PTLO 2026-08-20 Portillo's: Guidance Cut Confirms It's Cheap For A Reason
KC Research Friday, August 21, 2026
PTLO 2026-08-20 KC Research Aug 21 SOXX $1.4B SOXX: Growth And Profitability May Be Peaking
Mauro Caversazzi 
Walmart’s Evolution
From X
catechwilliams on X
Marlin Business Services, $MRLN, says it is developing pilotless technology despite drone and autopilot systems having existed for years.
catechwilliams on X
$MRLN. Recent SPAC. Development-stage science project attempting to make autonomous airplanes. Even if they ever get FAA approval, it will take a brave sole to get in a plane with no pilot and/or send high value cargo. Many existing autopilot competitors. Burning $70M/ year.
catechwilliams on X
$GPGI Stagnating credit card manufacturer (fka CompoSecure). Levered up 4x to acquire commodity plastic injection molding company Husky. Last month CEO departed, this week CEO and CFO of Husky left. Now rudderless with very ambitious guidance almost certain to get revised lower.
catechwilliams on X
$ANDG. Resurrected Arthur Andersen of Enron fame. Provides small business valuation and tax services—being disintermediated by AI, highly competitive. Ironically reported a material weakness in internal controls. Aggressive growth and valuation. Multiple other red flags.
catechwilliams on X
$HERE: pop toy fad crashing like Beanie Babies. #1 selling product prices plunging 90% during critical holiday period. $HERE revenue and margins will be impacted severely. https://t.co/czXxPRZTZy
catechwilliams on X
AI data-center vacancy rates are 2-3% as tenants scramble for compute capacity; a customer loss raises doubts that WYFI can replace it after NC-1 performance issues.
catechwilliams on X
The $WYFI data center which was formerly a food distribution center. https://t.co/t2cpUNZXqp
catechwilliams on X
$WYFI Retrofitted a food distro warehouse into a NC-1 DC. Lost anchor tenant ($20M rev), promising a new large customer since 10/27. CEO claiming “very very soon” for last 20 days. Increasingly evident will not happen. Sell-side & stock prices assume huge rev ramp. Burning cash.
Investor Letters
All letters- First Eagle Investments 3Q 2025 +9.2%
- Palm Harbour Capital third quarter
- Bireme Capital 2Q22 -1.4%
- Bireme Capital first five months of 2023 +8.0%
- Polaris Capital Management FIRST QUARTER 2026 +5.1%
- Polaris Capital Management SECOND QUARTER 2026 +12.3%
- First Eagle Investments second quarter 2026 +3.2%
- Oakmark Funds 2Q 2026
VISN 2026-08-21 Vistance Networks: The Valuation Makes This Stock A Strong Buy
Investor Overview 
$ELAL: El Al is a wartime monopoly at 2x EBITDA. Is that a trap? | ASB Partners
El Al trades near 2x EBITDA after wartime near-monopoly profits, with $1.3 billion of net cash and owned aircraft weighed against…
Instacart’s Unit Economics, and Implications for DoorDash
Instacart’s per-order unit economics provide a benchmark for assessing DoorDash’s LTM profitability and operating model.
CCC Is in the Middle of the Wreckage
CCC, the dominant auto physical-damage claims estimator, connects 27 of the top 30 insurers with 31,000 repair shops as takeout rumors…
Aloe Aloe Aloe what 'ave VERRA then?
Verra Mobility's new seven-year Avis agreement replaces a customer worth over 10% of revenue on materially worse economics, exposing…
NCLH or her grandma Saga?
Norwegian Cruise Line’s $15 billion debt and 2026-27 capex delay deleveraging, despite fuel-efficient new ships and stronger projected 2028…
Airbnb Model Update (2026)
Airbnb shares have risen about 50% since October 2025, prompting a revised 2026 model and return assumptions at the current price.
Jumia
Jumia’s January 2028 $7/$15 call spread risks $1.15 for up to $6.85 if cost cuts and marketplace growth deliver adjusted EBITDA and…
Shitcos, Griftcos, and alignment versus enrichment at $IREN
IREN awarded each co-CEO roughly 9 million RSUs, about 2.5% of shares and $400 million, in exchange for no further equity grants until…
$NU: is Nubank Capital One in 1994 or Capital One in 2006? | Vanshap Capital
Nubank's 140 million customers, 20% efficiency ratio and 30% ROE frame whether its high-teens P/E reflects a scalable fintech or a maturing…
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The $1.5 Trillion of Hidden Debt Fueling the AI Boom | Robin Wigglesworth of FT Alphaville
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