Group 1 - Bill Ackman purchased approximately 2.7 million shares of Meta Platforms valued at around $1.8 billion, making it the fifth-largest holding in his portfolio, accounting for about 11% of the total $15.5 billion portfolio [1] - Meta generated $200 billion in revenue in 2025, reflecting a 22% year-over-year growth, primarily driven by its core Family of Apps segment [1] - Meta's AI-driven ad ranking has delivered four times more revenue impact compared to simply increasing ad load, enhancing user engagement and ad targeting [1] Group 2 - Ackman completely exited his position in Chipotle Mexican Grill and increased his stake in Amazon by about 65%, bringing it to approximately 9.6 million shares, which now represents 14% of the portfolio [1] - Meta leads the digital advertising market with over 3.5 billion daily active users, showing a user growth of 7% in Q4 [1] - Meta trades at 22 times forward earnings, which is considered attractive given its growth prospects, with the core advertising business valued at a forward P/E of under 20 times [1]

Core Insights - The Supreme Court's ruling against most of President Trump's tariffs has positively impacted digital advertising stocks, including Alphabet, Pinterest, and Meta, leading to significant gains in their share prices [1][1][1] Digital Advertising Impact - Digital advertisers are expected to benefit from the easing of tariffs, as clients may redirect refunds into increased advertising spending, according to marketing research firm EMARKETER [1][1] - Shares of Pinterest rose by 6%, while Alphabet's stock climbed by 4%, marking them among the best performers on the S&P 500 and Nasdaq [1][1] - Companies like Snap and Pinterest have faced challenges due to reduced ad spending from retail clients affected by higher costs from tariffs, with both stocks losing approximately half their value over the past year [1][1] Competitive Landscape - Meta and Alphabet have reported strong ad sales and have not experienced the same level of pressure as Pinterest, which has a higher proportion of large retail clients [1][1] - Analysts at Bank of America noted that Pinterest may have lost market share to larger competitors, while companies like Meta are investing in AI-enhanced advertising to mitigate tariff-related challenges [1][1]

Market Overview - U.S. equity markets finished higher on February 20, 2026, driven by a Supreme Court ruling that struck down emergency tariffs, providing relief to retail and trade-sensitive sectors [1][3] - Major indexes showed resilience, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average gaining 93.81 points (0.2%) to close at approximately 49,489, the S&P 500 rising 0.6% to finish at 6,911, and the Nasdaq Composite climbing 0.8% to end near 22,800 [2] Economic Data - Fourth-quarter GDP grew at an annualized rate of 1.4%, significantly below the 2.5% consensus estimate, attributed to a government shutdown and deceleration in consumer spending [4] - The December Core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index rose 0.4% month-over-month and 3.0% annually, exceeding expectations, leading to a reassessment of interest rate cut probabilities [5] Corporate News and Stock Movements - Technology and retail stocks benefited from the tariff ruling, with Alphabet (GOOGL) jumping nearly 4% and Amazon (AMZN) rising 2%, improving outlooks for digital advertising and e-commerce margins [6] - Nike (NKE) and Deckers Outdoors (DECK) both climbed 2%, while Walmart (WMT) fell 2% after a downgrade to "Hold" from HSBC [7] - RingCentral (RNG) soared 32% after a strong earnings report, while Copart (CPRT) tumbled 7% after missing revenue estimates [7] Upcoming Market Events - The earnings report from Nvidia (NVDA) on February 25 is anticipated to be a bellwether for the AI sector, with analysts expecting revenue guidance near $65 billion [8] - Other upcoming events include the Conference Board Consumer Confidence report on February 24 and January Durable Goods orders [9]

Core Viewpoint - U.S. equity markets are experiencing a volatile but upward trend, primarily driven by a Supreme Court ruling that struck down President Trump's global tariffs, leading to a relief rally in trade-sensitive sectors [1] Market Performance and Sector Trends - Major market indexes are showing gains, with the S&P 500 up 0.72% to 6,911 points, the Nasdaq Composite up 0.86% near 22,700, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average adding approximately 112 points, or 0.23%, around 49,500 [2] - The Technology Select Sector SPDR (XLK) and Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) are standout performers, rising 1.0% and 1.9% respectively, while the Retail sector saw a boost with the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) surging nearly 2% [3] Economic Data - Q4 GDP grew at an annualized rate of 1.4%, significantly below the consensus estimate of 2.5%, attributed to a government shutdown and cooling domestic employment [4] - The core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index remains steady at 3% annually, presenting a challenge for the Federal Reserve amid slower growth and persistent inflation [5] Corporate News and Stock Movements - Alphabet (GOOGL) shares jumped nearly 4% due to eased tariff-related inflationary fears, while Amazon (AMZN) rose 2% on expectations of lower logistics costs [6] - Nvidia (NVDA) is preparing for a significant earnings release, trading slightly lower as it finalizes a $30 billion investment in OpenAI, while Rackspace (RXT) surged over 50% due to a new AI partnership [7] - Akamai Technologies (AKAM) fell 9.3% after a weaker-than-expected earnings outlook, and Newmont (NEM) dropped 4% following lower production guidance and a legal dispute with Barrick Gold (GOLD) [8] Upcoming Market Events - The market will focus on Nvidia's fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report expected on February 25, with analysts predicting a 71% rise in earnings per share [9] - Investors will also monitor consumer confidence data and home price indices for insights into U.S. consumer health, alongside geopolitical tensions in the Middle East affecting market volatility [10]

Core Insights - The Trade Desk (TTD) is facing significant pressure on its stock, primarily due to challenges in the digital advertising and Open Internet sectors [1] - Recent earnings report from The Trade Desk revealed some disappointments, indicating potential issues in performance and market positioning [1] - Leadership changes within the company may contribute to the current challenges and uncertainties surrounding its future [1]

Market Overview - Major stock indexes declined in premarket trading, influenced by economic reports affecting the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision [1] - Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were down 0.2%, S&P 500 futures also decreased, and Nasdaq 100 futures slipped 0.3% [1] Economic Indicators - The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index rose 2.9% year-over-year in December, exceeding economists' expectations [2] - Core inflation increased to 3% from 2.8% in November, aligning with forecasts [2] - U.S. GDP grew at an annualized rate of 1.4%, significantly below expectations and down from 4.4% in the previous quarter [2] Treasury Yields - The 10-year Treasury yield rose slightly to 4.07% following the inflation and GDP reports, although yields are down slightly since the beginning of the year [3] Company Performance - Applovin (APP) shares rose 4% amid reports of developing a social media platform [4] - Grail (GRAL) shares fell nearly 50% after disappointing trial results for a cancer treatment [4] - Akamai Technologies (AKAM) shares dropped 8% due to first-quarter guidance falling short of estimates [4] Commodity Prices - West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures were slightly down at $66.25 per barrel [5] - Gold futures increased by about 1% to $5,050 per ounce, while silver gained 4% to trade at $80.65 per ounce [5] - Bitcoin was trading slightly below $67,000, down from earlier highs above $68,000 [5] - The U.S. dollar index slipped 0.1% to 97.80 [5]

Core Viewpoint - Leading fund managers, including Bill Ackman, Seth Klarman, and Stanley Druckenmiller, have increased their stakes in Amazon (AMZN) during Q4 2025, despite the stock's recent underperformance [1][2] Group 1: Fund Manager Activity - Bill Ackman, known for his iconic $27 million bet on credit default swaps that turned into $2.6 billion, is among the investors adding Amazon shares [1] - Seth Klarman, recognized for his value investing approach, and Stanley Druckenmiller, who has achieved over 30% average annual returns for three decades, are also investing in Amazon [2] Group 2: Amazon's Stock Performance - Amazon was the worst-performing stock among the "Magnificent 7" in the previous year, starting 2026 strong but subsequently declining over 11% [4] - The stock's performance issues are compounded by a significant post-earnings slump, making it the second-worst performer after Microsoft [4] Group 3: Market Concerns - Amazon is losing market share in the cloud sector to competitors like Alphabet and Microsoft, which has raised investor concerns despite Amazon's absolute dollar growth [5] - The company's digital advertising business faces long-term challenges, particularly with the rise of AI agents, prompting Amazon to issue a cease and desist letter to a competitor [6] - Amazon's projected capital expenditures for 2026 are set at $200 billion, significantly higher than last year's $131 billion and over $50 billion above market expectations, raising investor apprehension [7]

Core Insights - AppLovin (APP) has transitioned from a mobile gaming infrastructure provider to a highly profitable performance advertising platform [1] - The company's operating profile showcases rapid expansion alongside strong margin discipline, raising questions about its need for fresh capital versus a patient monitoring approach [2] Financial Performance - AppLovin reported revenues of $1.7 billion in Q4 2025, marking a 66% year-over-year increase, while adjusted EBITDA grew 82% to $1.4 billion, resulting in an 84% margin [3] - The company's ability to achieve strong revenue growth alongside high operating efficiency indicates structural advantages rather than temporary benefits [5] AI Integration - Artificial intelligence is central to AppLovin's business model, with its proprietary optimization engine, AXON, enhancing targeting and performance outcomes [6] - The MAX mediation platform connects publishers with various advertising demand sources, creating a reinforcing cycle that improves network outcomes [7] Competitive Landscape - AppLovin's performance can be compared to peers like The Trade Desk (TTD) and Unity Software (U), which operate in programmatic advertising and game engine markets, respectively [10][12] - Unlike AppLovin, The Trade Desk focuses on data transparency and independence, while Unity Software has a broader software focus that includes monetization as one aspect of its ecosystem [11][13] Market Volatility - Despite strong operational metrics, AppLovin's stock has experienced a 29% decline in a month, contrasting with an 11% decline in the industry, driven by investor concerns over competition from larger technology platforms [14] - Management views AI as an accelerant rather than a threat, suggesting that performance optimization engines will become increasingly essential as digital content complexity grows [15] Investment Outlook - AppLovin's model benefits from network effects, operating efficiency, and advertiser reliance on measurable outcomes, but risks include concentration in mobile advertising and regulatory scrutiny [17][18] - The current investment stance is a hold, as the company presents a compelling operational narrative but faces uncertainties from competitive dynamics and market sentiment [19]

Core Insights - The Trade Desk, Inc. (TTD) is set to report its fourth-quarter 2025 results on February 25, with a consensus estimate for earnings at 59 cents and total revenues at $841.9 million, reflecting a 13.6% year-over-year increase [1][10] Revenue and Earnings Expectations - TTD anticipates revenues to be at least $840 million, with an 18.5% year-over-year growth rate when excluding U.S. political ad spend from the prior year [2] - The company projects an adjusted EBITDA of $375 million [2] - TTD has beaten the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the last four quarters, with an average surprise of 8.4% [2] Business Performance Factors - Continued momentum in Connected TV (CTV) is expected to support TTD's top-line performance, as CTV is the fastest-growing segment in digital advertising [5] - Management noted a rapid transition towards biddable CTV, which is anticipated to become the default buying model, offering greater flexibility and control for advertisers [6] - Other growth drivers include retail media, international expansion, and the Kokai platform, with 85% of clients using Kokai as their default experience [7] Competitive Landscape - TTD faces significant competition from major players like Amazon and Alphabet, particularly in the CTV space [10][12] - The digital advertising market is characterized as a buyer's market, leading to persistent pricing and margin pressures [13] - TTD's stock has declined 51.4% over the past six months, underperforming the Internet-Services industry and the S&P 500 [16] Valuation Metrics - TTD's stock is trading at a forward 12-month price/earnings ratio of 11.82X, which is lower than the industry average of 25.3X [20] - Competitors like Amazon and Alphabet are trading at higher forward price/earnings multiples of 25.65X and 25.7X, respectively [21] Strategic Initiatives - TTD's initiatives such as OpenPath, Deal Desk, Pubdesk, and OpenAds aim to enhance transparency and supply-chain efficiency by connecting advertisers directly to publishers [8] - The company is focusing on embedding AI across its portfolio, which may increase capital expenditures and operational costs [14]

Core Insights - Perion Network reported a significant business reset and early results from its "Perion One" strategy, positioning itself as an AI-native execution infrastructure for digital advertising [5] Financial Performance - For Q4, GAAP net income was $8 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, while non-GAAP net income was $21.4 million, or $0.49 per diluted share [1] - Full-year 2025 revenue reached $439.9 million, with Contribution ex-TAC at $203.4 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $45.2 million, reflecting a 22% margin [6] - The company generated $41.9 million in cash from operations for 2025, a 504% year-over-year increase, and Adjusted free cash flow was $40.2 million, up 142% [7] Strategic Initiatives - CEO Tal Jacobson emphasized 2025 as a defining year for Perion, focusing on building Perion One as a centralized platform for marketers through technology integration and strategic partnerships [4] - The company launched new partnerships with Amazon, Walmart, and Mastercard to enhance its advertising capabilities [8][9] Revenue Mix and Growth Engines - Advertising Solutions revenue increased by 7% year-over-year in Q4, while web revenue declined by 17% year-over-year in Q4 and 13% for the full year [7] - CTV revenue grew by 59% in Q4 and 42% for the full year, reaching $62.1 million, while digital out-of-home revenue increased by 28% in Q4 and 36% for the full year, totaling $94.9 million [8] Future Guidance and Targets - For full-year 2026, Perion guided to Contribution ex-TAC of $215 million to $235 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $50 million to $54 million, factoring in a gradual decline in search and legacy activities [12] - Management set ambitious targets for 2028, including a performance spend CAGR of at least 25%, Contribution ex-TAC CAGR of at least 20%, and Adjusted EBITDA margins reaching 28% of Contribution ex-TAC [14]