Quick Read Palantir (PLTR) shares fell 3% this week amidst concerns over valuation, continued insider selling, and the company continuing to secure new contracts. Every Palantir insider transaction since mid-November was a sale. CEO Karp sold shares at $147-$151 in February. FTAI Aviation (FTAI) and Innodata (INOD) signed AI platform partnerships. Morningstar (MORN) raised fair value to $150. A recent study identified one single habit that doubled Americans’ retirement savings and moved retirement ...

Market Performance - The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) achieved record closes at the beginning of the week but faced declines towards the weekend due to limited job growth in certain sectors and concerns about interest rates [1] - The S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite Index (IXIC) are also expected to end the week with losses, despite a brief uptick on Friday following soft inflation data [2] - The Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) is on track for its fifth consecutive weekly gain, marking its longest winning streak since March 2020 [2] Earnings Reports - Dynatrace (DT) and ON Semiconductor (ON) experienced declines after missing quarterly earnings expectations, while Fastly (FSLY) saw a rally due to positive full-year revenue and profit forecasts [3] - Roku (ROKU) rose after exceeding earnings expectations and providing an optimistic outlook, while Applied Materials (AMAT) reached a record high driven by strong results and guidance related to AI demand [3] - Coca-Cola (KO) fell due to a revenue miss, and Mattel (MAT) faced its worst daily drop in decades following disappointing quarterly results and a weak outlook [4] - Upstart (UPST) declined despite surpassing profit and revenue expectations, influenced by a C-suite shakeup and a softer margin forecast [4] - QuantumScape (QS) dropped after reporting a wider-than-expected quarterly loss and downbeat projections [4] Corporate Developments - Kroger (KR) appointed former Walmart executive Greg Foran as its new CEO [5] - STMicroelectronics (STM) surged following a partnership announcement with Amazon's AWS, which includes a multiyear share purchase agreement [5] - Novo Nordisk (NVO) initiated a lawsuit against Hims & Hers Health (HIMS) for alleged patent infringement related to a weight-loss drug, causing significant stock movements for both companies [5] Upcoming Events - Markets will be closed on Monday, February 16, for Presidents' Day, but the following week is expected to be busy with a significant amount of economic data to analyze [6]

Live from Sydney, I'm Paul Allen. This is INSIGHT where we dive deeper into the stories that matter with crucial context and sharp analysis. Well, Asian stocks are off to their strongest start against the US peers this century.Cheaper valuations and far firmer growth prospects, luring investors and sending the regional benchmark to record highs. Franklin Templeton Institute investment strategist Christy Tan is going to join us in a moment with her take on what's driving the rush into Asia. Global banks have ...

>> THIS IS NOT AN ECONOMY THAT REQUIRES A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF JOB GROWTH BEHIND IT. >> JOBS IS A CHALLENGE AS I THINK WAGE GROWTH WILL BE A CHALLENGE. >> WE ARE NOT CONCERNED WE ARE GOING TO SEE A SPIKE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE.>> THE LABOR MARKET IS SOFTER THAN WHAT MIGHT HAVE APPEARED UP TILL NOW. >> I DON'T KNOW IF THE MARKET IS READY FOR SEEING A NEGATIVE PRINT. >> THIS IS "BLOOMBERG SURVEILLANCE" WITH JONATHAN FERRO, LISA ABRAMOWICZ, AND ANNMARIE HORDERN.JONATHAN: LIVE FROM NEW YORK CITY THIS MORNING ...

VONNIE: IT IS 5:00 A. M. IN NEW YORK CITY.I AM VONNIE QUINN WITH YOUR BLOOMBERG BRIEF. COUNTDOWN TO THE JOBS REPORT FINALLY. FUTURES RISING, THE DOLLAR SLIPPING A LITTLE AHEAD OF THE JANUARY PAYROLLS DATA.AI DISRUPTION FEARS HIT EUROPEAN WEALTH MANAGERS FOLLOWING A SELLOFF IN U.S. PEERS. ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU SET TO MEET PRESIDENT TRUMP AT THE WHITE HOUSE TO DISCUSS IRAN. NASDAQ 100 FUTURES HAVE FLIPPED NEGATIVE BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT VERY SMALL GAINS.YESTERDAY, WE SAW A DROP OF ABOUT 0.3 ...

Summary of Blackstone Secured Lending Fund Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Blackstone Secured Lending Fund (NYSE: BXSL) - **Date**: February 10, 2026 Key Industry Insights - **Macro Environment**: The broader economy is resilient with strong corporate earnings and consumer spending. Q3 GDP growth is accelerating, and default rates in private credit declined by approximately 30% in 2025, indicating a healthy economic backdrop [3][4] - **Direct Lending Activity**: There was a significant increase in direct lending activity, up over 50% quarter-over-quarter, suggesting a recovering deal environment [3][4] Financial Performance and Strategy - **Leverage and Liquidity**: The company maintains a leverage profile of approximately 1.15 times average fund leverage, with an ending leverage of about 1.2 times and $2.5 billion in liquidity. The focus is on utilizing liquidity measures and additional leverage as the deal environment improves [5][6] - **Dividend Considerations**: The management emphasizes the importance of aligning the cost of capital with the ability to generate attractive investments. They are cautious about dividend resets, especially in light of recent peer actions [8][9] Software Sector Insights - **Software Exposure**: Software accounts for about 20% of direct lending volume and BDC portfolios. The company has approximately $4.5 billion in enterprise value in software investments, with a loan-to-value ratio of 37% [10][11] - **AI Disruption Risks**: The management is actively assessing AI disruption risks in software portfolios, focusing on understanding and mitigating these risks through diversified investments [12][16] Market Dynamics - **Valuation and Recovery**: The median Price-to-Book value for BDCs is around 0.8, indicating a high probability of attractive returns in the future. The management believes that the market will eventually recognize the value, leading to a recovery [20][21] - **Redemptions and Liquidity**: Despite elevated redemptions in the private BDC sector, there was still net growth in the fourth quarter, indicating strong interest in excess returns. The industry maintains a high degree of liquidity, with approximately $70 billion available [22][23][24] Competitive Landscape - **Manager Differentiation**: The management notes that while there are many new entrants in the BDC space, the majority of capital is raised by a small group of firms with significant institutional presence. This creates opportunities for those firms to capitalize on the market [25][27] Risk Factors - **Excluding Credit Risks**: Investors should pay attention to liquidity and the correlation between book value degradation and time spent below book value. High expense ratios can also impact returns negatively [33][34] Future Outlook - **Spreads and Market Conditions**: Spreads remain tight, but there is potential for widening due to economic fears. The management expects stability in spreads unless significant market fear arises [29][30] - **Legislative Changes**: The management is optimistic about potential legislative changes that could enhance institutional investment in BDCs, improving transparency and market dynamics [31][32] Conclusion - The Blackstone Secured Lending Fund is navigating a resilient macroeconomic environment with a focus on strategic investments, particularly in software and private credit. The management is cautious yet optimistic about future growth and recovery in the BDC market, emphasizing the importance of liquidity, risk management, and alignment of capital costs with investment returns.

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In 2025, GCM Grosvenor achieved a record fundraising year, raising $10.7 billion, with $3.5 billion raised in Q4 alone, marking significant growth compared to previous years [4][5] - Fee-Related Earnings, Adjusted EBITDA, and Adjusted Net Income increased by 11%, 15%, and 18% respectively compared to 2024 [5][24] - The company ended 2025 with $91 billion in assets under management (AUM), a 14% increase from the end of 2024 [7] - Fee-Paying AUM grew 12% year-over-year to $72 billion, while Contracted Not Yet Fee-Paying AUM increased by 27% to $10 billion [8] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Absolute Return Strategies (ARS) performance was strong, with a Multi-Strategy Composite generating a 15% gross rate of return in 2025 [4] - Infrastructure, the fastest-growing strategy, returned approximately 11% for the year [4] - ARS fee-paying AUM and management fees grew 15% and 5% year-over-year respectively [22] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The individual investor channel saw AUM increase by 18% year-over-year, indicating strong demand for customized solutions [8] - The company has less exposure to SaaS businesses, with only 4% of total AUM and less than 6% of credit AUM attributed to this sector [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - GCM Grosvenor is focused on diversifying its investment strategies and enhancing its wealth management distribution through initiatives like Grove Lane Partners [8] - The company aims to double its Fee-Related Earnings to over $280 million by 2028 and grow adjusted net income per share to more than $1.20 [12] - The firm is committed to maintaining a capital-light business model while increasing shareholder returns through share buybacks and debt repayment [27][12] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the investment opportunity set and the strength of their fundraising pipeline entering 2026 [5][9] - The recent market volatility is viewed as an opportunity, with management emphasizing the importance of diversification in their investment strategy [9][10] - The company anticipates continued operating leverage and margin expansion through 2028 [30] Other Important Information - The gross unrealized carried interest balance reached an all-time high of $949 million, up 14% from the end of 2024 [7] - The company repurchased 2.8 million shares in Q4 at an average price of $11.11 per share, totaling $31 million [24] Q&A Session Summary Question: Capital allocation plans post-warrant exercise - Management indicated a focus on maintaining a capital-light business model, with plans for share buybacks and debt repayment [27] Question: Operating leverage and margin expansion - Management believes they can continue to drive margin expansion through 2028 [30] Question: Future of the absolute return business - Management remains cautious about budgeting for organic growth in the absolute return business but acknowledges recent successes [34] Question: Fundraising outlook for 2026 - Management has a strong pipeline and expects fundraising in 2026 to potentially exceed 2025, but they are not officially budgeting for that yet [58] Question: Performance fees and carried interest - Management noted that carried interest realizations were lower than expected but expressed confidence in future increases [60]

Ares Management Conference Call Summary Company Overview - Ares Management (NYSE: ARES) is one of the largest alternative asset managers globally, with a significant presence in non-investment grade private credit. The firm's assets under management (AUM) have increased from approximately $200 billion five years ago to $600 billion currently, marking a threefold growth [3][4]. Macro Environment and Industry Outlook - The macroeconomic backdrop for 2026 is viewed positively, with expectations for increased IPOs and M&A activity. The Federal Reserve's rate cuts and a pro-business administration are seen as supportive factors for the deal environment [4][5]. - Ares Management reported a record fourth quarter in 2025, deploying about $46 billion in capital, with a record-high pipeline as of January 2026, indicating strong transaction volumes anticipated in the first half of the year [5][6]. - The firm is optimistic about the impact of AI on investment opportunities, emphasizing that while some companies may face disruption, others will benefit from improved margins and productivity [10][11]. Strategic Priorities - Ares Management's strategic priorities for the year include: 1. Expansion in digital infrastructure, particularly in Japan, where the firm aims to diversify its product offerings [15][18]. 2. Continued development of a vertically integrated real estate approach, focusing on owning and managing real estate assets [19][20]. 3. Capturing margin opportunities across the business through technology investments and organizational redesign [20]. 4. While private equity is not a top priority, the firm remains open to expanding its capabilities in this area to meet client demand and enhance value creation [21][22]. Financial Guidance - Ares Management has reaffirmed its growth targets, aiming for a 16%-20% annual growth in fee-related earnings (FRE) and over 20% growth in revenue income (RI) [27][28]. The firm also announced a 20% increase in its dividend, reflecting confidence in its financial outlook [28]. Private Credit Insights - Ares Management is recognized as a leading non-investment grade private credit lender, with a strong performance track record attributed to its origination-led strategy and deep industry expertise [32][37]. - The firm maintains a selective investment approach, approving only 3%-5% of transactions, which contributes to its high asset selectivity and performance [32][35]. - The private credit market is characterized by a concentration of capital among top managers, with Ares Management positioned favorably due to its scale and incumbency advantages [53][54]. Market Dynamics and Competition - The relationship between banks and private credit managers is described as symbiotic rather than competitive. Ares Management benefits from banks' de-risking strategies, which create opportunities for private credit to fill the gap in the market [48][50]. - Despite some negative narratives surrounding private credit, Ares Management reports positive net flows and a strong appetite for private credit among institutional clients [43][44]. Wealth Management Strategy - Ares Management has strategically built its wealth management channel, focusing on ensuring a right-to-win in the market. The firm has achieved a top 3 distributor position in the wealth channel and aims to deepen relationships with existing distribution partners [60][62]. - The firm is cautious about adding new products, preferring to scale existing offerings and ensure they align with the overall business strategy [64][65]. AI Implementation - Ares Management has integrated AI capabilities into its operations, focusing on enhancing productivity and investment outcomes. The firm is actively deploying AI tools across various functions, including investment analysis and sales optimization [68][70]. - The early results from AI initiatives have shown promise, contributing to a slowdown in organic headcount growth while maintaining productivity levels [71]. Conclusion - Ares Management is well-positioned for growth in 2026, with a strong focus on strategic priorities, financial performance, and leveraging technology to enhance its operations and investment capabilities. The firm remains optimistic about the macroeconomic environment and the opportunities presented by AI and digital infrastructure.

Company Overview - Reddit is set to report earnings with estimates of 96 cents for EPS on revenue of approximately $667.48 million [1] - The stock has experienced a significant decline, down over 30% in 2026 [1][3] Market Performance - Reddit has underperformed compared to the broader market, with the communication sector and S&P both up around 12-13% over the past year [3] - The company's revenue primarily comes from advertising, and recent earnings from Meta indicate a favorable environment for ad spending [3] Technical Analysis - Key price levels to watch include 150 and 178, which are identified as support and resistance points respectively [6][8] - The stock has crossed below its 251-day exponential moving average, currently near 183, indicating a bearish trend [9] - The RSI is at a low of 21.6%, suggesting the stock is oversold [9] Options Activity - There has been a slight increase in options activity, with a 1.73% sizzle relative to the 5-day options volume [11] - The expected move for February 20th is approximately ±19.5%, indicating a significant potential price movement [11] - A notable trade involved selling 500 puts at a 150 strike for a $12 credit, suggesting a possible opening position [12]

Core Viewpoint - The private-markets firm maintains its return forecasts despite the turbulence in the software sector [1] Group 1 - The firm discussed its Q4 earnings in the context of current market conditions [1]