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The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF, a vessel carrying the hopes and fortunes of many, has suffered a decline of no small measure, a quarter of its value surrendered to the currents of apprehension. Within its hold, giants such as Microsoft, Palantir, and Salesforce feel the chill. It is not a collapse, mind you, but a quiet erosion, a realization that even the most seemingly invincible enterprises are subject to the same laws of gravity as lesser concerns. The anxieties surrounding disruption by these very AI tools, once hailed as saviors, have become the instruments of this retrenchment, a tragic irony not lost on the seasoned observer.

It represents 6.8% of their 13F reportable assets. Which, if you’re not familiar with the jargon (and frankly, who isn’t a little lost in it all?), is a significant chunk. It means they’re putting their money where… well, where the animal by-products are, as it turns out.

But a low price doesn’t always mean a bargain. Sometimes, it just means the ground is poor.

The sale, you understand, is not merely a transaction, but a pronouncement. Benchstone, once a substantial owner – 7.2% of their entire fortune resting upon the whims of ocean liners – now holds nothing. Zero. A void. One might almost suspect a philosophical statement on the futility of earthly possessions, were it not for the rather prosaic reality of quarterly reports and portfolio adjustments.

The question, then, is not merely whether one should acquire shares in this company, but whether one is not a fool to hesitate. For a gain of such magnitude invites scrutiny, and the wary investor demands to know: is this a true ascent, or merely a fleeting bubble inflated by the whims of fashion? Is the price demanded now a reflection of genuine worth, or simply the consequence of an excess of enthusiasm?

The numbers themselves were, shall we say, robust. Revenue soared to $68.13 billion – a 73% increase. Operating income? A handsome $44.30 billion. Net income, a positively indecent $42.96 billion. One might suspect a misprint, were it not for the sheer consistency of Nvidia’s upward trajectory. It’s enough to make a statistician weep with joy, or perhaps, envy.

They clocked in with 17% revenue growth last quarter, hitting $91.4 million. Not bad, right? It’s like being mildly surprised you found matching socks. Adjusted earnings per share? A little less exciting. Up from $0.02 to $0.04. Which, let’s be honest, still requires a magnifying glass. But they did manage $23.5 million in free cash flow. Which is enough to buy a really nice corporate retreat…or, you know, reinvest in the actual business.