More Tales From Nvidia: And Lessons of AI Burn From SpaceX (Issue #263!) 

Below are two charts that speak volumes about the economics of AI. 

SpaceX ($SPCX) just reported 3Q2026. 

All of a sudden, AI (ergo data centers) is their biggest business. Along with that, cash and cash equivalents came in at $51.29 billion, versus an estimate of $91.2 billion. CAPEX for their AI segment was $16.4 billion versus $5 billion of EBITDA. Is this compelling?

I guess they can buy all the revenue they want; good thing the cost of financing it is so low??? Feels like double dilution is on the come here. Continued issuance to do whatever they are doing chasing WeWork landlord revenue, and dilution to potentially acquire Tesla ($TSLA), which is becoming more and more apparent. 

Clearly Elon Musk wants to goose SPCX stock where he has much more of his net worth (~70%) to acquire TSLA (~25%) to hide it, on more favorable terms for SPCX (ergo himself).

This is the same trick Musk used when Tesla acquired Solar City. Hide the biz that can’t meet its promises, then to the next B.S. story.

Boy did that thing burn cash, holy heck, never seen a whiff this bad. Good thing borrowing costs are low these days. Oopsie:

In any case, at the rate AI is burning cash (and sucking down credit and equity), the 10-year Treasury will be yielding 6% in no time!

Position: None

Bank Stocks

Despite the protestations from the value cabal, I have been cautious on financials/banks all year:

Position: None

Netflix Lowers Guidance and I Call More B.S. in the Business Media

Fan fave Netflix ($NFLX) materially reduced forward guidance after the close of trading — and its shares are trading -$4 (or -6%) in premarket trading. 

Here is the company’s release:  FINAL-Q3-26-Shareholder-Letter.pdf

Netflix vs. You Tube

From my Diary yesterday afternoon and last night on Netflix:

My View on Netflix

Repeating for emphasis, I would not bottom fish in Netflix (NFLX).

I expect in line-to-better 2Q2026 results but a possible lower forward guidance as margins are pressured.

From last month:

Netflix Is Too Low to Short and Too High to Buy

I would continue to avoid buying (and “bottom fishing”) in Netflix (NFLX) for the reasons I have previously mentioned:

* Netflix has nearly saturated the domestic market (as well as many other developed countries).  These markets are significantly more profitable than the non developed arena.

* Future Netflix sales/profit growth will come from developing country markets that provide substantially less revenue (and income) per subscriber. 

* Netflix’s original content programming has been unspectacular over the last 12 months (or more) — and existing content has suffered.

In the past I have been short NFLX, but it is no longer priced as an attractive short. 

Position: None   

BY Doug Kass · Sep 22, 2026, 1:50 PM EDT

Position: None 

BY Doug Kass · Oct 20, 2026, 4:09 PM EDT

Post Script:

Netflix, according to AI, was among the most recommended equities of the panelists on the “Show:” But viewers, in light of no timestamping or memorializing of recommendations, probably have no clue.

Though, as seen by my tweet above, I have stopped using X as a forum for my constructive criticism, I have a clue. Here is a recent recommendation of Netflix by one of the more particularly smug panelists seen on the Noon Show:

Trade Tracker: Steve Weiss buys more Netflix

We will likely never hear the name (Netflix) again from this particular panelist — or any of the others.  As night follows day none of the panelists have modelled Netflix, spoken to management (and its competitors) or have performed any serious analysis. 

Images and franchises are polished by panelists showing successful investment recommendations and not their conspicuous and frequent investment boners.

Instead the shows and panelists will likely all discuss SpaceX ($SPCX) today (whose shares are up by 6% after their EPS release)..

Position: None

A Bull on Gold

But the magnitude of the selloff in precious metals doesn’t appear to be as substantial as many think based on the long-term chart of gold:

For now I am approaching $GLD as a “trading sardine” and not yet as an “investment.” 

Position: None 

The AI Debt Boom

Position: None

Nscale Flames Out in Its IPO Debut

* As the bursting of the AI bubble comes into sharper focus… 

Position: None