Retail Investor Influence Proves Resilient and Expanding
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 27 2026
0mins
Should l Buy GME?
Source: CNBC
- Increased Retail Participation: According to BlackRock, individual investor participation in U.S. equities has risen to nearly 20% of daily trading volume, a significant increase from low single digits pre-pandemic, highlighting the growing importance of retail investors in the market.
- Record Inflows: JPMorgan reports that retail inflows surged nearly 60% in 2025 compared to the previous year, exceeding the previous peak set in 2021 by 17%, indicating sustained activity and influence of retail investors in the market.
- Changing Market Dynamics: The collective actions of retail investors have prompted hedge funds to adjust strategies by reducing short positions and investing in tools that track retail sentiment, reflecting a widespread recognition of retail's market impact.
- Wealth Transfer Trend: An estimated $120 trillion will be inherited by millennials and Gen Z over the next 20 years, suggesting that retail participation could expand significantly, driving profound changes in market structure.
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Analyst Views on GME
About GME
GameStop Corp. offers games and entertainment products through its stores and ecommerce platforms. The Company operates in four geographic segments: United States, Canada, Australia and Europe. Each segment consists primarily of retail operations, with the significant majority focused on games, entertainment products and technology. The Company has a total of approximately 3,203 stores across all of its segments: 2,325 in the United States, 193 in Canada, 374 in Australia, and 311 in Europe. Its stores and ecommerce sites operate primarily under the names GameStop, EB Games and Micromania. Its Australia and Europe segments also include 38 pop culture-themed stores selling collectibles, apparel, gadgets, electronics, toys and other retail products for technology enthusiasts and general consumers in international markets operating under the Zing Pop Culture brand. Its retail stores are generally located in strip centers, shopping malls and pedestrian areas.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Google's AI Potential: Google's Gemini generative AI platform is rapidly growing, with analysts expecting revenue and EPS to grow at CAGRs of 15% and 12% from 2025 to 2028, highlighting its strong potential in the digital advertising and cloud infrastructure markets.
- Amazon's Market Advantage: As the world's largest e-commerce and cloud infrastructure company, Amazon leverages AWS profits to expand its retail business, with analysts projecting revenue and EPS growth at CAGRs of 12% and 18% from 2025 to 2028, indicating robust future growth.
- Investment Recommendation: Analysts view both Alphabet and Amazon as evergreen stocks worth investing in, and Robinhood investors' choices reflect confidence in these stocks, especially amid current market volatility, showcasing their long-term investment value.
See More
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- GameStop's Humorous Response: Following the auction results, GameStop humorously remarked on social media that they wouldn't even bid $4, indicating a cautious stance towards high-priced cards, which may affect their brand perception.
- Deepened Collaboration: GameStop has expanded its partnership with PSA by introducing 'Power Packs,' blind bags aimed at customers aged 18 and older, further enhancing its influence in the trading card market.
- Stock Price Increase: GME shares rose by 0.21% on Monday and added another 0.55% in after-hours trading, reflecting optimistic market sentiment regarding its short-term performance, despite a longer-term downtrend.
See More
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- GameStop's Positive Outlook: Despite a 10.71% annual decline, GME's stock trades between $23 and $25, indicating retail investors' optimism about its short-term prospects, which may drive increased trading activity.
- Amazon's Supply Chain Advantage: AMZN trades around $199 to $201, down 13.36% over the year, yet retail investors believe its robust supply chain network provides long-term investment value, despite a weaker short-term trend.
- Palantir's Price Volatility: PLTR trades between $128 and $131, with a 9.55% annual return but a 29.94% decline over the last six months, reflecting market uncertainty about its future, particularly influenced by Burry's analysis.
- Tesla's Strong Long-Term Trend: TSLA trades around $415 to $420, up 17.17% over the year, although its short-term performance is weak, its long-term growth potential continues to attract investor interest, reflecting confidence in the electric vehicle market.
See More
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GameStop and USA Rare Earth Activity: Recent insider buying activity has been noted in companies like GameStop and USA Rare Earth, with significant purchases made by insiders, including Michael Burry, suggesting confidence in the companies' future despite existing risks.
Under Armour's Insider Purchases: Under Armour has seen substantial insider buying, particularly from CEO Prem Watsa, who has acquired a significant amount of shares, indicating a bullish outlook on the company's future performance.
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