What Happened?

A number of stocks fell in the afternoon session after investor fears over artificial intelligence disrupting the software industry sparked a broad sell-off. 

The anxiety stemmed from the rapid adoption of new 'agentic AI' tools, which some investors believed could dismantle traditional Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business models. This 'AI Panic' led to indiscriminate selling across the sector. The market move reflected growing concerns about the downside of the AI boom for established software companies.

The stock market overreacts to news, and big price drops can present good opportunities to buy high-quality stocks.

Among others, the following stocks were impacted:

• Advertising & Marketing Services company Ibotta (NYSE: IBTA) fell 5.5%. Is now the time to buy Ibotta? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
• Specialized Technology company Cognex (NASDAQ: CGNX) fell 3.3%. Is now the time to buy Cognex? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
• Professional Staffing & HR Solutions company Insperity (NYSE: NSP) fell 3.2%. Is now the time to buy Insperity? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
• Satellite Telecommunication Services company Viasat (NASDAQ: VSAT) fell 5.4%. Is now the time to buy Viasat? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
• IT Services & Consulting company EPAM (NYSE: EPAM) fell 3.3%. Is now the time to buy EPAM? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.

Zooming In On Ibotta (IBTA)

Ibotta’s shares are very volatile and have had 27 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.

The previous big move we wrote about was 4 days ago when the stock gained 5.1% on the news that the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report came in softer than anticipated, fueling investor optimism for interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that prices rose 0.2% from December to January, below the 0.3% forecast. On an annual basis, inflation moderated to 2.4%, under the expected 2.5%. This cooling trend has significant implications for monetary policy, with investors now increasing bets on multiple rate reductions by the end of the year. The news prompted a rally in both stocks and Treasuries, as lower interest rates typically reduce borrowing costs for companies and can stimulate economic activity. The Russell 2000 index, which consists of smaller companies sensitive to domestic economic conditions and financial costs, saw a particularly strong positive reaction.

Ibotta is down 11.7% since the beginning of the year, and at $20.21 per share, it is trading 71.8% below its 52-week high of $71.60 from February 2025. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Ibotta’s shares at the IPO in April 2024 would now be looking at an investment worth $195.78.

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