A clash between derivatives veterans is exposing a deeper discussion over how U.S. regulators should classify crypto perpetual contracts.
The U.S. government is betting $2 Billion on quantum computing, and the defense side can’t keep up
Pruden argues that to defend against a quantum computer capable of cryptographically relevant operations, we need post-quantum cryptography and regulatory coordination that the industry has been deferring for years.
The 3 Lanes of Social Media: Why Only One Lane Will Make You Money in 2026
Social media just entered a new phase, and it’s about to split everyone into three distinct groups. The problem is that only one of those groups is going to turn attention into actual, sustainable income.
The other two groups will spend years grinding, editing, and posting—building something that evaporates the second they stop creating content. If you’re struggling to turn your personal brand into real traction, leads, and revenue, it’s probably because you are stuck in one of the first two lanes without even realizing it.
To break this down, let’s look at the insights from a recent breakdown by creator heyDominik.
Lane 1: The “Viral at All Costs” Trap
This is the playbook everyone has been talking about for years: blow up as fast as possible, go viral, and let the algorithm sort out the rest. The core belief was that massive views automatically equaled massive success and income.
Up until 2024 or 2025, that strategy kind of worked. You went broad, went viral, and a tiny percentage of millions of viewers converted into clients. But algorithms have evolved. They have figured out that ultra-broad, viral content attracts surface-level viewers.
“Broad content pulls in broad people, right? Surface level viewers in a way, basically people who are on the app to get dopamine hits… Basically never think of you as the creator again.” — heyDominik
If you go viral using this strategy today, you are actively confusing the algorithm. You are filling your audience with people who will never have what it takes to become real clients. You’ll get millions of views, but zero business.
Lane 2: The “Private Account” Trap
The natural reaction to failing in Lane 1 is to swing the pendulum the other way. You stop chasing strangers and start posting only for the people who already know and follow you. It feels safer and more authentic.
But if you use a platform like Instagram to fuel your business, the algorithm categorizes you based on how you use the platform. If your engagement signals look like someone just posting for their existing friends, the algorithm basically files you as a private account.
“Once it does that, reaching new people becomes a lot harder suddenly because the algorithm’s frankly confused. You can’t grow a business and can’t grow your brand if nobody new finds you.” — heyDominik
The danger of Lane 2 is that it fails silently. You still get comments from people you know, so it feels like things are moving, but your brand is quietly going nowhere.
Lane 3: The “Empire” Lane
This is the lane almost nobody is deliberately in because it’s not about chasing algorithms—it’s about building a brand the algorithms can’t touch.
When you build a personal brand rooted in deep trust, it survives platform changes, crazy algorithms, and copycat creators. You become irreplaceable. Once you establish this, everything downstream flows: your offers convert, ads become incredibly cheap, and opportunities appear out of nowhere.
Here are the critical elements to building a brand in the Empire Lane:
1. Bring Novel Value (Not Generic Content)
With AI flooding the internet, the number one job of the algorithm is to filter out boring, generic content. The moment you say what everyone else is saying—or what ChatGPT could spit out—you are no longer competing. You get filtered out immediately.
“Novel value actually just means taking something people already want and wrapping it into something only you can bring to the table. That’s the thing that makes people remember you.” — heyDominik
This means you must have a niche. If you try to be a “lifestyle creator” with opinions on everything, you are just the annoying uncle at the dinner table. You have to go deep enough into a specific topic to actually have a contrarian take or a unique insight.
2. Pass the “Half-Second Swipe Test”
Having a unique take doesn’t matter if nobody recognizes you. Trust isn’t built after one video; it happens after an audience has seen you four, five, or six times.
In the half-second before someone keeps scrolling, can they recognize it’s you just from the look alone? If you change your background, your lighting, your fonts, and your vibe in every video, every view starts from zero. You remain a stranger forever.
You need a visual signature: consistent framing, color schemes, font choices, or even a specific jacket or pair of glasses.
3. Master Quantity AND Quality
Should you post for quality or quantity? In 2026, it’s not an either/or question. You have to do both.
Because the internet is flooded with content, the bar for quality has jumped. Because recognition only stacks through repetition, the volume you need has jumped, too. If you post generic junk just to hit a quota, you get down-ranked. If you polish one video to death every month, you get forgotten.
You need a repeatable content engine that allows you to script, film, and edit high-quality content at scale without burning out.
4. Iterate Faster Than Everyone Else
Your content engine is only as good as how fast you can tune it. Social media changes fast, but with modern tools, it’s never been easier to adapt.
Platforms like Instagram are incredible for this because the feedback loop is instantaneous. You can post, read the signals (retention curves, skip rates), and adjust your strategy immediately. Stop obsessing over views and start looking at what elements of your videos actually keep your target audience watching.
5. Perfect Your First Impression
A great piece of content is useless if your profile is a mess. When someone clicks from your video to your profile, you have seconds to convert them into a follower.
Do not confuse your audience with a chaotic bio. If you are a real estate investor, don’t brand yourself as a realtor, a glamping developer, and a podcaster all at once. Pick your lane.
“Put yourself really into their shoes. No compromises right here… optimize everything.” — heyDominik
Understand exactly who your target audience is, what problem you solve for them, and make sure your entire profile—from your bio to your pinned posts to your highlights—communicates that one specific value proposition instantly.
Are you stuck in the viral trap, or are you building an empire? Let us know your social media strategy in the comments below!
The post The 3 Lanes of Social Media: Why Only One Lane Will Make You Money in 2026 appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.
Why Your 20s Might Be the Best Time to Travel Europe
What better time to explore the continent of endless diversity than the time in your life dedicated to self-discovery.
Indeed, Europe’s extraordinary history, unity that perseveres despite differences, abundance of culture, and culinary complexity all speak resoundingly in its favor. Much of the continent is accessible as well, both in terms of transportation reliability and the likelihood of encountering friendly, English-speaking natives.
Here are the most compelling reasons to visit in your 20s, and a few practical tips to make the trip run smoothly.
It Lets You Experience Independence
For many young adults who haven’t entered the workforce yet, studying and chores are the only kinds of responsibility they’ve experienced. A trip is an excellent opportunity to get a taste of more! Suddenly, you’re choosing a destination, building itineraries, renting Airbnbs, and figuring out transportation.
All of this builds both character and independence. You have to think ahead and prove yourself capable of navigating an unfamiliar environment for days or weeks while keeping all your personal needs met. The self-reliance and resourcefulness you develop during such a trip quickly become second nature. Better yet, it’s an experience that doesn’t fade and can be adapted to do better in college and at work.
It Builds Resilience
Few trips play out perfectly and exactly as planned. Your train might run late, or the hostel you’ll be staying at might be overcrowded and lean closer to shabby than chic. You may also experience immaterial problems like language barriers if you venture out into rural areas, or just plain old culture shock.
Since such nuisances are unavoidable, the trip is an opportunity to practice responding to them correctly. Treat setbacks with patience and adapt by finding workarounds or alternatives. Remaining cool under such pressure and thinking quickly will be just as valuable – if not more so – once you start dealing with testy managers and demanding customers.
You’re Exposed to New Cultures and Ideas
Europe packs a dizzying variety of nations, cultures, and outlooks into a relatively compact space. You could be marveling at the British’s dry humor and obsession with queues one day and fascinated by the easy-going nature of people on the Dalmatian coast the next.
It’s impossible not to have your horizons broadened when experiencing shifts like these. For many young travelers, it’s the first time they come into contact with people who have completely different life experiences and may hold unique values. You end up realizing that one can thrive while living life in completely different ways, which may push you to find out what kind of life you want to lead.
It’s Easier than Ever
Tech advances have made everything around Euro trips easier and more accessible. Digital maps mean you’ll never get lost, while real-time transport apps ensure you won’t miss a train connection or get onto the wrong tram line. You can also easily pay for things via phone or use translation apps to prevent misunderstandings.
The infrastructure that makes all this possible is also highly developed practically everywhere in Europe. The most convenient way to take advantage of this is with a digital SIM card. Say you’re visiting Bordeaux, then an eSIM for France is what you need. But if you’re visiting multiple destinations, then activating a regional eSIM plan lets you access local mobile data, whichever European country you go. That way, you ditch having to buy new data packs when hopping borders or fiddling with physical SIM cards.
What to Keep in Mind When Traveling Europe?
Lastly, here are a few tips to make the trip run smoother and become even more memorable.
One trip won’t be enough to see and do everything worthwhile, even if you’re only visiting 2-3 countries. Accept that, ditch box-ticking in favor of a few key experiences, and leave room in your itinerary for spontaneity.
Train travel makes the most sense, whether internationally or between cities. Trains in much of Europe are clean and reasonably punctual. Rides are cheaper than plane tickets, and taking in the scenery in comfort more than makes up for the time difference.
Big cities attract their share of scammers. Be aware of pickpockets, ATM skimmers, and local variants of other scams to stay safe.
Avoid public Wi-Fi, especially in touristy places and crowded venues where it’s easier to exploit. Using the best eSIM for Europe is safer and more convenient since it doesn’t tie you down.
There’s nothing wrong with creating a large photo album or sending clips to people back home. That said, don’t let documenting the trip get in the way of making meaningful, lasting memories that can only happen when you put the phone down.
Similarly, don’t expect the trip to be straight out of a social media reel. An influencer’s curated highlights conveniently omit the dozens of little frustrations that will inevitably happen. Embrace the imperfections and use them to grow.
The post Why Your 20s Might Be the Best Time to Travel Europe appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.
SpaceX Could Open At $175—A 30% Surge In Blockbuster Debut (Live Updates)
Elon Musk’s aerospace firm will likely shatter records in its trading debut.
My company fired one manager and is doing an ‘organizational reshuffling.’ Am I in trouble?
“They let go of a pretty high-up manager who they only hired a month ago.”
Bank of America makes major reset to Intel stock price target
On June 11, Intel (INTC) received a Wall Street revamp that could flip the script on its stock performance, according to a research note shared with me at TheStreet.Investors had been bracing for more skepticism around Intel’s turnaround. The company still faces fierce pressure from Nvidia, AMD, and Arm-based chip designs, while its foundry strategy remains one of the most expensive bets in semiconductors.But Bank of America flipped the script.The firm double-upgraded Intel to Buy from Underperform and raised its price target to $135 from $96 on the back of healthier visibility in server CPUs and external foundry demand.Additionally, the bank now sees Intel’s 2030 earnings power far above its prior view, helped by agentic AI systems and a much larger CPU market.That begs the question: Intel’s tremendous opportunity is growing, but so is the pressure to prove it.
Bank of America raised Intel’s stock target after a major upgradeCheng Chia Huang / Getty Images
Why Bank of America made a rare Intel stock reversalBank of America’s new call on Intel stock was essentially a full reversal.More AI:Micron sits at the center of a red-hot chip rallyIBM CEO sends blunt message on AI and quantum computingAnthropic CEO makes shocking admission about AIThe call also stands out because of who made it.Bank of America Securities analyst Vivek Arya is one of the more closely watched chip analysts on Wall Street. The TipRanks profile shows Arya ranked No. 83 out of 12,284 Wall Street analysts, with a 63% success rate and an average return per rating of 28.60%.For perspective, Arya had previously not been a loud Intel bull. His previous BofA stance was Underperform with a $96 price target. The new report moves Intel to Buy and lifts the target to $135.The old view was built around caution.Intel still had to prove it could stabilize its core CPU business, execute on advanced manufacturing, and turn its foundry ambitions into real outside customer demand.BofA now sees more visibility in that path.The firm pointed to a much larger server CPU opportunity tied to artificial intelligence, especially as agentic AI systems create more demand for CPUs that can manage workloads, memory, and tool integration.It also highlighted potential external foundry opportunities involving advanced packaging, wafers, and future customer engagements.Consequently, BofA now sees Intel’s 2030 earnings power above $6 per share.Though execution remains critical, it’s clear that Wall Street’s Intel debate just changed in a big way.What changed inside Bank of America’s Intel forecastThe biggest change was the earnings math behind the rating.Bank of America now sees Intel with more than $6 in 2030 earnings power, up from its prior $3 to $4 view. That is a major reset because it changes Intel from a near-term turnaround stock into a longer-term AI infrastructure and foundry earnings story.The firm’s new model assumes Intel’s products’ revenue can climb from $55 billion in 2026 to $86.1 billion by 2030. Within that, its data center and AI business are expected to reach $43.7 billion, helped by roughly a 25% share of a $170 billion server CPU market.The foundry forecast changed even more sharply. BofA sees foundry revenue rising from $1.1 billion in 2026 to $47.1 billion by 2030, driven by wafers, advanced packaging, Apple-related opportunities, MediaTek TPU work, and Terafab engagements.Hence, BofA is now modeling Intel as a much bigger 2030 earnings machine.Why Intel’s foundry bet suddenly matters moreIntel’s foundry business has been one of the hardest parts of the turnaround for investors to believe in.The company has spent heavily to build advanced manufacturing capacity, but the key question has always been whether outside customers would actually trust Intel with major chip production. Bank of America’s new forecast gives that part of the story more weight.The firm expects Intel’s foundry revenue to rise from $1.1 billion in 2026 to $47.1 billion by 2030. That figure essentially makes it arguably the biggest driver of Intel’s future earnings power.BofA pointed to potential opportunities tied to Apple M-Series wafers, MediaTek TPU wafers, advanced packaging, Terafab engagements, and other ARM-based server CPU work.Foundry success would give Intel something it has lacked for years: a second major growth engine beyond its own chips.The biggest risks still hanging over Intel stockEven with Bank of America’s more bullish forecast, Intel’s comeback still has several clear pressure points.Foundry execution remains the biggest test. Intel has to prove its 18A and future 14A manufacturing nodes can ramp with strong yields and attract real outside wafer customers.CPU competition is getting tougher. AMD remains aggressive in servers, while Arm-based and custom chips from major cloud players could limit Intel’s share gains.AI spending could cool. BofA’s forecast depends partly on a much larger AI server CPU market. If AI capex slows, Intel’s upside case becomes harder to defend.The PC market is still mature. Client computing remains Intel’s largest revenue base, so weak PC demand could offset progress elsewhere.Valuation now requires execution. BofA’s $135 target assumes Intel can grow into a far bigger 2030 earnings profile, leaving less room for disappointment.What investors should watch after Intel’s target resetFor investors, the Bank of America switches up how Intel is judged.For perspective, according to Seeking Alpha, Intel stock has been under pressure over the past month, losing 10% of its value alongside other chip stocks.Over the past six months, though, it has returned 196%.Nevertheless, the new BofA bull case depends on whether Intel can win a bigger role in AI infrastructure, where investors have been willing to pay higher valuations for companies tied to data centers, chips, and advanced manufacturing.Speaking of valuation, Intel stock trades at over 107 times forward non-GAAP earnings, 328% above the sector median according to Seeking Alpha.That makes Intel more interesting, but also more exposed.If BofA is right, Intel could attract investors who have been crowded into Nvidia, AMD, Broadcom, and other AI winners. But the higher target also raises the bar. Intel now has to prove that server CPUs, foundry revenue, and advanced nodes can move from forecast to reality.Intel’s analyst consensus points to an average price target of $93.12, implying about 20% downside, while the Street’s range is wide, from $45 on the low end to $150 on the high end.The unresolved question is whether Intel can execute quickly enough to justify its new AI-era valuation.Related: Franklin Templeton CEO sends strong message on SpaceX
Lucid loses crucial EV exec after CEO shift
Less than two weeks after Silvio Napoli took over as Lucid’s new chief executive officer, an experienced senior executive has departed in another leadership shake-up for the EV maker. Emad Dlala, Lucid’s senior vice president of engineering and software, has left the company just months after being promoted to that role, reports TechCrunch. Dlala was one of Lucid’s longest-serving execs, having spent over a decade with the company. He played a valuable role in helping the automaker refine and develop new software and related vehicle technologies.Dlala’s exit comes as Lucid Motors prepares to launch its first midsize EV, which is expected to significantly broaden the brand’s reach beyond the high-priced Air sedan and Gravity SUV.
Lucid Motors/LinkedIn
Core Lucid executive exits in turbulent year for leadershipOver the past 18 months, Lucid Motors (LCID) has undergone numerous leadership changes and a shuffling of its workforce.In early 2025, former CEO Peter Rawlinson left the company unexpectedly. Later, in November 2025, Dlala was promoted to a role overseeing Lucid’s entire Engineering and Digital division. At the same point, chief engineer Eric Bach departed and has since sued Lucid for wrongful termination. Workforce reductions have accompanied these leadership changes, with 12% of Lucid’s employees laid off in February 2026. That has continued with Dlala’s departure. More Automotive:Ford, GM likely scratching heads over latest White House messageFord begins testing tech that will change Americans’ minds about EVsHonda’s million-vehicle recall hits core SUVs and trucks“Emad Dlala has elected to leave the company to pursue other opportunities,” said the automaker in a statement to TechCrunch. “We thank Emad for his many contributions over the years and wish him continued success in his future endeavors. Lucid remains focused on streamlining our organization and processes to fully leverage the strength of our team and will communicate further actions soon.”Dlala himself declined to comment. Two other executives will now report directly to Napoli. They’re Vivek Attaluri, vice president of vehicle engineering, and Marc Solsona Palomar, vice president of software. Why this departure matters for Lucid’s futureIt has been historically challenging for EV startups to scale successfully and launch more than one or two niche products. Fisker Automotive and Lordstown Motors both failed to achieve sustainable growth and also experienced high leadership turnover. With this in mind, Lucid’s ability to move beyond its existing position as a niche automaker is under the microscope. Furthermore, the company suspended its 2026 production guidance amid supplier disruptions and delivery issues, reports Autoblog. It produced 5,500 vehicles in Q1 2026 but only delivered 3,093.Related: Rivian and Lucid can operate like Tesla after new legislative winFor Lucid, strong leadership continuity and smooth operational conditions will be important ahead of the arrival of its midsize Cosmos SUV. That vehicle is much closer in size to the Tesla Model Y—the current top-selling EV in the U.S.—and is expected to significantly boost Lucid’s sales.Top talent in the engineering and software departments will be imperative, as Lucid will want to avoid the glitches that affected the Gravity, precisely the setbacks Dlala had worked to eradicate. Under Dlala’s watch, a software update in late January resolved almost 95% of issues flagged by customers and reviewers, reports EV.Lucid has already proven it can build luxurious, desirable EVs with industry-leading ranges on a full charge. Its challenges are scaling production, improving margins, and expanding beyond the full-size luxury segment.What’s next for LucidLucid’s midsize Cosmos EV is estimated to be revealed later in 2026 or early in 2027. This period will be marked by several overlapping priorities, as it must also focus on ramping up production of the ultra-fast-charging Gravity, addressing software concerns, and stabilizing its executive team. The company’s plans are expected to become clearer next quarter.”With Silvio now on board and conducting his review of the business, we are suspending our prior guidance and will provide a full updated outlook at our second-quarter earnings call,” said CFO Taoufiq Boussaid, reports Reuters.It remains uncertain whether the spate of leadership changes will help or hinder Lucid’s efforts to improve its financial position and branch out into new auto segments in the months and years ahead.Related: Ford, GM likely scratching heads over latest White House message
You Can Now Automate Stock Trading With AI. But Should You?
Robinhood is no stranger to controversy. From halting trades during 2021’s meme stock rally to paying a record $70 million fine for misleading customers and app outages, the online brokerage has dealt with its fair share of criticism. Now, the company’s decision to roll out artificial intelligence-assisted agentic trading could open the door to more scrutiny.
In May, Robinhood announced that it was releasing a new feature on its commission-free stock trading app that will allow investors to automate trades — among other functionalities — using AI.
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AI’s track record on providing financial advice remains spotty, and there is a general distrust of how the technology handles sensitive data. So while agentic trading features may be pioneering, they warrant considerable caveats.
What AI can (and cannot) do for investors
Since the first public stock markets in the early 1600s, investment decisions have been clouded by human emotion. Although agentic trading aims to remove that from the equation, it’s still not a crystal ball.
“People basically want a money-printing machine,” says Josip Rupena, CEO of Milo, a Miami-based crypto-backed mortgage lender. “They think [AI] can do all the trades for them. They don’t have to monitor it, and they’ll get all their time back.”
Robinhood has stopped short of making those claims, but the company says on its website that its agentic trading tool offers “a world of opportunities to uplevel and automate your trading,” including the ability to analyze your holdings, rebalance your portfolio and execute trades on your behalf.
But it involves more than just handing over the keys and giving AI full autonomy. Robinhood’s agentic feature is dependent on rules-based operations wherein users provide criteria that the technology then executes using their accounts.
According to Robinhood, that could entail a command to create a portfolio using “little-known tickers across the AI supply chain,” automate a trading strategy to buy $100 worth of a specific stock each time its price decreases by 2% in one day, rebalance your holdings so no single stock has more than a 20% weighting, or analyze market data in order to create bull and bear theses for an investment case.
Robinhood isn’t alone in its AI aspirations. In February, centralized crypto exchange Coinbase rolled out agentic wallets. That feature allows users to “equip agents with autonomous spending, earning and trading capabilities in minutes with built-in security guardrails” for trading crypto, according to its announcement. (Robinhood’s agentic trading is currently limited to stocks and exchange-traded funds, or ETFs.)
However, the success of agentic trading is largely contingent upon AI establishing trust with investors who are willing to share vulnerable information — something most people have been reluctant to do.
A recent Credit One Bank survey found that while just over 1 in 4 consumers have sought financial advice from an AI-powered app or chatbot over the past year, only 20% have made significant financial decisions based primarily on AI’s recommendations.
AI agents like Robinhood’s mark the next evolution. Whereas bots are designed to follow fixed rules and answer questions, AI agents are autonomous and goal-driven. They can reason, plan and execute tasks across different platforms without human intervention.
“These agents historically have been considered bots,” Rupena says. “Now, you have to have a mechanism for recognizing that they are legitimate with a real purpose.”
Where People Are Investing Right Now
Robinhood lets you trade stocks and ETFs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
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American Hartford Gold: Explore different gold IRA options and protect your wealth
Trust in AI is building among younger users
For now, agentic trading’s ability to execute buy and sell orders on investors’ behalf is the head-turner. But Rupena says he believes we could eventually see AI agents interacting with financial services companies — like mortgage lenders, banks, wealth management firms and tax service providers — for full-spectrum money management.
That would necessitate broader adoption and establishing trust at a faster rate than we’re seeing today, with security concerns being a major hurdle. Credit One Bank found that 36% of U.S. consumers cite data privacy as their biggest concern about using AI for financial planning.
“As humans, are we going to trust them with all of our financial information? It seems like we are already, in bits and pieces,” Rupena says. “But is this next iteration going to be that these agents will know more about us financially than we do, have more data and therefore can give us better financial advice?”
For younger generations, the tide is already turning. Credit One Bank’s survey also showed that more than 1 in 3 millennials have sought financial advice from an AI tool, while 65% of respondents believe Gen Z is the generation that is most likely to trust AI over human advisors.
That belief aligns with Robinhood’s core demographic: young, digitally native retail investors. The median age of a Robinhood user is 35, and millennials and Gen Zers make up over 75% of the more than 25 million funded accounts on the platform.
But whether agentic stock trading merits that trust is yet to be seen. Rupena says he believes that if it proves to be better than humans, we should — in theory — give it control. In practice, there are reasons to tread carefully since it involves your wealth.
“There’s real money behind it,” he says. “If it works, then that’s amazing. We all want that. But if it doesn’t, then who’s to blame?”
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Morgan Stanley resets staggering Chewy stock target
Chewy (CHWY) posted record profits, beat earnings expectations, and added nearly 200,000 net customers in its latest quarter. Then investors pushed the stock to its lowest level in over a year.The sell-off followed a revenue guidance cut. Chewy trimmed its organic full-year fiscal 2026 revenue outlook, citing a softer consumer spending environment for pet products. Over five trading sessions that followed, the stock fell more than 11%, closing Wednesday, June 10, at $18.77.Morgan Stanley took a different view. In a June 10 research note shared with me, the firm maintained its Overweight rating on Chewy and set a $42 price target, trimming it by just a dollar from the prior $43. At Wednesday’s closing price, Morgan Stanley’s target implies more than 120% upside.Why Morgan Stanley still sees Chewy stock more than doubling from $18.77Morgan Stanley, after reviewing both the guidance cut and the company’s underlying results, still believes Chewy trades far below its actual worth, describing the current stock price as disconnected from the company’s intrinsic value.The valuation case for Chewy at current pricesAt $18.77, Chewy trades at approximately 7 times its expected 2027 EBITDA and 19 times its expected 2027 earnings. EBITDA is a measure of how profitably a company runs its core operations.The firm views both multiples as well below what a business with Chewy’s long-term growth profile should command.One factor that anchored Morgan Stanley’s conviction was Chewy’s decision not to cut its profit margin forecast. The company held its full-year fiscal 2026 adjusted EBITDA margin guidance at 6.6% to 6.8%, even as it lowered revenue expectations. That mainatined forecast signals that Chewy’s cost structure remains intact as sales growth slows.
Chewy serves more than 21 million active customers through its subscription-based online pet products platform.Bloomberg / Getty Images
What Chewy’s first quarter of fiscal 2026 actually showedChewy reported net sales of $3.36 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, ended May 3, up 7.7% year over year, according to Chewy’s Q1 2026 earnings release filed with the SEC. Net income reached $94.8 million, more than 51% above the prior year. CEO Sumit Singh cited “record profitability” despite a tougher consumer environment, as the company confirmed nearly 200,000 net new customer additions.More Consumer and Pet Stocks:Major pet supplies store franchisee files Chapter 11 bankruptcyMajor pet supplies store operator files Chapter 11 bankruptcyBofA makes blunt call on Target stock price after guidanceAlongside those results came the guidance cut. Chewy trimmed its organic fiscal 2026 full-year revenue forecast by approximately 215 basis points, or about 2.15 percentage points, citing softer pet spending conditions. Petco (WOOF) fell 12% in a single session on June 4 after its own guidance disappointed investors, while the American Pet Products Association (APPA) projects overall U.S. pet spending at $165 billion in 2026.Three conditions that need to develop before Chewy reaches $42Morgan Stanley’s price target does not rest on optimism alone. The firm identified three specific factors that would need to materialize for the stock to hit $42, and all three are currently works in progress.What Morgan Stanley says must happen before $42 becomes a realityPositive customer adds must continue. Chewy added nearly 200,000 net customers last quarter, and Morgan Stanley views sustained active customer growth as essential to any revenue recovery. A return to negative net additions would directly undermine the trajectory the firm projects.Vet clinic expansion must gain traction. Chewy has been building a veterinary clinic network as a new revenue stream, extending beyond online retail and into healthcare services. Morgan Stanley cited this as a key positive indicator, as vet services are one of the fastest-growing segments of the pet industry.The macro environment must stabilize. The firm described the near-term path for revenue catalysts as uncertain, and acknowledged that further softness in consumer pet spending is the most significant risk to the $42 thesis. When conditions improve, Morgan Stanley expects revenue growth to accelerate.Chewy vs. the S&P 500: the five-day selloff in contextChewy’s five-day decline of more than 11% came during a week of broad market weakness. The S&P 500 fell 1.62% on June 10 alone, closing at 7,266.99, after a Consumer Price Index report put annual inflation at a three-year high of 4.2%.Related: Morgan Stanley sets first-ever Cerebras stock price targetChewy’s selloff ran at more than twice the pace of the broader index, moving the stock from a 52-week high of $43.84 to near its 52-week low of $18.38. The proximity of that 52-week high to Morgan Stanley’s $42 target shows the stock has traded near those levels within the past year, which grounds the firm’s valuation case in recent market history rather than abstract projection.What Morgan Stanley’s Chewy call means for investors watching the stockMorgan Stanley’s Overweight thesis rests on the idea that the current price reflects too much pessimism about manageable risks, and too little credit for the business drivers that remain intact.The three signals Morgan Stanley says the market is underpricingStrong cohort dynamics. Customers who joined Chewy in recent years are spending more over time, supporting long-term revenue visibility even when new customer growth slows.Active customer retention. The company added nearly 200,000 net customers last quarter despite a softer spending environment, placing it in a stronger competitive position than peers losing customers to competitors.Vet clinic expansion. A new healthcare revenue category that could add meaningfully to Chewy’s overall results over time, separate from its core pet product business.The firm also lowered revenue estimates by 1% for both fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2027, and trimmed EBITDA estimates by 1% for fiscal 2026 and 3% for fiscal 2027, reflecting real near-term headwinds. For longer-term investors, the gap between $18.77 and $42 represents a significant potential return, though Morgan Stanley acknowledged near-term catalysts remain unclear. The $42 target is a long-term call based on conviction, not a near-term trade.Related: Morgan Stanley shares key IPO realities for new investors