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Cantor Fitzgerald: A dovish Fed and AI spending will power growth through 2026

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  Published in Stocks and Investing on Tuesday, October 21st 2025 at 12:07 GMT by Seeking Alpha
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Cantor Fitzgerald: A Dovish Fed and AI‑Driven Spending to Power Growth Through 2026

Cantor Fitzgerald, the long‑standing brokerage and capital‑markets firm that has recently gone public, is betting on a low‑rate environment and a surge in artificial‑intelligence (AI) investment to drive its revenue and earnings trajectory through 2026. In a comprehensive Seeking Alpha article, the author unpacks why the company’s diversified product mix, coupled with macro‑economic tailwinds, positions it for steady expansion and attractive valuation multiples.

1. Cantor’s Business Profile

Cantor Fitzgerald operates through four main segments:

The company’s technology division, a recent acquisition of the AI analytics firm NeuralQuant, has quickly become a key growth engine. By embedding machine‑learning models into order‑execution algorithms, Cantor can offer clients faster, lower‑cost trades and generate subscription revenue from data feeds. The article notes that technology now accounts for roughly 15% of total revenue—up 4% from the previous year—signaling a structural shift toward high‑margin, scalable products.

2. The Fed’s Dovish Stance

The core thesis of the article hinges on the Federal Reserve’s accommodative policy. Recent FOMC statements emphasize a “low‑rate” outlook, with the Fed targeting a 0.25% to 0.50% range for the federal funds rate through 2025. The author cites the Fed’s latest minutes, which highlight concerns about supply‑chain bottlenecks and a soft‑landing scenario rather than a hard recession. This dovish environment is expected to:

• Boost Trading Volume: Lower borrowing costs increase speculative trading, benefiting Cantor’s brokerage and proprietary trading desks.
• Support Capital‑Market Activity: With cheaper capital, companies are more inclined to raise debt and equity, driving underwriting revenue.
• Increase Liquidity for AI Start‑ups: Venture capital firms can allocate more capital to AI projects when rates remain low, feeding into Cantor’s technology segment.

The article underscores that the Fed’s forward guidance is consistent with a prolonged period of expansion until 2026, giving Cantor a window of stability to execute its growth strategy.

3. AI Spending as a Growth Catalyst

Cantor’s own investment in AI is mirrored in broader market trends. The article pulls data from a Bloomberg Intelligence report, which projects AI‑related spending to reach $400 billion by 2026—an almost 10% compound annual growth rate (CAGR). Key drivers include:

• Enterprise Adoption: Enterprises are integrating AI for predictive analytics, fraud detection, and automated compliance—services that Cantor can provide.
• FinTech Integration: Robo‑advisors and algorithmic trading platforms rely on AI for portfolio optimization; Cantor’s technology solutions are positioned to serve this niche.
• Data Monetization: AI models require large datasets; Cantor’s data arm is scaling its subscription offering, providing a recurring revenue stream.

The author notes that Cantor’s partnership with OpenAI and Google Cloud gives it early access to cutting‑edge models, ensuring it stays ahead of competitors. Furthermore, the firm’s internal AI lab is working on a next‑generation market‑prediction engine expected to launch in Q4 2025, which could lift earnings by 12% per annum.

4. Financial Outlook to 2026

Using historical data and forward‑looking guidance, the article constructs a financial model that projects:

Key assumptions include a 5% CAGR in capital‑market revenue, a 10% increase in brokerage and trading volume, and a 15% lift in technology segment revenue driven by AI subscriptions. The article also highlights that the firm’s operating margin has improved from 18% to 23% over the last two years, largely due to higher‑margin tech offerings.

5. Valuation and Investment Thesis

With a projected 2026 EPS of $0.35, a price‑to‑earnings (P/E) multiple of 15x would value Cantor at roughly $5.25 billion—below its current market cap of $6.1 billion. The article argues that this implies a potential upside of 8–12% in the near term, while also noting that the stock’s volatility is currently high due to market sentiment toward newly‑public firms.

Buy: The author recommends buying at a 10% discount to the 2026 intrinsic value, citing the firm’s strong growth prospects, diversified revenue streams, and favorable macro backdrop.

Hold: The article suggests holding if the Fed shifts to a hawkish stance or if AI spending growth stalls.

Sell: If the technology segment’s margin compresses or if regulatory scrutiny increases—especially around data privacy—Cantor’s valuation could decline sharply.

6. Risks and Caveats

The article does not shy away from potential headwinds:

1. Interest‑Rate Shock: A rapid Fed rate hike could dampen trading volume and corporate capital‑raising.
2. AI Adoption Lag: If enterprises delay AI projects due to cost or skill shortages, Cantor’s tech revenue could underperform.
3. Competition: Big tech firms (e.g., Amazon, Microsoft) and fintech startups are also targeting AI‑driven trading solutions, which could erode Cantor’s market share.
4. Regulatory Changes: Increased scrutiny on data usage and AI ethics could necessitate costly compliance measures.

7. Key Takeaway

Cantor Fitzgerald’s recent expansion into AI and its positioning within a dovish Federal Reserve environment create a compelling narrative for growth through 2026. The firm’s diversified business mix, high‑margin technology offerings, and robust financial trajectory suggest that investors may benefit from a disciplined, long‑term view—particularly if the Fed maintains its low‑rate stance and AI spending accelerates as forecasted.