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While the prevailing sentiment on Wall Street regarding AI is generally positive – a sort of optimistic hum that occasionally swells into a full-blown fanfare – it’s worth remembering that not every company riding this particular wave will necessarily end up surfing. In fact, some may find themselves rather abruptly deposited onto the beach. Two stocks, frequently mentioned in hushed, reverent tones – Palantir Technologies (PLTR +0.30%) and Upstart Holdings (UPST 2.34%) – are, according to certain analysts, facing a potential descent of up to 68% over the next year. A significant drop, even in a universe accustomed to gravitational anomalies.

Nvidia’s origins lie in the development of GPUs for the consumer gaming market. Although gaming remains a component of the company’s portfolio, its relative contribution to overall revenue has diminished considerably. Recent quarterly results indicate gaming revenue of approximately $4 billion on total revenue of $68 billion, representing a significant structural shift in the company’s business model.

My brother-in-law, bless his heart, is a stock picker. He’s convinced he can beat the market. He spends hours charting, analyzing, and muttering about “value traps.” I prefer something simpler. Something I can set and forget, preferably while avoiding eye contact with any financial advisor. Which brings me to ETFs. Exchange Traded Funds. Sounds terribly official, doesn’t it? Like something you’d need a passport to acquire.

SoFi, it appears, has mastered the art of increasing its top line. Between 2022 and 2025, adjusted revenue soared by a rather respectable 140%. This was achieved, largely, by expanding its customer base from 5.2 million to 13.7 million. (Which, if you think about it, is a lot of people trusting a company with their money. A truly astonishing number, when you consider the general state of things.) The company’s all-digital offerings are, unsurprisingly, proving popular, with SoFi diligently developing products to better serve its members. (One assumes this involves more than just politely asking what they want. Though, honestly, that would be a good start.)

Let’s consider Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN +0.34%). It’s not exactly rocketing through the financial cosmos, having delivered a respectable, if somewhat understated, 106% gain over the last decade. But, and this is a rather important ‘but’, it possesses the potential to double your investment in the next few years. A “two-bagger,” as they say. Which is, logically, half a “four-bagger.” One must always consider the underlying mathematics.)

Such a reversal of fortunes is, shall we say, uncommon for silver, and rather predictably commonplace for Bitcoin. The question, then, is not whether such a shift can occur, but whether it will. To suggest that the digital phantom might eclipse the tangible metal is, admittedly, to invite a raised eyebrow. But one must always remember that the most improbable things often prove to be the most profitable.

Revenue growth? Sure, 22.5% last year, 33.1% the year before. Numbers dance, they lie. What matters is the hunger. And Cava is HUNGRY. They opened 72 new stores last year, and they’re planning another 74-76 this year. A THOUSAND restaurants by 2032? That’s not expansion; that’s a takeover. They’re infiltrating the Midwest, spreading their tzatziki gospel to unsuspecting populations. It’s… unsettling. Traffic is down slightly, same-store sales creeping up by a measly 0.5% in Q4. But they’re banking on a 4% jump next year. A gamble, wouldn’t you say? They’re hoping we’ll all succumb to the allure of “health-conscious” eating. As if a salad can solve all our problems.

Nvidia has ascended to become, by the crude metric of market capitalization, the most valuable publicly traded concern. Four and a half trillion dollars. A sum that speaks not only of technological prowess but also of a collective faith—or perhaps a collective acquiescence—in the promises of artificial intelligence. A faith that, like all faiths, demands scrutiny.