PTC: Seriously?

Okay, so everyone’s running around screaming about AI, right? Nvidia’s the golden child. Fine. But this whole thing with PTC… it’s just… irritating. The stock’s been down, and everyone’s acting surprised. Like, you invest in a company that makes software for other companies, and you expect some kind of constant, upward trajectory? What is this, amateur hour?

They’re a PLM and CAD shop, which, let’s be honest, sounds like a medical condition. But they help companies design and build things. Lots of data involved. Which, of course, now everyone thinks AI is going to swoop in and take over. It’s always something. Always. Like we didn’t have enough things to worry about.

And the ARR… the “annual run rate.” Honestly, who comes up with these terms? It’s like they’re deliberately trying to obfuscate things. They’re forecasting 7.5% to 9.5% growth. Not bad, right? But apparently, it’s not “mid-teens” enough for the market. It’s like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, except instead of porridge, it’s financial projections. Too hot, too cold, just… wrong. It’s just… deeply unsatisfying.

The ARR Situation – It’s Not About the Number

Here’s what bothers me. They’re saying growth is slowing. Slowing! As if a business isn’t supposed to have… fluctuations. It’s not a perfectly smooth line going straight up. It’s a business! There’s supposed to be some bumps. And the market reacts like it’s some kind of personal betrayal. And then they talk about AI taking over design and manufacturing. Like a robot is going to suddenly have better taste than a human engineer. It’s absurd.

They keep talking about this “digital thread.” A digital thread! What even is that? It sounds like something you’d find in a haunted house. But apparently, it’s important for AI. Of course it is. Everything’s about AI now. It’s exhausting. And they’re embedding AI into their systems. Which, fine. But does anyone actually ask the customers if they want AI embedded in everything? It’s like they’re just assuming we’re all desperate to live in a sci-fi movie.

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The “Opportunity” – It’s Just Common Sense

The CEO, Neil Barua, said customers don’t want AI as a “stand-alone system.” You think? Like anyone wants more systems to manage? It’s bad enough trying to remember all my passwords. They want it “embedded.” Okay, fine. But it’s not revolutionary. It’s just…logical. It’s what you’d expect. And everyone’s acting like PTC is some kind of genius for realizing this. It’s just common sense. Seriously.

And now they’re saying ARR growth is coming. Of course it is. They reorganized the sales team. They’re focusing on bigger deals. It’s all very predictable. They had a good fourth quarter, with deferred ARR “triple” what it was last year. Triple! It’s like they’re suddenly discovering basic business principles. And everyone’s going to act like it’s a miracle.

They expect $1 billion in free cash flow. And the free cash flow multiple is 18.7. Which, apparently, is “highly favorable.” Okay, fine. But it’s still a multiple. It’s not like they’re giving the money away. And everyone’s going to jump on the bandwagon. It’s infuriating. It’s just…predictable. I swear, the market operates on pure herd mentality. It’s all very… exhausting. And I’m starting to think I need a vacation.

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2026-02-20 08:22