Tobias

Duolingo’s shares fell 27% after releasing weaker-than-expected guidance, signaling a focus on user growth over immediate revenue. While Q1 revenue surged 41% to $272M, exceeding estimates, bookings guidance for the next quarter disappointed. Despite a rise in paid subscribers to 11.5 million, daily and monthly active user numbers missed expectations. The company is leveraging AI for new features and courses but the market reacted negatively to the profitability outlook amid increased investment in long-term user acquisition.

Ripple secured $500 million in funding, valuing the company at $40 billion. Led by Fortress Investment Group, Citadel Securities, and others, the funding reflects institutional interest and a perceived favorable shift in US crypto regulation. Ripple will use the capital to expand its product portfolio beyond payments through strategic acquisitions. While not currently focused on an IPO, Ripple aims to deepen relationships with financial partners and contribute to its ongoing “record year of growth”, focusing on digital asset solutions for institutions including crypto asset custody and stablecoins.

Axon Enterprise (AXON) shares fell 9% after Q3 earnings missed expectations due to tariff headwinds, causing a margin decline to 62.7%. While revenue grew 31% to $711 million, driven by a 24% increase in connected devices revenue, the company reported a net loss. Axon is mitigating tariff impact by expanding its software and services, growing 41% to $305 million. The full-year revenue guidance was raised to $2.74 billion. Axon also announced the acquisition of Carbyne for $625 million, aiming to enhance emergency response systems with cloud and AI.

Pinterest (PINS) shares plummeted 21% after its Q3 earnings report revealed advertising revenue challenges impacted by tariffs. While revenue met expectations at $1.05 billion, adjusted EPS fell short at 38 cents. Analysts cite limited customer diversification and sensitivity to macroeconomics. Q4 revenue forecast also disappointed. Despite short-term concerns and increasing competition, many analysts maintain a positive outlook, citing Pinterest’s investments in AI and unique visual discovery platform. The platform aims to leverage AI to enhance user experiences and drive commerce.

OpenAI’s AI browser debut raises questions about the AI investment boom, tied to ad tech giants like Google, Meta, and Amazon who are heavily investing in AI infrastructure. They aim to enhance existing advertising models, though AI could disrupt these models. While pushing for AGI is a long-term goal, the immediate urgency is to protect ad-driven revenue streams from competitors like OpenAI and Microsoft, which rely less on advertising. The sustainability of this AI investment, crucial to the tech ecosystem, hinges on its impact on the established advertising-centric economy.

Tesla’s German sales plummeted in October 2025, despite overall EV market growth. Only 750 units were sold, a 50% year-over-year decrease. Analysts attribute this decline to several factors: Elon Musk’s polarizing image impacting brand perception, increased competition from European and Chinese automakers offering cheaper EVs, and the discontinuation of EV purchase incentives. Tesla introduced a lower-cost Model Y in response, but its impact remains unclear. A planned government incentive program in 2026 may boost overall EV adoption but won’t necessarily favor Tesla.

A bipartisan bill, the AI-Related Job Impacts Clarity Act, has been proposed in response to growing concerns about AI’s effects on the American workforce. The legislation would require publicly traded companies, select private firms, and federal agencies to report AI-related job impacts, including job losses and hiring slowdowns, to the Department of Labor. This data would then be compiled into a public report to provide a comprehensive overview of AI’s influence on employment trends. The bill aims to provide clarity amidst anxieties fueled by layoffs and predictions of significant job displacement due to AI.

Qualcomm reported strong fiscal Q4 results, exceeding expectations with adjusted EPS of $3.00 and revenue of $11.27 billion. They forecast strong Q1 revenue and EPS, driven by handsets, automotive, and upcoming AI offerings. Facing the anticipated loss of Apple as a modem customer, Qualcomm is diversifying into PCs, VR/AR, and AI chips, directly challenging Nvidia and AMD in the data center AI space with new AI accelerator chips. Handset and automotive revenue saw significant growth, while licensing revenue declined slightly.

HubSpot appointed Meta’s Clara Shih, a business AI expert, to its Board, signaling a renewed focus on AI integration. Shih, formerly CEO of Salesforce AI, brings extensive experience in developing AI-powered business tools. This move comes as HubSpot aims to demonstrate AI’s transformative potential to investors amid concerns about AI’s disruptive impact and decelerating revenue growth. HubSpot has also introduced AI tools and acquired XFunnel, reinforcing its commitment to AI-driven marketing and sales solutions. The appointment underscores HubSpot’s strategic push to leverage AI for efficiency and sustained expansion.

Lucid Group (LCID) missed Q3 expectations, reporting a $2.65 adjusted loss per share and $336.6 million in revenue. The EV maker lowered its annual production guidance amid supply chain issues and softening EV demand, now projecting 18,000 vehicles. However, Lucid secured an expanded credit line with Saudi Arabia’s PIF, bringing total liquidity to $5.5 billion, funding operations into 2027. Focus remains on the Gravity SUV launch and new vehicle development, alongside partnerships with Uber and Nvidia for autonomous vehicle technology.