QFIN Vs BYRN: Which Niche Tech Stock Belongs in Your Portfolio?
Both QFIN and BYRN are lesser-known tech companies. While QFIN is a Chinese AI-driven consumer finance company, BYRN operates in the non-lethal self-defense technology sector, offering innovations and high growth potential. Despite their obscurity, these companies cater to a significantly tech-savvy user base.
The comparative analysis of these two companies could benefit investors interested in low-profile tech stocks.
QFIN relies on technological advancements to power its risk management practices. The company’s AI + Finance strategy is changing the whole dynamic of credit services. In the first quarter of 2025, QFIN reported 15.8% year-over-year growth in loan origination, and its registered user base increased 11.1%. This improvement is led by the company’s industry-first Intelligent Agent for Core Credit Business — a system of smart modules that streamline operations, improve risk management and create bespoke financial services.
The company utilizes AI models to evaluate vast datasets to identify creditworthy individuals and small and medium enterprises, expanding its customer base while reducing defaults. Qifu Technology has improved its risk metrics by upgrading application and collection scorecards with AI, including LLMs, for real-time user communication data analysis and refinement of partner management.
AI and big data are huge parts of QFIN’s user acquisition strategy. The company’s AI-led marketing strategy has improved its user profiling accuracy across channels, with a conversion rate of new credit line users to new borrowers growing 33% from the year-ago quarter in the first quarter of 2025. Finally, Qifu Technologyutilizes intelligent credit engine technology to operate a light capital model, contributing to its profitability and scalability.
BYRN’s technological advancements contribute to enhancing its product performance and appeal. The company’s patented “first-shot, pull-pierce” technology ensures that the Byrna launcher is ready to use all the time, addressing major drawbacks of other CO2-led devices. Reliability as such is a massive selling point for personal safety, making the product more appealing to customers and law enforcement, improving brand trust.
Byrna Technologies’ blunt impact projectile, a patented energy absorption system, is less lethal yet efficient, which is crucial for the company’s target markets and sets it apart from competitors. The company employs technology to create designs that are miniature and user-friendly, thereby expanding the market for its products. This strategy enhances accessibility and convenience for a diverse range of users, including those who are uneasy with traditional ammunition.
Furthermore, the company is boosting production and is preparing the initiation of its Compact Launcher in mid-2025. Byrna Technologies has augmented launcher production by 33% in the first quarter of 2025, touching 24,000 units per month to meet the increasing market demand and fuel operational expansion. Shifting ammunition production domestically is improving its supply chain and is anticipated to enhance product margins. These technological investments and market initiatives are estimated to drive growth throughout 2025 and in the future, positioning the company for prolonged success.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Byrna Technologies’ fiscal 2025 sales is pegged at $111.7 million, suggesting 30.2% year-over-year growth. The consensus estimate for earnings is pegged at 35 cents, indicating a 12.9% rise from the preceding year’s actual. Two estimates for fiscal 2025 have moved north in the past 60 days versus no southward revisions.
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The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Qifu Technology’s 2025 sales is pegged at $2.6 billion, implying 7.6% year-over-year growth. The consensus estimate for earnings is pegged at $6.94 per share, indicating 22.6% year-over-year growth. One estimate for 2025 has moved north in the past 60 days versus no southward revisions.
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QFIN's forward earnings multiple is 61.74X, lower than its 12-month median of 92.59X. BYRN’s 5.83X is slightly lower than its median of 5.84X.
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Qifu Technology and Byrna Technologies are impressive tech stocks. While QFIN leverages technology by providing credit access to customers, BYRN utilizes technical advancements to design and manufacture less-lethal personal security solutions.
BYRN appears to be a more compelling investment option since the personal security device market holds untapped potential, mainly compared with the fintech market, which is competitive and more mature.
Furthermore, BYRN, a fundamentally strong stock, is significantly cheaper than QFIN, making it a more compelling opportunity for growth-focused investors today.
Byrna Technologies and Qifu Technology both have a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see .
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Qifu Technology, Inc. (QFIN): Free Stock Analysis Report
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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