New York, Feb 17, 2026, 06:46 (ET) — Premarket
Pinterest shares looked poised to resume trading Tuesday around levels not seen since 2018, after tumbling 16.8% in the previous session to a close of $15.42.
Timing is in focus. U.S. stock index futures slipped in premarket trading after the long weekend. Investors kept circling the “AI disruption” theme, which has weighed on parts of the tech sector. “AI adoption is an overall positive rather than a negative, but it would change the business models of some industries,” said Mohit Kumar, economist at Jefferies. Reuters
Ad dollars remain the sticking point for Pinterest — especially who’s spending them. The company put out a first-quarter revenue forecast between $951 million and $971 million, trailing the $980.1 million average Wall Street was looking for. Management pointed to big retailers dialing back spend, blaming tariff worries. “Many of the largest retailers have been disproportionately impacted by tariffs and have been pulling back on advertising spend across the industry,” Chief Financial Officer Julia Donnelly said after earnings. Reuters
Pinterest has been leaning on cost-cutting measures and playing up its AI ambitions. Back in January, the company said it would slash under 15% of its workforce and book $35 million to $45 million in pre-tax restructuring costs, all part of redirecting resources to AI-related jobs. The overhaul should be finished by the end of the third quarter. But eMarketer analyst Jeremy Goldman isn’t convinced: “Without clear cost savings or a concrete path to AI-driven revenue growth, these cuts look more defensive than strategic,” he said. Reuters
Another corporate tidbit dropped as traders logged in: Pinterest announced Ulta Beauty CEO Kecia Steelman joined its board on Feb. 16. CEO Bill Ready described Steelman as “a seasoned executive with deep experience leading large-scale businesses.” Steelman, for her part, said, “I’m honored to join Pinterest’s Board at a pivotal time for the company.” SEC
The real question for Pinterest: can it maintain ad growth as larger competitors roll out AI-driven ad buying and measurement? Marketers have choices. The major players bundle targeting, creative features, and checkout—combos that smaller platforms can’t easily replicate.
There’s a straightforward risk here: tariffs keep pressuring the margins at major retailers, marketing budgets could contract further — and Pinterest’s ad model is vulnerable to that. Then there’s the question of execution. If those AI-powered ad tools fail to deliver real gains for advertisers, the stock might just stay stuck in “cheap for a reason” land.
Traders are eyeing upcoming retailer earnings for any clues about consumer budgets and demand trends. Walmart will deliver its results and hold its quarterly conference call on Feb. 19.
Home Depot will report quarterly results on Feb. 24, offering the next look at how big-box chains address pricing and demand.
The core PCE price index, a key inflation measure watched by the Fed, lands Friday and could jolt rate-cut wagers — especially for high-beta internet and ad names. It’s set for Feb. 20.
