Fundamental Signals

You are in good company - veterans at top funds are reading.

Don't miss a key signal and start reading today!

Daily Market Brief - Feb 07, 2026

Feb 7, 2026

Investment, Stocks, Daily Market Themes

Editor’s Notes

  • Today’s market tension is no longer about whether AI spending continues, but whether it earns its keep. Massive infrastructure buildouts are colliding with rising skepticism around depreciation assumptions, cash flow durability, and ROI, pushing Big Tech toward a more asset-heavy, factory-style operating model that investors are still recalibrating.

  • In the U.S., the debate has polarized sharply. Bulls frame $600B+ in AI CapEx as a once-in-a-generation platform land grab, while bears increasingly question whether cash flows are being flattered by long depreciation lives on fast-obsolescing GPUs. This divide is already reshaping relative winners across software, infrastructure, and hyperscalers.

  • Japan and Hong Kong are offering a contrast. Japan is seeing disciplined capital rotation into defensives, buyback-driven names, and underappreciated cybersecurity and services assets, while Hong Kong is witnessing outright tech capitulation and a pivot into old-economy value as policy and margin risks mount.

  • A common thread across regions is a renewed focus on cash economics over narratives. Owner's Earnings, maintenance CapEx, backlog quality, and balance sheet strength are reasserting themselves as the market filters real AI beneficiaries from capital-intensive mirages.

(a) Overall Themes, Market Sentiment & Debates

US: The CapEx Fortress vs. The Cash Flow Crisis

The prevailing narrative in the US is a polarized debate over AI Capital Expenditure. Bulls argue that the $600B+ annual spend by Amazon (AMZN), Google (GOOGL), Meta (META), and Microsoft (MSFT) is a necessary "fortress" buildout for a multi-trillion-dollar platform shift.

However, the bear case, bolstered by Michael Burry’s thesis, is gaining traction: mega-cap tech may be understating true costs. By depreciating GPUs over 5-6 years when they likely become economically obsolete in 2-3, these firms may face a looming "cash flow crisis."

We are seeing a "supercycle" in data center components (Vertiv (VRT), Super Micro Computer (SMCI), Seagate Technology (STX)), but the massive $200 billion capital expenditure forecast from Amazon has spooked those sensitive to margin compression.

Japan: Structural Rotation and the "Cyber Arbitrage"

Japan continues to show resilience, though the Nikkei 225 remains volatile (38,000–53,800 range). We are observing a distinct rotation from overheated AI/semiconductor names (Lasertec, Advantest) into defensives and cyclicals.

A sophisticated "cybersecurity arbitrage" is emerging: while US SaaS cyber stocks trade at 300%+ premiums to medians, Japanese counterparts like Trend Micro (4704.T) trade at ~8x EV/EBITDA with massive net cash positions. The market is also rewarding shareholder-friendly moves, as seen in Mitsubishi Corp and Isetan Mitsukoshi’s aggressive buybacks.

Hong Kong: Tech Capitulation and the "Old Economy" Pivot

The Hang Seng Tech Index has officially entered bear market territory (down 20%+ from peak), driven by a combination of AI fatigue, tax hikes on internet services (VAT), and policy uncertainty. While foreign institutional capital remains cautious on China tech, local "safe haven" flows are moving into value-oriented real estate (Sun Hung Kai) and industrial materials (Xinyi Glass).

The divergence is stark: tech giants like Meituan and Tencent are being sold on margin pressure, while non-tech IPOs (Distinct Healthcare, Han’s CNC) are seeing strong first-day pops.

(b) Notable Big Stock Moves, Earnings and Development


Symbol

Company Short Name

Price Move

Explanation

BILL

BILL Holdings, Inc.

+37.16%

Buyout speculation, AI strategic pivot, and price target increase from Goldman Sachs.

MSTR

MicroStrategy Inc

+26.11%

Positive earnings guidance and commitment to reducing leverage via convertible bond equitization.

ROIV

Roivant Sciences Ltd.

+22.14%

Accelerated drug application filings, trial data advancement, and major institutional stake increase by UBS.

SMR

NuScale Power Corp.

+18.13%

Political tailwinds for nuclear acceleration and an analyst upgrade to "Neutral" by BofA.

IONQ

IonQ, Inc.

+14.99%

Market optimism regarding quantum computing moats.

LCID

Lucid Group, Inc.

+13.96%

Broad market tech rebound and UBS nearly doubling its equity stake.

FN

Fabrinet

+13.84%

Strong Q2 results, optimistic Q3 guidance, and multiple analyst price target hikes.

CRDO

Credo Technology Group

+13.60%

Significant Q1 earnings and revenue beat with raised price targets from Susquehanna.

AUR

Aurora Innovation, Inc.

+13.23%

Strong growth forecasts for the autonomous driving software market and supportive AI policies.

2802.T

Ajinomoto Co., Inc.

+13.16%

Upward guidance revision, head office sale capital gain, and aggressive share buybacks.

ARW

Arrow Electronics, Inc.

+12.40%

Strong Q4/FY25 earnings, optimistic Q1 guidance, and anticipated demand recovery for 2026.

ARM

Arm Holdings plc

+11.56%

Upgraded to "Buy" from "Neutral" by New Street Research.

AMKR

Amkor Technology, Inc.

+11.50%

Disclosure of insider buying by Senator Markwayne Mullin and William Blair upgrade.

SMCI

Super Micro Computer

+11.44%

Massive Q2 earnings beat and raised full-year revenue outlook to $40 billion.

SYM

Symbotic Inc.

+11.08%

Fox Robotics acquisition, Walmart system enhancements, and price target increase from Needham.

ENTG

Entegris, Inc.

+10.91%

Bullish semiconductor market forecasts and Citi price target hike to $145.

KTOS

Kratos Defense

+10.74%

$65 million in new military contracts and successful UAV collaboration tests with Taiwan.

TER

Teradyne, Inc.

+10.69%

AI-driven demand accounting for 70% of test business and Cathie Wood/ARK investment.

PSTG

Pure Storage, Inc.

+10.44%

AI data center storage demand tailwinds.

ONTO

Onto Innovation Inc.

+10.40%

Continued strength in semiconductor metrology demand.

DIDIY

DiDi Global Inc.

+10.34%

Surging Spring Festival demand forecast and removal of legal uncertainty via $740M settlement.

VRT

Vertiv Holdings Co

+10.03%

Strategic AI infrastructure moves (800V DC portfolio) and initiate "Buy" at Deutsche Bank.

POST

Post Holdings, Inc.

+9.77%

Strong Q1 sales growth, new CEO appointment, and cost-saving facility closures.

XPO

XPO, Inc.

+9.69%

Strong Q4 earnings, LTL operational improvements, and multiple analyst upgrades.

RBLX

Roblox Corporation

+9.66%

Q4 revenue beat and strong user growth (DAUs up 69% year-over-year).

LITE

Lumentum Holdings Inc.

+9.43%

Q2 profit swing, robust revenue growth, and AI-driven demand for optical transceivers.

UAL

United Airlines

+9.26%

SkyWest contract extension and AWS partnership for operational AI initiatives.

RMBS

Rambus Inc.

+9.17%

Strong market growth forecasts for ReRAM and 3D integrated circuits.

ASTS

AST SpaceMobile, Inc.

+9.13%

Momentum in satellite-to-cellular infrastructure development.

RKLB

Rocket Lab Corporation

+9.05%

Morgan Stanley upgrade to "Overweight" citing repeatable launch execution.

BROS

Dutch Bros Inc.

+8.81%

UBS "Buy" reiteration and anticipation of strong Q4 earnings/market share gains.

COHR

Coherent Corp.

+8.81%

Divestiture of non-core assets to reduce debt and significant price target increases.

WDC

Western Digital Corp.

+8.61%

High-capacity drive demand cycle.

BIIB

Biogen Inc.

+8.53%

FY25 earnings meet guidance with strong revenue from newly launched products.

KLAC

KLA Corporation

+8.41%

Strong Q2 Fiscal 2026 earnings beat on both top and bottom lines.

APP

AppLovin Corporation

+8.39%

Analyst optimism regarding AI advertising engine (Axon) and potential undervaluation.

CAVA

CAVA Group, Inc.

+8.38%

Tech-integrated distribution efficiency and aggressive 2026 restaurant expansion plans.

NSIT

Insight Enterprises

+8.34%

Q4 EPS beat, positive FY26 guidance, and launch of "Prism" AI platform.

ATR

AptarGroup, Inc.

+8.33%

KeyCorp reiteration of "Overweight" rating and $220 price target.

LRCX

Lam Research Corp.

+8.30%

Exposure to advanced foundry/logic equipment spend.

AMD

Advanced Micro Devices

+8.28%

Emergence as a top AI chip competitor to Nvidia and ARM upgrade sector lift.

SMMT

Summit Therapeutics Inc.

+8.23%

Clinical data momentum in oncology pipeline.

U

Unity Software Inc.

+8.19%

Stabilization of engine pricing model and AI tool integration.

MRVL

Marvell Technology

+8.18%

Significant price target hikes and bullish outlook for AI accelerator chips.

6645.T

OMRON Corporation

+8.16%

Strong earnings, upgraded revenue guidance, and strategic AI/automation partnerships with Nvidia.

GEN

Gen Digital Inc.

+8.11%

Q3 earnings beat, raised FY26 guidance, and new AI security product launches.

UI

Ubiquiti Inc.

+8.04%

Strong 36% revenue growth and favorable enterprise technology product mix.

RH

RH

+8.04%

Tariff pause on upholstered furniture and institutional stake increase from Greatmark.

RUM

Rumble Inc.

+8.04%

Alternative platform growth and content diversification.

DAL

Delta Air Lines, Inc.

+7.98%

Earnings beat, falling fuel costs, and upbeat premium sales performance.

NVDA

NVIDIA Corporation

+7.87%

Massive AI spend surge from Google and new turnkey AI factory solutions.

RIVN

Rivian Automotive, Inc.

+7.79%

Strategic partnership talks and appointment of a new Chief Customer Officer.

NVMI

Nova Ltd.

+7.79%

Price target hike and adoption of Metrion platform by leading semiconductor manufacturers.

TSEM

Tower Semiconductor

+7.72%

Strategic partnership with Nvidia to develop 1.6T data center optical modules.

HII

Huntington Ingalls

+7.69%

Trump's "military rebuild" statement and ongoing Navy contract negotiations for submarines.

AAL

American Airlines

+7.63%

Surpassing EPS guidance for 2026 and lower fuel costs.

ALK

Alaska Air Group, Inc.

+7.58%

Expanded BofA credit card partnership and significant institutional stake increase.

6723.T

Renesas Electronics

+7.53%

Strategic sale of timing business to SiTime for $3 billion.

WST

West Pharmaceutical

+7.48%

Earnings beat and new innovative syringe systems for biotechnology companies.

NCLH

Norwegian Cruise Line

+7.47%

Positive industry outlook and deeper BofA credit card program cooperation.

3099.T

Isetan Mitsukoshi

+7.45%

5.1% share buyback program and revised upward profit/dividend forecasts.

TENB

Tenable Holdings, Inc.

+7.44%

Strong earnings/guidance exceeding metrics and $150M share buyback increase.

9866.HK

NIO Inc.

+7.41%

First-ever projected adjusted operating profit for Q4 2025.

CGNX

Cognex Corporation

+7.29%

Strategic AI vision licensing agreement and new product launches for food manufacturing.

CIEN

Ciena Corporation

+7.25%

Announcement of addition to the S&P 500 index.

AVGO

Broadcom Inc.

+7.22%

$21B in Google AI orders and 100% year-over-year AI revenue growth.

FIX

Comfort Systems USA

+7.17%

S&P 500 inclusion and new management appointments.

G

Genpact Limited

+7.14%

Q4 earnings beat, optimistic 2026 guidance, and 10% dividend hike.

OLED

Universal Display Corp.

+7.13%

OLED adoption in larger IT displays and smartphones.

MKSI

MKS Inc.

+7.11%

Debt refinancing and strong revenue outperformance against expectations.

CAT

Caterpillar Inc.

+7.06%

Massive Q4 earnings beat driven by data center power generation demand.

CMI

Cummins Inc.

+6.86%

Price target hike and strong earnings fueled by data center expansion.

ANET

Arista Networks, Inc.

+6.85%

Acquisition of Broadcom’s VeloCloud and analyst upgrade to "Overweight."

ALGN

Align Technology, Inc.

+6.82%

Highlighted strong cash position and commitment to ongoing share repurchases.

JBL

Jabil Inc.

+6.79%

Acquisition of Intel’s Silicon Photonics business and governance/Board refresh.

BBIO

BridgeBio Pharma

+6.78%

Rare disease drug pipeline progress.

APH

Amphenol Corporation

+6.74%

Consistent earnings beats and heavy exposure to AI-driven data center growth.

RCL

Royal Caribbean

+6.72%

Earnings beat, record vacation volumes, and new ship deliveries through 2032.

PATH

UiPath Inc.

+6.71%

Strong Q3 earnings beat and platform expansion into AI-augmented automation.

7013.T

IHI Corporation

+6.65%

Strong growth projections for tunnel boring and small modular reactor markets.

AGCO

AGCO Corporation

+6.62%

Q4 results beat and positive 2026 guidance despite flat industry demand.

7012.T

Kawasaki Heavy

+6.57%

Institutional stake increase and positive outlook for aircraft/military power.

VIK

Viking Holdings Ltd

+6.56%

Rising listed fares and strong consumer demand for cruises.

EME

EMCOR Group, Inc.

+6.50%

Inclusion in S&P 500 and positive electrician/commercial building market outlooks.

GNRC

Generac Holdings Inc.

+6.47%

Bullish generator market outlook and new home energy storage products.

HWM

Howmet Aerospace Inc.

+6.45%

Q4 earnings beat and revised upward outlook on commercial aerospace strength.

DY

Dycom Industries, Inc.

+6.44%

Fiber infrastructure rollout demand.

CORT

Corcept Therapeutics

+6.44%

Endocrinology drug market expansion.

KD

Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.

+6.43%

Positive turnaround sentiment and buying interest ahead of upcoming earnings.

MPWR

Monolithic Power

+6.39%

Earnings beat, dividend hike, and 800V data center power sampling.

PWR

Quanta Services, Inc.

+6.36%

Upward price target revisions and positive pipeline infrastructure forecasts.

TLN

Talen Energy Corp.

+6.27%

Significant price target hike from Wells Fargo and institutional investment.

NET

Cloudflare, Inc.

+6.23%

BTIG upgrade to "Buy" and market share gains in Zero Trust/DDoS.

TPR

Tapestry, Inc.

+6.22%

Raymond James price target increase to $130.

AN

AutoNation, Inc.

+6.19%

Strong full-year earnings, major share repurchases, and analyst price target hike.

ETSY

Etsy, Inc.

+6.17%

Strategic OpenAI partnership and resurgence of subsidiary Depop.

LSCC

Lattice Semiconductor

+6.17%

Q1 revenue beat and launch of post-quantum cryptography FPGA family.

ESE

ESCO Technologies

+6.17%

24% earnings beat and raised guidance on record Aerospace/Defense orders.

NRG

NRG Energy, Inc.

+6.15%

Upward revision of sales/EPS guidance driven by Test segment growth.

URI

United Rentals, Inc.

+6.11%

Quarterly dividend announcement and institutional stake increase amidst market rally.

AMAT

Applied Materials, Inc.

+6.09%

60% price target hike from Citi ahead of earnings.

NOVT

Novanta Inc.

+6.09%

Positive growth projections for motion control and medical laser markets.

NXT

Nextpower Inc.

+6.06%

Major Q4 earnings beat and launch of new terrain-following solar trackers.

RRX

Regal Rexnord Corp.

+5.90%

JP Morgan price target hike and robust data center order backlog.

STX

Seagate Technology

+5.89%

Strong earnings beat and AI-driven high-capacity storage "supercycle."

EHC

Encompass Health

+5.86%

Q4 earnings beat and capacity expansion via new rehabilitation hospitals.

MTZ

MasTec, Inc.

+5.84%

Positive long-term industry outlook for pipeline construction and electricians.

CEG

Constellation Energy

+5.81%

BofA valuation support citing durable cash flows from nuclear assets.

RBRK

Rubrik, Inc.

+5.65%

Barclays reiterated "Buy" rating with $100 price target.

OKTA

Okta, Inc.

+5.59%

Launch of new AI agent identity products generating $200M+ in ARR.

LW

Lamb Weston Holdings

+5.56%

Activist investor Jana Partners took a stake to push for a sale.

CPNG

Coupang, Inc.

+5.54%

Logistics efficiency and Korean e-commerce dominance.

TWLO

Twilio Inc.

+5.47%

Price target hikes and "Buy" reiterations from major analysts.

MDB

MongoDB, Inc.

+5.47%

Strong positioning for AI applications and "Strong Buy" analyst ratings.

CHWY

Chewy, Inc.

+5.46%

Positive industry outlook from new pet services market research report.

OLLI

Ollie's Bargain Outlet

+5.43%

Accelerated store growth and strong "Buy" ratings from BofA/Goldman.

CELH

Celsius Holdings

+5.42%

PepsiCo distribution deal for Rockstar/Alani Nu and strong quarterly surprise.

ETN

Eaton Corporation

+5.40%

Record backlog growth (29%) and positive organic growth guidance for 2026.

LFUS

Littelfuse, Inc.

+5.36%

Q4 earnings beat driven by data center and grid modernization.

ENPH

Enphase Energy, Inc.

+5.35%

CEO share purchase and optimistic solar demand bottoming commentary.

7832.T

Bandai Namco

+5.33%

Successful IP axis strategy and new $30B JPY share buyback.

BAH

Booz Allen Hamilton

+5.31%

CEO Horacio Rozanski purchased $2 million in company shares.

WCC

WESCO International

+5.27%

Strategic acquisition of data center startup Rahi.

9863.HK

Leapmotor

+5.26%

Stellantis Argentina expansion and first automotive central computer powered by Qualcomm.

VERX

Vertex, Inc.

+5.22%

Announcement of a new $150 million share repurchase program.

BWXT

BWX Technologies

+5.21%

Bullish SMR market outlook and uranium enrichment subsidy award.

CVNA

Carvana Co.

+5.21%

Official announcement of inclusion in the S&P 500 index.

EPAM

EPAM Systems, Inc.

+5.19%

Mizuho price target increase to $228.

EAT

Brinker International

+5.16%

Q4 earnings beat, raised guidance, and UBS upgrade to "Buy."

MOD

Modine Manufacturing

+5.07%

Strong earnings, raised guidance, and planned spinoff of Performance Technologies.

OSK

Oshkosh Corporation

+5.03%

New $25M Army contract award despite cautious 2026 guidance.

PEGA

Pegasystems Inc.

+5.03%

Growth in AI-driven enterprise software.

LECO

Lincoln Electric

+5.00%

Massive 239% stake increase by Allianz Asset Management.

AS

Amer Sports, Inc.

+4.98%

Price target hike and strong market share in global ski equipment.

IP

International Paper

+4.98%

Q4 revenue beat and planned strategic restructuring into two public entities.

CW

Curtiss-Wright Corp.

+4.97%

Positive SMR market outlook and analyst "Overweight" reiteration.

GTLB

GitLab Inc.

+4.97%

Buyout candidate speculation and analyst "Buy" rating.

CDNS

Cadence Design Systems

+4.95%

Nvidia CEO endorsement and advanced semiconductor node collaboration.

MANH

Manhattan Associates

+4.91%

Positive FY 2026 EPS guidance and gross margin improvements.

DELL

Dell Technologies

+4.91%

Strategic AI/IoT focus and strengthened enterprise infrastructure partnerships.

DDS

Dillard's, Inc.

+4.88%

Massive Q3 earnings beat and significant price target hike by JPMorgan.

INTC

Intel Corporation

+4.87%

SoftBank memory partnership and strategic re-entry into GPU manufacturing.

NTNX

Nutanix, Inc.

+4.87%

Major strategic cloud/AI agreements with Ooredoo and Kolon Benit.

CRWD

CrowdStrike Holdings

+4.86%

Continued resilience in cybersecurity spend.

FTNT

Fortinet, Inc.

+4.85%

Strong earnings beat, optimistic guidance, and $1B buyback authorization.

IOT

Samsara Inc.

+4.82%

Bullish CAGR forecasts for the commercial vehicle telematics market.

6758.T

Sony Group

+4.82%

Expanded buyback and GTA VI PlayStation 5 sales expectations.

ESAB

ESAB Corporation

+4.81%

New sustainable welding product launches and innovation showcased at expo.

BLD

TopBuild Corp.

+4.78%

Q3 revenue beat and strategic specialty insulation acquisitions.

GE

GE Aerospace

+4.78%

UBS price target hike and bullish outlook for MRO services.

W

Wayfair Inc.

+4.76%

Expanded Affirm BNPL partnership into UK and Canada.

GFS

GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.

+4.74%

Initiation of "Outperform" rating and bullish next-gen memory outlook.

TEM

Tempus AI, Inc.

+4.71%

Q3 earnings beat and FDA breakthrough designation for AI immunotherapy platform.

BE

Bloom Energy

+4.71%

Q4 results beat and guidance exceeding consensus by significant margin.

DDOG

Datadog, Inc.

+4.65%

AI agent infrastructure investment and buyout candidate speculation.

ORCL

Oracle Corporation

+4.65%

Strong Saudi cloud market tailwinds and enterprise software resilience against AI.

HRI

Herc Holdings Inc.

+4.64%

Price target hike and acquisition synergies expected to boost EBITDA.

TRU

TransUnion

+4.64%

Q4 earnings beat and new strategic tenant screening partnership.

NPO

Enpro Inc.

+4.61%

Strength in industrial sealing/surface technologies.

RRR

Red Rock Resorts

+4.60%

Analyst initiation and new $300M share repurchase program.

VST

Vistra Corp.

+4.60%

BofA reiteration of positive outlook on operational asset strategy.

MMM

3M Company

+4.59%

Better-than-expected quarterly results and election of new strategic Board member.

VNT

Vontier Corporation

+4.57%

Positive fuel dispenser market projections and institutional stake increase.

GXO

GXO Logistics, Inc.

+4.56%

Target price increase and completion of $200M buyback.

PLTR

Palantir Technologies

+4.53%

Secured £240.6 million data-analytics contract from UK Defence Secretary.

AMGN

Amgen Inc.

+4.49%

Terminated eczema drug partnership to focus on higher-potential pipeline assets.

MWA

Mueller Water Products

+4.48%

Strong Q1 results, raised revenue guidance, and share repurchases.

SWK

Stanley Black & Decker

+4.46%

Aggressive 2026 EPS guidance and 4% dividend yield.

DRS

Leonardo DRS, Inc.

+4.45%

Positive outlook for growing Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) sensor market.

DUOL

Duolingo, Inc.

+4.43%

Strong user growth KPIs and expansion into chess/Super Bowl campaign.

GTES

Gates Industrial

+4.40%

Industrial power transmission stability.

FIVE

Five Below, Inc.

+4.39%

BofA upgrade to "Buy" citing new leadership and strategic refocus.

SNX

TD SYNNEX Corp.

+4.38%

PC price increase expectations and 1Password security partnership.

AVTR

Avantor, Inc.

+4.36%

Life sciences supply chain stabilization.

FLR

Fluor Corporation

+4.34%

$90 billion in new project awards and divestment of NuScale.

7752.T

Ricoh Company

+4.32%

Upward revision of full-year operating profit by 41%.

SATS

EchoStar Corporation

+4.29%

Momentum in 5G network buildout.

ZBRA

Zebra Technologies

+4.28%

Analyst price target hike and significant institutional buying.

CLBT

Cellebrite DI Ltd.

+4.27%

Triple-digit platform growth and surging demand for digital forensics.

EMR

Emerson Electric Co.

+4.27%

Automation and software integration strength.

KEYS

Keysight Technologies

+4.26%

Revenue beat, Spirent acquisition, and AI infrastructure validation partnerships.

TGT

Target Corporation

+4.24%

Analyst upgrades, 3,000 new beauty products launch, and AI-focused CEO.

8002.T

Marubeni Corporation

+4.22%

Raised net profit forecast and electric aviation partnership.

7201.T

Nissan Motor Co.

+4.21%

Strategic shift to profitability and expansion in the Syrian market.

WYNN

Wynn Resorts, Limited

+4.20%

Initiation of "Overweight" rating by Wells Fargo.

VRTX

Vertex Pharma

+4.17%

Q4 earnings beat and WuXi Biologics TCE license deal.

PCVX

Vaxcyte, Inc.

+4.16%

Advancing 31-valent vaccine to Phase 3 and improved cash flow projections.

BMY

Bristol-Myers Squibb

+4.15%

Q4 revenue beat driven by Eliquis/Opdivo and optimistic 2026 outlook.

6920.T

Lasertec Corporation

+4.12%

Recovery in mask inspection tool demand.

1803.T

Shimizu Corporation

+4.10%

Upward revision of profit and dividend forecasts due to investment gains.

FND

Floor & Decor

+4.10%

Optimism in hard surface flooring market share.

YUMC

Yum China Holdings

+4.10%

Upgraded profit forecasts and Pizza Hut menu/format innovation.

HUBS

HubSpot, Inc.

+4.07%

SMB digital transformation tailwinds.

2015.HK

Li Auto Inc.

+4.06%

Integration of advanced autonomy features and consistent profitability performance.

INGM

Ingram Micro

+4.01%

Supply chain scale and IT distribution rebound.

SNPS

Synopsys, Inc.

+4.01%

Earnings beat, optimistic guidance, and AI accelerator partnership with Lightmatter.

TTAN

ServiceTitan, Inc.

+4.00%

Vertical SaaS penetration in home services.

ACIW

ACI Worldwide, Inc.

+3.98%

Real-time payment software demand.

SMTC

Semtech Corporation

+3.97%

Unveiled 1.6T AI data center chipsets and bullish telematics forecasts.

HPE

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

+3.96%

GreenLake platform expansion with NVIDIA GPUs and Fortune 100 contracts.

AYI

Acuity Inc.

+3.93%

Institutional stake increase and bullish LED/smart lighting market projections.

AKAM

Akamai Technologies

+3.92%

Price target hike and AI-driven edge computing demand.

LYFT

Lyft, Inc.

+3.91%

AWS cloud partnership and autonomous taxi integration in Hamburg.

KAI

Kadant Inc.

+3.89%

Strategic €157M acquisition of voestalpine BÖHLER Profil for consumables focus.

1364.HK

Guming Holdings

+3.88%

Resilient consumer beverage demand in China.

JCI

Johnson Controls

+3.87%

Strong profitability margins and tripling of data center chiller capacity.

4689.T

LY Corporation

+3.86%

Ad market recovery and fintech integration.

DECK

Deckers Outdoor

+3.85%

EPS beat of 20.5% and HOKA/UGG brand strength.

WSM

Williams-Sonoma

+3.85%

US-India tariff reductions and new $1 billion stock buyback.

1179.HK

H World Group

+3.84%

HSBC upgrade to "Buy" citing industry recovery.

AAON

AAON, Inc.

+3.81%

100% backlog growth in high-demand data center cooling solutions.

TKR

The Timken Company

+3.81%

Price target hike to $115 and better-than-expected industrial demand.

NTAP

NetApp, Inc.

+3.77%

Equinix bare-metal storage launch and Official NFL partnership.

FRPT

Freshpet, Inc.

+3.76%

Reaffirmed 2025 outlook and new CFO appointment.

VIPS

Vipshop Holdings

+3.76%

Value e-commerce resilience.

KMX

CarMax, Inc.

+3.74%

Corporate restructuring plan aiming for $150 million in cost reductions.

VFS

VinFast Auto Ltd.

+3.74%

Dealer financing deal in India and enhanced SUV incentives.

LDOS

Leidos Holdings, Inc.

+3.71%

Revenue beat and new defense/AI governance partnerships.

BWA

BorgWarner Inc.

+3.71%

Bullish SiC semiconductor market outlook and price target hike.

MBLY

Mobileye Global Inc.

+3.69%

Expansion into India and bullish autonomous driving software forecasts.

LTH

Life Time Group

+3.69%

Luxury wellness and gym membership growth.

BMI

Badger Meter, Inc.

+3.67%

Missed estimates but strong smart water metering market projections.

ELAN

Elanco Animal Health

+3.66%

Revenue beat, insider buying, and new drug approval for dermatitis.

LLY

Eli Lilly and Company

+3.66%

Illumina collaboration for data/AI-driven drug discovery.

PDD

PDD Holdings Inc.

+3.65%

Continued market share gains for Temu/Pinduoduo.

BBWI

Bath & Body Works

+3.64%

New moisturizing hand soap launch targeting high-value wellness tiers.

LAD

Lithia Motors, Inc.

+3.63%

Automotive retail efficiency improvements.

EXEL

Exelixis, Inc.

+3.61%

Higher EPS estimate revisions and promising renal cancer drug news.

IQV

IQVIA Holdings Inc.

+3.61%

Q4 earnings beat and positive FY 2026 outlook.

MNDY

monday.com Ltd.

+3.61%

WorkOS adoption and enterprise seat growth.

CNH

CNH Industrial N.V.

+3.60%

Academic research agreement and AI platform support for dealers.

MMSI

Merit Medical Systems

+3.60%

Bullish embolization coil market outlook and earnings beat expectations.

6501.T

Hitachi, Ltd.

+3.60%

Infrastructure and IT services demand.

BLCO

Bausch + Lomb Corp.

+3.60%

Price target hike and 428% stake increase by Goldman Sachs.

SARO

StandardAero, Inc.

+3.59%

$450 million share buyback and MRO capability expansion.

HALO

Halozyme Therapeutics

+3.58%

Q3 earnings beat and analyst "Buy" initiation at $90 target.

DIS

Disney

+3.55%

New Star Wars film trailer announcement for Super Bowl LX.

GH

Guardant Health, Inc.

+3.55%

Liquid biopsy adoption in oncology.

MTSI

MACOM Technology

+3.54%

Strong results/guidance and targeted M&A investments for growth.

DLTR

Dollar Tree, Inc.

+3.54%

Price target hike and store expansion in Michigan.

J

Jacobs Solutions Inc.

+3.53%

Major infrastructure wins in San Diego and Abu Dhabi railway projects.

HSIC

Henry Schein, Inc.

+3.53%

Price target hike and stable 2026 dental demand outlook.

SBUX

Starbucks Corporation

+3.52%

Revenue beat and China retail joint venture with Boyu Capital.

ZM

Zoom Communications

+3.50%

Wolfe upgrade to "Outperform" citing contact center and AI strength.

TSLA

Tesla, Inc.

+3.50%

Strong Europe sales and autonomous car insurance partnership with Lemonade.

DOCU

DocuSign, Inc.

+3.49%

Rebound with Zacks "Buy" rating and steady EPS estimates.

CYTK

Cytokinetics

+3.49%

Analyst price target hike to $84 and maintained "Buy" ratings.

TEL

TE Connectivity plc

+3.46%

Bullish forecasts for Passive Optical LAN and EV connector markets.

JBTM

JBT Marel Corp.

+3.46%

New institutional stake acquisition signal.

WTS

Watts Water Technologies

+3.44%

Institutional stake increase.

9502.T

Chubu Electric Power

+3.44%

Energy demand stability and grid pricing.

ESTC

Elastic N.V.

+3.43%

Search AI and observability demand.

STE

STERIS plc

+3.42%

Sterilization and surgical equipment demand.

APG

APi Group Corporation

+3.42%

Analyst upgrades, insider buying, and significant institutional investment increases.

CHTR

Charter Communications

+3.40%

Valuation assessment and consumer settlement improving transparency.

TRMB

Trimble Inc.

+3.39%

Raised full-year revenue and EPS guidance.

WTS

Watts Water

+3.37%

Earnings beat and acquisition of Saudi Cast for $20M.

CACI

CACI International

+3.37%

Q1 earnings beat and raised price target to $700.

HXL

Hexcel Corporation

+3.37%

Anticipated Airbus widebody production ramp-up for 2026.

HUBB

Hubbell Incorporated

+3.36%

Positive growth projections for smart home and solar water markets.

POOL

Pool Corporation

+3.35%

Strong 21.7% revenue growth and analyst upgrade to "Outperform."

LBRDK

Liberty Broadband

+3.34%

Portfolio company consolidation optimism.

FBIN

Fortune Brands

+3.34%

Home product demand and margin improvements.

WMT

Walmart Inc.

+3.34%

3-for-1 stock split and milestone $1 trillion market cap.

MGM

MGM Resorts

+3.34%

Major earnings beat driven by Las Vegas and BetMGM.

LUV

Southwest Airlines

+3.33%

46.5% upward revision of 2026 consensus earnings estimates.

ON

ON Semiconductor

+3.33%

Power device technology leadership and SiC acquisition focus.

AIN

Albany International

+3.32%

Aerospace and defense order momentum.

KBR

KBR, Inc.

+3.30%

Defense contract wins and planned Mission Technology segment spinoff.

GAP

The Gap, Inc.

+3.30%

Strategy to return cash to shareholders via buybacks.

9503.T

Kansai Electric

+3.30%

Nuclear restart and pricing stability.

1812.T

Kajima Corporation

+3.28%

Construction backlog and margin expansion.

BBY

Best Buy Co., Inc.

+3.27%

Tech replacement cycle optimism.

ZWS

Zurn Elkay Water

+3.27%

New quarterly dividend and advanced water filtration product launches.

CNM

Core & Main, Inc.

+3.26%

$500M buyback authorization and infrastructure spending tailwinds.

ROP

Roper Technologies

+3.25%

Completion of a $500 million share repurchase program.

2319.HK

China Mengniu Dairy

+3.22%

Market share gains in high-margin dairy.

MSA

MSA Safety

+3.19%

Strong earnings and bullish smart PPE market outlook.

HSY

Hershey Company

+3.19%

Earnings beat and optimistic full-year profit forecast.

FERG

Ferguson Enterprises

+3.14%

7% dividend increase and HVAC market expansion in Chicago.

IBM

IBM

+3.12%

Major defense contract win and high single-digit growth guidance.

BIRK

Birkenstock

+3.11%

Analyst Buy reiterations and cryptocurrency payment expansion.

DOX

Amdocs Limited

+3.11%

Planned CEO transition and new cloud/AI telecom contracts.

WWD

Woodward, Inc.

+3.10%

Analyst upgrade citing stronger demand and margin momentum.

ULS

UL Solutions Inc.

+3.10%

Q1 earnings beat and 7.1% revenue growth.

SN

SharkNinja, Inc.

+3.10%

New product collection launch and institutional stake increases.

7269.T

Suzuki Motor

+3.09%

Strong earnings beat, upgraded forecast, and battery supply partnerships.

MU

Micron Technology

+3.08%

AI-driven HBM demand and fully contracted 2026 chip supply.

DE

Deere & Company

+3.07%

New electric golf and sports turf equipment innovations.

6479.T

Fuji Electric

+3.07%

Strong market projections for SiC semiconductors and UPS systems.

MDGL

Madrigal Pharma

+3.06%

Anticipated drug approval opening multi-billion dollar liver disease market.

KEX

Kirby Corporation

+3.06%

Earnings/EBITDA beats and positive 2026 margin guidance.

WMG

Warner Music Group

+3.05%

Revenue beat, TikTok renewal, and AI monetization strategy.

TTD

The Trade Desk, Inc.

+3.05%

Connected TV and retail media tailwinds.

TDY

Teledyne Technologies

+3.04%

Bullish growth outlook for unmanned systems and sensors.

NTRA

Natera, Inc.

+3.02%

Growth in molecular diagnostics.

UNH

UnitedHealth Group

+3.02%

Positive credit rating for subsidiary from AM Best.

ACN

Accenture plc

+3.01%

Resilient enterprise consulting and AI implementation demand.

VRSK

Verisk Analytics

-3.02%

Price target cuts and industry concerns over AI disruption.

MELI

MercadoLibre, Inc.

-3.18%

Institutional exits and concerns over margin compression and loan provisions.

6198.HK

Qingdao Port

-3.51%

Slowing global trade volume concerns.

CNC

Centene Corporation

-3.66%

Significant FY25 losses and Medicaid margin compression concerns.

3606.HK

Fuyao Glass

-3.77%

Pressure from automotive supply chain shifts.

9896.HK

MINISO Group

-4.06%

Disappointing growth outlook in key markets.

7974.T

Nintendo Co., Ltd.

-4.19%

Market factors following news focusing on partner Nvidia's gains.

3626.T

TIS Inc.

-4.39%

Slower IT services contract signings.

0325.HK

Bloks Group Limited

-4.47%

Consumer spending slowdown impacting retail.

4716.T

Oracle Japan

-4.48%

Guidance concerns amid shifting cloud competition.

6532.T

Baycurrent, Inc.

-4.79%

High valuation correction and margin concerns.

7270.T

Subaru Corporation

-4.94%

Earnings miss and cautious FY26 outlook.

6479.T

MINEBEA MITSUMI

-5.46%

Profit-taking following a "buy the rumor, sell the news" reaction.

9766.T

Konami Group

-5.55%

Lack of upcoming major IP catalysts.

5726.T

OSAKA Titanium

-5.55%

Downgrade by Daiwa Securities from '1' to '3'.

AMZN

Amazon.com, Inc.

-5.55%

Q4 earnings miss and massive $200B AI/AWS capex forecast.

DVA

DaVita Inc.

-5.62%

Legal/regulatory concerns in dialysis reimbursement.

4519.T

Chugai Pharma

-5.91%

TrumpRx initiative introducing "most-favoured nation" drug pricing rules.

4468

First Solar, Inc.

-6.67%

Analyst downgrade citing competitive domestic manufacturing pressure.

2801.T

Kikkoman Corp

-6.79%

Q3 profit decrease and flat guidance.

1072.HK

Dongfang Electric

-7.05%

Energy infrastructure project delays.

NWSA

News Corporation

-7.06%

Subsidiary REA Group earnings miss and analyst downgrade.

PCTY

Paylocity Holding

-7.24%

Investor concerns over growth pace despite earnings beat.

VRSN

VeriSign, Inc.

-7.60%

Q4 EPS miss and higher AI-driven capital expenditure.

ILMN

Illumina, Inc.

-10.40%

Dilutive SomaLogic acquisition and weak 2026 segment guidance.

QLYS

Qualys, Inc.

-13.31%

FY 2026 guidance missed analyst revenue and EPS estimates.

COTY

Coty Inc.

-15.56%

Withdrawal of full-year guidance and EBITDA miss.

DOCS

Doximity, Inc.

-16.78%

Disappointing forward guidance and CFO medical leave.

MOH

Molina Healthcare

-25.51%

Legal investigations for fraud and surging medical care ratios.


(c) Interesting Comments, Facts, and Ideas

The "Owner's Earnings" Imperative

With traditional P/E ratios under stress from AI-driven depreciation spikes, many in the value community are championing Owner’s Earnings as a more reliable metric. Owner's Earnings are calculated as GAAP Earnings + Depreciation & Amortization (D&A) - Maintenance Capital Expenditure (CapEx). This metric offers a clearer picture of a company's true earnings power after accounting for necessary asset upkeep.

This highlights why Microsoft (MSFT) remains a "strong buy" at 22x P/E for many—its operating cash flow is so robust it effectively self-funds its "fortress" buildout. Conversely, firms like Amazon (AMZN) are facing "baghold" sentiment as they hit $200 billion in spending with an EPS miss, underscoring the divergence in cash flow generation.

Stellantis (STLA): Textbook Value Trap?

Despite a seemingly attractive 9x P/E and 0.3x P/B, the consensus on Stellantis (STLA) is turning sharply bearish. Between dividend suspensions, project cancellations, and a "dealer revolt" over unsold inventory, STLA is being flagged as a cautionary tale of low multiples masking deep structural rot.

Conversely, PayPal (PYPL) is being pitched as a "deep value" play at $39.90, with the market allegedly mispricing its reacceleration and aggressive buyback IRR.

Infrastructure: The Real AI Winners

While the chipmakers often capture headlines, the "downstream" winners in the AI boom are increasingly found in construction and power. Caterpillar (CAT) and Cummins (CMI) delivered massive earnings beats driven specifically by demand for data center power generation.

Similarly, AAON and Vertiv (VRT) are seeing triple-digit backlog growth in liquid cooling—a niche that is quickly becoming the bottleneck for the next generation of 800V AI clusters.

Molina Healthcare (MOH) and the Guidance "Crime"

The 25% drop in Molina Healthcare (MOH) was catalyzed by what analysts described as "almost criminal" changes to guidance, slashing 2026 EPS expectations from $14 to $5. This, combined with fraud investigations, has turned the stock into "dead money" for the foreseeable year.

This incident highlights a broader risk in the healthcare sector as "TrumpRx" pricing rules and Medicaid margin compression begin to bite.

Japan’s "Unfair Acquisitions" and Hidden Gems

The tender offer for Yutaka Giken (6476.T) at 0.44x book value is being called a "crime against minority investors," but it highlights the extreme value pockets left in Japan. CUC (9158.T) remains a high-conviction "deep value" play, trading at less than 1x EBITDA—a valuation described as "abnormal" for a quality healthcare asset.

Happy Alpha Hunt! - Distilla

Disclaimer: This content is generated using AI, synthesizing public data (filings, reports, news) and social media (Reddit, X). It may contain errors, inaccuracies, or hallucinations. Nothing herein constitutes financial advice. This newsletter is for informational purposes only; please consult a qualified professional and conduct your own due diligence before making any investment decisions.

You are in good company - veterans at top funds are reading.

Don't miss a key signal and start reading today!

440 N Wolfe Rd, Sunnyvale, CA 94085, United States

Copyright ©2025 Distilla, Inc. All rights reserved.