Stock Markets April 16, 2026 01:42 PM

Burry Targets Software Names, Takes Stake in PayPal as Technical Selling Eases

Investor Michael Burry says recent software-stock declines were amplified by technical pressures tied to private-credit stress and has added to positions in the sector

By Priya Menon PYPL FI ADBE ADSK VEEV
Burry Targets Software Names, Takes Stake in PayPal as Technical Selling Eases
PYPL FI ADBE ADSK VEEV

Michael Burry disclosed a new stake in PayPal and reiterated holdings in several software and payments-related stocks, saying the recent pullback reflects technical market dynamics linked to private credit and bank debt rather than fundamental weakness in the businesses themselves. He plans additional purchases in Salesforce and MSCI after conducting detailed company-level reviews.

Key Points

  • Michael Burry has opened about a 3.5% position in PayPal and maintains holdings in Fiserv, Adobe, Autodesk and Veeva.
  • Burry attributes recent declines in many software stocks to technical pressures stemming from a feedback loop between falling equity prices and stress in bank debt tied to software companies.
  • He plans to add positions in Salesforce and MSCI and says the companies he selected do not rely on private credit markets and are not, in his view, materially threatened by advanced large language models.

Investor Michael Burry said he has been buying software stocks that he views as oversold after a period of market stress tied to private-credit and bank debt linkages. In a Wednesday Substack post, Burry described the recent price moves in many software names as largely technical in nature rather than the result of deteriorating business fundamentals.

Burry wrote that a "reflexive positive feedback loop" formed between falling equity prices and stress in bank debt connected to software companies, which he said accelerated the share-price declines and created opportunities to buy. "I do not believe the technical pressures brought on by the private credit/software debt issues are big enough to affect these stocks for much longer," he added.

In his disclosure, Burry said he opened a roughly 3.5% position in PayPal. He also said he continues to hold positions in Fiserv, Adobe, Autodesk and Veeva. Additionally, he indicated plans to add positions in Salesforce and MSCI on Thursday. Burry noted that none of these companies rely on private credit markets.

The moves come amid withdrawals from private credit funds over the past couple of months, a trend Burry highlighted as meaningful because many of the loans in those funds are tied to software companies. He suggested those flows have helped to amplify price declines through the feedback between credit stress and equity selling.

On the topic of advanced large language models, Burry said he sees several companies that are seriously affected for specific reasons related to their business models. However, he wrote that he does not see that dynamic applying to his selected holdings. "I do not see this for my selected companies and a good number of others, all of which I have just about finished analyzing forensically, competitively, and fundamentally as to investment potential," he wrote.

His comments frame the recent weakness in parts of the software sector as driven by technical market mechanics tied to debt and investor flows rather than a uniform weakening of company fundamentals. Burry's disclosure of a new PayPal position and his plans to add to Salesforce and MSCI underline his view that the sell-off has created entry points in certain names.


What this affects

  • Software and payments equities that saw recent price declines tied to private-credit and bank debt stress.
  • Private credit funds and lenders holding loans to software companies, which have experienced investor outflows in recent months.
  • Companies evaluated for susceptibility to advanced large language models, with Burry noting selective impacts depending on business model.

Risks

  • Ongoing withdrawals from private credit funds - these outflows have affected loans tied to software companies and can continue to exert technical pressure on related equities.
  • Potential company-specific disruption from advanced large language models - Burry notes some companies are seriously affected for specific reasons tied to their business models.
  • Persistence of the equity-credit feedback loop - if stress in bank debt linked to software firms continues, it could prolong price pressure despite Burry's view that the technical issues are not likely to have long-term effects on his selected names.

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