Core Insights - The article emphasizes the potential investment opportunities in stocks that have underperformed despite a strong overall market performance in the U.S. equities, particularly focusing on companies with solid business models that have been overlooked [1][2]. The Trade Desk (TTD) - The Trade Desk has seen its shares decline nearly 70% from their highs, but the valuation has become compelling after years of being considered untenable [5][8]. - The company operates a leading independent demand-side platform (DSP) for digital advertising, which is increasingly important as advertisers seek transparency and control [6]. - Revenue growth is expected to be in the high teens for the current year and next, with earnings projected to compound at approximately 20.4% annually over the next three to five years [7]. The Blackstone Group (BX) - Blackstone's share price has been pressured due to negative sentiment following the collapse of First Brands Group, which raised concerns about the private credit market [9][10]. - Despite the narrative risks, Blackstone remains a dominant player in alternative investments with a diversified platform and strong fundamentals, including projected revenue growth of nearly 26% next year [11][12]. - The stock trades at approximately 29x forward earnings, which is below industry peers and only modestly above its five-year median multiple, indicating a more reasonable valuation [12]. Salesforce (CRM) - Salesforce has lagged in stock performance due to shifting investor sentiment around AI monetization, but it remains deeply integrated into enterprise workflows [14][15]. - The company possesses a rich dataset and is well-positioned to leverage AI for productivity and decision-making enhancements, with a projected 15% annual earnings growth over the next three to five years [16][17]. - The stock's valuation has reset to approximately 22.6x forward earnings, and the company has consistently beaten earnings estimates, indicating strong execution [17]. Investment Outlook - All three companies—The Trade Desk, Blackstone, and Salesforce—share characteristics of high-quality businesses with reset valuations and intact long-term growth drivers, making them attractive for investors looking toward 2026 [18].

Core Insights - Blackstone's management and advisory fees reached a record $2 billion in Q3 2025, marking a 14% year-over-year increase [1] - The company is the largest owner of commercial real estate globally, managing a diverse portfolio that includes warehouses, offices, and residential units [2] - Blackstone manages over $1.2 trillion in assets and has a history of acquiring stakes in companies to enhance their performance [3] - The company has consistently paid quarterly dividends since 2007, with a forward dividend of $4.69 and a yield of approximately 3% [4] - Performance allocations, which are incentive fees based on investment success, generated $781.5 million in Q3, down from $1.6 billion a year ago [7] - Total revenue for Q3 2025 was around $3.09 billion, a 16% decrease from the previous year, with GAAP net income at approximately $625 million, reflecting a 20% decline [8] - Distributable earnings surged 48% to $1.9 billion, indicating strong cash flow despite overall revenue declines [8] Financial Performance - Management and advisory fees surpassed $2 billion in Q3 2025, a 14% increase year-over-year [1] - Performance allocations fell to $781.5 million in Q3 from $1.6 billion the previous year, highlighting volatility in this revenue stream [7] - Total revenue decreased to $3.09 billion, a 16% decline from the prior year, while GAAP net income was approximately $625 million, down 20% [8] - Distributable earnings increased by 48% to $1.9 billion, showcasing resilience in cash flow [8] Investment Considerations - Blackstone's strong market position as the largest alternative asset manager supports its potential for long-term income generation [6] - The company's diverse investment strategy includes loans to companies lacking traditional financing and investments in large-scale global projects [2] - The consistent dividend payments and growth over the past decade make Blackstone an attractive option for income-focused investors [4]

Global Rental Market Dynamics - The global rental market in November shows divergence, with the US market experiencing a decline in rents due to an influx of new housing supply, particularly in fast-growing areas like Austin and Denver, indicating a shift from a "landlord's market" to a tenant's market [2][3] - In the US, the median rent for 0-2 bedroom units in the top 50 cities is approximately $1,693, down 1% year-over-year, marking the 28th consecutive month of annual declines [3] - The European market continues to see high rents, while the Asia-Pacific region is steadily expanding, with centralized long-term rental companies growing despite a seasonal decline in rents [2] Regional Rental Market Developments United States - In November, the national median rent fell to $1,367, with a monthly decrease of 1.0% and an annual decrease of 1.1% [3] - Significant rent declines were observed in cities like Austin (-6.6%), Denver (-4.8%), and Birmingham (-4.6%) [3] Greece - Greece's rental market is set for a major reform starting in 2026, transitioning to bank payments for rent to combat "black rent" issues, with significant implications for landlords and tenants [4] Netherlands - The Dutch rental market is characterized by ongoing investor sell-offs of rental properties, leading to a decrease in rental housing supply, particularly for smaller units [5] Australia - From November 25, Victoria's rental market will undergo significant reforms aimed at enhancing tenant rights, including the prohibition of "no-fault evictions" and extending notice periods for rent increases [7] Singapore - In November, apartment rents slightly decreased by 0.1%, with a year-on-year increase of 2.3%, while the rental market for public housing units showed a recovery with a monthly increase of 0.5% [8] South Korea - Seoul's apartment rents increased by 3.29% from January to November, marking the highest growth since 2015, with the average monthly rent reaching 1,476,000 KRW [9] China - In November, the rental market in China's top 10 cities saw a median rent of 1,700 CNY/month, with a month-on-month decline of 5.45% [11] - Chengdu experienced the largest decline at 6.93%, while Sanya was the only city to see an increase of 0.92% [11][13] Rental Enterprise Developments - Several rental communities and hotels opened in November, including Hefei Anju Group's "Chengyu·Zhenjing" community and Wuhan's "Yuyun Chuang" youth apartment, aimed at providing quality housing options for young professionals [14][15][27] - The rental market is seeing a trend of new openings and expansions, with companies like Magic Cube Apartment and Zhenxing Apartment launching multiple new locations across key urban areas [16][17] Rental Housing Supply Dynamics - The rental housing market is actively addressing supply through various initiatives, including the introduction of affordable rental housing projects in cities like Wuhan and Quanzhou, aimed at meeting the needs of young professionals [28][30] - The market is also witnessing a trend of converting commercial properties into rental housing to enhance supply [46]

Core Insights - Founder-led companies, while representing less than 5% of the S&P 500, significantly influence the global economy, accounting for nearly 15% of the S&P 500's total market capitalization [2] - These companies often emerge from revolutionary ideas and technological innovations, designed for resilience and longevity, with founders typically facing initial skepticism from investors [3] - Research indicates that founder-led firms outperform their peers, generating a market-adjusted return of 12% over three years compared to a negative 26% for non-founder-led companies [4] Company Highlights - **NVIDIA Corporation**: - Market capitalization of approximately $4.58 trillion, recognized as a leader in visual computing and GPUs, with a strategic focus on AI-driven solutions [6] - The data center segment is a significant growth driver, fueled by increasing demand for cloud-based infrastructure [8] - **Palantir Technologies**: - Market capitalization of about $439 billion, specializing in advanced software platforms for the intelligence community [9] - The company raised its full-year 2025 revenue guidance to a midpoint of $4.398 billion, indicating a year-over-year growth of 53% [12] - **Blackstone Inc.**: - Market capitalization of about $190.4 billion, the largest alternative asset manager with over $1.24 trillion in assets under management [13] - The firm has a strong global footprint and continues to generate meaningful inflows, with available capital reaching $188.1 billion as of September 30, 2025 [16] - **Robinhood Markets**: - Market capitalization of approximately $105.6 billion, focused on modernizing investing and banking with a range of new products and services [17] - The company operates nine business segments, each generating over $100 million in annualized revenues, and aims to expand its footprint in the Asia-Pacific region [19][20]

Core Viewpoint - The private credit industry, once distinct for its unique advantages, is increasingly resembling the public credit market, leading to a decline in return rates as banks recover and direct lending institutions invest heavily in retail tools [1][9]. Group 1: Industry Growth and Trends - The private credit industry's asset size has steadily grown to $2.4 trillion by 2024, with traditional closed-end funds raising $113 billion in the first half of 2025 [2]. - New funding sources, such as perpetual funds like Blackstone's BCRED, are rapidly gaining popularity, raising $48 billion in the first half of 2025, accounting for 40% of inflows into traditional institutional funds [2]. - The pursuit of retail funds is expected to continue, with estimates suggesting that individual wealth allocated to private credit could grow nearly fourfold to $1.5 trillion by 2029 [2]. Group 2: Challenges and Market Dynamics - A significant amount of raised capital, amounting to $543 billion, remains uninvested as of the end of 2024, indicating challenges in finding suitable investment opportunities [5]. - The additional premium that direct lending institutions charge over publicly issued bonds is under pressure, having halved in Europe to just over 1 percentage point, and sometimes even lower in the U.S. [8]. - Private credit is becoming a common financing tool in traditional acquisition markets, with borrowers increasingly leveraging competition between markets and lenders [9]. Group 3: Evolving Financing Structures - Direct lending institutions are adapting by offering more flexible loan structures, such as installment loans, to attract borrowers like private equity firms [8]. - Private credit managers are exploring new growth areas, with firms like Blue Owl becoming key players in financing AI assets, while Apollo utilizes its insurance arm to provide tailored financing to higher-rated companies [8]. - The lines between private and traditional credit are blurring, with retail fund growth potentially narrowing the gap and leading to a world of lower returns and higher liquidity [9].

Company Overview - Blackstone Inc. (BX) has a market capitalization of $114.8 billion and specializes in alternative asset management, including private equity, real estate, hedge fund solutions, credit, and multi-asset investment strategies across various industries and geographies [1] Financial Performance - Analysts expect Blackstone to report an adjusted EPS of $1.52 for fiscal Q4 2025, which represents a 10.1% decrease from $1.69 in the same quarter of the previous year [2] - For fiscal 2025, the anticipated adjusted EPS is $5.34, reflecting a 15.1% increase from $4.64 in fiscal 2024, with projections for adjusted EPS to grow 21.2% year-over-year to $6.47 in fiscal 2026 [3] Stock Performance - Over the past 52 weeks, Blackstone shares have decreased by 11.9%, underperforming the S&P 500 Index, which gained 14.8%, and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF, which returned 13.3% [4] - Despite reporting an adjusted EPS of $1.52 and adjusted revenue of $3.3 billion for Q3 2025, Blackstone shares fell by 4.2% on October 23 due to a significant decline in GAAP results, with net income dropping to $624.9 million ($0.80 per share) from $780.8 million ($1.02 per share) a year earlier, and total reported revenue declining by 15.7% year-over-year to $3.09 billion [5] Analyst Ratings - The consensus view on Blackstone stock is cautiously optimistic, with a "Moderate Buy" rating overall. Among 22 analysts, eight recommend "Strong Buy," two suggest "Moderate Buy," 11 indicate "Hold," and one has a "Strong Sell." The average analyst price target for Blackstone is $179.80, indicating a potential upside of 15.7% from current levels [6]

Core Viewpoint - The Justice Department's Antitrust Division has filed a proposed consent decree to address anticompetitive practices by LivCor, a Blackstone portfolio company, in the rental market [1] Group 1: Proposed Consent Decree Requirements - LivCor must refrain from using any anticompetitive algorithms that generate pricing recommendations based on competitors' sensitive data or that include certain anticompetitive features [1] - LivCor is required to avoid sharing competitively sensitive information with competitors [1] - The company must accept a court-appointed monitor if it utilizes a third-party pricing algorithm that is not certified under the consent decree [1] Group 2: Participation and Cooperation - LivCor is prohibited from attending or participating in meetings hosted by RealPage that involve competing landlords [1] - The company is expected to cooperate with the United States' claims against other defendants involved in similar anticompetitive practices [1]

Group 1 - The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved Blackstone's plan to acquire a 9.99% stake in Federal Bank through warrants [1] - Blackstone will invest approximately Rs61.9 billion (about $705 million) in Federal Bank, which is a private sector commercial bank in India [3] - The total investment in the Indian banking sector is valued at approximately Rs396.2 billion, pending regulatory clearance [5] Group 2 - Under the deal, Blackstone will have the right to nominate one director to Federal Bank's board as long as its shareholding remains at or above 5% [2] - Asia II Topco XIII, the entity through which Blackstone is investing, is controlled by funds managed by Blackstone affiliates [2] - Recent investments in India's private banking sector include Emirates NBD's agreement to buy a 60% stake in RBL Bank for close to $3 billion and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation's acquisition of 20% in Yes Bank [3][4]

Core Viewpoint - The U.S. Justice Department has settled claims against LivCor, a property management firm owned by Blackstone, regarding allegations of collusion among competing landlords to artificially inflate rental prices through the sharing of rental pricing information [1] Group 1: Legal Settlement - The settlement addresses a lawsuit that accused LivCor and other landlords of engaging in anti-competitive practices [1] - The resolution of the lawsuit indicates a significant legal challenge faced by property management firms in the current regulatory environment [1] Group 2: Implications for the Real Estate Industry - The case highlights ongoing scrutiny of rental practices and potential regulatory actions aimed at preventing collusion in the real estate market [1] - The outcome may influence how property management firms operate and share information regarding rental pricing in the future [1]

Core Viewpoint - Blackstone Inc. (BX) is showing potential for investment as it has reached a significant support level and surpassed the 200-day moving average, indicating a long-term bullish trend [1]. Technical Analysis - The 200-day simple moving average is a key indicator used by traders and analysts to identify market trends over the long term, serving as a support or resistance level [2]. - BX shares have increased by 10.2% over the past four weeks, suggesting positive momentum [2]. Earnings Estimates - There have been no downward revisions in earnings estimates for BX in the past two months, while five estimates have been revised upward, indicating positive sentiment [3]. - The consensus earnings estimate for BX has also increased, reinforcing the bullish outlook for the company [3].