Friday Fast Five - 3/6/2026
by Hodges Investment Team, on March 6, 2026
Five interesting things that Hodges Capital research analysts discovered this week...
#1 MEMORY PRICE SURGE: Memory prices continue to hit record levels as the gap between supply and demand widens due to persistent demand for HBM (high-bandwidth memory) used in AI data centers. For many types of DRAM and NAND memory, prices have more than doubled over the past several months as limited capacity has quickly shifted away from memory used in PCs and phones to the more complex memory required for data centers. While additional spending is underway to add capacity among major suppliers such as Samsung and Micron, supply is expected to remain tight throughout 2026.
#2 RED METAL RALLY: After a 41% gain in 2025, copper prices have surged more than 5% this year to over $6.00 per pound. The price increase appears to be driven by growing global demand for grid infrastructure, data centers, and electric vehicles. According to UBS, global copper demand is expected to rise 2.8% in 2026, which could result in a market production deficit of 520,000 tonnes this year.
#3 PEANUT ALLERGIES: According to a newly published report, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary addressed the national rise in food allergies and emphasized that the dramatic increase in peanut and other food allergies over the past 25 years is genuine and burdens families, schools, and society. The report suggests that modern research shows babies require early exposure to allergenic foods to build tolerance. Furthermore, the report concludes that early introduction of peanuts, rather than delaying exposure, may help prevent allergies.
#4 2025 TAX REFUNDS: Six weeks into tax refund season, recent government data show a 10% increase in the size of federal tax refunds compared with last year. Cumulative tax refunds are averaging around $3,167 per taxpayer, and about 63% of filers are receiving money back.
#5 MIDDLE EAST DISRUPTION = INLAND BARGE TAILWIND: Recent Middle East disruptions surrounding military actions in Iran have created significant challenges for moving oil and other commodities. According to Stephens, roughly one-third of the world’s fertilizer moves through the Strait of Hormuz, which could drive near-term demand for U.S.-produced fertilizer and other chemicals. This, in turn, is likely to create a tailwind for U.S. inland barges and barge operators as utilization tightens and pricing power follows.
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