chumba — Substack author, The Cookie Chumbles (3 trade ideas)

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Date Ticker Direction Thesis Source
Feb 14, 2026 SHORT "Hyperscaler buybacks are trending to zero as these businesses *must* reinvest their free cashflow into growth capex to maintain competitiveness." This makes them capital-intensive, not "the greatest businesses in the entire world." The core investment thesis for these companies (capital-light, high FCF, massive buybacks) is eroding, leading to lower FCF and potentially lower multiples as they become more like traditional capital-intensive businesses. Take short positions or underweight large-cap technology companies heavily reliant on AI capex to defend their competitive position, as their FCF generation and buyback capacity diminish. AI capex leads to unforeseen productivity gains and new revenue streams; open-source/Chinese models fail to catch up; market continues to value growth over FCF. Substack - The Cookie Chumbles
Doomer or Boomer...
Feb 14, 2026 SHORT "The Nasdaq looks like it has been in distribution since October 2025." The author explicitly states owning "some small amount of QQQ put options through April." This implies a technical breakdown and bearish sentiment for the index, supported by broader macro arguments like halting hyperscaler buybacks, threatened employment flows, and a hawkish Fed. Take short exposure to the Nasdaq 100, potentially via put options or direct shorting, anticipating a significant correction or bear market. Timing could be off (AI impacts 3 years away); Fed successfully manages balance sheet transition; hyperscaler ROIC remains high and employment flows are not significantly impacted. Substack - The Cookie Chumbles
Doomer or Boomer...
Feb 14, 2026 SHORT "Odds of downside actualizing are elevated" for equities, driven by risks to employment flows (401k buying), Fed liquidity, and AI-driven labor displacement. "Retail participation in stocks all time highs. Cash levels all time lows." The combination of macro headwinds (Fed tightening, de-globalization), structural shifts (AI's impact on employment and corporate FCF), and extreme bullish sentiment creates a high probability of a broad market correction or bear market. 3. Substack - The Cookie Chumbles
Doomer or Boomer...