South Plains Financial Stock (NASDAQ: SPFI)

South Plains Financial

South Plains Financial Inc operates as a bank holding company. The company provides a wide range of commercial and consumer financial services to small and medium-sized businesses and individuals. The principal business activities include commercial and retail banking, along with insurance, investment, trust, and mortgage services. The company has two reportable segments: banking and insurance.

Earnings

News

Technicals

Small Cap

Markets

Analyst Ratings

Trading Ideas

SPFI

A downtrend has been apparent in South Plains Financial (NASDAQ: SPFI) lately. While the stock has lost 8.2% over the past two weeks, it could witness a trend reversal as a hammer chart pattern was formed in its last trading session.

Bears are Losing Control Over South Plains Financial, Here&#39;s Why It&#39;s a &#39;Buy&#39; Now

Long Ideas

Insider Trades

Pre-Market Outlook

GWRS

Although US stocks closed higher on Friday, there were a few notable insider trades.

Insiders Buying GameStop And 2 Other Stocks

Although US stocks closed lower on Wednesday, there were a few notable insider trades.

Around $28 Million Bet On Autoliv? 3 Stocks Insiders Are Buying

South Plains Financial, Inc. - Common Stock

South Plains Financial Inc

RGTI

Rigetti Enters Strategic Collaboration Agreement With Quanta Computer To Accelerate Development And Commercialization Of Superconducting Quantum Computing

Offerings

Ameren Prices Public Offering Of $750M Of 5.375% Senior Notes Due 2035 At 99.822% Of Their Principal Amount

Telecom Argentina Stet - France Telecom S.A.

Telecom Argentina FY24 Consolidated Revenues Decline 7.7% In Constant Currency

The dividend will be paid on March 27, 2025 to stockholders of record as of March 13, 2025.

Dividends

AFBI

Affinity Bancshares Declares Payment Of Special Cash Dividend  Of $1.50 Per Share

Array Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARRY#NASDAQ">ARRY</a>) reported its fourth-quarter results after Thursday's closing bell. Here's a look at the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/02/g44024700/array-technologies-inc-reports-financial-results-for-the-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2024">details from the quarter. </a>
The Details: Array Technologies reported quarterly earnings of 16 cents per share, which missed the analyst consensus estimate of 17 cents. Quarterly revenue came in at $275.23 million which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $268.47 million and is a decrease from revenue of $341.62 million from the same period last year.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/25/02/44007082/q4-gdp-holds-at-2-3-after-minor-revision-in-second-estimate">Q4 GDP Holds At 2.3% After Minor Revision In Second Estimate&nbsp;</a>
&#8220;ARRAY delivered strong fourth quarter and full year 2024 results, we exceeded the mid-point of our fourth quarter revenue guidance and achieved record gross margin on the full year. Our ongoing focus on operational execution continues to translate into robust profitability and healthy cash flow. We finished 2024 with an orderbook of $2 billion, representing 10% year-on-year growth,&#8221; said CEO Kevin G. Hostetler.
Outlook:&nbsp;Array Technologies sees first-quarter&nbsp;sales of&nbsp;$260 million to $270 million, versus the $218.65 million&nbsp;analyst estimate. The company sees fiscal 2025 adjusted earnings of&nbsp;60 cents to 70&nbsp;cents per share, versus the 79 cent estimate and sales of&nbsp;$1.05 billion to $1.15 billion, versus the&nbsp;$1.13 billion estimate.
ARRY Price Action: According to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?gspk=YWRhbWVja2VydDUzMzY&amp;gsxid=zBMR4PKmcgBw">Benzinga Pro</a>, Array Technologies shares were down 12.21% after hours at $5.75 on Thursday.  
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/02/44015237/pending-home-sales-crash-to-record-low-jobless-claims-soar-wall-street-reacts">Pending Home Sales Crash To Record Low, Jobless Claims Soar: Wall Street Reacts</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock&nbsp;

Guidance

After-Hours Center

Movers

Tech

ARRY

Array Technologies Stock Drops After Mixed Q4 Results, Weak Forward Guidance

Accel Entertainment (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ACEL#NYSE">ACEL</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $0.21 per share which met the analyst consensus estimate. This is a 16 percent decrease over earnings of $0.25 per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $317.51 million which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $306.07 million by 3.74 percent. This is a 6.88 percent increase over sales of $297.07 million the same period last year.

Earnings Beats

ACEL

Accel Entertainment Adj EPS $0.21 versus estimates

Bloom Energy Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BE#NYSE">BE</a>) shares are trading higher in Thursday&#8217;s after-hours session after the company reported better-than-expected financial results <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/02/b44024692/bloom-energy-reports-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2024-financial-results-with-record-full-year-rev">for the fourth quarter</a>.
What Happened: Bloom Energy reported fourth-quarter revenue of $572.39 million, beating analyst estimates of $508.28 million, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>. The company reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of 43 cents per share, beating analyst estimates of 30 cents per share. 
Total revenue was up 60.4% year-over-year, driven by product and service revenue growth of 67.2% year-over-year. Bloom Energy said it generated $484.2 million in cash flow from operations during the quarter. The company ended the quarter with $802.85 million in cash and cash equivalents. 
&#8220;We are the solution of choice for powering AI, whether that&#8217;s large data centers that need reliable power now, or businesses that are going to use AI for productivity gains. Our proven solution is ready to be deployed at GW scale starting this year,&#8221; said KR Sridhar, founder, chairman and CEO of Bloom Energy.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/44027601/hp-shares-sink-after-q1-report-weak-forward-guidance">HP Shares Sink After Q1 Report, Weak Forward Guidance</a>
What&#8217;s Next: Bloom Energy expects full-year 2025 revenue to be in the range of $1.65 billion to $1.85 billion versus estimates of $1.67 billion.
Management is currently discussing the quarter on a conference call that got started at 5 p.m. ET.
BE Price Action: <a href="http://benzinga.com/quote/be">Bloom Energy shares</a> were up 19,24% after hours, trading at $25.40 at the time of publication Thursday, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Photo: Courtesy of Bloom Energy.

Bloom Energy Stock Is Surging: What's Going On?

AZO UP 1.4% ON DAY WHEN S &amp; P 500 WAS DOWN 1.6%
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/27212749/Screenshot-2025-02-27-at-4.24.00%E2%80%AFPM-1008x1024.png" alt="" class="wp-image-6845" /></figure>
Autozone, Inc. (AZO) today experienced a Power Inflow, a significant event for those who follow where smart money goes and value order flow analytics in their trading decisions. 
Today, at 11:04 AM on February 27th, a significant trading signal occurred for Autozone, Inc. (AZO) as it demonstrated a Power Inflow at a price of $3412.10. This indicator is crucial for traders who want to know directionally where institutions and so-called "smart money" moves in the market. They see the value of utilizing order flow analytics to guide their trading decisions. The Power Inflow points to a possible uptrend in AutoZone&#8217;s stock, marking a potential entry point for traders looking to capitalize on the expected upward movement. Traders with this signal closely watch for sustained momentum in AutoZone&#8217;s stock price, interpreting this event as a bullish sign.
Signal description
Order flow analytics, aka transaction or market flow analysis, separate and study both the retail and institutional volume rate of orders (flow). It involves analyzing the flow of buy and sell orders, along with size, timing, and other associated characteristics and patterns, to gain insights and make more informed trading decisions. This particular indicator is interpreted as a bullish signal by active traders.&nbsp;
The Power Inflow occurs within the first two hours of the market open and generally signals the trend that helps gauge the stock&#8217;s overall direction, powered by institutional activity in the stock, for the remainder of the day.&nbsp;
By incorporating order flow analytics into their trading strategies, market participants can better interpret market conditions, identify trading opportunities, and potentially improve their trading performance. But let's not forget that while watching smart money flow can provide valuable insights, it is crucial to incorporate effective risk management strategies to protect capital and mitigate potential losses. Employing a consistent and effective risk management plan helps traders navigate the uncertainties of the market in a more controlled and calculated manner, increasing the likelihood of long-term success
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for AZO, <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts. 
<a href="https://benzinga.com/apis?_gl=1&#x2A;1hlgn5i&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTY1NjE2NTYxMi4xNzE0NzQ4MTAy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDc0ODEwMi4xLjEuMTcxNDc0ODQyOC4wLjAuMA..">Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs</a> and include firms, like&nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="https://www.tradepulse.net">https://www.tradepulse.net</a>&nbsp; which are responsible for parts of the data within this article. 
&#xA9; 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
After Market Close UPDATE:
The price at the time of the Power Inflow was $3412.10. The returns on the High price ($3459.76) and Close price ($ 3444.69) after the Power Inflow were respectively 1.4% and 1.0%. That is why it is important to have a trading plan that includes Profit Targets and Stop Losses that reflect your risk appetite. 
Past Performance is Not Indicative of Future Results

Equities

Signals

AutoZone Stock Up 1.4% After Power Inflow Signal

Many people have tried to predict the future price of Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) over the years, including Binance founder <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/changpeng-zhao">Changpeng "CZ" Zhao.</a>
Zhao may have had one of the closest predictions of all time, predicting more than four years ago that the current sharp drop from six-digits to around $85,000 would be called a crash.
What Happened: Bitcoin soared to new highs after the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/41778425/bitcoins-all-time-high-a-groundbreaking-milestone-and-strong-post-election-rally-coming-ex">2024 presidential election</a>, topping the $75,000 level.
Months later in January, Bitcoin hit another all-time high of $109,114.88 on Jan. 20, near the inauguration of President Donald Trump.
Since that time, Bitcoin has<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43987636/bitcoin-tumbles-below-85000-amid-president-trumps-eu-tariff-threats"> fallen in value</a> and is now trading under the $85,000 level.
While many reports cite the sharp crash in Bitcoin's valuation, it's likely important to remember that Bitcoin is still trading higher than levels seen four months ago before the 2024 election.
Binance founder and former CEO Zhao, best known to many as CZ, took to social media platform X to express his thoughts on the drop in Bitcoin's value in recent months.
"In this bloodbath today, I see a lot of people referring to this tweet," CZ <a href="https://x.com/cz_binance/status/1894433074022105469">said</a>, sharing a tweet he made on Dec. 17, 2020.
CZ said that he had no visibility into the future at the time, but encouraged investors to zoom out on the Bitcoin chart to see the strong gains over the past year.
The Dec. 17, 2020 tweet was:
"Waiting for the new headline: #Bitcoin ‘CRASHES' from $101,000 to $85,000. Save the tweet."
CZ's prediction has come true in recent months. Here's a look back at how much investors could have made following along with his prediction.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43805500/changpeng-cz-zhao-donates-100000-to-support-libra-scam-victims-as-javier-milei-compares-investment-in-coin-to-casino-gambling">Changpeng &#8216;CZ&#8217; Zhao Donates $100,000 To Support LIBRA Scam Victims As Javier Milei Compares Investment In Coin To Casino Gambling</a>
 Investing $1,000 in Bitcoin: On Dec. 17, 2020, Bitcoin traded between $21,234.68 and $23,642.66. An investor could have purchased 0.0423 Bitcoin at the day's highest price with a $1,000 investment.
Today that $1,000 investment would be worth $3,534.43, based on a price of $83,556.33 for Bitcoin at the time of writing. This represents a hypothetical gain of 253.4% over the past four plus years.
The $1,000 investment would have been worth $4,615.56 and up 361.6% at Bitcoin's all-time high price of $109,114.88 last month.
For comparison, the same $1,000 invested in the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), which tracks the S&amp;P 500 Index, would have returned far less for investors.
A $1,000 investment in that ETF on Dec. 17, 2020, could have bought 2.68 SPY shares and would be worth $1,568.15 today, up 56.8%.
The comments from Zhao are a reminder that Bitcoin will not go up in a straight line and will have periods of dips. History has shown that Bitcoin has outperformed many stocks and asset types over one-year, five-year and longer periods.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42406275/changpeng-cz-zhao-says-bitcoin-will-be-viewed-as-just-money-in-the-future-believes-perception-would-shift-from-price-and-100k-milestones">Changpeng &#8216;CZ&#8217; Zhao Says Bitcoin Will Be Viewed As Just &#8216;Money&#8217; In The Future, Believes Perception Would Shift From Price And $100K Milestones</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Koshiro K via Shutterstock

Coverage of Bitcoin, Etherum, Ripple and all the latest digital currencies.

Cryptocurrency

Education

$BTC

If You Invested $1,000 In Bitcoin When Changpeng 'CZ' Zhao Predicted BTC Would Crash From $101K to $85K, Here's How Much You'd Have Today

EXFY

Expensify Estimates Free Cash Flow Of $16M - $20M For FY25

Expensify (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EXFY#NASDAQ">EXFY</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $0.10 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $0.07 by 42.86 percent. This is a 150 percent increase over earnings of $0.04 per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $37.00 million which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $35.79 million by 3.39 percent. This is a 5.10 percent increase over sales of $35.21 million the same period last year.

Expensify Q4 2024 Adj EPS $0.10 Beats $0.07 Estimate

Cognizant Tech Solns (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTSH#NASDAQ">CTSH</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 20 years by 2.24% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 10.38%. Currently, Cognizant Tech Solns has a market capitalization of $41.54 billion. 
Buying $1000 In CTSH: If an investor had bought $1000 of CTSH stock 20 years ago, it would be worth $6,928.44 today based on a price of $83.99 for CTSH at the time of writing.
<h3>Cognizant Tech Solns's Performance Over Last 20 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1740696317_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

CTSH

$1000 Invested In Cognizant Tech Solns 20 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much Today

Cable One (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CABO#NYSE">CABO</a>) reported EPS including fair value adjustment and non-cash impairment of $(18.71). The company reported quarterly sales of $387.21 million which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $389.56 million by 0.60 percent. This is a 5.97 percent decrease over sales of $411.81 million the same period last year.

Earnings Misses

CABO

CORRECTION: Cable One Q4 GAAP EPS including fair value adjustment and non-cash impairment of $(18.71), Sales $387.21M Miss $389.56M Estimate.

Golden Entertainment (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GDEN#NASDAQ">GDEN</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $0.10 per share which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $0.21 by 52.38 percent. This is a 130.3 percent increase over losses of $(0.33) per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $164.20 million which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $168.46 million by 2.53 percent. This is a 28.82 percent decrease over sales of $230.69 million the same period last year.

GDEN

Golden Entertainment Q4 GAAP EPS $0.10 Misses $0.21 Estimate, Sales $164.20M Miss $168.46M Estimate

Meritage Homes Reports Pricing Of $500M Of 5.650% Senior Notes Due 2035

Cable One (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CABO#NYSE">CABO</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $11.37 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $9.64 by 17.95 percent. This is a 41.36 percent decrease over earnings of $19.39 per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $387.21 million which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $389.56 million by 0.60 percent. This is a 5.97 percent decrease over sales of $411.81 million the same period last year.

Cable One Q4 GAAP EPS including fair value adjustment and non-cash impairment of $(18.71), Sales $387.21M Miss $389.56M Estimate

Sunrun Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RUN#NASDAQ">RUN</a>) reported its fourth-quarter results after Thursday's closing bell. Here's a look at the details from the quarter.&nbsp;
The Details:&nbsp;Sunrun reported quarterly earnings of&nbsp;$1.41&nbsp;per share, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of&nbsp;a loss of 26 cents. Quarterly revenue came in at $518.49 million&nbsp;which missed the analyst consensus estimate of&nbsp;$537.91 million.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/25/02/44007082/q4-gdp-holds-at-2-3-after-minor-revision-in-second-estimate">Q4 GDP Holds At 2.3% After Minor Revision In Second Estimate&nbsp;</a>
Sunrun reported: 
<ul>
<li>Customer Additions were 32,932 including 30,709 Subscriber Additions. </li>
<li>As of Dec. 31, 2024, Sunrun had 1,048,842 Customers, including 889,186 Subscribers. </li>
<li>Customers grew 12% in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.</li>
<li>Annual Recurring Revenue from Subscribers was approximately $1.6 billion as of Dec. 31, 2024. </li>
<li>The Average Contract Life Remaining of Subscribers was 17.6 years as of Dec. 31, 2024.</li>
<li>Subscriber Value was $55,811 in the fourth quarter of 2024, a 11% increase compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. </li>
<li>Creation Cost was $36,634 in the fourth quarter of 2024, a 1% decrease compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.</li>
</ul>

&#8220;We are growing, generating meaningful cash, increasing our book value of deployed systems, and paying down debt. We are poised to further improve our operating and financial results, and deliver a very strong 2025 with meaningful cash generation,&#8221; said Mary Powell, Sunrun&#8217;s CEO.
&#8220;Our actions to optimize our product mix, prioritize the highest value geographies and routes to market and an intense focus on cost as we grow have resulted in the highest Net Subscriber Values Sunrun has ever reported,&#8221; Powell added.
RUN Price Action: According to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?gspk=YWRhbWVja2VydDUzMzY&amp;gsxid=zBMR4PKmcgBw">Benzinga Pro</a>, Sunrun shares were up 2.92% after-hours at $8.14 on Thursday.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/02/43903335/financial-crime-weekly-1-4-billion-ethereum-stolen-in-largest-crypto-hack-ever-sec-creates-cyber-and-emerging-technologies-unit">&nbsp;</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/02/44015237/pending-home-sales-crash-to-record-low-jobless-claims-soar-wall-street-reacts">Pending Home Sales Crash To Record Low, Jobless Claims Soar: Wall Street Reacts</a></li>
</ul>
Image courtesy of Sunrun, Inc.

Sunrun Reports Mixed Q4 Results: EPS Beat, Revenues Miss

Accenture (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ACN#NYSE">ACN</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 10 years by 3.88% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 14.65%. Currently, Accenture has a market capitalization of $228.93 billion. 
Buying $100 In ACN: If an investor had bought $100 of ACN stock 10 years ago, it would be worth $392.86 today based on a price of $366.00 for ACN at the time of writing.
<h3>Accenture's Performance Over Last 10 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1740695439_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

$100 Invested In Accenture 10 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much Today

FIGS (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FIGS#NYSE">FIGS</a>) .

FIGS

FIGS Sees FY2025 Net Revenues growth of down low-single-digits vs. 2024 , Adjusted EBITDA Margin 9.0% to 9.5%

President Donald Trump has said it more than once—the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is no more. Calling it &#8220;the ultra-left CFPB,&#8221; Trump said he moved to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43760286/it-has-done-enormous-harm-to-the-country-crypto-leaders-celebrate-as-cfpb-is-shut-down">shut down the agency</a> after receiving calls from bankers and loan officers who were &#8220;almost crying&#8221; over its regulations.
Trump: CFPB Was Hurting Banks
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV3CCYiDPhk">Speaking</a> at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Feb. 22, Trump described the CFPB as a "terrible" agency that "destroyed" small banks and businesses. He blamed Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), who helped create the agency after the 2008 financial crisis, saying she used it to push a "woke radicalism" agenda.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Trump says he shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau because he was getting calls from bankers and loan officers who were "almost crying" at how hard the bureau was fighting to protect American consumers <a href="https://t.co/PmUagL4Cuv">pic.twitter.com/PmUagL4Cuv</a>
&mdash; FactPost (@factpostnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/factpostnews/status/1893399679922004464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Don't Miss:
<ul>
<li>Deloitte's fastest-growing software company partners with Amazon, Walmart &amp; Target – <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/mode-mobile-2">Many are rushing to grab 4,000 of its pre-IPO shares for just $0.26/share!</a></li>
<li>Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing —<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/boxabl"> you can become an investor for $0.80 per share today.</a></li>
</ul>
"They established it—it was established by Elizabeth Pocahontas Warren," Trump said, mocking Warren's past claims of Native American ancestry. "At the ultra-left CFPB, which was terrible, so many people have been hurt by that. I used to get calls from lending officers from owners of small banks, and they were almost crying. What they did to those people; they destroyed them and put them out of business."
The CFPB was originally designed to protect consumers from predatory lending practices, like unfair bank overdraft fees and shady mortgage deals. But Trump argued that it overregulated banks and financial institutions, making it harder for businesses to operate.
Trending: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/qnetic-2">This 12,000 RPM Spinning Battery With Over $100 Million In LOIs Could Be The Missing Link For Green Energy — Here&#8217;s Why Early Investors Are Flocking To Invest Before Funding Closes</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Elon Musk and DOGE Take Over</h2>
The agency's closure was fast-tracked by Elon Musk, who effectively heads the Department of Government Efficiency, an office created to shrink the federal government. Musk announced the shutdown in a Feb. 7 post on X, writing, "CFPB RIP," alongside a tombstone emoji.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">CFPB RIP &#x1faa6;
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1887979940269666769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
A team of Musk's DOGE workers was given access to CFPB's data systems, which hold sensitive financial records. Former CFPB attorney Hanna Hickman <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-doge-cfpb-60-minutes-transcript/">told</a> "60 Minutes," &#8220;We heard from our colleagues that they&#8217;re camped out in the basement. And they&#8217;ve got papers up on the windows to keep people from looking in. And they&#8217;ve been accessing data, certainly."
Trending: If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/arrived-private-credit-fund">7-9% target yield with monthly dividends would you invest in it</a>?
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Concerns Over Data and Conflicts of Interest</h2>
Critics, including Warren and former CFPB employees, have raised alarms about what Musk and his team might do with the bureau's data. The CFPB was actively investigating digital banking and fintech companies before its shutdown—including firms like Venmo, Cash App, and Google Pay.
This is particularly concerning, critics say, because Musk is <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43376448/elon-musks-x-money-to-see-about-600-million-active-monthly-users-via-visa-direct-integration">preparing to launch a digital payment platform</a> called X Money. Does Musk stand to gain something from these files? &#8220;Absolutely," Hickman said. "He is potentially able to gain access to files of his competitors."
For his part, Musk denied any wrongdoing. "I don't know of a case where an organization has been more transparent than DOGE," he told reporters in the Oval Office earlier this month. "You can see: am I doing something that benefits one of my companies or not? It's totally obvious."
See Also: ‘Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/mode-mobile-2">You can invest today for just $0.26/share with a $1000 minimum.</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Court Battles and Consumer Protections on Hold</h2>
Meanwhile, the shutdown of the CFPB has frozen many consumer protection rules that were set to take effect. Some of these include:
<ul>
<li>Capping credit card late fees at $8 (down from $30)</li>
<li>Limiting overdraft fees to $5 (down from $27)</li>
<li>Removing medical debt from credit reports</li>
<li>Increasing regulation of digital payment apps</li>
<li>Giving consumers more control over their personal financial data</li>
</ul>
Trump has nominated Jonathan McKernan, a former Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation board member, as the new CFPB director. But with the agency effectively shut down, it's unclear what role—if any—it will have moving forward.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/arrived-private-credit-fund">Bezos' Favorite Real Estate Platform Launches A Way To Ride The Ongoing Private Credit Boom</a></li>
<li>Inspired by Uber and Airbnb &#8211; Deloitte's fastest-growing software company is transforming 7 billion smartphones into income-generating assets &#8211; <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/mode-mobile-2">with $1,000 you can invest at just $0.26/share!</a></li>
</ul>

Comments

South Plains Financial

Popular Channels

Tools & Features

Partners & Contributors

About Benzinga