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AI spending is not all equal. Wall Street rewards hyperscalers, punishes DoorDash and Duolingo
CNBCยท2025-11-11 12:30

Core Viewpoint - The tech sector is experiencing a divergence in investor sentiment, with large companies benefiting from increased capital expenditure forecasts while smaller firms face skepticism and stock price declines due to rising spending concerns related to profitability [1][2][3]. Group 1: Company Performance - DoorDash's stock dropped 17%, marking its worst decline in five years, after announcing plans to invest "several hundred million dollars" in new products and technology [5][6]. - Duolingo experienced a 25% drop in stock value, now down 41% for the year, despite beating revenue and bookings, as it focuses on user growth over immediate monetization [9][10]. - Roblox shares fell nearly 16% after warning that increased spending on safety and infrastructure could impact margins, with analysts expressing concerns about profitability [18][19]. Group 2: Investment Strategies - DoorDash is investing heavily in autonomous delivery and has spent a total of $5.1 billion on acquisitions, indicating a commitment to future growth despite short-term margin pressures [6][7]. - Duolingo is prioritizing user growth by investing in AI features, suggesting that financial results from these long-term investments may take several quarters to materialize [10][11]. - Roblox's management acknowledges that investments in safety may hinder near-term engagement but are expected to benefit long-term growth [18][19]. Group 3: Analyst Sentiment - Analysts are cautious about smaller companies like DoorDash, Duolingo, and Roblox, expressing skepticism about their ability to generate substantial new revenue from increased spending [2][7][17]. - KeyBanc Capital Markets downgraded Duolingo's stock to hold, citing concerns over the impact of increased investments on near-term bookings and earnings [10][11]. - Benchmark analysts downgraded Roblox shares to hold, anticipating that investments will hinder profitability in the near term [18][19].