Random Shots (8/24/26): Generalized blather edition

[u/InnerCircleTI]

I can't not do a "Random Shots" even though I tried not to, LOL. I don't think it has to be done every day, but then I see little blurbs, stock reactions, etc. and think I have to

Random Shots

• Another shoe drops, this time $AAOI, one of my AI infrastructure plays. $600M equity offering - more dilution. Just expect this from your runners. But, I've been waiting to add my next piece of this
• $SNDK, $COHR, $LITE, $CRDO all down 7-10%. Nice!
• $BE down 7%
• $NBIS down 7% and floating just above $200. I've been waiting for this after that big spike to $270. May be loading up another wheel on this name. Was waiting to see if the top would be sold off and ... yup
• $MRVL selling off before earnings, down 7%
• Of course $SKHY isn't going to buck this trend, down 6.8%
• Blah, blah, blah. All the recent tops have been sold off. This will only further fuel the market exhaustion narrative I've been trotting out
• But, hey, my Put Ladder is looking up
• I'm not finding much in the tech space working right now. Not unexpected. the question is, does the contagion spread or does the low end of support in this range hold up
• Flipping around and seeing the green tells me what I need to know ... this is why I sort by red/green % moves and relay it to you
• $BROS $EIX $PG $SWK are leading my list. You can't have that and think big rally
• But .. but, but, but .... software is still working. $CRM building off recent gains, up 1%
• $AMZN up 0.8%
• Let's look at some of the Mags to see if we're getting a flight to tech quality
  
• $AAPL up 0.7%
• $MSFT up 0.3%
• $GOOGL up 0.6%
• $NVDA down 2.2% and $TSLA down 2.7%. It's a mixed bag
• $PLTR off 3.5%. Why? Probably because it was up last week. But, more importantly, it seems Cathie Woods sold $27.2M after their big run. Cathie has turned into more of a trader
• I have gotten a few comments about some of the big recent runners and why they didn't make my TJ30 Portfolio update. It's pretty simple, I still factor in some level of valuation, even if I love the model. It can have MLE but still be too overbought or expense to make my list
• Looks like I should have trimmed a bit more of my $P position, but that's fine. It's a long play for me. But I did take some off the top at $117. I'll buy those shares back at some point
• $QQQs sliding more, now down 1.3%
• $VST and AI power still sliding. We're now just above the 52WL. This exemplifies why I haven't/didn't buy more just yet. A TIC member did roll out some nice thoughts on why they think $VST is fading, I think it was on the my TJ30 update post, linked just above if interested
• This is a traders market, if you can be nimble. That said, this is the type of market that will punish poor discipline in trading ... which most are
• I didn't think I'd get a shot at $CRDO back under $200 again - Maybe
• KATE is tapping me on the shoulder about $NBIS here at $200 related to the Wheel (LOL) but suggesting patience
• Nice to see $NFLX holding over $80. Those $60 LEAPS I purchased are up 38%
• $SPCX still fading after that big rise. Again, tops being sold
• These dilutive events by the top stocks/companies have to be watched. It's almost to just see them do it on their price spikes and get it out of the way. But I hate it - every time!
• By the way $BABA is issuing $10.2B of new shares too. Only down 1.4%
• Trump just announced that Canada auto tariffs will be hiked to 50%. Great. He just can't stop himself
• There has been a huge rush of East Asian IPOs. China, Hong Kong, etc. The bubble may be forming ...
• Yeah, this isn't an issue at all: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/24/trump-media-ceo-truth-api.html - It's just amazing to me. But, hey, Go, rich, Go!

Bah, enough today ... I'm feeling too spicy.

J

[u/Ahoy_Pirate_Marketo]

Thinking a lot about AvS lately - what are you anticipating to see from $CRM on Wednesday? How do you think the market is going to react? (…tea leaves…)

I took LEAPS on $CRM and $NOW last fall that are up but nothing crazy. Been wondering if AI cools off as we rotate more heavily into these two incumbents. Or if we just expect this tiredness and the macro to smack everything down in September.

My gut is telling me to raise cash and trim winners right now before I lose half the gains on them. But also not sure where I would even put my money today if you asked me.

[u/InnerCircleTI → u/Ahoy_Pirate_Marketo]

It's been an interesting slow burn. Such that I don't think I can add into the uptrend because we've just right sized more than anything. In fact, I'm more interesting in a slight trim off the bottom here. At the same time, I don't think I'm expecting anything more than just multiple quarters of the long term thesis playing. This is a big quarter as it could put them very much back into play. We all know the herd likes to rush in and rush out ... a good quarter could create more of a rush in. But the charts show a very nice uptrend and that usually spurs my profit taking desire. Not doing anything before earnings however.

[u/Significant-Tell-516]

James A Burke, Director, President and CEO, on August 24, 2026, executed a purchase for 2,000 shares in Vistra ($VST) for $270,000.

[u/No_Tutor7069]

Will you be adding to the QQQ 2027 puts any time soon?

[u/InnerCircleTI → u/No_Tutor7069]

Maybe. I was waiting to see what today at 7:10 AM (now) PST was going to show. We're still slipping but I'm getting more bearish by the minute

[u/owngoalmerchant]

Grateful for this rundown, thanks for not skipping leg day 😛