A Couple of Horses for ’26

Now, I reckon a good many folks went chasin’ rainbows in ’25, lookin’ for fortunes in these growth stocks. And a good many of ’em found nothin’ but a wet blanket. Didn’t just stumble, mind you – they took a proper tumble. But a fella with a bit of sense knows that the market, she’s a fickle beast. Sometimes she kicks, sometimes she gives a gentle nudge. And there’s a couple of these outfits, I believe, that are just takin’ a breather before a proper run in ’26. A shrewd investor, he sees opportunity where others see only trouble. It’s like findin’ a gold nugget in a mud puddle, if you ask me.

DraftKings

Now, DraftKings, that’s a name you hear bandied about. Lost a bit of shine last year, eight percent, they say. Seems folks got spooked that the low-hangin’ fruit had been picked, and that these newfangled prediction markets – Kalshi and Polymarket, fancy names, ain’t they? – were gonna horn in on their territory. Some folks get their britches in a twist over every little thing. But let me tell you somethin’ about brand names. DraftKings wasn’t born yesterday. They were a household name in fantasy sports long before this sports-betting craze took hold. A good name, it sticks in a fella’s head like a burr.

They’ve partnered with NBCUniversal, integratin’ their wagerin’ tech with their sports broadcasts. Smart move, that. And now they’re the official sportsbook for ESPN. That’s like havin’ a prime seat at the circus. These little upstarts, Polymarket and Kalshi, they ain’t gonna get that kind of exposure. They’re like a one-horse town tryin’ to compete with New York City.

And DraftKings ain’t just sittin’ on their hands, neither. They’re gettin’ into the prediction market themselves, and casino-style games account for nearly half their revenue. A fella who puts all his eggs in one basket is a fool, and DraftKings seems to have learned that lesson. You might just see a bit of a bounce from ’em this year, mark my words.

Recursion Pharmaceuticals

Now, let’s talk about Recursion Pharmaceuticals. They took a bit of a tumble last year, 44 percent, they say. But this year, this is where things get interestin’. This is the year that their whole contraption might just prove itself. See, they’ve built this artificial intelligence-powered drug discovery platform, called Recursion OS. Sounds like somethin’ out of a dime novel, don’t it? This machine can sift through 65 petabytes of data – that’s 65 million gigabytes, for those of you keepin’ score at home – to figure out how a drug might work.

Now, don’t go thinkin’ this replaces real-world testin’. The FDA still wants to see actual clinical trials. But this pre-clinical testin’ saves a heap of time and money, allowin’ pharmaceutical companies to focus on the most promisin’ prospects. It’s like havin’ a map to the gold mine, instead of wanderin’ around in the wilderness.

And why 2026? Well, they’re expectin’ updates on one of the drugs they helped develop, and two more could start phase 1 clinical testin’. That means more revenue, and that’s somethin’ investors can understand. Analysts are predictin’ $83 million in revenue for 2026, up from $63 million last year. That’ll help chip away at their losses, and show folks that this outfit might just have a future. A fella always likes to see a business that’s tryin’ to build somethin’ lasting, instead of just chasin’ quick profits.

2026-01-29 14:03

DraftKings

Recursion Pharmaceuticals

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