TRUMP MAKES HIS FED PICK, SOFI CRUSHES EARNINGS | MARKET OPEN
TRUMP MAKES HIS FED PICK, SOFI CRUSHES EARNINGS | MARKET OPEN
YouTube2 hr 14 min
Watch on YouTube
Note: AI-generated summary based on third-party content. Not financial advice. Read more.
Quick Insights

Consider buying the dip in SoFi (SOFI), as its recent price weakness is viewed as a market overreaction to stellar earnings and record member growth. The company's fundamentals are strengthening, with a recent capital raise boosting its tangible book value to over $7 per share. Another high-conviction theme is the memory super cycle, driven by massive demand from AI and hyperscalers. Micron (MU) is a key way to invest in this trend, as its valuation remains reasonable even after its significant price increase. An insider recently showed confidence by purchasing $10 million of MU stock, reinforcing the bullish case for the memory sector.

Detailed Analysis

SoFi Technologies (SOFI)

  • The company crushed earnings, reporting a "phenomenal quarter" with $1.03 billion in revenue (beating expectations of $982 million) and a beat on EPS and adjusted EBITDA.
  • Revenue growth was 60% year-over-year, and it was the first quarter they crossed $1 billion in revenue.
  • A major milestone was adding a record 1 million new members in a single quarter.
  • Loan originations were very strong, with $10.5 billion in total originations (up 46% YoY) and $7.5 billion in personal loan originations.
  • Guidance was strong:
    • Full-year revenue growth guided at 30%.
    • Expecting 30% member growth for the fiscal year.
    • The tech platform is guided to grow at 20% (ex-Chime), which is seen as a positive improvement.
  • Despite the strong results, the stock price performance was weak, initially pumping 5-8% in the pre-market before reversing and going red. The speaker and a guest analyst (Tanner) attribute this to a tough macro environment on the day of reporting, not any fundamental weakness in the company.
  • The CEO, Anthony Noto, addressed the recent $1.5 billion capital raise, calling it "opportunistic" and "accretive to our tangible book value," which increased by over $2 per share to $7. The capital provides flexibility for faster growth, M&A, or debt reduction.
  • The speaker noted that SoFi is a great stock for selling covered calls due to its tendency to have muted reactions or sell-offs after strong earnings.

Takeaways

  • The fundamental investment thesis for SoFi appears to be intact and strengthening. The company is executing on its growth strategy, hitting major milestones in revenue and user acquisition.
  • The negative stock reaction is seen as a market-driven event, not a reflection of the company's performance. For long-term investors, this could represent a buying opportunity ("buy the dip"). The speaker personally bought 100 shares at $23.92.
  • Analysts covering the stock are reportedly very bullish, with expectations for a "flurry of upgrades" in the coming days.
  • The combination of being a bank but being valued as a growth stock continues. The growth is clearly present, and the macro tailwind for financials should also be beneficial.

Memory Sector (Micron, SanDisk)

  • The "memory super cycle" is a dominant theme, with memory stocks being the best-performing sector of January 2026.
  • SanDisk (mentioned as "Sandus") reportedly beat earnings by 100% and revenue by 30%. The stock was up 22% in the pre-market. They are supposedly booked with deals with every hyperscaler through the end of 2027.
  • Micron (MU) is also performing exceptionally well. The speaker questions if investors can "stomach buying it at $450" after its huge run.
  • Despite the run-up, Micron's valuation is noted as not being expensive, trading at a P/E ratio of 14, which is cheaper than most other semiconductor names.
  • An insider recently showed confidence by buying $10 million worth of MU stock at $337.
  • Interestingly, the companies creating the demand for memory, like NVIDIA (NVDA) and AMD (AMD), are not seeing the same price momentum as the memory suppliers themselves.

Takeaways

  • The memory sector is experiencing extremely strong momentum driven by a "super cycle" of demand from AI and hyperscalers.
  • While stocks like MU have had massive runs, their valuations may still be reasonable compared to peers, suggesting the rally could have more room to go.
  • Investing in this theme is a momentum play. The speaker highlights the difficulty and risk of buying into stocks that have already appreciated significantly, but the underlying business performance is undeniable.
  • The trade appears to be focused on the memory suppliers (MU, etc.) rather than the chip designers (NVDA, AMD) who are driving the demand.

Silver (SLV) & Gold

  • Silver and Gold experienced a massive sell-off, having their "worst day in 10 years" in the pre-market. Silver was down 15% and Gold was down 6%.
  • The speaker speculates the primary reason for the dump is the nomination of Kevin Warsh as the new Fed Chair. Warsh is perceived as a hawk, which could lead to a stronger dollar and less need for inflation hedges like gold and silver.
  • The price action is described as extremely volatile and not typical for these assets, suggesting they are being traded heavily rather than held as long-term investments.
  • The SLV ETF saw its 7th straight day of outflows, totaling $2.4 billion, despite the price being up significantly year-to-date. This reinforces the idea that traders are taking profits, not building long-term positions.

Takeaways

  • The precious metals trade is currently extremely volatile and risky. The 15% single-day drop in silver highlights the potential for sharp, unpredictable moves.
  • The trade is heavily influenced by macro factors, particularly Fed policy expectations. A more hawkish Fed under Kevin Warsh could be a significant headwind for gold and silver.
  • The speaker expresses caution, noting the assets are behaving more like speculative trading vehicles than stable, long-term stores of value.

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)

  • The stock was down significantly, falling over 6% during the session without a clear, confirmed news headline.
  • A rumor about delayed chip shipments was mentioned as a possible reason, but the speaker was skeptical as AMD has not had major supply issues recently.
  • An HSBC downgrade was mentioned but dismissed as not being significant enough to cause such a large drop.
  • The drop is particularly confusing given the massive rally in memory stocks, for which AMD is a primary source of demand.

Takeaways

  • The significant drop in AMD on unconfirmed rumors presents a potential "buy the dip" opportunity if the rumors prove false and the fundamentals remain strong.
  • However, the lack of clarity creates uncertainty. The drop could be a reaction to a yet-unannounced issue or simply part of a broader market sell-off in tech.
  • Investors should monitor for any confirmed news regarding chip shipments or other fundamental changes before making a decision.

Macro Theme: Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair Nominee

  • Donald Trump's nomination of Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair was a major surprise and is seen as the primary driver of market volatility.
  • Sentiment: Warsh is widely perceived as a hawk (favoring higher interest rates and tighter monetary policy). He famously wanted to raise rates during the 2008 financial crisis.
  • Market Impact:
    • Bearish for Gold/Silver: A hawkish Fed strengthens the dollar, reducing the appeal of precious metals as an inflation hedge.
    • Bearish for Housing Stocks: A hawkish stance implies rates may not be cut as aggressively, which is negative for mortgage-sensitive stocks like Rocket Mortgage (RKT).
    • Bullish for Crypto (Long-Term): Warsh has spoken favorably about Bitcoin, calling it the "new gold" for people under 40 and an important asset that can "inform policymakers."
  • Contradiction: The pick is confusing because Trump has historically favored doves who cut rates. The speaker suggests three possibilities: 1) Warsh has a secret deal with Trump to be dovish, 2) Trump is being duped, or 3) Trump wants a "punching bag" to blame for economic issues.
  • Counterpoint: Stanley Druckenmiller, a legendary investor and Warsh's partner, stated that the "hawkish" label is incorrect and that Warsh believes "you can have growth without inflation."

Takeaways

  • The nomination introduces significant uncertainty into the market regarding the future path of interest rates.
  • While Warsh's historical stance is hawkish, his actual policy may differ under a Trump administration. Investors should pay close attention to his confirmation hearings for more clarity.
  • His pro-Bitcoin stance could be a significant long-term positive catalyst for the cryptocurrency asset class if he is confirmed.
  • Investors should monitor what Stanley Druckenmiller is buying in his next 13F filing, as he will have unique insight into Warsh's thinking.

Robinhood (HOOD)

  • Bullish Catalyst: A Bloomberg report suggested that Robinhood could be a major beneficiary of "Trump accounts," a potential government program to fund investment accounts for newborns. This would provide a massive, compounding stream of assets under management funded by taxpayers for decades.
  • Bearish Headwind: In the short term, the stock's performance is heavily tied to the price of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. With crypto currently in a downtrend, it creates a headwind for HOOD's stock price, as crypto trading represented a significant portion of its revenue (37% in past quarters).

Takeaways

  • Robinhood has a potentially "generationally long" catalyst if the "Trump accounts" plan materializes and they capture a significant share. This is a long-term story to watch.
  • In the short-to-medium term, an investment in HOOD is also a bet on the direction of the crypto market. If you believe Bitcoin is headed lower, HOOD will likely face pressure regardless of other positive developments.

Tesla (TSLA)

  • A major rumor surfaced that Elon Musk is considering a merger between Tesla, SpaceX, and XAI.
  • The speaker believes this would be "pretty cool" and "epic" for TSLA shareholders, as it could help justify the high valuations of all three companies by creating a "symbiotic Musk enterprise ecosystem."
  • Examples of synergy mentioned include using SpaceX rockets to transport Tesla's Optimus robots and using SpaceX's data centers for XAI's computing needs.
  • The stock was up over 5% on the day, and the speaker speculates this rumor could be the cause.

Takeaways

  • The potential three-way merger is a highly speculative but potentially massive catalyst for Tesla.
  • While the probability is estimated to be low (~20% by the speaker), it adds a new narrative to the stock that could drive price action.
  • This is a high-risk, high-reward story to monitor for any official confirmation from Musk or the companies involved.
Ask about this postAnswers are grounded in this post's content.
Video Description
twitter: https://x.com/amitisinvesting deepdives: https://amitsdeepdives.substack.com/ nyc feb meetup: https://shorturl.at/wk0pN reach out - jess@akcomms.com insta - https://www.instagram.com/amitkukreja227
About Amit Kukreja
Amit Kukreja

Amit Kukreja

By @amitinvesting

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