Affirm, Nubank, Enova, Hercules Capital, and Interactive Brokers Shares Are Soaring and Falling, What You Need To Know

What Happened?

A number of stocks traded in opposite directions in the afternoon session after the market slid following the release of weaker-than-expected private-sector employment data, fueling concerns about a cooling economy. According to the ADP report, U.S. private employers added only 22,000 jobs in January, falling significantly short of economists' estimates of 45,000. This miss signals that the multi-year cooling in labor demand has continued into the new year. The disappointing data added to existing market pressures, particularly on the tech sector, as investors weigh the implications of a potential economic slowdown on corporate earnings and growth prospects.

The stock market overreacts to news, and big price drops can present good opportunities to buy high-quality stocks.

Among others, the following stocks were impacted:

• Personal Loan company Affirm (NASDAQ:AFRM) jumped 0.1%. Is now the time to buy Affirm? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
• Personal Loan company Nubank (NYSE:NU) fell 5.6%. Is now the time to buy Nubank? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
• Personal Loan company Enova (NYSE:ENVA) fell 1.5%. Is now the time to buy Enova? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
• Specialty Finance company Hercules Capital (NYSE:HTGC) fell 2.9%. Is now the time to buy Hercules Capital? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
• Investment Banking & Brokerage company Interactive Brokers (NASDAQ:IBKR) fell 2.2%. Is now the time to buy Interactive Brokers? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.

Zooming In On Nubank (NU)

Nubank’s shares are quite volatile and have had 17 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.

The previous big move we wrote about was about 1 month ago when the stock gained 4.9% on the news that the stock hit an all-time high amid positive analyst commentary and strong investor confidence. KeyBanc Capital Markets increased its price target to $19, and BofA Securities raised its target to $18, following the company's strong third-quarter results that surpassed expectations. Goldman Sachs also maintained a Buy rating with a $21 price target. This investor optimism was further supported by Nubank's announcement of its plans to obtain a banking license in Brazil. The move also came as the broader fintech sector saw positive developments, with industry leaders expecting 2026 to be a defining year for operationally mature companies.

Nubank is flat since the beginning of the year, and at $17.10 per share, it is trading close to its 52-week high of $18.76 from January 2026. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Nubank’s shares at the IPO in December 2021 would now be looking at an investment worth $1,655.

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