Group 1 - Moretus Research provides high-quality equity research focused on U.S. public markets, aiming to deliver clarity, conviction, and alpha for serious investors [1] - The research framework identifies companies with durable business models, mispriced cash flow potential, and intelligent capital allocation, emphasizing a structured and repeatable approach [1] - Valuation methods are based on sector-relevant multiples tailored to each company's business model and capital structure, prioritizing comparability, simplicity, and relevance [1] Group 2 - Research coverage focuses on underappreciated companies experiencing structural changes or temporary dislocations, where disciplined analysis can yield asymmetric returns [1] - Moretus Research aims to elevate the standard for independent investment research by providing professional-grade insights and actionable valuation [1]

Group 1 - Builder.ai, once a prominent AI unicorn with a valuation of $1.3 billion and over $450 million in funding, has recently filed for bankruptcy across multiple countries [1][2][10]. - The company, originally founded as Engineer.ai in 2016, aimed to revolutionize app development using AI, but ultimately failed to deliver on its promises [4][5][6]. - Internal audits revealed that Builder.ai's actual revenue was only $55 million, significantly lower than the projected $220 million, leading to investigations into fraudulent financial practices [13][14]. Group 2 - The company's AI project manager, Natasha, was marketed as a sophisticated AI solution but was revealed to rely on manual labor from outsourced engineers [15][17]. - Following financial troubles, the founder, Sachin Dev Duggal, stepped down as CEO, and the company entered a phase of crisis management under new leadership [18][19]. - By May 2025, Builder.ai faced severe financial distress, leading to the freezing of $37 million in accounts and the initiation of bankruptcy proceedings in multiple jurisdictions [20][21]. Group 3 - Builder.ai's collapse is indicative of a broader trend in the tech industry, where many companies are found to be fabricating AI capabilities and relying on manual processes while presenting themselves as AI-driven [25][42]. - Other companies, such as Nate and Joonko, have also been implicated in similar fraudulent practices, highlighting a pattern of "AI washing" in the industry [26][30][40]. - The situation raises concerns about the integrity of AI narratives and the need for stricter regulations and transparency in the AI sector [58][60].

Investment Rating - The report does not provide a specific investment rating for the industry or companies mentioned Core Insights - The Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) technology is expected to be a significant trend in the optical communication sector, potentially disrupting the existing value chain within the next 2-3 years [14][40] - The global switch market has shown robust growth, with a year-on-year increase of 20.1% in 2023, surpassing USD 40 billion, driven by the scaling of large language model training and data centers [20][21] - CPO shipments are projected to start with small volumes and dominate the 3.2T segment by 2028-2029, with penetration rates in the AI Data Center switch market expected to reach 2% in 2025, 22% in 2027, and 32% in 2030 [2][27] Summary by Sections CPO Technology and Market Outlook - NVIDIA is set to launch its first generation of CPO switch, Quantum 3400 X800, at the GPU Technology Conference (GTC) 2025, with mass production expected to begin in July 2025 [15][45] - Broadcom has introduced the Tomahawk 5 Bailly, a 51.2T Ethernet switch CPO product, which integrates advanced optical engines and is designed to operate at significantly lower power consumption [3][47] - The report estimates that CPO switch penetration in the AI Data Center switch market could reach 2% in 2025, 22% in 2027, and 32% in 2030, indicating a growing acceptance of this technology [27][28] Key Players and Developments - Major players in the CPO market include NVIDIA, Broadcom, and TSMC, with each company making significant advancements in CPO technology [3][41] - Chinese companies such as Suzhou TFC and Accelink are also positioned to benefit from the CPO trend, focusing on optical component manufacturing [4][56] - The report highlights that the integration of optical and electronic components through CPO technology can lead to reduced costs and power consumption, enhancing overall system performance [36][38] AI Applications and Market Dynamics - OpenAI's ChatGPT continues to lead in global AI applications, with a daily active user count fluctuating between 60-63 million, while DeepSeek has emerged as a leading app in China's generative AI market with a DAU of 49 million [5][62] - The competitive landscape in AI applications is evolving, with new models like OpenAI's GPT-4.5 and Alibaba's QwQ-32B being introduced, showcasing advancements in performance and efficiency [10][79] - The report notes that the global AI market is experiencing sustained growth, particularly in China, driven by increasing user engagement and the introduction of innovative AI solutions [60][67]

Core Viewpoint - The recent market sell-off, with the Nasdaq Composite down over 13% from its all-time highs, presents potential long-term buying opportunities in the technology sector. Group 1: Nvidia - Nvidia is the leader in AI infrastructure, with its GPUs providing essential processing power for AI model training and inference [2][3] - The company's revenue has more than doubled in both fiscal years 2024 and 2025 [2] - Nvidia holds approximately 90% market share in the GPU space, supported by its CUDA software platform, and is currently down nearly 22% from its all-time highs [4] Group 2: Broadcom - Broadcom is focusing on custom AI chips, providing an alternative to Nvidia's high-priced offerings [5] - The company has three main AI chip customers with a combined serviceable addressable market of $60 billion to $90 billion for fiscal 2027 [6] - Broadcom's stock is down about 23% from its all-time highs set in December 2024, presenting a buying opportunity [7] Group 3: Alphabet - Alphabet is a leader in digital advertising and cloud computing, with significant growth in its cloud unit, which saw a 30% revenue increase last quarter [8][10] - The company is well-positioned to leverage AI for new ad formats, potentially tapping into a large new market [9] - Alphabet's stock is down about 21% from highs set early last month, making it an attractive long-term investment [10] Group 4: Salesforce - Salesforce aims to lead in agentic AI, which automates tasks with minimal human supervision, offering significant business applications [11] - The launch of Agentforce has attracted 5,000 customers, including 3,000 paying customers, since its introduction [12][13] - The stock is down nearly 26% since December 2024, providing a good entry point for investors [13] Group 5: GitLab - GitLab is a fast-growing DevSecOps platform, with a high-margin subscription model benefiting from AI integration [14] - The company has seen a 29% increase in revenue last quarter, marking its sixth consecutive quarter of growth between 29% to 33% [16] - GitLab's stock is down about 31% from early February highs, presenting a strong buying opportunity [14][17]

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the upcoming earnings reports from various sectors, particularly retail and technology, providing insights into how companies are navigating the current economic landscape [2][3]. Retail Sector - Major retailers such as Target, Costco, Best Buy, and Macy's are set to release their quarterly earnings, with expectations of varied performance based on recent trends [2]. - Target is anticipated to report a profit decline of over 28% and a slight revenue decrease, despite a 2.8% increase in holiday sales [9][11]. - Costco's comparable sales surged by 9.9% in December, significantly exceeding the expected 5.2%, with analysts maintaining a "buy" rating despite concerns over high valuations [16][18]. Technology Sector - Key technology companies including Broadcom, CrowdStrike, and MongoDB will also report earnings, providing updates on enterprise demand and trends in AI adoption and cybersecurity [2]. - GitLab is expected to show a 52% profit increase and a 26% revenue growth, with a strong buy rating from analysts [6]. - Zscaler is projected to see a 21% revenue growth but a 9% profit decline, with mixed ratings from analysts regarding its valuation [13][14]. Renewable Energy and Electric Vehicles - Companies in the renewable energy and electric vehicle infrastructure sectors, such as Plug Power and ChargePoint, are also scheduled to report earnings, contributing to the overall insights into these rapidly growing industries [3]. Summary of Earnings Expectations - A summary of key earnings reports from March 3 to March 7 includes GitLab, Target, Zscaler, Costco, and Genesco, with each company showing distinct trends and analyst expectations [5][8][20].