Core Viewpoint - The artificial intelligence (AI) boom is thriving, as evidenced by the latest earnings reports from major tech companies like Amazon and Alphabet, which indicate strong growth in their cloud computing segments driven by AI investments [1][2][3]. Company Summaries Amazon - Amazon's Q4 sales increased by 14% year over year to $213.4 billion, with its cloud computing segment, Amazon Web Services (AWS), reporting a 24% revenue growth to $35.6 billion, marking the fastest growth in 13 quarters [5][7]. - The company also saw broad-based financial momentum, with advertising revenue rising 23% to $21.3 billion, subscription services revenue increasing 14% to $13.1 billion, third-party seller services revenue up 11% to $52.8 billion, and online stores revenue climbing 10% to $83.0 billion [8]. - Amazon anticipates a strong long-term return on invested capital from approximately $200 billion in capital expenditures by 2026 [9]. Alphabet - Alphabet's Q4 revenue grew by 18% year over year, with its cloud computing segment, Google Cloud, experiencing a significant 48% revenue increase, up from 34% growth in Q3 [11]. - Despite its faster growth, Alphabet's business is more concentrated in advertising, with over 72% of its total Q4 revenue of about $114 billion coming from this segment [11]. - Alphabet's cloud business, while smaller in overall revenue contribution, is growing at a much faster rate compared to Amazon's, and the company benefits from higher-margin revenue streams [12]. Investment Considerations - Both Amazon and Alphabet are similarly valued, with Amazon's price-to-earnings ratio at 28.6 and Alphabet's at 28.1, making Alphabet a potentially higher-reward option due to its faster growth rate in cloud computing [14]. - Investors with a lower risk tolerance may prefer Amazon due to its more established business model, while those seeking higher returns might lean towards Alphabet [14].

Market Overview - Major U.S. indices closed higher, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 0.26% to 49,662.66, the S&P 500 advancing 0.56% to 6,881.31, and the Nasdaq climbing 0.78% to 22,753.63 [1] Carvana Co. (NYSE:CVNA) - Carvana shares rose 3.02% to close at $361.53, with an intraday high of $366.26 and a low of $339.15; however, the stock crashed nearly 15% to $307.70 in after-hours trading [1] - Carvana reported strong fourth-quarter results, with revenue rising 58% year-over-year to $5.60 billion, exceeding the $5.26 billion consensus estimate, and sold 163,522 vehicles, up 43% from a year ago [2] - Adjusted EBITDA reached $511 million with a 9.1% margin, reflecting improved unit economics despite a sequential dip in profitability [2] Figma Inc. (NYSE:FIG) - Figma shares rallied in extended trading after delivering strong fourth-quarter results, reporting EPS of 8 cents, surpassing the 7-cent estimate, and revenue rose to $303.78 million from $216.95 million a year earlier, ahead of the $293.15 million consensus [3] - Looking ahead, Figma guided first-quarter revenue of $315 million to $317 million, well above estimates, and projected full-year fiscal 2026 revenue of $1.37 billion to $1.374 billion, reinforcing confidence in continued growth [4] DoorDash Inc. (NASDAQ:DASH) - DoorDash posted EPS of 48 cents, below the 60-cent consensus, while revenue of $3.96 billion came in just shy of the $3.99 billion estimate, though significantly up from $2.87 billion a year ago [5] - For the first quarter, DoorDash expects marketplace GOV between $31 billion and $31.8 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $675 million to $775 million, as investors weigh continued growth against the earnings miss [5] Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) - Occidental Petroleum shares rose 2.55% to $47.11, with an intraday high of $47.43 and a low of $46.26; in after-hours trading, the stock rose 2.95% to $48.50 [6] Rackspace Technology Inc (NASDAQ:RXT) - Rackspace announced a strategic partnership with Palantir Technologies, leading to a dramatic rally as the company aims to enhance its deployment of Palantir's Foundry and AI Platform [7]

Core Insights - Fortude has achieved the Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions designation, enhancing its cloud expertise and solidifying its role as a trusted partner for enterprise-scale cloud transformation [1][3]. Company Achievements - This new designation builds on Fortude's existing Microsoft designations, which include Analytics on Microsoft Azure specialization, Data & AI, and Digital & App Innovation [2]. - The Azure Infrastructure Solutions designation recognizes partners with proven expertise in designing, deploying, and managing Azure environments tailored to enterprise needs [3]. Strategic Importance - The designation is seen as a significant milestone in Fortude's Microsoft journey, highlighting the demand for partners capable of delivering data and AI solutions while building resilient and secure cloud foundations [4]. - Fortude aims to assist global enterprises in maximizing value on Azure through expert cloud guidance, modernization assessments, and frameworks that facilitate sustained cloud success [4]. Company Overview - Fortude is a global enterprise solutions provider delivering digital solutions across data, automation, AI, and cloud services, with a presence in multiple countries including the US, Canada, UK, Netherlands, Sri Lanka, India, Singapore, and Australia [5].

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that purchasers or acquirers of CoreWeave, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRWV) securities between March 28, 2025 and December 15, 2025, inclusive (the “Class Period”), have until Friday, March 13, 2026 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the CoreWeave class action lawsuit. Captioned Masaitis v. CoreWeave, Inc., No. 26-cv-00355 (D.N.J.), the CoreWeave class action lawsuit charges CoreWeave as well as certain of CoreWeave’s top execu ...

The Global X Cloud Computing ETF (CLOU) has reached its "medal round." After a grueling 12-month stretch that saw the fund shed more than 25% of its value, CLOU is currently teetering on a critical support level that will likely determine the fate of the broader software sector for the rest of 2026. If CLOU cannot find its footing here, the market may finally confirm that the SaaS-pocalypse — the structural disruption of software by autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) — is a permanent reality. More ...

Group 1 - The market is currently focused on artificial intelligence (AI) spending, with significant investments from major tech companies but limited immediate returns [1][2] - Investors are encouraged to adopt a long-term perspective, as AI spending may yield substantial benefits over a 50-year timeframe, particularly for companies like Amazon, Alphabet, and Microsoft [2] - Cloud computing is a primary driver of spending for these companies, providing a rental platform for excess computing capacity, which is more cost-effective for AI startups than building their own data centers [3][4] Group 2 - Companies like OpenAI initially relied on Microsoft Azure for cloud services but are now expanding to build their own data centers, indicating a shift in strategy [4] - Once the major tech companies have established sufficient computing capacity, their cloud computing divisions are expected to become highly profitable, transforming into significant cash generators [5]

Core Insights - Both AWS and Amazon's retail business have significant opportunities to leverage AI for financial gains [1] Group 1 - AWS is positioned to benefit from AI advancements, enhancing its cloud services and offerings [1] - The retail segment of Amazon can utilize AI to improve customer experience and operational efficiency [1]

Core Insights - Google Cloud experienced a 48% year-over-year growth, outpacing Microsoft's cloud growth rate, while Microsoft stock fell by 27% [1] - Alphabet's stock is currently trading at 28 times trailing price-to-earnings (P/E), which is considered cheap compared to Microsoft's 25 times P/E [1] - Significant investments in AI, including a projected $185 billion in spending, are seen as necessary for maintaining competitiveness in the AI sector [1] Group 1: Company Performance - Google Cloud's growth rate of 48% year-over-year indicates strong performance and market demand [1] - Alphabet's stock is viewed as undervalued given its growth trajectory and advancements in AI technology [1] - The company's AI innovations, such as the Genie world model and Antigravity platform, are expected to disrupt various industries [1] Group 2: Market Context - The Magnificent Seven tech companies are leading the AI compute boom, with Alphabet positioned as a key player [1] - The competitive landscape is intensifying, with firms like Microsoft facing challenges due to their recent stock performance [1] - The AI-native platforms being developed by Google could lead to significant market shifts and opportunities for growth [1]

Rackspace Technology (RXT) shares nearly quadrupled this morning after announcing a strategic partnership with Denver-headquartered Palantir Technologies (PLTR). According to the press release, this partnership aims at integrating Palantir’s Foundry and Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) with its managed services, targeting highly regulated industries. Despite an explosive rally on Wednesday, Rackspace stock remains down about 50% compared to its 52-week high. More News from Barchart www.barchart.c ...

In what could be described as a "Hail Mary" for a company currently treading water at penny-stock levels, Rackspace Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:RXT) announced a strategic partnership Wednesday with data-giant Palantir Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR) . RXT stock is soaring. See the chart and price action here. The move, designed to accelerate the deployment of Palantir's Foundry and Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP), sent Rackspace shares into a triple-digit rally. But beneath the AI-powered press release ...