New York, Feb 9, 2026, 16:43 (EST) — Trading after the bell.
- APP climbed 13.2% to $460.38 in after-hours trade, having earlier hit $471.68.
- CapitalWatch has issued an apology and made revisions to sections of a report concerning major shareholder Hao Tang
- AppLovin will post its quarterly numbers after the U.S. market wraps up on Feb. 11.
AppLovin Corporation jumped $53.66, up 13.2%, to $460.38 after the bell on Monday, having reached $471.68 earlier. The stock kicked off the session at $420.43, dipped as far as $416.16, then reversed after CapitalWatch apologized and corrected sections of a report involving major shareholder Hao Tang. 1
Timing is key here. Shares have been volatile, jolted by a short report — that’s research put out by investors betting the price drops — and with the company about to report earnings, that tug-of-war hasn’t settled.
Things have gotten choppier since last month. Reuters, in its “Wall Street Week Ahead” column, pointed out that the recent selloff in software stocks has brought fresh scrutiny to business models most vulnerable to AI disruption—AppLovin is in the spotlight as it gets ready to report this week. 2
CapitalWatch pulled back major accusations tying AppLovin and Tang to money laundering and transnational crime, issuing an apology for statements it now calls inaccurate. Still, the outlet insists it has ongoing concerns over AppLovin’s “complex financial structure” and says further reporting is coming. AppLovin, for its part, has refuted the allegations and responded with a cease-and-desist letter, the report says. 3
The pullback felt like pressure easing off. Once the apology landed, traders who’d viewed the allegations as a binary risk wasted no time reacting.
Jefferies’ James Heaney described the drop as “overblown,” sticking to his buy call and $860 target, according to Investors.com. In his note, Heaney said he’s still looking for a fourth-quarter revenue beat. The stock, he pointed out, tumbled almost 40% early in 2026, after soaring 108% the previous year. 4
Numbers take center stage again. Investors are tuning in for signals: any shift in advertising demand, or a hint at just how much further AppLovin can stretch past its gaming beginnings.
The relief rally? It could vanish in a hurry. Just one more tough headline, a hint of caution in the outlook, or fresh jitters across tech—and APP might slip right back to last week’s territory. Traders here are glued to news, not the long view.
AppLovin plans to release its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 numbers after the U.S. market wraps up on Wednesday, Feb. 11. A webinar with CEO Adam Foroughi and CFO Matthew Stumpf follows at 5 p.m. ET. For now, that call stands out as the next obvious catalyst for the shares. 5
