PROG Holdings, Inc. PRG

Over the past six months, PROG has been a great trade, beating the S&P 500 by 7.5%. Its stock price has climbed to $35.50, representing a healthy 23.9% increase. This was partly thanks to its solid quarterly results, and the run-up might have investors contemplating their next move.

Inflation headlines usually stop at CPI, but rising taxes and asset prices are quietly squeezing non asset owning households far harder. That pressure on real wages can hit consumer finance wallets before it shows up in official data. If you care where stressed borrowers turn when paychecks feel smaller, you should pay attention. This article unpacks that story and profiles 3 U.S. consumer finance stocks exposed to this debate. The stocks covered below are a small sample of the idea, and the...