What Superinvestors Are Buying While Everyone Else Is Panic Selling

Couch Investor•Aug 17, 2026

Summary

Couch Investor analyzes the Q2 SEC filings of prominent institutional managers, highlighting a growing trend of investing in SpaceX and energy companies to support AI data center demands. Couch Investor notes that while the data is delayed by several months, it reflects the long-term sentiment of titans like Warren Buffett, Bill Ackman, and Peter Thiel.

Couch Investor structures the analysis around several key themes:

Uber: Couch Investor highlights Uber as a major winner in recent portfolios, noting it has become Bill Ackman’s largest holding at 12.72%. Couch Investor points out that during the quarter, there were four significant institutional buyers and zero sellers among the tracked group. Couch Investor emphasizes that Terry Smith also initiated a new position in the ride-hailing giant, which now makes up 4.73% of his portfolio.

Alphabet (Google): Couch Investor focuses on the massive accumulation of Alphabet shares by Berkshire Hathaway, totaling $37.8 billion. Couch Investor notes that while Warren Buffett and Li Lu increased their stakes significantly, the broader institutional sentiment was mixed, with 26 sellers compared to only four buyers. Couch Investor explains that Li Lu’s portfolio is now nearly 50% concentrated in Google, showing extreme conviction.

Amazon: Couch Investor states that Amazon remains a foundational holding for many super investors, including David Tepper and Seth Klarman. Couch Investor mentions that David Tepper increased his Amazon position by 55%, making it nearly 16% of his total portfolio. Despite Bill Ackman trimming his stake by 25%, Couch Investor argues the stock remains a favorite for playing the AI and cloud growth theme.

Vistra Corp: Couch Investor discusses Peter Thiel's investment in Vistra as a play on the energy bottleneck facing AI data centers. Couch Investor notes that the company has a trailing PE of 25, a forward PE of 14.5, and a very low PEG ratio of 0.3. Couch Investor mentions that revenue for this energy provider is expected to grow by 24.5% this year, reflecting its importance in the AI infrastructure trade.

Mentioned Stocks

AMZN

Sentiment: BUYAction: RECOMMENDED

Reasoning: Couch Investor points out that Amazon is a top holding for David Tepper and Peter Thiel. Couch Investor highlights Tepper's 55% increase in his position, viewing it as a core AI growth play.

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GOOGL

Sentiment: BUYAction: RECOMMENDED

Reasoning: Couch Investor emphasizes the massive $37.8 billion purchase by Berkshire Hathaway and the high concentration in Li Lu's portfolio. Couch Investor notes that despite broader selling by some funds, the largest players are adding heavily.

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VST

Sentiment: BUYAction: RECOMMENDED

Reasoning: Couch Investor highlights Vistra as a key energy play within Peter Thiel's portfolio. Couch Investor notes the attractive valuation with a forward PE of 14.5 and a PEG ratio of 0.3, driven by revenue growth expectations of 24.5%.

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UBER

Sentiment: BUYAction: RECOMMENDED

Reasoning: Couch Investor identifies Uber as a high-conviction play because it has zero sellers among the super investors tracked. Couch Investor notes it is now the #1 holding for Bill Ackman and a fresh position for Terry Smith.

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