With mortgage rates near 7% and the Federal Reserve signaling a tougher stance on inflation, borrowing costs are under pressure and some areas of the market are feeling the strain. At the same time, certain large banking and financial services stocks in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia could see their earnings mix and risk profile shift as rates stay higher for longer. This article explains how that backdrop connects to three stocks from our Banking and Financial Services Stocks screener, each potentially positively exposed to the recent news, to help you decide which may deserve a closer look or a wider berth.

Accelerant Holdings (ARX)

Overview: Accelerant Holdings runs a data driven specialty insurance platform that connects niche underwriting agencies with insurance and reinsurance capital providers through its Risk Exchange. By earning fees for sourcing, managing, and monitoring small ticket commercial policies across the US, Europe, Canada, Australia, and the UK, it seeks to scale a capital light, fee focused insurance infrastructure business.

Operations: Accelerant generates most of its US$966.1 million business segment revenue from Underwriting (US$459.8 million), Exchange Services (US$360.3 million), and MGA Operations (US$246.1 million), with geographic revenue concentrated in North America (US$564.9 million) and the UK and EU (US$401.1 million).

Market Cap: US$2.83b

What makes Accelerant Holdings interesting in a world of stickier interest rates is its attempt to shift away from balance sheet heavy underwriting toward higher quality fee income from its exchange and MGA network, supported by a growing specialty data asset and a deepening roster of third party risk capital partners. Analysts expect strong revenue growth and a potential move into profitability over the next few years, yet the company is still loss making, funded entirely by higher risk non deposit liabilities, and led by a relatively new management team, which raises execution and funding questions. With analyst price targets sitting above the current share price and recent partnerships using AI driven underwriting on the platform, investors watching financials tied to higher rate regimes may want to understand what they could be missing in Accelerant’s evolving model.

Accelerant Holdings is trying to turn a loss making, balance sheet heavy insurer into a capital light platform, but the real story sits inside the analyst forecasts for Accelerant Holdings and what that implies for funding risk next.

Chime Financial (CHYM)

Overview: Chime Financial is a San Francisco based fintech that offers app based consumer banking, combining checking and savings accounts, debit cards, credit building tools, and a range of liquidity products such as SpotMe, MyPay, and instant loans, along with employer focused services through Chime Workplace.

Operations: Chime Financial generates its US$2.32b in revenue entirely from data processing services in the United States.

Market Cap: US$6.71b

Chime Financial sits at the intersection of higher interest rates and the ongoing move toward digital banking, with 9.1 million active members using it as a primary account and new products like Chime Card, MyPay and instant loans supporting higher revenue per customer. Recent news around GAAP profitability in Q1 2026, raised guidance and a US$200 million buyback suggests management is focused on scaling while returning capital. However, funding entirely through non deposit liabilities and past losses keep risk firmly on the table, especially if credit costs or interchange economics shift. In a market where the Fed is keeping rates elevated and traditional banks may benefit from wider spreads, the real question is whether Chime’s growth roadmap and expected margin improvement justify current expectations or leave too little room for error.

Chime’s push toward GAAP profitability, a US$200 million buyback and 9.1 million primary-account members hints at a story that many investors may not be pricing in. It is worth reading the analyst forecasts for Chime Financial to see what could change that picture next.

Hagerty (HGTY)

Overview: Hagerty focuses on insurance and services for collector cars and enthusiast vehicles, combining underwriting and policy servicing with a membership based Drivers Club that offers roadside assistance, media content, events access, and vehicle valuation tools across the US, Canada, and the UK.

Operations: Hagerty generates most of its US$1.44b revenue in the United States (US$523.1 million), with the remainder split between international markets (US$67.2 million) and unallocated corporate or segment level revenue (US$849.5 million).

Market Cap: US$3.73b

Hagerty gives investors exposure to a niche corner of financial services that blends specialty insurance, membership fees, and a collector car marketplace. These areas are sensitive to higher interest rates through underwriting returns and investment income. The long term story is described as hinging on expanding its ecosystem of auctions, content, and partnerships like State Farm and Putnam Leasing, aiming to turn car enthusiasts into recurring, higher margin customers. Against that backdrop, revenue is described as being forecast to grow more slowly than the wider market, funding is noted as relying entirely on higher risk external liabilities, and recent guidance is reported to still point to a net loss for 2026. With a high P/E and strong earnings growth expectations cited, the key question for investors is whether Hagerty’s earnings quality and high forecast ROE justify the valuation currently being paid.

Hagerty’s high P/E and strong earnings growth expectations suggest that the market may be underestimating how its enthusiast ecosystem could scale. Before you decide, read the analyst forecasts for Hagerty and consider what might shift that story.

The three stocks covered here are only a starting point, and the full Banking and Financial Services Stocks screener surfaces 34 more large banking and financial services companies across the US, UK, Canada, and Australia with equally compelling narratives around balance sheet strength, earnings mix, and interest rate sensitivity. Use Simply Wall St to identify, analyze, and filter for the specific catalysts and business traits that matter most to you so that you can focus on the highest conviction opportunities in this sector.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.