What I’ve Been Up To
Cogent Communications and AI data-center bottlenecks feature in a newsletter update on recruiting, financial media and conference takeaways.
Cogent Communications and AI data-center bottlenecks feature in a newsletter update on recruiting, financial media and conference takeaways.
$DAKT CEO departing, new high-quality CFO (temp) w very attractive secular tailwinds in digital display demand + activist involvement = increased likelihood of takeout. Optimal business for PE. Multiple logical strategics. +75% upside.
$FTDR Vol declining (existing home sales=driver). Pricing lagging inflation, massively over-earning. Problematic given 25% churn w aggressive new entrants. Dubious company overall. Investor day yesterday was comical, compared themselves to $NFLX. Earnings misses coming.
$AVO $CVGW 1) Retailers $CMG, etc sourcing elsewhere given MX tariff risk. 2) Avocado price spike during last year’s peak harvest season enabled distributors to realize outsized margins. 1-time benefit has reversed, significant earnings misses ahead for these commodity businesses
$NX Outlandishly guiding to flat 2025 sales, customers and channel -DD. Commodity window and door components facing pricing pressure from larger customers ($JELD, $OC). Now levered 4x, trading at a premium to higher value-add building products peers. Guide cut inevitable.
$J Beat earnings yesterday. Holding back detailed guidance for Investor Day (2/18)—likely raise ’25 #s, 4-year financial targets w significant upside on margins ($ACM and other peers +15% EBITDA margins). Record backlog and multi-year growth runway.
The industrial logic for the $UNF and $CTAS merger captured in one picture. Both have been going to the Chipotle (or same strip center) near our office in Houston on the same days at the same time (the store was closed at the time this pic was taken). https://t.co/zxTIFVgn1s
$NX Rapidly declining levered (4x) commodity biz. Q1’25 guide -12% sales, mgmt hoping for 2H’25 recovery. End-mkts deteriorating ($OC -20% Q4 guide, $JELD), customer losses, internal controls issues, integrating a large acq, 0 prior M&A experience. +30x P/E on best case 2025 #s
@StockJabber Thank you. As a read on $PLUS Q3 is tracking in October, $CSCO just reported -23% sales in networking (products account for ~50% of $PLUS revenue) for the Oct quarter-end. Further confirmation that PLUS Q3 is going to be ugly and no turnaround in sight.
Astronics targets $1.02 to $1.04 billion in 2026 revenue after adjusted operating margin reached 20.3%, with Boeing representing 12% of…
Golar LNG’s fourth FLNG vessel targets 3.5MTPA capacity and a 2029 delivery, supporting projected adjusted EBITDA above $1 billion in…
Group 1 Automotive CEO Daryl Kenningham’s Toyota ties, capital-allocation decisions, compensation and stock sales face scrutiny after the…
Portfolio added Otis Worldwide in the mid-$60s, increased Pool, Copart and Floor & Decor, and sold Berkshire Hathaway.
Brazilian fintechs NU, INTR and PICS stand to benefit from a Bolsonaro-led runoff surprise that lowers fiscal risk premiums, rates and the…
Alliance Resource Partners has 2026 coal sales fully contracted and is expanding oil and gas royalties through AllDale, supporting its 9.8%…
Group 1 paid $1 billion of goodwill for Hennessy’s 10 dealerships, a record $100 million per store, financed largely with $1.25 billion of…
Howard Hughes plans to raise nearly $4 billion by selling real estate assets and condos, accelerating Vantage’s insurance expansion while…
Lennar is selling homes to former spinoff Millrose, whose revenue largely comes from Lennar and whose largest voting shareholder is…
Rocket Lab reported Q2 revenue up 62% to $234.1 million and backlog up 137% to $2.36 billion, while operating losses and cash burn…
ABG · long Asbury Automotive Group's changed setup and underperformance versus other public dealers form the basis for a renewed long thesis.
RLJ Lodging Trust trades below book value, with positive FY26 FFO guidance and property conversions offset by elevated leverage risk.
AAR’s $1.8 billion acquisition of a 65% stake in MRO Holdings adds widebody aircraft maintenance and targets a 19% to 20% EBITDA margin by…
The Trade Desk's Q2 revenue grew 3% to $715 million as Q3 guidance called for a year-over-year decline; TTD has fallen over 90% from its…
Crocs has $2 billion of buyback authorization, more than a third of its market cap, as North American sales stabilize and HeyDude drags on…
Turning Point Brands' FRE and Alp nicotine pouches aim to become a third C-store brand behind ZYN and Velo as PMTA rules limit new entrants.
Mattel rose 19% on takeover speculation, but a potential $20-per-share bid, margin pressure and CEO transition leave its standalone…
Ethos Technologies ($LIFE) sells AI-driven life insurance while relying heavily on multilevel marketing agencies using aggressive cold…
Karman Holdings reported 58% Q2 revenue growth, $1.3 billion backlog and margin expansion while replacing leadership and remediating…
Innodata's 45% pullback resets its valuation after two quarters of 50% revenue growth, though two customers still supply 71% of revenue and…
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Ordered by how often our editor reaches for them.