MARKETS GET HIT, MICROSOFT WORST DAY IN 5 YEARS, APPLE AND SANDISK EARNINGS | MARKET CLOSE
MARKETS GET HIT, MICROSOFT WORST DAY IN 5 YEARS, APPLE AND SANDISK EARNINGS | MARKET CLOSE
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Note: AI-generated summary based on third-party content. Not financial advice. Read more.
Quick Insights

The recent 11% drop in Microsoft (MSFT) is being called a significant overreaction, presenting a potential buying opportunity for investors. For high-growth exposure to the AI theme, consider memory chip maker SanDisk (SNDK), which just reported earnings nearly 100% above estimates and guided for future earnings almost triple what Wall Street expected. Apple (AAPL) dispelled growth fears with a massive earnings beat and confirmed a key AI partnership with Google, reinforcing its long-term strength. The broad sell-off in enterprise software may be creating value in "sticky" businesses like ServiceNow (NOW), which signaled confidence with a $5 billion share buyback. A potential government partnership could be a major long-term catalyst for Robinhood (HOOD), diversifying its business away from trading volumes.

Detailed Analysis

Microsoft (MSFT)

  • The stock had its worst day in five years, falling around 11% and losing approximately $400 billion in market capitalization.
  • The sell-off was attributed to two main factors from their earnings report:
    • Azure cloud growth missed analyst expectations by one percentage point (38.2% growth vs. an expected 41%).
    • Capital expenditures (CapEx), or spending on infrastructure, increased by two percentage points.
  • The host expressed that the market reaction seemed excessive, calling it an "overreaction" and noting that buying the dip was "very tempting."
  • The guests on the podcast believe the sell-off is "dumb" and that 38% growth is still amazing. They compare it to past overreactions in Amazon's stock and believe Microsoft will be higher in six months.

Takeaways

  • The significant drop in MSFT's stock price may present a buying opportunity for long-term investors who believe the market overreacted to a slight miss in cloud growth.
  • The negative sentiment is tied to concerns about high spending (CapEx) and the performance of its investment in OpenAI. Investors should monitor the growth trajectory of the Azure cloud segment in future earnings reports.

Investment Theme: Memory "Super Cycle"

  • The podcast highlights a "super cycle" in memory chip stocks, driven by massive demand from the AI and GPU revolution led by companies like NVIDIA.
  • This theme suggests that companies providing essential memory components for data centers and AI hardware are experiencing explosive growth.
  • Key companies discussed in this theme are SanDisk (SNDK), Western Digital (WDC), and Micron (MU).
  • The host notes that while the momentum is strong, the stocks have already run up significantly, making it psychologically difficult for some investors to buy in. A poll in the chat showed 70% of listeners were hesitant to buy at these levels.

Takeaways

  • Investors looking to gain exposure to the AI hardware boom can look beyond GPU makers to the memory chip sector.
  • The earnings reports from SNDK and WDC confirm that the demand and growth are currently very strong.
  • The primary risk is valuation. These stocks are considered "momentum" plays, having already seen massive gains (SanDisk was up 120% before its earnings). Investors should be comfortable with higher volatility.

SanDisk (SNDK)

  • Reported what the host called a "triple-digit beat" on earnings, which was described as the best earnings report since Micron, which itself had the best since NVIDIA.
  • Key Earnings Numbers:
    • EPS: $6.20 vs. an estimated $3.30 (a nearly 100% beat).
    • Revenue: $3.02 billion vs. an estimated $2.69 billion (a 12% beat).
    • Q3 EPS Guidance: Guided for $14, which is nearly triple the Wall Street estimate of $5.11.
    • Data Center Revenue: Grew 64% from the previous quarter.
  • The stock surged after hours, at one point being up 16%.
  • The host noted that even with a high forward P/E ratio of 44, it's not "crazy expensive" for a company growing earnings at 100%.

Takeaways

  • SanDisk is a direct beneficiary of the AI-driven memory super cycle, demonstrating phenomenal growth that is far exceeding analyst expectations.
  • The company's guidance suggests that this strong growth is expected to continue, which could justify its high valuation for growth-oriented investors.

Western Digital (WDC)

  • Also reported a "double beat," with both revenue and EPS coming in higher than expected.
  • Key Earnings Numbers:
    • Revenue: $3.02 billion vs. an estimated $2.96 billion.
    • EPS: $2.13 vs. an estimated $1.92.
  • The company provided strong guidance for the next quarter, citing continued data center demand.
  • The stock's reaction was initially muted but it later rose in sympathy with SanDisk's blockbuster report, gaining as much as 6% before falling back.

Takeaways

  • Like SanDisk, WDC is performing well due to strong data center and AI-related demand.
  • The stock's more volatile reaction compared to SanDisk suggests the market may see SanDisk as the stronger player in the memory space, but WDC still offers exposure to the same theme.

Apple (AAPL)

  • Reported a massive earnings beat that surprised the market, particularly given recent concerns about slowing growth and its AI strategy.
  • Key Earnings Numbers:
    • Revenue: $144 billion vs. an estimated $138 billion (a $6 billion beat).
    • EPS: $2.84 vs. an estimated $2.68.
    • China Revenue: A huge surprise at $25.3 billion vs. an estimated $21 billion.
  • The strong results were driven by staggering demand for the iPhone, with revenue for the device up 23% year-over-year.
  • On the earnings call, CEO Tim Cook confirmed a partnership with Google to use its Gemini AI model to power a more personalized Siri, addressing a key investor concern.
  • The stock rose about 2% after hours following the report.

Takeaways

  • Fears about Apple's slowing growth, particularly in China, were proven wrong this quarter. The iPhone remains a dominant and growing product.
  • The confirmation of the Google Gemini partnership is a significant positive development, showing a clear path for Apple to integrate advanced AI into its ecosystem without having to build everything from scratch.
  • For long-term investors, this report reinforces the strength of Apple's brand, ecosystem, and ability to execute.

Robinhood (HOOD)

  • The stock was up significantly after hours, rising over 4% to around $105.
  • The catalyst was a news report that the U.S. government is considering using Robinhood as a platform to host the "Trump accounts" (a proposed government-sponsored investment account program).
  • This is viewed as a massive long-term positive for the company. It would bring in a huge number of new accounts and assets under custody, which would likely remain on the platform for decades, diversifying revenue away from trading volumes.

Takeaways

  • The potential government partnership for the "Trump accounts" could be a major long-term growth driver for Robinhood, fundamentally changing its business model by adding a stable, recurring asset base.
  • This news provides a bullish catalyst for the stock that is separate from the volatility of cryptocurrency markets, which often influences its price.

SpaceX (Private) & Tesla (TSLA)

  • A major rumor surfaced that SpaceX is in talks to merge with Elon Musk's AI company, XAI, before a potential IPO.
  • The host believes this makes sense to help justify SpaceX's high private valuation (mentioned as $1.5 trillion).
  • A second, even bigger rumor from Bloomberg suggested SpaceX might also consider a merger with Tesla (TSLA).
  • This second rumor caused Tesla's stock to jump 4% after hours.
  • A guest on the show called a potential merger of Musk's companies the "Berkshire Hathaway of the 21st century," creating a single, powerful entity that would be highly attractive to investors.

Takeaways

  • While still speculative, the potential merger of SpaceX, XAI, and Tesla is a significant development for TSLA investors.
  • Such a merger would create a technology conglomerate with exposure to space, AI, robotics, energy, and automotive, potentially justifying a much higher valuation and reducing the risk associated with any single business line.
  • Investors should monitor these rumors closely, as confirmation could lead to significant volatility and a re-rating of Tesla's stock.

Investment Theme: Software as a Service (SaaS)

  • The entire SaaS sector took a major hit, with stocks like Salesforce (CRM), Adobe (ADBE), and ServiceNow (NOW) falling sharply.
  • The sell-off was attributed to fears stemming from Microsoft's guidance, creating a narrative that AI will disrupt or commoditize traditional software companies.
  • The podcast guests strongly disagreed with this "death of software" argument, especially for enterprise-level companies.
  • They argue that these systems (ServiceNow, Workday, Oracle) are incredibly "sticky" and deeply integrated into large corporations, making them almost impossible to replace quickly with a new AI tool. The costs and complexity of switching are immense.

Takeaways

  • The current negative sentiment around the SaaS sector could be creating buying opportunities in high-quality, established enterprise software companies.
  • Investors should differentiate between consumer-facing software (which may be easier to disrupt) and enterprise software (which has a much stronger moat).
  • Companies like ServiceNow (NOW) were highlighted, with the CEO expressing extreme confidence by taking his compensation in stock and authorizing a $5 billion share buyback. This signals strong insider belief in the company's future despite market fears.
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About Amit Kukreja
Amit Kukreja

Amit Kukreja

By @amitinvesting

Breaking down stocks, business, tech. Thank you for following along the journey!