

A-Score: 4.2/10

Value: 9.3

Growth: 2.6

Quality: 7.9

Yield: 0.0

Momentum: 1.5

Volatility: 3.7

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
Consumer Portfolio Services

A-Score: 3.8/10

Value: 7.3

Growth: 5.0

Quality: 4.8

Yield: 0.0

Momentum: 2.0

Volatility: 3.7

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
Upstart

A-Score: 3.3/10

Value: 6.6

Growth: 2.4

Quality: 5.2

Yield: 0.0

Momentum: 4.5

Volatility: 1.0

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
Open Lending

A-Score: 1.5/10

Value: 4.6

Growth: 0.7

Quality: 1.4

Yield: 0.0

Momentum: 0.5

Volatility: 2.0

1-Year Total Return ->

Peers Metrics

12.e Scoring Insights

12.f DCF BETA

Parameters

Short Term Growth

Short term Time

Long-Term Growth

WACC

Target Price

46.75$

Current Price

46.75$

Potential

-0.00%

Expected Cash-Flows