Investor Summary
Fund Strategy
FUND PERFORMANCE AS OF 31st March 2026
| ANNUALIZED SINCE INCEPTION | QUARTERLY | YTD |
|---|---|---|
| 7.52% | 0.18% | 0.18% |
| ANNUALIZED SINCE INCEPTION | QUARTERLY | YTD |
|---|---|---|
| 7.52% | 0.18% | 0.18% |
Next Century Growth Investors delivered positive performance in 1Q26 despite broad market volatility driven by geopolitical tensions and energy supply disruptions. The SMID Cap Growth strategy returned 0.18% versus -3.51% for the Russell 2500 Growth Index, benefiting from exposure to AI infrastructure, aerospace and defense, and critical minerals. The firm maintains conviction in small cap opportunities, citing positive earnings growth trends that began in 2025 and are expected to accelerate in 2026, combined with attractive valuations relative to large caps and supportive monetary policy. Portfolio activity included adding 11 new positions across industrials, healthcare, consumer, technology and telecommunications while exiting 14 positions. The strategy remains overweight technology and industrials while underweight healthcare and energy. Looking forward, the manager believes conditions favor continued market broadening and sees the current environment as increasingly favorable for their approach of identifying high-quality growth businesses with durable competitive advantages.
Focus on high-quality growth businesses with durable competitive advantages, strong balance sheets, and long-term earnings power, particularly in small and mid-cap companies trading at attractive valuations relative to large caps.
The investment environment presents a mix of near-term uncertainties and longer-term opportunities. Conditions remain favorable for continued market broadening, with small cap earnings growth expected to stay positive and potentially accelerate. The environment reinforces the value of active management and fundamental research, creating opportunities for disciplined investors focused on identifying high-quality growth businesses.
| Date | Letter | Tickers | Keywords | Pitches | Quick Takes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 22 2026 | 2026 Q1 | - | AI Infrastructure, Critical Minerals, defense, growth, industrials, small cap, technology | - | NCG's SMID Cap strategy outperformed significantly in 1Q26, driven by AI infrastructure, defense, and critical minerals exposure. The firm sees compelling small cap opportunities with positive earnings momentum, attractive valuations versus large caps, and supportive Fed policy. Active portfolio management added 11 new positions while maintaining focus on high-quality growth businesses with durable competitive advantages. |
| Jan 21 2026 | 2025 Q4 | ADPT, AII.TO, ATEC, AXGN, BETA, BLND, CELH, COHR, ELF, INOD, KVYO, MTSI, PCOR, PEGA, PHAT, PI, QTWO, TOL, TTAN, UAMY, UTI, WULF | Biotechnology, growth, healthcare, Quality, small caps, technology | - | NCG's SMID Cap strategy underperformed in 2025 as quality factors worked against active managers, with speculative low-quality stocks significantly outperforming. The firm maintained discipline investing in high-quality growth companies despite headwinds. They're optimistic on small caps given positive earnings growth trends, Fed rate cuts, and pro-growth policies creating improving fundamentals. |
| Oct 24 2025 | 2025 Q3 | AAON, ADMA, AEHR, APLD, AVAV, BE, CDNA, FROG, KVYO, LEU, MIRM, MP, PAR, PGY, PI, PL, PRCH, SPRY, STRL, TOL, XMTR | AI, earnings, growth, industrials, infrastructure, Rate Cuts, small caps, technology | - | NCG's SMID Cap Growth strategy underperformed in 3Q25 as speculative areas dominated small cap returns, but the firm sees significant positives ahead including Fed rate cuts, accelerating small cap earnings, and pro-growth policies. They maintain focus on high-quality growth companies while adding 19 new positions, believing their disciplined approach will drive long-term outperformance over current market speculation. |
| Aug 7 2025 | 2025 Q2 | ALHC, CDNA, CELH, CRS, ELF, GDYN, SAIA, SPRY, STRL, TMDX, TTAN, VRT | growth, healthcare, infrastructure, rates, small caps, technology, Trade Policy | - | NCG's SMID Cap strategy outperformed in Q2 despite early tariff-related volatility. The firm sees compelling opportunities in small cap growth stocks given historically poor relative performance and attractive valuations. Key catalysts include potential Fed rate cuts, infrastructure spending acceleration, and trade policy flexibility. NCG maintains focus on high-quality growth companies through disciplined research and portfolio construction. |
| Mar 31 2025 | 2025 Q1 | AGYS, ALHC, AORT, ATEC, ATRO, BROS, CAVA, FLYW, GLBE, INOD, IRTC, OS, PEGA, PEN, QNST, SAIA, SITM, UTI, VERX, WAY | growth, healthcare, industrials, small cap, technology, uncertainty, underperformance | - | NCG's SMID Cap strategy underperformed in Q1 amid policy uncertainty from the new administration causing growth concerns and recession fears. Technology and industrials holdings weighed on performance. Despite near-term headwinds, the firm maintains conviction in high-quality growth companies, sees potential Fed support and infrastructure spending acceleration, and believes small cap valuations are attractive. |
| Dec 31 2023 | 2023 Q4 | BRZE, CSTL, CWAN, DAVA, DXCM, FLYW, GWRE, KNSL, LGIH, MEDP, NTRA, SILD, TMDX, TNDM, VRRM, VRT | Biotech, growth, healthcare, Medical Devices, small caps, technology |
MEDP BRZE ACGL|APH|COO|CSGP|DKNG|GWRE|IDXX|IOT|IT|LPLA|MSCI|MTD|PCOR|ROP|TECH|VRSK ARGX BB|DAVA|DDOG|GLOB|ILMN|LOAR|MELI|NET|NU|NVDA|TSM NTRA ASIC|CWAN|INSP|KRMN|KTOS|MAC|MEG|RH|WYNN TNDM CSTL MELI|NFLX|ORCL|TCOM|VRTX|YUMC DXCM |
NCG's SMID Cap strategy underperformed in Q4 2023 due to healthcare headwinds from GLP-1 concerns, though the firm added quality names across healthcare and technology. The Fed pivot broadened market participation but favored lower quality stocks. With reasonable valuations and strong new idea generation, the firm remains confident in their high-quality growth approach for long-term outperformance. |
| QUARTER | THEMES | TAGS |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Q1 |
AIAI infrastructure investments including semiconductors, optical components, power buildout and site development performed well as spending on computing capacity, networking, and data-center build-outs remained robust. Technology performance was driven by semiconductors, optical components, and test equipment holdings. |
Infrastructure Semiconductors Data Centers Computing Networking |
Defense SpendingAerospace and defense holdings contributed positively, supported by elevated global defense spending and growing order backlogs. The portfolio is overweight in the industrial sector with holdings in aerospace & defense among other areas. |
Aerospace Defense Order Backlogs Global Spending | |
Critical MineralsBasic materials positions benefited from supply-demand imbalances and pricing resilience. The portfolio is overweight basic materials with holdings consisting of companies in the rare/critical minerals market selling into aerospace and general industrial industries. |
Supply Demand Pricing Rare Earths Industrial | |
Small CapsSmall cap earnings growth turned positive during 2025 and is expected to stay positive and potentially accelerate in 2026. Small cap stocks continue to trade at attractive valuations relative to large cap stocks, presenting further opportunities combined with an improving fundamental backdrop. |
Earnings Growth Valuations Fundamentals Opportunities | |
| 2025 Q4 |
AIPershing Square views AI as a major driver of market performance and structural growth. The firm believes megacap companies they own are well-positioned to benefit from AI integration, with Alphabet seen as a clear beneficiary of AI integration and Meta's AI-related spending initiatives viewed as underestimated by the market for long-term upside potential. |
Artificial Intelligence Technology Cloud Data Centers Software |
MegacapsThe firm has increased exposure to high-quality, higher-growth megacap companies, believing they offer structurally higher growth than most S&P 500 companies at only modestly higher multiples. They view these companies as having sustainable competitive moats and long-term secular growth characteristics that justify higher valuations. |
Large Cap Technology Growth Quality Concentration | |
EarningsPershing Square emphasizes that elevated earnings growth has been the primary driver of market returns, with S&P 500 annualized returns of 13% from 2020-2025 driven by 10% EPS growth. They believe most top ten companies have sustainable competitive advantages that will allow for continued high rates of EPS growth. |
Growth Fundamentals Valuation Performance | |
Alternative Asset ManagersThrough their Brookfield investment, Pershing Square is positioned in the alternative asset management space, viewing Brookfield as a leading asset-rich alternative asset manager with deep domain expertise positioned to benefit from multi-trillion-dollar AI-related infrastructure investment. |
Asset Management Infrastructure Private Equity Real Estate | |
InsurancePershing Square is making a significant investment in the insurance sector through HHH's acquisition of Vantage Group Holdings, a leading specialty insurance and reinsurance company. They view this as an ideal transaction to begin HHH's transformation into a diversified holding company with attractive return profiles. |
Insurance Reinsurance Specialty Insurance Financial Services | |
| 2025 Q3 |
AIArtificial intelligence presents great promise for enhancing business models and improving productivity long-term. In the near-term, the infrastructure needed to support the AI buildout is spurring significant investment and capital expenditures, driving new growth opportunities for innovative companies across technology, industrials, and energy sectors. |
Infrastructure Productivity Technology Investment Growth |
Infrastructure SpendingThe new administration has implemented pro-growth policies including infrastructure spending, manufacturing re-shoring, critical mineral and pharmaceutical production, and defense spending. These policies are expected to support growth across many sectors of the domestic economy and create direct beneficiaries among portfolio companies. |
Pro-growth Manufacturing Defense Domestic Policy | |
Small CapsSmall cap earnings growth is projected to be positive and accelerate throughout 2025 after two years of declines, with 2026 potentially seeing small cap earnings growth outpace large cap. Small caps are prime beneficiaries in past rate-cutting cycles, and the rolling 10-year relative performance versus large caps is in the 6th percentile historically. |
Earnings Outperformance Rate Cuts Relative Performance Valuation | |
Critical MineralsCritical minerals represents one of the speculative areas that saw significant rallies and material contribution to micro and small cap indices during 3Q. The firm has exposure through holdings in the rare earth materials market and added MP Materials to the portfolio during the quarter. |
Rare Earths Speculation Materials Mining Supply Chain | |
| 2025 Q2 |
Infrastructure SpendingStrong forces driving increased infrastructure spending in the US have been gaining momentum for the past couple years and remain intact. The new administration is working to accelerate this trend and NCG is finding companies which are direct beneficiaries. |
Infrastructure Government Construction Industrials Policy |
Trade PolicyPresident Trump's Liberation Day tariff announcement on April 2nd created considerable concern for global markets due to the breadth of countries included, level of tariff rates imposed, and short implementation timeframe. However, the administration later put in place a 90-day pause on tariff implementation and started talking about numerous ongoing trade deal negotiations. |
Tariffs Trade Policy Global Negotiations | |
Small CapsThe rolling 10-year annualized return by small vs large stands at -7.3% and is the worst ever going back to 1926. The valuation of the small cap sector relative to large caps is in the 5th percentile historically. Small cap growth stocks participated in the recent up move, but further opportunity exists. |
Small Cap Valuation Relative Performance Opportunity Growth | |
RatesThe Federal Reserve has held rates unchanged so far in 2025 following rate cuts totaling 100bps in the back half of 2024. The Fed remains committed to evaluating incoming data but has recently signaled a willingness to cut rates at some point this year. The market currently expects between two to three 25bp cuts in 2025. |
Federal Reserve Interest Rates Monetary Policy Rate Cuts Economic Data | |
| 2025 Q1 |
GrowthNCG emphasizes investing in what they believe are the fastest growing and highest quality companies in America. They maintain focus on companies that can grow revenue and profits at strong rates in any economic and market environment. The firm continues to seek high-quality growth companies selected using original research combined with strong sell discipline. |
Growth Companies Revenue Growth Quality Fundamentals Long-term |
Infrastructure SpendingThe firm believes strong forces driving increased infrastructure spending in the US have been gaining momentum for the past couple years and remain intact. They feel the new administration is working to accelerate this trend and they are finding small companies which are direct beneficiaries of this infrastructure investment theme. |
Infrastructure Government Spending Small Companies Beneficiaries Acceleration | |
| 2023 Q4 |
HealthcareHealthcare holdings drove much of the underperformance across strategies due to investor perception that GLP-1 drugs will reduce medical interventions. Many healthcare companies began recovering in Q4 and the firm believes in long-term growth fundamentals. The firm continues direct research to inform investment decisions in this space. |
Biotechnology Medical Devices Diagnostics CRO & CDMO Pharmaceuticals |
Data CentersWorldwide datacenter capacity is poised to continue growing driven by AI, high performance computing, enterprise workloads moving to cloud, and social media proliferation. Vertiv operates in this space providing backup power and thermal management solutions. |
Data Centers Cloud AI Infrastructure | |
DiabetesThe firm invested in both Tandem Diabetes Care for next-generation insulin pumps and DexCom for leading continuous glucose monitoring systems. Both companies serve the growing diabetes care market with innovative technology solutions. |
Diabetes Devices Medical Devices Healthcare |
| Date | Pitch Type | Author | Ticker | Company | Industry | Sub Industry | Bull / Bear | Exchange | Keywords | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 31, 2023 | Fund Letters | NCG SMID Cap Growth Strategy | DXCM | DexCom | Health Care | Health Care Equipment | Bull | NASDAQ | Cgm, Continuous Glucose Monitoring, diabetes care, Geographic Expansion, market leadership, Medical devices, profitability growth, Reimbursement | Login |
| Dec 31, 2023 | Fund Letters | NCG SMID Cap Growth Strategy | CSTL | Castle Bioscience | Health Care | Biotechnology | Bull | NASDAQ | Acquisitions, balance sheet strength, Cash Flow Breakeven, Medical Diagnostics, Oncology Testing, Skin Cancer, Under-Penetrated Markets, valuation compression | Login |
| Dec 31, 2023 | Fund Letters | NCG SMID Cap Growth Strategy | MEDP | Medpace Holdings | Health Care | Life Sciences Tools & Services | Bull | NASDAQ | biopharma, Biotech, Clinical trials, contract research organization, Cro, Healthcare services, life sciences, market share gains | Login |
| Dec 31, 2023 | Fund Letters | NCG SMID Cap Growth Strategy | BRZE | Braze | Information Technology | Application Software | Bull | NASDAQ | Cross-Channel, Customer Engagement, high margins, market disruption, Marketing Technology, platform, Real Time, SaaS | Login |
| Dec 31, 2023 | Fund Letters | NCG SMID Cap Growth Strategy | ACGL|APH|COO|CSGP|DKNG|GWRE|IDXX|IOT|IT|LPLA|MSCI|MTD|PCOR|ROP|TECH|VRSK | Guidewire Software | Information Technology | Application Software | Bull | NYSE | cloud migration, Digital transformation, Insurance-software, Legacy Modernization, P&C insurance, platform, recurring revenue, SaaS | Login |
| Dec 31, 2023 | Fund Letters | NCG SMID Cap Growth Strategy | TNDM | Tandem Diabetes Care | Health Care | Health Care Equipment | Bull | NASDAQ | diabetes care, Healthcare Technology, Insulin Pump, Medical devices, product innovation, product launches, turnaround, valuation recovery | Login |
| Dec 31, 2023 | Fund Letters | NCG SMID Cap Growth Strategy | ARGX BB|DAVA|DDOG|GLOB|ILMN|LOAR|MELI|NET|NU|NVDA|TSM | Endava | Information Technology | IT Consulting & Other Services | Bull | NYSE | banking, Cyclical Recovery, Digital transformation, IT services, Outsourcing, Payments, Technology Consulting, TMT | Login |
| Dec 31, 2023 | Fund Letters | NCG SMID Cap Growth Strategy | NTRA | Natera | Health Care | Biotechnology | Bull | NASDAQ | Cash Flow Inflection, Cell-free DNA, diagnostics, Genetic Testing, MRD Testing, NIPT, Oncology, Precision-medicine | Login |
| Dec 31, 2023 | Fund Letters | NCG SMID Cap Growth Strategy | MELI|NFLX|ORCL|TCOM|VRTX|YUMC | Vertiv Holdings | Information Technology | Electronic Equipment & Instruments | Bull | NYSE | AI, backup power, Cloud computing, Datacenter infrastructure, margin expansion, Pure-Play, secular growth, thermal management | Login |
| Dec 31, 2023 | Fund Letters | NCG SMID Cap Growth Strategy | ASIC|CWAN|INSP|KRMN|KTOS|MAC|MEG|RH|WYNN | Clearwater Analytics Holdings | Information Technology | Application Software | Bull | NASDAQ | analytics software, Asset Managers, Insurance, Investment Accounting, market share gains, Post-IPO, SaaS, valuation opportunity | Login |
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