- Leopold Aschenbrenner just updated his stock portfolio
May 18, 2026 · finbold.com
Leopold Aschenbrenner, one of the youngest billionaire investors and a former OpenAI researcher, has revealed updated holdings for his Situational Awareness Fund.
- SA analyst upgrades/downgrades: AAPL, GT, CORZ, PLUG
May 15, 2026
[Close-up of woman trading stock online on mobile phone]
Luis Alvarez
Steven Fiorillo has turned bullish on Apple (AAPL [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/AAPL]) following record quarterly results and the company’s leadership transition to John Ternus, while Henrik Alex upgraded Plug Power (PLUG [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PLUG]) from Sell to Hold as AI data center enthusiasm lifts fuel cell stocks. On the cautious side, Juxtaposed Ideas downgraded Core Scientific (CORZ [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/CORZ]) to Hold after shares rallied to overbought levels, and Agar Capital warns that Goodyear (GT [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/GT]) remains a Hold despite trading near 52-week lows due to persistent operational headwinds.
UPGRADES
*
APPLE (AAPL [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/AAPL]): UPGRADE TO BULLISH BY STEVEN FIORILLO [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4904342-apple-why-bullish-again-in-the-post-cook-era]. Apple delivered record Q2 results with $111.18B in revenue and $2.01 EPS, prompting the upgrade as the company enters a new era under incoming CEO John Ternus with a renewed focus on AI development.
> _“After going through the Q2 print for AAPL, I am upgrading my investment thesis back to bullish as I believe that their increase in cash from operations can continue and that the Ternus era can be significantly better than the Cook era.”_
*
PLUG POWER (PLUG [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PLUG]): UPGRADE SELL TO HOLD BY HENRIK ALEX [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4904402-plug-power-stock-rallies-operational-progress-shift-market-sentiment-rating-upgrade]. Better-than-expected first quarter results and successful restructuring initiatives have improved the company’s outlook, while speculative interest tied to AI data center demand has shifted market sentiment in the stock’s favor.
> _“Plug Power reported better-than-expected first-quarter results, with both sales and profitability outperforming expectations as the company continues to benefit from recent restructuring and cost-reduction initiatives."_
DOWNGRADES
*
CORE SCIENTIFIC (CORZ [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/CORZ]): DOWNGRADE BUY TO HOLD BY JUXTAPOSED IDEAS [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4904395-core-scientific-q1-ai-beneficiary-status-proven-but-shares-retest-prior-highs-downgrade-hold]. Despite successful diversification into high-performance computing with colocation revenue up 801% year-over-year, the analyst recommends patience as shares have become overbought following the recent rally.
> _“Despite the robust prospects from the multi-year cloud super cycle, there is no denying the minimal margin of safety at current levels, as similarly observed in CORZ's overbought RSIs as the stock chases a new high at the time of writing...My caution is attributed to the potential volatility from the elevated short interest ratio of 18.94% at the time of writing, with it remaining to be seen how long the stock may sustain this upward momentum.”_
*
THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY (GT [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/GT]): HOLD BY AGAR CAPITAL [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4904871-goodyear-a-depressed-stock-is-not-always-a-bargain]. Persistent operational headwinds including declining volumes and pressured margins make the tire maker a risky play despite its depressed valuation, with cyclical risks and leverage concerns outweighing any apparent bargain.
> _“Honestly, I am very hesitant to invest in a turnaround simply due to the fact that the stock price has fallen. I will invest in a turnaround as long as I see evidence of a company with a changing trajectory. In the case of Goodyear, I continue to see numerous areas of concern relative to operational leverage, financial leverage, and the recent quarterly earnings reports, which have shown both some positives and negatives.”_
MORE ON MARKETS
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- Jane Street is moving away from Strategy
May 15, 2026
Just one quarter ago, Jane Street looked like one of Michael Saylor's most committed institutional backers.
But now, things appear to be changing. In their latest filing, Jane Street revealed that they have significantly reduced their position in Strategy (NASDAQ: MSTR).
Related: America’s oldest bank raises stake at MicroStrategy
Jane Street cuts down on Strategy
In the fourth quarter of 2025, Jane Street held 951,187 total common shares of Strategy, valued at $144.5 million.
However, there is now a swift and steep reversal. In the quarter, Jane Street cut its Strategy shares by 78% to 209,833 shares valued at $26.2 million.
The Strategy pullback is part of a broader rotation in the first quarter of 2026. Jane Street sharply cut its exposure to spot Bitcoin ETFs during the quarter, trimming its iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) position by roughly 71% and its Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) stake by around 60%.
It also reduced exposure to several Bitcoin (BTC) mining companies, including IREN (NASDAQ: IREN), Cipher Mining (NASDAQ: CIFR), TeraWulf (NASDAQ: WULF), and Core Scientific (NASDAQ: CORZ).
More of TheStreet Roundtable:
New Fed Chair announced today Struggling crypto stock surges after earnings Cathie Wood buys popular crypto stock despite revenue miss
Bitcoin out, Ethereum in
On the other side of the ledger, Jane Street increased its position in BlackRock's iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) and added to Fidelity's Ethereum Fund (FETH), with combined additions of around $82 million across the two products.
In the fourth quarter of 2025, Jane Street held a total of 5,948,399 shares of the ETHA, for a combined value of approximately $133.4 million. By the first quarter of 2026, the composition had shifted dramatically.
The net result was an overall increase of 5,145,028 shares, which was an 87% jump in total outright holdings. This brought the combined position for the quarter to 11,093,427 shares valued at approximately $175.6 million.
In the fourth quarter of 2025, Jane Street held a modest 103,181 outright shares of the FETH. By 2026, the position had grown dramatically to 2,090,207 shares valued at approximately $43.6 million, a near-1,927% surge in share count.
Combined with the $42.2 million increase in ETHA holdings, Jane Street's total additions across both Ethereum ETFs amounted to approximately $82 million in the first quarter of 2026.
The rotation comes amid ongoing scrutiny of Jane Street's role in crypto markets. There have been talks that the firm was systematically pushing Bitcoin lower through frequent morning sell-offs using ETF-related trades, the so-called "10 AM Bitcoin Dump," purportedly suppressing prices below $150,000.
Story Continues
Jane Street has not publicly addressed the allegations, and analysts have largely dismissed the theory as difficult to substantiate.
Related: Jane Street seeks to throw out insider trading lawsuit
Strategy's last quarter miss
Strategy released its first-quarter 2026 results on May 5 after markets closed, revealing a company whose financial performance has become almost entirely tied to Bitcoin's price movements.
The company posted a net loss of $12.54 billion, or $38.25 per diluted common share, for the quarter.
On the revenue side, results were largely in line with expectations. Strategy generated $124.3 million in total revenue.
The primary driver of the loss was a $14.46 billion unrealized loss on Strategy's Bitcoin holdings, stemming from a sharp drop in BTC prices that briefly fell below $62,000 during a February sell-off, the lowest point since April 2025.
This single item pushed the company's operating loss to $14.47 billion for the quarter, a substantial deterioration from the $5.92 billion operating loss reported in the first quarter of 2025.
Related: Analysts see 111% upside for MicroStrategy despite Q1 loss
This story was originally published by TheStreet on May 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the MARKETS section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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- Buy Core Scientific Over Applied Digital
May 15, 2026 · seekingalpha.com
Core Scientific (CORZ) offers a more attractive risk/reward profile than Applied Digital (APLD) due to its larger, immediately leasable power capacity and faster delivery schedule. CORZ is set to deliver 590 MW to CoreWeave over 12 months, with 243 MW already being billed and the remainder expected ahead of APLD's timeline. APLD's near-term upside is limited, with most capacity set for delivery further out, while trading at a premium 23x FY27 sales versus CORZ's 14x CY26 sales.
- AI boom turns bitcoin miners Into Wall Street’s hottest data center bet
May 14, 2026
Investing.com -- Wall Street is arguing that a group of former Bitcoin mining companies could emerge as major beneficiaries of the artificial intelligence infrastructure boom, thanks to one increasingly scarce asset: access to power.
Investors believe that AI data center demand is rapidly outpacing supply, especially as hyperscalers race to secure electricity for model training and inference. According to Jefferies, the companies’ legacy Bitcoin mining operations gave them early access to large power footprints that are now far more valuable in the AI era.
Jefferies analysts launched ratings on five companies transitioning from cryptocurrency mining into AI-focused data center development. The firm assigned Buy ratings to Cipher Mining Inc (NASDAQ:CIFR), Hut 8 Corp (NASDAQ:HUT), Terawulf Inc (NASDAQ:WULF), and Core Scientific Inc (NASDAQ:CORZ), while initiating Riot Platforms (NASDAQ:RIOT) with a Hold rating.
“Power availability is the binding constraint,” the analysts wrote, forecasting that North America will add roughly 66 gigawatts of new data center capacity between 2025 and 2030 — still insufficient to meet expected demand.
Analysts noted a widening mismatch between data center leasing activity and actual construction deliveries. In 2025 alone, more than 15 GW of colocation leases were signed while only 3.3 GW of capacity was delivered, according to Jefferies estimates.
Jefferies estimates that the North American colocation data center market could expand from roughly $30 billion in annual revenue in 2025 to approximately $92 billion by 2030, dwarfing the shrinking economics of Bitcoin mining.
Among the firms covered, Jefferies identified tenant quality, financing capability, and execution as the key differentiators. Companies securing investment-grade hyperscaler tenants — including deals linked to Amazon, Google, and other large cloud operators — are expected to receive cheaper financing and higher valuations.
The analysts were particularly positive on Cipher Digital and Hut 8, citing their relationships with hyperscalers and Google-backed cloud provider Fluidstack. Meanwhile, Core Scientific was praised for already delivering 243 MW of AI infrastructure capacity, the highest among peers.
Riot Platforms received a more cautious assessment despite its large Texas footprint. Jefferies said investors remain skeptical about Riot’s ability to secure a major hyperscaler lease beyond its existing AMD retrofit agreement.
However, market players are still wary that regulatory pressures are tightening the market further. Multiple U.S. states, including Virginia, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Maine, are considering or implementing restrictions on new data center developments due to concerns about electricity demand, water usage, and environmental impact.
Story Continues
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- Bitcoin Miners That Got Into AI Have Soaring Stocks. These Experts See More Gains Ahead
May 14, 2026
Shares of bitcoin miners turned data center developers have surged amid a frenzy for AI investments.
Credit: MARK FELIX / AFP / AFP via Getty Images
Key Takeaways
Jefferies analysts said companies with bitcoin mining roots have a "head start" on addressing a projected shortfall in data center capacity. Shares of the five former bitcoin miners tapped by Jefferies in a new report have risen between 45% and 135% year-to-date.
There's another set of artificial intelligence plays hidden in plain sight. And their roots are in crypto.
Jefferies analysts on Thursday started coverage of a handful of bitcoin miner-turned AI data center developers, including Cipher Digital (CIFR), TeraWulf (WULF), Hut 8 (HUT), Riot (RIOT) and Core Scientific (CORZ) on Thursday, rating four of them a buy, and giving one a hold rating. The investment bank's mostly bullish report on those stocks lands after the group's torrid climb, with their stocks rising between 45% and 135% year-to-date—and the firm suggests that four of them can keep climbing.
These companies, the analysts say, have a power edge, with some already generating data center revenue or landing lease agreements with hyperscalers. Their ability to develop their capabilities this year will differentiate them, according to Jefferies.
WHY THIS MATTERS TO YOU
Bitcoin miners-turned data center developers are getting a warm reception from Wall Street analysts amid outsize investor demand for all things AI related.
"One of the largest bottlenecks is interconnected power, which is where these developers have a head start, as they are repurposing power sourced for BTC mining to pivot toward AI data center development," the firm's equity analyst Jonathan Petersen and his team said in their report.
The firm estimates that roughly 66 gigawatts of AI data center capacity will come online over the next five years, but the companies the bank covers only account for about 17%. Demand is likely to outstrip supply, which is where the former bitcoin miners' efforts to convert their power footprints would come in, the firm said.
Price targets set on the stocks that received a bullish rating—Cipher, Terawulf, Hut 8, and Core Scientific—imply upside between 18% and 48% from recent levels. The price target set on Riot, which received a neutral rating, is roughly where shares traded lately. Analysts tracked by Visible Alpha covering those stocks all have bullish ratings on them.
Shares of the buy-rated stocks are up between roughly 1% and near 5% so far Thursday. Read Investopedia's live coverage of today's trading here.
Read the original article on Investopedia
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- Bitcoin Miners That Got Into AI Have Soaring Stocks. These Experts See More Gains Ahead
May 14, 2026 · investopedia.com
There's another set of artificial intelligence plays hidden in plain sight. And their roots are in crypto.
- Core Scientific: AI Beneficiary Status Is Proven, But Shares Retest Prior Highs
May 14, 2026 · seekingalpha.com
CORZ has executed a brilliant reversal from the prior bankruptcy in 2022, as they deliver a successful diversification across bitcoin mining and HPC operations. Their FQ1 '26 results show colocation revenue up +801% YoY with notable gross margin expansion, and further top/bottom-line outperformance is likely as they ramp up their power capacity. Despite the recent rally and the elevated EV/Sales of 13.55x, CORZ's expanding power capacity of up to 3 GW supports their compelling high-growth prospects, pending new customer agreements.
- Core Scientific (CORZ) Recovers As Investors Digest Earnings Report
May 14, 2026
Core Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ:CORZ) is one of the 7 Best Data Center GPU-as-a-Service Stocks To Buy. Core Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ:CORZ) released its Q1 2026 earnings report on May 8. It reported revenue of $115.2 million, up from $79.5 million year over year. The Bitcoin miner company reported a loss of $347.2 million in Q1, a big drop from $576.3 million in Q1 2025. Following this news, the company’s stock price fell 7% in after-hours trading.Core Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ:CORZ) is one of the 7 Best Data Center GPU-as-a-Service Stocks To Buy.
Despite the fall in self-mining revenue to $30.1 million from $67.2 million, the company’s revenue grew due to its colocation services, which generated roughly $77.5 million in Q1 2026, up from $8.6 million in the same period last year. Moreover, Core Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ:CORZ) is building data centers for AI ahead of schedule to meet high demand, spending more on development across multiple sites to achieve high targets. This ability to invest early and build quickly makes them stand out in the current market.
Core Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ:CORZ) provides infrastructure and services for AI-related computing workloads. The company offers hosting services to customers involved in cryptocurrency mining and machine learning projects. It was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Dover, Delaware.
While we acknowledge the potential of CORZ as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you’re looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.
READ NEXT: 9 Stocks Big Short’s Michael Burry Is Betting On and10 Best Stocks to Buy Before SpaceX IPO.
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- Coreweave Partner Core Scientific's Pivot Drives Stock's Momentum Surge Despite Q1 Miss
May 8, 2026 · benzinga.com
Core Scientific Inc. (NASDAQ:CORZ) is proving that a strategic business pivot can easily outweigh a short-term earnings hiccup with its stock's rising Benzinga Edge momentum score.
