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Digital Origination And Secured Lending Will Unlock New Markets

Published
16 Jan 25
Updated
05 Dec 25
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AnalystConsensusTarget's Fair Value
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1Y
-25.8%
7D
-9.9%

Author's Valuation

CA$203.439.2% undervalued intrinsic discount

AnalystConsensusTarget Fair Value

Last Update 05 Dec 25

Fair value Decreased 2.63%

GSY: Credit Performance Resilience Will Support Renewed Upward Momentum

Analysts have modestly trimmed their price target on goeasy, reflecting a fair value reduction of about C$5.50 per share. This change factors in slightly higher discount rates and a marginally lower future price to earnings multiple, while growth and profitability expectations remain largely intact.

Analyst Commentary

Recent Street research indicates that while price targets have moved lower, the overall stance on goeasy remains constructive, with differing emphasis on upside potential versus execution risks.

Bullish Takeaways

  • Bullish analysts continue to see meaningful upside to the current share price even after trimmed targets, suggesting the stock still trades at a discount to their view of intrinsic value.
  • The decision to maintain an Outperform style stance reflects confidence that goeasy can sustain above-market growth in earnings despite a more conservative valuation framework.
  • Supportive views on the company’s credit performance and underwriting discipline underpin expectations that profitability can remain resilient through varying macro conditions.
  • Analysts highlighting the long runway for loan book expansion see the lower targets as primarily a function of higher discount rates, not a downgrade of the company’s fundamental growth story.

Bearish Takeaways

  • Bearish analysts view the reduced price targets as a signal that valuation is more finely balanced, with less margin for error if growth were to slow or credit losses rise.
  • The retention of a Sector Perform style stance indicates concerns that relative performance may be capped if macro headwinds pressure consumer lending or funding costs.
  • Some caution stems from the elevated starting valuation multiple, where even small disappointments in execution or regulatory developments could trigger multiple compression.
  • There is also a focus on balance sheet and funding risks, with more conservative analysts wary that tighter capital markets could constrain growth or weigh on returns over time.

What's in the News

  • Jehoshaphat Research disclosed a short position in goeasy, alleging roughly CAD 300 million of improperly delayed credit losses and unreported serious delinquencies in the company’s loan book (Jehoshaphat Research).
  • goeasy announced that CEO Dan Rees will step down effective December 31, 2025 due to a blood disorder. Current easyfinancial President Patrick Ens will become CEO on January 1, 2026, and Rees will stay on as Special Advisor through mid 2026 (Company announcement).
  • The company reported that CFO Hal Khouri will leave after completing third quarter 2025 reporting to pursue an opportunity outside Canada, with a formal search for a permanent successor underway (Company announcement).
  • goeasy appointed veteran financial services executive Felix Wu as Interim CFO effective September 30, 2025. He will be responsible for year end 2025 and first quarter 2026 reporting to ensure continuity during the CFO transition (Company announcement).
  • Under its share repurchase program announced in December 2024, goeasy has completed buybacks totaling 599,698 shares, or 3.63 percent of shares outstanding, for CAD 97.5 million as of September 30, 2025 (Company filing).

Valuation Changes

  • Fair Value: Trimmed modestly from CA$208.90 to CA$203.40, a reduction of about CA$5.50 per share.
  • Discount Rate: Risen slightly from 7.95% to approximately 7.97%, reflecting a marginally higher required return.
  • Revenue Growth: Ticked up slightly from 49.15% to about 49.23%, indicating a small improvement in top line expectations.
  • Net Profit Margin: Eased marginally from 18.37% to roughly 18.34%, implying largely unchanged profitability assumptions.
  • Future P/E: Lowered modestly from 7.41x to about 7.22x, signaling a somewhat more conservative valuation multiple.

Key Takeaways

  • Expansion into new lending verticals and digital innovation is improving operational efficiency and boosting revenue resilience despite regulatory and competitive pressures.
  • Strategic technology investments and robust risk management practices are supporting stable credit quality and enabling ongoing growth in a challenging economic landscape.
  • Shifting toward secured and non-prime loans amid rising regulatory pressure and competition increases credit risk and could constrain growth, margins, and profitability if economic conditions worsen.

Catalysts

About goeasy
    Provides non-prime leasing and lending services under the easyhome, easyfinancial, and LendCare brands to consumers in Canada.
What are the underlying business or industry changes driving this perspective?
  • Ongoing strong demand for non-prime credit, driven by growth in the underbanked population and tightening lending from traditional banks, is expanding goeasy's loan originations and addressable market, supporting future revenue growth.
  • Increased adoption of digital origination channels, automation, and AI-powered underwriting is expected to improve operational efficiency, reduce credit losses, and enhance margins and net earnings over time.
  • Expansion of secured lending, diversification into new verticals (e.g., auto, home equity, point-of-sale), and growth in ancillary product sales are increasing average loan size and attachment rates, benefiting revenue and supporting margin resilience despite regulatory rate caps.
  • Industry consolidation and competitive exits are creating market share opportunities for compliant, scalable players like goeasy, which can drive sustained top-line growth in a crowded, evolving sector.
  • Strategic investments in technology, enhanced collections, and risk management are enabling goeasy to manage credit quality and delinquency rates effectively, limiting net charge-offs and supporting steady net income growth even in a challenging macro environment.

goeasy Earnings and Revenue Growth

goeasy Future Earnings and Revenue Growth

Assumptions

How have these above catalysts been quantified?
  • Analysts are assuming goeasy's revenue will grow by 48.7% annually over the next 3 years.
  • Analysts assume that profit margins will shrink from 35.1% today to 17.8% in 3 years time.
  • Analysts expect earnings to reach CA$476.3 million (and earnings per share of CA$25.59) by about September 2028, up from CA$284.7 million today.
  • In order for the above numbers to justify the analysts price target, the company would need to trade at a PE ratio of 8.9x on those 2028 earnings, down from 12.0x today. This future PE is lower than the current PE for the CA Consumer Finance industry at 15.2x.
  • Analysts expect the number of shares outstanding to decline by 4.03% per year for the next 3 years.
  • To value all of this in today's terms, we will use a discount rate of 8.08%, as per the Simply Wall St company report.

goeasy Future Earnings Per Share Growth

goeasy Future Earnings Per Share Growth

Risks

What could happen that would invalidate this narrative?
  • The continued shift in goeasy's loan portfolio mix toward secured products is resulting in a lower overall yield and adjusted operating margin; this trend, combined with regulatory rate caps, could further pressure revenue and net earnings growth over the long term.
  • Rising allowance for credit losses-driven by worsening macroeconomic indicators and higher late-stage delinquency rates-signals persistent credit risk, which could erode net income if economic or industry conditions deteriorate further.
  • Increasing regulatory oversight, such as the newly implemented rate cap and ongoing regulatory scrutiny toward high-cost lending, may constrain goeasy's core non-prime segment, reducing the size of its addressable market and impacting revenue.
  • Intensifying competition from large banks tightening lending standards and potential new entrants, such as fintechs and alternative lenders, could crowd the market, squeezing goeasy's market share and putting pressure on net interest margins.
  • Growth in the non-prime and secured loan segments exposes goeasy to higher sensitivity during economic downturns, as non-prime borrowers are more likely to default, which could drive up credit losses and depress profitability, especially if consumer financial conditions worsen or unemployment rises.

Valuation

How have all the factors above been brought together to estimate a fair value?
  • The analysts have a consensus price target of CA$240.333 for goeasy based on their expectations of its future earnings growth, profit margins and other risk factors. However, there is a degree of disagreement amongst analysts, with the most bullish reporting a price target of CA$300.0, and the most bearish reporting a price target of just CA$210.0.
  • In order for you to agree with the analyst's consensus, you'd need to believe that by 2028, revenues will be CA$2.7 billion, earnings will come to CA$476.3 million, and it would be trading on a PE ratio of 8.9x, assuming you use a discount rate of 8.1%.
  • Given the current share price of CA$212.76, the analyst price target of CA$240.33 is 11.5% higher.
  • We always encourage you to reach your own conclusions though. So sense check these analyst numbers against your own assumptions and expectations based on your understanding of the business and what you believe is probable.

How well do narratives help inform your perspective?

Disclaimer

AnalystConsensusTarget is a tool utilizing a Large Language Model (LLM) that ingests data on consensus price targets, forecasted revenue and earnings figures, as well as the transcripts of earnings calls to produce qualitative analysis. The narratives produced by AnalystConsensusTarget are general in nature and are based solely on analyst data and publicly-available material published by the respective companies. These scenarios are not indicative of the company's future performance and are exploratory in nature. Simply Wall St has no position in the company(s) mentioned. Simply Wall St may provide the securities issuer or related entities with website advertising services for a fee, on an arm's length basis. These relationships have no impact on the way we conduct our business, the content we host, or how our content is served to users. The price targets and estimates used are consensus data, and do not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and they do not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Note that AnalystConsensusTarget's analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.

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