Conestoga Capital Advisors, an asset management company, released its first-quarter 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The first quarter of 2026 started with optimism about the domestic economy and attractive small-cap valuations, but was marked by volatility amid geopolitical unrest in the Middle East and shifting expectations for interest rates. This unrest drove up energy prices and created a cautious global market. Energy, Basic Materials, and Industrials performed well, while software companies faced challenges due to AI disruption concerns. Market sensitivity to geopolitical events, energy prices, and inflation remains high. The first quarter saw high volatility in the Russell Microcap Growth Index, which rose over +11% by late January, then fell -18% to a -4.25% quarter-end loss, compared to -7.14% for the Conestoga Micro Cap Composite. Initial positive relative performance declined as the war in the Middle East escalated, leading investors to unwind popular momentum trades and to cover significant short positions in biotechnology. In addition, please check the Strategy’s top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its first-quarter 2026 investor letter, Conestoga Capital Advisors highlighted stocks like I3 Verticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IIIV). I3 Verticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IIIV) is an enterprise software and services solutions provider to public sector entities. On April 7, 2026, I3 Verticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IIIV) closed at $22.91 per share. One-month return of I3 Verticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IIIV) was 10.30%, and its shares lost 10.72% over the past 52 weeks. I3 Verticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IIIV) has a market capitalization of $698.20 million.
Conestoga Capital Advisors stated the following regarding I3 Verticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IIIV) in its Q1 2026 investor letter:
“I3 Verticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IIIV) provides integrated payment and software solutions across public sector and healthcare markets. We sold the position as the company continues to transition its business mix, which has introduced variability in financial performance. While the strategic direction is constructive, near-term earnings visibility and execution remain less predictable.”
I3 Verticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IIIV) is not on our list of 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds Heading Into 2026. According to our database, 14 hedge fund portfolios held I3 Verticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IIIV) at the end of the fourth quarter, up from 12 in the previous quarter. In the fourth quarter of 2025, I3 Verticals, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:IIIV) revenue grew just 1% compared to the same quarter last year, while recurring revenue increased over 8% year-over-year. While we acknowledge the risk and potential of I3 Verticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IIIV) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than I3 Verticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IIIV) and that has 10,000% upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.
In another article, we covered I3 Verticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IIIV) and shared Heartland Value Fund’s views on the company. In addition, please check out our hedge fund investor letters Q1 2026 page for more investor letters from hedge funds and other leading investors.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
