Hussman Increases Stake in Etsy Amid Market Caution
Etsy Inc. shares fell 6.46% and hit a 20-day low, reflecting ongoing market concerns.
Hussman Strategic Advisors increased its stake in Etsy to 1.13% of its assets under management by purchasing 42,000 shares valued at $2.56 million. This move indicates confidence in Etsy's growth potential, despite the company's core business showing sluggish growth and its shares underperforming the S&P 500 by 18 percentage points over the past year. The secondhand fashion app, Depop, has shown promising growth, achieving 39% GMS growth in Q3, which may support future shareholder returns.
While the increase in stake suggests some investor confidence, the overall market sentiment remains cautious regarding Etsy's financial health, particularly given the declining gross merchandise sales and rising expenses.
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- Position Change: Hussman Strategic Advisors disclosed in an SEC filing that it sold its entire position of 126,000 shares in TG Therapeutics, which previously represented 1.0% of its assets under management, indicating a cautious outlook on the company's future performance.
- Financial Performance: TG Therapeutics reported preliminary fourth-quarter revenue of $182 million for its main product as of January 30, and despite a significant 92.8% year-over-year growth to $161.7 million in the third quarter, the overall performance could not offset the 11.8% decline in its stock over the past year.
- Market Comparison: The underperformance of TG Therapeutics' stock, losing 11.8%, contrasts sharply with the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500's gains of 20% and 15.8%, respectively, highlighting a lack of competitive edge in the biotechnology sector that may pose higher risks for investors.
- Investor Implications: The complete exit by Hussman suggests a diminishing confidence in TG Therapeutics, prompting investors to closely monitor the company's future strategic partnerships and clinical program developments to assess potential growth opportunities in oncology and immunology markets.
- Increased Holdings: Hussman Strategic Advisors added 42,000 shares of Etsy in Q4 2025, valued at $2.56 million, raising its total Etsy holdings to $4.66 million, an increase of $1.87 million from the previous quarter, indicating confidence in Etsy's future growth potential.
- Stake Proportion Rise: This purchase brought Hussman's stake in Etsy to 1.13%, making it the fund's second-largest holding, reflecting a strategic emphasis on Etsy's potential in the e-commerce market, despite the core business showing sluggish growth.
- Market Performance: As of January 30, 2026, Etsy shares were priced at $52.96, down 5.53% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 18 percentage points, indicating market caution regarding its future growth prospects.
- Growth Potential: While Etsy's core marketplace growth is slow, its secondhand fashion app, Depop, achieved 39% GMS growth in Q3, with the U.S. market growing even faster at 59%, showcasing Etsy's success in diversifying its business, which may support future shareholder returns.
- E-commerce Market Trend: The rise of online shopping has been a significant economic trend over the past decades, and while physical retail still dominates spending in the U.S., the growth momentum of the e-commerce sector remains strong, attracting investor interest in potential opportunities.
- Etsy Valuation Advantage: With a price-to-sales ratio of 2.3, Etsy's valuation is at a historically attractive point, rarely seen in the past decade, highlighting a unique investment opportunity, especially in competition with Amazon.
- Unique Market Positioning: Etsy focuses on unique, handcrafted, and vintage goods, with a 2023 survey indicating that 83% of buyers believe its marketplace offers items they can't find elsewhere, helping it stand out in the e-commerce space and create a strong network effect.
- Financial Challenges and Risks: Despite Etsy's strong market positioning, its gross merchandise sales for Q3 2025 were $2.4 billion, down 11% year-over-year, coupled with rising expenses, indicating fundamental weaknesses that warrant caution for investors.
- Unique Market Position: Etsy differentiates itself from Amazon by offering unique handcrafted and vintage goods, with a 2023 survey indicating that 83% of buyers believe its marketplace features items they can't find elsewhere, providing a competitive edge in the crowded e-commerce space.
- Declining Financial Performance: Despite Etsy's attractive price-to-sales ratio of 2.3, its gross merchandise sales for Q3 2025 were $2.4 billion, an 11% decline year-over-year, indicating reduced consumer spending on discretionary items, which negatively impacts revenue growth.
- Rising Cost Pressures: Increased expenses in product development and marketing are challenging Etsy's growth potential, despite its asset-light business model, leading investors to be cautious about the company's financial health.
- Cautious Investment Advice: While Etsy's stock appears cheap, analysts recommend waiting for clear fundamental improvements before investing, particularly in light of the overall slowdown in e-commerce growth.
- Risk Rating System Overview: David Gardner introduces his 25-point risk rating system, used for over a decade, aimed at replacing vague risk labels with concrete, quantifiable numbers to help investors better understand investment risks.
- Case Studies: During the discussion of Etsy and Duolingo, analysts scored each company on profitability, cash flow, and brand recognition, noting that Etsy achieved $182 million in net income over the past 12 months, while Duolingo reached approximately $386 million.
- Market Competition Analysis: Etsy faces pressure from competitors like Amazon and Shopify, although it retains some brand influence in the crafts market; Duolingo, on the other hand, leads the language learning market with over 50% brand awareness.
- Future Outlook: Analysts believe that while Etsy's market performance has declined, its investments in AI and other technologies could serve as positive catalysts in the future, whereas Duolingo must be wary of potential threats from AI to its business model.










