Nov 5, 2026 · 1h 12m
Investors test whether AI spending can survive a market shock
Ep 63: $AAPL & $RIVN Earnings, $META Humanoid Robot, $RKLB Preview
The episode examines whether political uncertainty and falling AI-related stocks threaten durable data-center demand or create opportunities in semiconductors, electric vehicles, and aerospace.
- 1The hosts argue AI and data-center spending remains durable despite an election-driven sell-off and concerns about construction constraints.
- 2Apple’s strong results expose how rising memory prices could pressure margins while strengthening the case for Micron’s outlook.
- 3Rivian, Rocket Lab, Meta robotics, and IREN illustrate competing bets on EVs, space, humanoid robots, and AI infrastructure.
Don't miss
The Apple discussion turns rising memory prices into a two-sided investment question: pressure on Apple’s economics and support for Micron’s prospects.
The brief
Hamid and Dustin open with an election-driven sell-off in AI-related stocks, asking whether political changes could slow data-center construction or merely unsettle a durable spending cycle.
The hosts compare portfolio choices—including selling Robinhood and Bitcoin, adding Rivian, and concentrating around Micron, Meta, Rivian, Rocket Lab, and cash—with the trade-off between focus and diversification.
Apple’s strong earnings bring memory costs into focus: higher prices could pressure margins and iPhone demand, while also reinforcing the investment case for Micron’s memory business.
Rivian’s results, Rocket Lab’s Neutron prospects, and Meta’s reported humanoid-robot ambitions show how the hosts separate near-term operating progress from long adoption timelines.
Listener questions widen the debate to semiconductor risks, Rivian’s short interest, a possible Anthropic IPO, and IREN’s transition from Bitcoin mining toward AI data centers.
What was said on this episode
34 statements · 20 positive · 8 negative · 6 neutral
AI progress will continue regardless of which political party controls the administration.
“The Internet is not it has not ever shrank under a blue or red administration. So the AI, I don't see it ever shrinking under either administration as well. So this is not something that is going to slow down by any means.”
Listen at 1:51
Political conditions may make data-center construction easier.
“I suspect that things might actually get easier for building data centers going forward as opposed to as opposed to not.”
Listen at 4:45
The election will not materially harm the AI trade.
“But I suspect, you know, it's not going to be bad at all for the AI trade.”
Listen at 7:51
Hamid expects to keep reducing his Robinhood position.
“I expect to continue to do that in the coming months, weeks and months.”
Listen at 9:50
Rivian is exciting and executing well.
“Rivian continues to be an exciting company and I love their execution.”
Listen at 10:45
Rivian still faces substantial execution risk.
“this is still a company that has a lot to prove before I think the stock is out of the woods”
Listen at 11:11
Cryptocurrency valuation primarily depends on coin popularity.
“the only way to sort of value crypto is based on. the popularity of a coin”
Listen at 13:50
Hamid’s focused portfolio consists of Micron, Meta, Rivian, and Rocket Lab.
“I own Micron, Meta, Rivian, and Rocket Lab.”
Listen at 17:32
Once Upon a Farm’s product recall was an overreaction.
“I do think it is an overreaction from Once Upon a Farm.”
Listen at 21:26
Once Upon a Farm’s recalled product will return to shelves soon.
“I think this product will be back on shelves before we know it”
Listen at 21:58
Once Upon a Farm could quickly become a multibillion-dollar company.
“this could be easily a multi-billion dollar company very quickly”
Listen at 28:14
Once Upon a Farm’s recall-driven decline presents an investment opportunity.
“this overreaction does present a pretty incredible opportunity.”
Listen at 29:37
Higher memory prices have benefited Apple’s revenue growth and profitability.
“all of this memory increase in price has actually been fantastic for apple from an overall revenue growth and um and profitability perspective”
Listen at 34:06
Apple’s recent product initiatives were likely prepared before Ternus became CEO.
“I suspect a lot of this stuff has already been in the works.”
Listen at 35:27
Rivian’s stock is extremely undervalued.
“In my view, it's extremely undervalued.”
Listen at 39:49
Rivian’s projected Q4 deliveries should produce positive automotive margins.
“that 25,000 should put them into positive margin territory.”
Listen at 41:47
Rivian may soon be recognized as a leading non-Chinese EV company alongside Tesla.
“there might be one of those moments that hopefully will happen in the course of the next year for Rivian where people will wake up and be like, wait, there is nobody else even coming close to Tesla and Rivian in the EV space outside of China.”
Listen at 42:57
Rocket Lab will beat revenue expectations.
“I fully expect them to beat on the top line revenue”
Listen at 46:18
Rocket Lab will probably miss EPS expectations.
“I suspect that they are going to probably miss that.”
Listen at 47:09
Neutron will accelerate Rocket Lab’s growth when operational.
“when Neutron comes online, it's going to help them accelerate even faster.”
Listen at 48:17
Robotics will become an important technology sector.
“I do think that robotics is going to be very important.”
Listen at 50:58
Meta’s partnership with a Chinese robotics company is strategically sound.
“I think it is a smart strategy.”
Listen at 52:36
Meta’s future growth does not depend on becoming a robotics company.
“not something that I'm like counting on Meta being a robotics company in the future for like their potential growth”
Listen at 52:38
Meta robotics revenue is unlikely to appear by 2027 or 2028.
“not something that I'm counting on revenues showing up in 2027 or even 2028 from that.”
Listen at 53:15
Business robotics will continue growing, with humanoid robots contributing.
“robotics is going to continue to grow and humanoid robots will add to it”
Listen at 54:56
Consumer robotics adoption will take more than a decade to develop.
“the S-curve on consumer robotics, if you will, is going to take more than a decade.”
Listen at 55:25
An Anthropic IPO will have a positive long-term impact on technology stocks.
“the long-term impact, in my opinion, is going to be positive.”
Listen at 59:24
Micron is significantly larger than SanDisk.
“Micron is significantly bigger.”
Listen at 1:02:36
Bearish scenarios could cause memory prices and margins to collapse.
“memory prices are going to collapse and therefore margins are going to go away”
Listen at 1:04:08
Micron is incredibly undervalued if AI demand continues growing.
“Micron is incredibly undervalued”
Listen at 1:05:05
Short selling should be illegal.
“the shorting should not even be a thing. It should not be a legal thing to do.”
Listen at 1:06:55
Rivian is heavily shorted because investors expect it to fail.
“It is heavily shorted because people don't expect Rivian to succeed.”
Listen at 1:07:03
“in the course of a year, the stock price almost 20x just because of what is called the short squeeze”
Listen at 1:09:02
IREN is transitioning from Bitcoin mining to AI data centers.
“they are right in the middle of this transition going from being a Bitcoin miner to AI data center.”
Listen at 1:10:14
Statements are attributed to the speaker as said on the episode and reflect their view at the time, not PodLume's. They are not advice.
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