Core Insights - The Baron Asset Fund underperformed for the second consecutive quarter, declining 4.23% in Q3 2025, while the Index gained 2.78% [3] - The underperformance was primarily due to the Fund's underexposure to Momentum, Beta, and Residual Volatility factors, which led the market higher [3] - The Fund's overexposure to Earnings Quality negatively impacted performance as lower quality stocks rallied during the quarter [3] Sector Performance - Stock selection in IT and Communication Services accounted for about three-quarters of the underperformance, with significant declines from Gartner, Inc. and StubHub Holdings, Inc. [4] - Weakness in Consumer Discretionary was broad-based, with notable declines from Choice Hotels International, Inc. and On Holding AG [5] - Financials were hindered by FactSet Research Systems Inc. and Morningstar, Inc., affected by industry-wide concerns regarding AI and a shift in investor focus [7] - Health Care showed solid stock selection, driven by strong performance from IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. [8] Key Contributors - IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. contributed 1.13% to returns, benefiting from improved foot traffic and revenue growth in its Companion Animal segment [9] - Amphenol Corporation gained 1.01% as expectations for data center spending rose, bolstered by a significant acquisition [10] - SpaceX reported substantial growth in its Starlink service and continued advancements in rocket technology [11][12] Key Detractors - Gartner, Inc. detracted 2.31% from performance due to disappointing earnings and decelerating contract value growth [13] - StubHub Holdings, Inc. faced challenges post-IPO, with investments impacting near-term results [16] - Verisk Analytics, Inc. was affected by a conservative outlook and concerns about the property and casualty insurance market [17]

Group 1 - The article does not provide any specific content related to a company or industry [1]

Group 1: Aquestive Therapeutics - Jim Cramer described Aquestive Therapeutics, Inc. as a "very interesting spec" [1] - Piper Sandler analyst David Amsellem maintained an Overweight rating on Aquestive Therapeutics and raised the price target from $5 to $8 [1] - Shares of Aquestive Therapeutics gained 2% to close at $5.69 [4] Group 2: Amphenol Corporation - Cramer praised Amphenol Corporation as a "great" stock and recommended staying in the cable play [1] - Amphenol reported fiscal third-quarter 2025 results with quarterly sales increasing by 53% year-on-year to $6.19 billion, exceeding the analyst consensus estimate of $5.53 billion [1] - Adjusted EPS for Amphenol was 93 cents, beating the analyst consensus estimate of 80 cents [1] - Amphenol shares fell 0.3% to settle at $143.47 [4] Group 3: Joby Aviation - Cramer criticized Joby Aviation, Inc. for "losing too much money" [2] - Joby Aviation's third-quarter earnings report showed losses of 48 cents per share, missing the Street estimate for losses of 19 cents [2] - Joby Aviation shares rose 3.7% to settle at $16.35 [4]

Core Insights - Amphenol (APH) shares have appreciated 16.1% over the past month, significantly outperforming the broader Zacks Computer & Technology sector's return of 3.8% and matching the growth of the Zacks Electronics Connectors industry [1] - The company has also outperformed key competitors TE Connectivity (TEL) and ITT Inc. (ITT), which gained 13% and 11.5% respectively during the same period [2] Financial Performance - Amphenol's strong third-quarter performance highlights its long-term investment appeal, driven by solid top-line growth, margin expansion, robust cash flow, and a substantial dividend increase [3] - The company expects fourth-quarter 2025 earnings to be between 89 cents and 91 cents per share, indicating growth of 62-65% year over year, with revenues anticipated to be between $6 billion and $6.1 billion, suggesting growth of 39-41% [7][17] - Amphenol reported $3.89 billion in cash and cash equivalents at the end of the third quarter, up from $3.23 billion in the prior quarter, showcasing its strong liquidity position [19] - The company generated $1.47 billion in operating cash flow in the third quarter, up from $1.4 billion in the previous quarter, along with $1.2 billion in free cash flow, indicating efficient operations [20] Strategic Acquisitions - Amphenol's disciplined acquisition strategy continues to enhance its market reach and technology capabilities, with recent acquisitions including Rochester Sensors, adding approximately $100 million in annual sales, and Trexon for about $1 billion [12][13][14] - The pending acquisition of CommScope's CCS business, expected to close by the first quarter of 2026, further emphasizes Amphenol's active pursuit of complementary assets [14] Valuation - Amphenol is currently trading at a premium valuation, with a forward 12-month Price/Earnings (P/E) ratio of 37.54X compared to the Zacks Computer and Technology sector's average of 28.61X, supported by steady earnings growth [8] - The company has consistently surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate over the past year, with an average surprise of 17.90% [18] Shareholder Returns - Amphenol returned $354 million to shareholders in the third quarter through $201 million in dividends and $153 million in share repurchases, reflecting confidence in its long-term growth prospects [21] Investment Outlook - APH stock is considered attractive due to strong earnings growth, solid cash flow, and strategic acquisitions that expand its technology portfolio and market reach, making it a compelling buy [22]

Core Insights - Baron Asset Fund's third-quarter 2025 investor letter indicates a decline of 4.23% for the fund, contrasting with a 2.78% decline for the Russell Midcap Growth Index and an 8.18% return for the Russell 3000 Index, driven primarily by expectations of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts [1] Company Highlights - Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) reported a one-month return of 12.25% and an impressive 89.47% increase in share value over the past 52 weeks, closing at $139.09 per share with a market capitalization of $170.254 billion as of November 7, 2025 [2] - The company is recognized as a leading global supplier of advanced interconnect systems for data centers, benefiting from rising expectations for data center capital spending due to the accelerating adoption of AI [3] - Amphenol's acquisition of CommScope's Connectivity and Cable Solutions business for $10.5 billion was positively received by investors, showcasing the company's commitment to shareholder value through strategic capital deployment and disciplined acquisitions [3] Financial Performance - Amphenol's third-quarter sales surged by 53% in US dollars and 52% in local currencies, reaching $6.194 billion, reflecting strong demand in the market [4] - The number of hedge funds holding Amphenol shares increased from 69 to 81 in the second quarter, indicating growing interest among institutional investors [4]

Core Insights - The article highlights the significant growth and investment in the AI sector, particularly in infrastructure development, with a focus on companies that are well-positioned for future growth in 2026 [2][3][4]. Group 1: AI Infrastructure Investment - Four of the "magnificent 7" stocks are set to invest $380 billion in 2025 for AI infrastructure, marking a 54% year-over-year increase in capital expenditure [3]. - The demand for data center capacity is surging due to the growth of cloud computing and AI, indicating a robust market for related technologies [2]. Group 2: Company Highlights Amphenol Corp. (APH) - APH specializes in AI and machine learning connectivity solutions, holding an estimated 33% market share in AI-powered data center interconnects [5][6]. - The company anticipates a revenue growth rate of 10.6% and an earnings growth rate of 17.5% for the next year, with earnings estimates improving by 11.5% in the last 30 days [9]. Western Digital Corp. (WDC) - WDC's cloud end market, which constitutes 89% of total revenue, grew by 31% in the last quarter, driven by demand for high-capacity HDDs [10]. - The company expects a revenue of $2.9 billion for the fiscal second quarter of 2026, reflecting a 20% increase due to strong data center demand [12]. - WDC has an expected revenue growth rate of -12.3% and an earnings growth rate of 49.7% for the current year, with earnings estimates improving by 10.6% recently [13]. Vertiv Holdings Co. (VRT) - VRT reported a 35% sales growth, benefiting from strong market demand and an extensive product portfolio for data centers [15]. - The partnership with NVIDIA is a key factor in VRT's strategy to provide scalable power solutions for AI data centers [16]. - The expected revenue growth rate for VRT is 20.3%, with earnings growth at 25.6% for the next year [17]. Corning Inc. (GLW) - Corning focuses on optical connectivity products, which are increasingly in demand due to the growth of AI applications and changing data consumption patterns [18][20]. - The expected revenue growth rate for Corning is 10.1%, with earnings growth at 19.8% for the next year [21]. TE Connectivity plc (TEL) - TEL is experiencing strong growth in its Industrial Solutions segment, driven by demand for AI applications and energy solutions [22]. - The expected revenue growth rate for TEL is 9.2%, with earnings growth at 16.6% for the current year [24].

Core Insights - The electronic components and manufacturing sector is experiencing increased demand due to the rise of advanced electronics in various industries such as automotive, healthcare, aerospace, and computing [2] - The sector reported strong Q3 earnings, with revenues surpassing analysts' expectations by 4.7% and an average share price increase of 2.8% since the earnings results [3] Company Highlights - Rogers (NYSE: ROG) reported revenues of $216 million, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 2.7% and exceeding analysts' expectations by 4.1% [5] - Rogers has a long history, being one of America's oldest continuously operating companies, and specializes in engineered materials for electric vehicles and telecommunications [4] - Amphenol (NYSE: APH) achieved revenues of $6.19 billion, a significant year-on-year increase of 53.4%, outperforming analysts' expectations by 10.9% [8]

Summary of Amphenol Corp. (APH) Investor Field Trip Company Overview - **Company**: Amphenol Corp. (APH) - **Industry**: Datacenter and Connectivity Solutions Key Takeaways 1. Strong Demand in Datacenter Market - Amphenol is well positioned in the datacenter market with strong demand continuing from hyperscale companies - There is a significant need for high-speed and low-latency connectivity products to support new compute technologies [1][3] 2. Competitive Positioning - The company highlighted its strong copper portfolio and growing optics business - Amphenol sees a long runway for its high-speed copper offerings and can provide a full set of solutions spanning copper and optics due to its engineering relationships [2][4] 3. Capital Expenditure Growth - Goldman Sachs TMT colleagues estimate that capital expenditures for the largest US hyperscalers will grow by 78% in CY25 and 37% year-over-year in CY26 - The IT Datacom end market, where Amphenol reports AI revenue, grew by 128% year-over-year in Q3 [3] 4. Diverse End Market Exposure - Amphenol maintains diversified end market exposure, with robust growth in its IT Datacom segment - The Communications Networks business experienced 25% organic growth in Q3, with nearly all end markets growing at least double digits organically [4] 5. Investment Strategy - Management emphasized that investments in AI-related projects are not at the expense of other end markets, indicating a balanced investment strategy across various sectors [4] 6. Ability to Respond to Demand Changes - Amphenol can ramp up new facilities and tooling and utilize AI/machine learning to support yields and output, demonstrating agility in responding to demand changes [7] 7. Strong Margins - The company reported record high operating margins of 27.5% in the last quarter, despite facing headwinds such as tariffs and commodity costs - Management indicated that while incremental margins may not remain at the 40%+ level, a long-term target of 30% incrementals is sustainable [8] 8. Investment Rating and Price Target - Goldman Sachs has a Buy rating on APH shares with a 12-month price target of $154, representing an upside of 12.7% from the current price of $136.70 - Key downside risks include revenue growth, margins, tariffs, trade situations with China, and execution on M&A [9][10] Additional Insights - The company is actively expanding its datacenter fiber optics portfolio with complementary products, indicating a strategic focus on enhancing its offerings in the datacenter space [2] - The management's commitment to maintaining a diversified portfolio while capitalizing on growth opportunities in the datacenter market reflects a proactive approach to market dynamics [4] This summary encapsulates the critical insights from the investor field trip to Amphenol Corp., highlighting the company's strategic positioning, market dynamics, and financial performance.

Industry Overview - The artificial intelligence (AI) sector is experiencing significant growth, driven by the expansion of cloud computing and data centers, with a robust demand scenario supporting this momentum [1] - The demand for data center capacity has surged to manage and store the increasing volume of cloud computing-based data [1] Capital Expenditure Trends - Four of the "magnificent 7" stocks are set to invest $380 billion in 2025 for AI infrastructure development, marking a 54% year-over-year increase in capital spending on the AI ecosystem [2][7] - Companies involved in this investment are projecting double-digit growth in 2026, fueled by AI infrastructure and data center expansion [7] Company-Specific Insights Amphenol Corp. (APH) - Amphenol provides AI and machine learning-based connectivity solutions, holding an estimated 33% market share in AI-powered data center interconnects [4][5] - The company is expected to see revenue and earnings growth rates of 10.6% and 17.5%, respectively, for the next year, with an 11.5% improvement in earnings estimates over the last 30 days [9] Western Digital Corp. (WDC) - Western Digital's cloud end market, which constitutes 89% of total revenue, surged 31% in the last reported quarter, driven by high-capacity HDD demand [10] - The company anticipates a 20% revenue increase in fiscal second-quarter 2026, supported by strong data center demand and high-capacity drive adoption [12] - Expected revenue and earnings growth rates for the current year are -12.3% and 49.7%, respectively, with a 10.6% improvement in earnings estimates over the last week [13] Vertiv Holdings Co. (VRT) - Vertiv's sales grew by 35%, reflecting strong market demand and an extensive product portfolio that includes thermal systems and modular solutions [15] - The company has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 20.3% and 25.6%, respectively, for next year, with a 6.6% improvement in earnings estimates over the last 30 days [17] Corning Inc. (GLW) - Corning focuses on innovative optical connectivity products, with an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 10.1% and 19.8%, respectively, for next year [21] - The demand for optical solutions is strong due to changing data consumption patterns and the need for faster data transfer [20] TE Connectivity plc (TEL) - TE Connectivity is benefiting from strong demand in its Industrial Solutions segment, particularly in AI applications [22] - The company has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 9.2% and 16.6%, respectively, for the current year, with a 7.4% improvement in earnings estimates over the last week [24]

What do you make of some of the action we're seeing in the pre-market. We started a bit lower after we finished higher yesterday. Now we kind of swung back into positive territory.What do you think's going on in the minds of investors. A couple of things going on. We have earnings, uh, the Supreme Court case over tariffs, uh, better than expected jobs report.What do you think's percolating. >> I think investors are more focused right now on big tech earnings, the AI infrastructure spend, and exactly where w ...