We recently published an article titled 11 High Growth Micro-cap Stocks to Buy.  Vivid Seats is among the high-growth micro-cap stocks to buy. On January 20, Deutsche Bank lowered its price target on Vivid Seats Inc. (NASDAQ:SEAT) to $7 from $18 while maintaining a Hold rating, reflecting a more cautious near-term view amid a challenging discretionary spending backdrop for live events and ticketing platforms. While the adjustment underscores ongoing volatility in the secondary ticketing market, it does no ...

Core Insights - Tax Receivable Agreements (TRAs) represent a unique asset class that combines features of debt and equity, providing holders with a stream of payments typically over 15 years, and have historically yielded around 20% per annum, nearly double that of comparable direct lending [1][2][33] Group 1: Understanding TRAs - TRAs are contracts between public companies and pre-IPO shareholders of partnerships, requiring the public company to pay a portion of specific tax savings to these shareholders over a set period [3][4] - The Up-C structure allows companies to maintain tax efficiency while going public, utilizing inefficiencies in the tax code to generate tax savings that are shared with LLC founders [7][10] - As of early 2025, approximately 150 publicly listed companies in the US had outstanding TRAs, with more than half established since 2020, indicating a growing trend in their use [22][58] Group 2: Market Dynamics and Investment Opportunities - The secondary market for TRAs has expanded, with around 8% of recent IPOs involving TRAs, up from less than 1% in 2005, suggesting increasing recognition and potential for investment [33][35] - TRAs currently have a combined value of approximately USD 30 billion, making them significant enough for specialized buyers to consider purchasing from existing owners [35] - Investors in TRAs can achieve returns of 18-22% per annum, which are generally uncorrelated with broader market movements, presenting a compelling opportunity for yield-seeking investors [36][37] Group 3: Legal and Structural Considerations - The complexity of TRAs and their structures can lead to legal challenges, particularly regarding the voting control of pre-IPO investors and potential conflicts of interest [45][46] - Recent cases highlight the scrutiny surrounding TRAs, with courts increasingly examining the fairness of transactions involving TRA terminations and payments [49][50] - Companies are increasingly opting to simplify their structures by terminating TRAs, which can enhance investability and create flexibility for future growth opportunities [42][48] Group 4: Future Outlook - The number of public companies utilizing TRAs is expected to grow, particularly as private equity and venture capital firms look to take their portfolio companies public [58][62] - As TRAs gain visibility, they may become a more mainstream investment class, similar to other asset classes like music and pharmaceutical royalties [62][63] - Investors are advised to monitor companies undergoing changes to their TRA structures, as these may present short- or long-term benefits [43]

Core Strategy and Value Proposition - The company is increasing focus and investment in delivering a leading value proposition to customers, combining a loyalty program with a lowest price guarantee in the app, which is expected to enhance customer engagement and transaction volume [1][5] - The foundational advantages of the company, including leading technology and unique data, are seen as critical for returning to profitable growth, with a focus on building a loyal customer base [2][11] Leadership Transition - A leadership transition has occurred, with Lawrence C. Fey succeeding Stan Chia as CEO, who is credited with guiding the company through significant challenges [3][4] - The new CEO aims to take decisive actions to reverse recent trends and position the company for long-term success [3][4] Financial Performance and Outlook - In Q3, the company reported $618 million in Marketplace Gross Order Value (GOV), down 29% year-over-year, with revenues of $136 million, also down 27% [13][14] - The company anticipates 2026 Marketplace GOV to be between $2.2 billion and $2.6 billion, with an expected adjusted EBITDA of $30 to $40 million [15][16] Cost Reduction and Corporate Simplification - The company has doubled its fixed cost reduction target from $25 million to $60 million, with substantial progress already made [7][10] - A corporate simplification agreement has been executed, which is expected to yield significant savings and improve operational efficiency [8][9] Marketing and Customer Engagement - A national marketing campaign in partnership with ESPN aims to increase awareness of the app, reaching over 127 million global subscribers [6][39] - The company is focusing on personalized marketing efforts to engage existing users and drive app usage [41][42] Competitive Landscape - The competitive environment has shown signs of stabilization, with a noted shift in marketing aggressiveness from competitors like StubHub [30][56] - The company believes that its enhanced app value proposition will provide a competitive edge, particularly as it moves more transactions into the app [5][47] International Expansion and Market Position - The international business has reached a contribution margin positive status, with plans to continue investing in competitive supply across various countries [66] - The company is focused on defending its core business while exploring opportunities for future growth and potential consolidation in the industry [62][66]

Market Overview - The Russell 2000 Index increased by 12.4% in Q3 2025, achieving a new all-time high after nearly three years, driven by improved earnings revisions, optimism around Federal Reserve rate cuts, and a strong appetite for speculative growth stocks [2] - Retail investors played a significant role in this rally, focusing on a narrow set of stocks, which led to both breadth and concentration in returns [2] - Despite the gains, volatility remained low, and valuations were stretched, creating a sense of complacency amid ongoing policy and macroeconomic risks [3] Portfolio Performance - The ClearBridge Small Cap Strategy had positive absolute performance but slightly underperformed the benchmark [4] - The materials sector was a key contributor, with MP Materials benefiting from new supply agreements with the U.S. Department of Defense and government support for rare earth production [5] - Information technology also performed well, with TeraWulf gaining from a rebound in cryptocurrency prices and a significant investment from Google [6] Sector Performance - Communication services was the leading detractor, with companies like Criteo and Gambling.com facing sector-specific challenges despite positive earnings [7] - Consumer discretionary also showed weakness, particularly with Murphy USA reporting lower-than-expected earnings due to various operational challenges [8] Portfolio Positioning - New positions were initiated in Quaker Houghton and Avidity Biosciences, with the former expected to improve margins and returns, and the latter having a promising pipeline for RNA-based therapeutics [9][10] - The position in Vivid Seats was exited due to increasing competitive pressures in the secondary ticketing market [11] Outlook - The environment remains challenging for active small cap investors, with a focus on speculative stocks making it difficult for fundamentally driven strategies to perform [13] - However, there are signs of improvement in earnings revisions and a potential shift back towards companies with sustainable business models [14] - The strategy emphasizes high-quality businesses and strong balance sheets, with a belief that patience and discipline will ultimately yield value [15] Portfolio Highlights - The ClearBridge Small Cap Strategy underperformed the Russell 2000 Index, with gains in 10 of 11 sectors, while stock selection in communication services and consumer discretionary weighed on performance [16][17] - Key contributors included MP Materials and TeraWulf, while Murphy USA and Gambling.com were among the largest detractors [18] - New positions were also established in various sectors, including healthcare and consumer staples, while exiting positions in several companies across different sectors [19]

Company Overview - StubHub priced its IPO at $23.50 per share, raising $800 million and achieving an $8.6 billion valuation [1] - The company sold 34 million shares, with the share price falling within the expected range of $22 to $25 [2] - StubHub processed over 40 million ticket sales across 200 countries last year, covering various events [2] Financial Performance - StubHub's revenue increased by 29.5% in 2024, reaching $1.77 billion [3] - Sales grew by 10% in Q1 2024, totaling $397.6 million [3] - The company reported a net loss of $22.2 million in Q1 2024 and a net loss of $2.8 million for the entire year [3] Market Context - The IPO occurs amid a resurgence in the market for new offerings, with seven large IPOs last week, the busiest since 2021 [5] - StubHub estimates the global market for ticket sales and related services exceeds $700 billion, indicating significant growth potential [6] - The company faces competition from major players like TicketMaster and smaller firms such as Vivid Seats and SeatGeek [7] Regulatory Environment - The ticket market is under scrutiny from regulators, particularly regarding fees and automated systems that resell tickets at higher prices [7] - The FTC is investigating TicketMaster's efforts to combat automated ticket reselling, which may impact StubHub indirectly [7]

分组1 - Confluent (CFLT) reported quarterly earnings of $0.09 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.08 per share, and showing an increase from $0.06 per share a year ago, resulting in an earnings surprise of +12.50% [1] - The company achieved revenues of $282.29 million for the quarter ended June 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.63%, and up from $234.99 million year-over-year [2] - Confluent has consistently surpassed consensus EPS estimates over the last four quarters, indicating strong performance [2] 分组2 - The stock has underperformed the market, losing about 3.5% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P 500 has gained 8.3% [3] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.09 on revenues of $292.08 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $0.36 on revenues of $1.15 billion [7] - The Internet - Software industry, to which Confluent belongs, is currently ranked in the top 30% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable outlook for the sector [8]

Investment Rating - Industry View for Media & Entertainment, Telecom & Cable Services, and Communications Infrastructure is rated as In-Line [3][5]. Core Insights - The report provides a comprehensive analysis of trading multiples across various segments, including Diversified Media & Streaming, Mid-Cap Entertainment & Sport, Mid-Cap Advertising & Film, Telecom & Cable Services, and Communications Infrastructure [6][20]. - Historical performance metrics are included for sub-industries over different time frames, such as 1 Week, 1 Month, 3 Months, 12 Months, and 3 Years Year-to-Date [2][6]. Summary by Industry Segment Diversified Media & Streaming - Price to Earnings (P/E) for 2025E is 42.2x, decreasing to 27.3x by 2027E - Adjusted Price/FCF for 2025E is 49.1x, decreasing to 30.9x by 2027E - EV/EBITDA for 2025E is 46.1x, decreasing to 29.1x by 2027E - Dividend Yield is projected at 0.2% for 2025E, increasing to 0.3% by 2027E [6]. Mid-Cap Entertainment & Sport - P/E for 2025E is 57.3x, decreasing to 27.5x by 2027E - Adjusted Price/FCF for 2025E is 40.6x, decreasing to 22.3x by 2027E - EV/EBITDA for 2025E is 56.1x, decreasing to 33.4x by 2027E - Dividend Yield is projected at 1.2% for 2025E, increasing to 1.4% by 2027E [6]. Mid-Cap Advertising & Film - P/E for 2025E is 13.7x, decreasing to 11.7x by 2027E - Adjusted Price/FCF for 2025E is 12.3x, decreasing to 10.7x by 2027E - EV/EBITDA for 2025E is 14.1x, decreasing to 12.5x by 2027E - Dividend Yield is projected at 4.3% for 2025E, increasing to 4.8% by 2027E [6]. Telecom & Cable Services - P/E for 2025E is 14.7x, decreasing to 13.5x by 2027E - Adjusted Price/FCF for 2025E is 14.3x, decreasing to 10.9x by 2027E - EV/EBITDA for 2025E is 15.0x, increasing to 14.1x by 2027E - Dividend Yield is projected at 2.2% for 2025E, increasing to 2.4% by 2027E [6]. Communications Infrastructure - P/E for 2025E is 24.4x, decreasing to 29.0x by 2027E - Adjusted Price/FCF for 2025E is 27.8x, decreasing to 24.2x by 2027E - EV/EBITDA for 2025E is 28.4x, decreasing to 26.0x by 2027E - Dividend Yield is projected at 3.4% for 2025E, increasing to 3.6% by 2027E [6].

Group 1 - Weave Communications, Inc. reported quarterly earnings of $0.01 per share, matching the Zacks Consensus Estimate, compared to a loss of $0.01 per share a year ago [1] - The company posted revenues of $55.81 million for the quarter ended March 2025, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.10%, and up from $47.17 million year-over-year [2] - Over the last four quarters, Weave Communications has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times and topped consensus revenue estimates four times [2][3] Group 2 - The stock has underperformed, losing about 32.2% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P 500 has declined by only 3.3% [3] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the coming quarter is $0.02 on revenues of $56.75 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $0.08 on revenues of $233.84 million [7] - The Internet - Software industry, to which Weave Communications belongs, is currently in the top 38% of Zacks industries, indicating a favorable outlook compared to the bottom 50% [8]