What We’re Reading (Week Ending 08 February 2026) : The Good Investors %

Group 1: Software and AI Trends - SaaS software stocks have seen a significant decline since October 2025 due to concerns about software being disrupted by AI, leading to an overly pessimistic market outlook [3] - The future of work is shifting towards AI agents handling low-value tasks, allowing humans to focus on higher-value creative and strategic tasks [4] - High-value, mission-critical software, such as cybersecurity and payment systems, is expected to remain robust, while low-value software may face challenges [9] Group 2: Data Center Power Demand and Supply - Current power consumption by data centers is approximately 45 GW, with estimates suggesting it could rise to 90-95 GW by 2030 and around 160 GW by 2035 [10][11] - Utilities are working on connecting around 140 GW of near-term supply, which is nearly sufficient to meet the projected demand by 2030 [11][13] - The demand forecasts for data centers are subject to change, with moderate confidence in current estimates due to rapid advancements in technology and efficiency [14] Group 3: Community Banks and Financial Reporting - Call Reports provide a more accurate picture of a community bank's financial health compared to public financial statements, which often misrepresent economic reality [19][20] - The economic book value of a bank is better reflected in the Call Report, showing total bank equity capital significantly higher than what public financials indicate [21][23] - For example, West Shore Bank's Call Report shows total bank equity capital at approximately $73 million, while public financials suggest a much lower figure [22][23]