TMT & Consumer Independent Equity Research Analyst, Obex Capital Research

Aaron Gabin

I have over 20 years’ experience investing in the TMT and Consumer sectors, almost entirely on the buyside. Started at Bernstein covering software in 2001, moved to the buyside at Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) in 2003, covering hardware, software, and media. 

After getting an MBA at NYU in 2008 and a CFA, I spent 8 years at Coburn Ventures (a market neutral TMT/Consumer hedge fund). In 2015, I joined Deimos Asset Management, a low net multi-strat, where I managed a  TMT/Consumer portfolio.

I've spent the past few years at Obex Capital Management providing independent investment research to TMT and Consumer investors.

TMT & Consumer Independent Equity Research Analyst

Palantir 1Q21 Earnings: ARK’s Buying What They’re Selling

TMT Weekly:  3 Things that Stood Out The Week of 6/​4/​​​​​2021 (Non-AMC Edition)

Palantir 2Q21 Earnings: Do You Buy The Growth?

Palantir – Stock Based Compensation Costs Still High as Lockups Expire

Palantir – Profitability and Operating Leverage Are Staggering If You Know How to Look at Them

TMT & Consumer Independent Equity Research

Obex Capital Research

“Obex” is Latin for Barriers to Entry. Obex Capital Management’s investment philosophy is driven by an intense focus on which business model’s Barriers to Entry are able to withstand the ever increasing competitive disruption in the TMT and Consumer Sectors.

Equity Bottom-Up

Palantir Technologies  / Equity Bottom-Up

<p>Palantir generated $93M more revenues this quarter then a year ago. From that $93M, the company generated $174M more in operating income, which swung its EBIT margins from (31%) to 32% YoY…adjusted EBITDA margins of course (there was $1B in incremental SBC). In any case, that is some sort of remarkable business. Especially for a software company that is building a direct sales force and theoretically needs to be investing heavily in R&amp;D to keep up with the competition. Palantir talks about generating insight through the fog of war, but in our short time analyzing this company, we can’t find our way through the fog.</p><p></p><div class="content-highlight"><p>Obex’s fundamental research process is focused on secular change in the TMT and Consumer sectors. We seek to differentiate between fundamental business analysis and security analysis. Before deciding if a security’s pricing and positioning merit a long or short position, we analyze the four pillars of business fundamentals (Secular Factors, TAM, Competitive Advantage, Business Model) in order to determine if this is a “good” or “not so good” opportunity.</p></div>

Palantir generated $93M more revenues this quarter then a year ago. From that $93M, the company generated $174M more in operating income, which swung its EBIT margins from (31%) to 32% YoY…adjusted EBITDA margins of course (there was $1B in incremental SBC). In any case, that is some sort of remarkable business. Especially for a software company that is building a direct sales force and theoretically needs to be investing heavily in R&amp;D to keep up with the competition. Palantir talks about generating insight through the fog of war, but in our short time analyzing this company, we can’t find our way through the fog.Obex’s fundamental research process is focused on secular change in the TMT and Consumer sectors. We seek to differentiate between fundamental business analysis and security analysis. Before deciding if a security’s pricing and positioning merit a long or short position, we analyze the four pillars of business fundamentals (Secular Factors, TAM, Competitive Advantage, Business Model) in order to determine if this is a “good” or “not so good” opportunity.

Palantir 4Q20 Earnings: The Greatest Operating Leverage Story Ever Told