New York, Feb 19, 2026, 12:07 ET — Regular session.
AppLovin Corp shares rose on Thursday after a Bloomberg report said the mobile advertising company is preparing to build a social networking platform. The stock was up about 0.3% at $405.42 in midday trade, valuing the company at roughly $144 billion. (Bloomberg)
The push matters because it would move AppLovin beyond selling ad tools and into running a consumer app, giving it more direct control over user data and ad inventory. It would also set the company up against entrenched social players such as Meta Platforms, TikTok and Snap; the report linked the move to AppLovin’s earlier interest in TikTok’s non‑Chinese assets. AppLovin shares are down about 40% so far this year, the report said. (Investing)
A company hiring post for a “Founding Backend Engineer” seeks someone to “architect the digital backbone of our next-generation social platform,” pointing to work on a new consumer product. Another listing describes building a global, consumer-facing feed product from the ground up, including content sourcing and operations. (Greenhouse)
AppLovin has been tightening its focus on ads. It completed the sale of its mobile gaming business to Tripledot Studios in mid‑2025 for $400 million in cash plus an equity stake, and CEO Adam Foroughi said the deal would “streamline the Company to its core business.” (Applovin)
In a Form 4 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Feb. 18, board member Herald Y. Chen disclosed a conversion of 150,000 Class B shares into Class A and a gift of 100,000 Class A shares dated Feb. 13. A Form 4 is an SEC filing that discloses insider transactions. (Secform4)
The company last week reported fourth-quarter revenue of $1.658 billion and net income of $1.102 billion, and forecast first-quarter revenue of $1.745 billion to $1.775 billion. It also said it repurchased and withheld 6.4 million Class A shares in 2025 for $2.58 billion. (Applovin)
But building a social network is expensive and slow, and AppLovin would need to win users and creators before it can sell ads at scale. Any stumbles, privacy scrutiny or a deeper ad slowdown could leave the project as a cost center and revive pressure on the stock.
For now, investors will watch for harder proof — a clearer product timeline and signs the effort is more than hiring. Traders also head into U.S. options expiry on Friday, Feb. 20, which can exaggerate short-term moves in volatile, high-priced names.
