SoFi Technologies Inc. (SOFI) stock plummeted 5.1% in pre-market trading on Thursday, following a downgrade by Keefe, Bruyette & Woods (KBW) analysts. The fintech company's shares were downgraded to "Underperform" from "Market Perform," with KBW raising its price target to $8 from $7.

According to KBW analyst Timothy Switzer, the downgrade was driven by concerns over SoFi's valuation. Despite the stock's strong performance in 2024, rising by over 50%, Switzer argued that the valuation has become "overstretched across a wide matrix of multiples." This assessment comes even if SoFi successfully achieves its "ambitious" long-term targets.

Switzer also expressed skepticism about SoFi's ability to meet its long-term financial guidance, particularly its target for a return on average tangible common equity (ROTCE) between 20% and 30%. The analyst noted that "only a handful of chartered banks can manage to sustainably generate returns even in the 20% range," suggesting that SoFi's target may be unrealistic.