Core Insights - Uber is expanding its delivery business into seven new European markets, including Austria, Denmark, Norway, the Czech Republic, Greece, Romania, and Finland, aiming to generate an additional $1 billion in gross bookings over the next three years [2][3] Group 1: Market Expansion - The expansion is part of a strategy to challenge established competitors in these markets, where incumbents have become complacent [3] - Uber will compete with Finland-based Wolt, which was acquired by DoorDash in 2022, amidst a wave of consolidation in the European food delivery sector [7] Group 2: Strategic Acquisitions - Uber plans to acquire rival Getir's food delivery operation in Turkey, which is expected to enhance its Trendyol Go business by consolidating operations and leveraging global technology [8] Group 3: Technological Advancements - Uber Eats is set to launch an AI-powered feature called Cart Assistant, allowing users to create grocery lists using text or images, enhancing user experience and operational efficiency [9][10] - The integration of generative AI across Uber's platform aims to optimize operations and provide personalized consumer experiences [10]

Core Insights - Maplebear Inc. (NASDAQ:CART) is recognized as one of the top 12 mid-cap AI stocks favored by hedge funds, indicating strong investor interest in the company [1] - The company reported Q4 earnings, achieving revenue of $992 million, which exceeded Wall Street estimates by $18 million, although the EPS of $0.3 fell short of expectations of $0.52 [1] - Following the earnings announcement, Maplebear's shares increased by over 13% [1] Partnership and Business Expansion - On February 10, Maplebear entered a strategic partnership with Toast (NYSE:TOST) to enhance its presence in the U.S. restaurant and retail sectors [2] - The partnership will enable Toast's retail customers to link their in-store inventory with the Instacart marketplace, creating new sales opportunities and improving online reach [2] - This collaboration will also bolster Maplebear's B2B same-day delivery platform, allowing restaurants to order essential items with delivery within an hour [3] Future Plans and Market Outlook - A pilot launch of the partnership is scheduled for early this year, with a nationwide rollout expected by 2026 [3] - Benchmark has lowered its price target for Maplebear from $60 to $53 while maintaining a Buy rating, reflecting a positive outlook despite the adjustment [3]

Core Viewpoint - Needham raised the price target on Instacart (CART) to $55 from $50 while maintaining a Buy rating, indicating confidence in the company's performance amidst competitive pressures [1] Summary by Category Price Target Adjustment - The price target for Instacart has been increased to $55 from $50, reflecting a positive outlook on the company's future performance [1] Competitive Position - The company's continued execution is seen as providing positive data points that alleviate concerns regarding competition in the market [1]

Market Overview - Overseas stock markets closed lower on Friday, with the Euro Stoxx 50 down by -0.43%, China's Shanghai Composite down -1.26%, and Japan's Nikkei Stock 225 down -1.21% [1] - The S&P 500 Index closed up +0.05%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average up +0.10%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index up +0.18% [7] Earnings Reports - More than two-thirds of S&P 500 companies have reported Q4 earnings, with 76% beating expectations. S&P earnings growth is expected to rise by +8.4% in Q4, marking the tenth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth [2] - Rivian Automotive reported Q4 revenue of $1.29 billion, exceeding the consensus of $1.26 billion, and forecasted full-year vehicle deliveries of 62,000 to 67,000 [13] - Applied Materials reported Q1 adjusted EPS of $2.38, better than the consensus of $2.21, and forecasted Q2 adjusted EPS of $2.44 to $2.84 [14] - Airbnb reported Q4 gross booking value of $20.4 billion, surpassing the consensus of $19.46 billion, and forecasted Q1 revenue of $2.59 billion to $2.63 billion [16] Sector Performance - Software stocks rallied, with Crowdstrike Holdings up more than +4% and ServiceNow up more than +3%, contributing to the overall market support [10] - Metal companies retreated due to reports of the Trump administration working to narrow tariffs on steel and aluminum products, with Century Aluminum down more than -7% [12] - Cryptocurrency-exposed stocks rose, led by Coinbase Global, which closed up more than +16% after Bitcoin rallied more than +4% [11] Economic Indicators - US January CPI rose +2.4% year-over-year, weaker than the expected +2.5%, marking the smallest increase in 7 months [3] - Falling bond yields were bullish for stocks, with the 10-year T-note yield falling to a 2.25-month low of 4.05% [6]

Group 1: Partnership Announcement - Toast and Instacart have formed a strategic partnership to address emergency supply needs in restaurants, integrating delivery capabilities with restaurant management software [4] - The partnership allows operators to quickly order and receive essential items like pantry ingredients and cleaning supplies, often within an hour during business hours [4][5] - This initiative highlights the importance of technology vendor integrations in solving operational challenges that operators may not have recognized [5] Group 2: Inventory Management Innovations - NomadGo has launched an early access program for its Inventory Reasoning Engine, an AI-driven tool aimed at improving restaurant supply chain management [6] - The new tool helps operators predict inventory needs, optimize ordering, and reduce waste by analyzing real-time data [6][7] - This development is part of a broader trend in the food tech industry, where operators are increasingly adopting automated solutions to address inefficiencies [7]

Market Overview - Overseas stock markets are lower, with the Euro Stoxx 50 down by -0.40%, China's Shanghai Composite down -1.26%, and Japan's Nikkei Stock 225 down -1.21% [1] - The markets are pricing in a 10% chance for a -25 basis point rate cut at the next policy meeting on March 17-18 [1] Earnings Reports - Q4 earnings season shows positive results, with 76% of the 358 S&P 500 companies that have reported beating expectations [2] - S&P earnings growth is expected to increase by +8.4% in Q4, marking the tenth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth [2] - Excluding the Magnificent Seven megacap technology stocks, Q4 earnings are expected to rise by +4.6% [2] Inflation Data - US January CPI rose +2.4% year-over-year, weaker than the expected +2.5% and the smallest increase in 7 months [3] - January core CPI rose +2.5% year-over-year, matching expectations and marking the smallest increase in 4.75 years [3] Stock Movements - Stocks initially moved lower, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 hitting 1-week lows due to concerns over AI disrupting various sectors [4] - Stock indexes recovered from early losses, with a rebound in chip makers leading the market, particularly Applied Materials which jumped +10% after reporting stronger-than-expected Q1 adjusted EPS [5][9] - Cryptocurrency-exposed stocks are climbing, with Bitcoin up more than +4% and Coinbase Global up more than +14% [10] Sector Performance - Metal companies are under pressure due to reports of the Trump administration working to narrow tariffs on steel and aluminum products, with Century Aluminum down more than -6% [11] - Rivian Automotive is up more than +19% after reporting Q4 revenue of $1.29 billion, exceeding consensus expectations [12] - Arista Networks is up more than +5% after reporting Q4 revenue of $2.49 billion, better than consensus [13] - Airbnb is up more than +4% after reporting Q4 gross booking value of $20.4 billion, exceeding expectations [14] Company Forecasts - DraftKings is down more than -12% after forecasting full-year revenue of $6.5 billion to $6.9 billion, below consensus [15] - Expedia Group is down more than -5% despite better-than-expected Q4 earnings, as AI poses a long-term risk for the online travel industry [16]

Company Performance - Pinterest shares fell over 20% in after-hours trading due to missing Wall Street's earnings and revenue expectations for Q4 [5] - Pinterest CEO attributed the disappointing results to President Trump's tariffs affecting retail advertisers, and the company provided weaker-than-expected guidance for Q1 [6] - In contrast, Instacart reported strong revenue and an optimistic forecast for Q1, leading to a 13% increase in its shares before the market opened [6] Economic Indicators - The Bureau of Labor Statistics is set to release January's consumer price index (CPI), which was delayed due to a government shutdown [2] - Economists anticipate a 2.5% year-over-year increase in the CPI, which would align with levels seen in May 2025 [3] Industry Valuations - Three NBA teams reached valuations of $10 billion during the 2024-2025 season, with the Golden State Warriors valued at $10.8 billion, the New York Knicks at $10.1 billion, and the Los Angeles Lakers at $10 billion [11][12] - The average revenue for the league's 30 teams was $416 million, resulting in an average valuation of $5.52 billion, reflecting an 18% increase from the previous year [12] Climate Policy - The Trump administration revoked a significant finding that classified six greenhouse gases as threats to public health, which could have long-term implications for climate change efforts [9][10]

Group 1 - OpenAI's internal turmoil has stabilized, allowing SoftBank's Masayoshi Son to reduce personal financial risk related to a $1 billion personal guarantee for investments in OpenAI [3][4] - SoftBank has invested $34.6 billion in OpenAI, acquiring an 11% stake, with the investment recorded in the Vision Fund 2, which previously faced significant losses [4][5] - The Vision Fund 2's value has improved by $19.8 billion due to OpenAI's equity appreciation, reducing its overall loss to approximately 3% [4][5] Group 2 - SoftBank's stock price has doubled over the past year, reflecting market confidence in OpenAI, although the substantial profits from the Vision Fund 2 primarily benefit Masayoshi Son [5][6] - Despite the potential for OpenAI's turmoil to resurface, Son has minimized downside risk as SoftBank has converted its loans to the Vision Fund 2 into preferred shares [6] - The company is heavily reliant on debt to fund its AI investment commitments, indicating a strategic focus on financial engineering [6] Group 3 - Pinterest's stock fell 18% after reporting a slowdown in revenue growth to 14%, attributed to reduced advertising spending from large retailers due to new furniture tariffs [7] - Pinterest's CEO expressed dissatisfaction with the fourth-quarter performance and emphasized the need to restore growth rates to 15%-20% [7] - Other companies like Airbnb and Instacart reported positive earnings growth, with Airbnb's revenue growth accelerating to 12% and Instacart's revenue reaching $992 million, up 12% year-over-year [7]

RT zerohedge (@zerohedge)After Hours:AMAT +10%...big revs guide above on March qtr and “expect to grow our semiconductor equipment business over 20 percent this calendar year”ABNB +1%...Solid beat and C26 " year-over-year revenue growth to accelerate to at least low double digits”ANET +8%...Solid 1Q guide (4Q Revs +29% y/y, GMs 63.4%)CART +13%...1Q EBITDA and GTV guide ahead of consTWLO -8%...beat/guide aboveROKU +12%...4Q Revs inline, 1Q/FY26 EBITDA guided aboveEXPE -3%...4Q GBs/EBITDA beat but 1Q GBs guid ...

Market Overview - US stock futures showed mixed signals following a broad market sell-off, with S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures near flatline, while Nasdaq 100 futures also remained little changed after significant selling pressure on tech stocks [1] - The market is reacting to a cooler-than-expected inflation reading, which is influencing expectations regarding Federal Reserve interest rate policies [1][2] Inflation Data - The Consumer Price Index (CPI) indicated a 0.2% increase in consumer prices for January compared to the previous month, and a 2.4% increase year-on-year, which was lower than economists' expectations [2][5] - The core CPI, excluding food and energy, rose by 0.3% month-on-month and 2.5% year-on-year, aligning with expectations [6] Federal Reserve Outlook - The inflation readings have shifted traders' outlook for potential rate cuts, now pricing in a 51% chance of at least one 25 basis-point cut by the June meeting, while the March meeting is expected to maintain current rates with less than 10% likelihood of a cut [7] Company Earnings and Stock Movements - Rivian's stock surged nearly 20% following a fourth-quarter earnings beat, with the company on track to deliver its R2 midsize model before summer [5][15] - Applied Materials saw its stock climb over 10% after beating Wall Street expectations, contributing to a year-to-date increase of 27% [4][16] - Pinterest shares fell about 20% due to a revenue forecast that fell short of analysts' estimates, raising concerns about AI risks to its platform [4][17] - DraftKings stock dropped 17% after missing analyst expectations for guidance, while Roku's stock rose 15% after beating fourth-quarter earnings estimates [8][9] AI Impact on Market Sentiment - Concerns about AI disruption have affected various sectors, including real estate and logistics, leading to a sell-off in tech stocks, particularly the "Magnificent Seven" megacaps [3] - Conversely, fears surrounding AI have benefited Asian stocks, particularly chipmakers, as global funds shift preference towards hardware producers with strong pricing power [11][12][13]