The late French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr has a phrase, “Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” which translates into “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” This aptly describes the financial markets.
During the heady days of the Dotcom Bubble in the late 1990s, companies saw their stock prices surge simply by changing their name to include a reference to the internet. In a 2002 academic finance paper, A Rose.com by Any Other Name, Michael Cooper, Orlin Dimitrov, and Raghavendra Rau wrote (emphasis mine):
“We document a striking positive stock price reaction to the announcement of corporate name changes to Internet-related dotcom names. This “dotcom” effect produces cumulative abnormal returns on the order of 74 percent for the 10 days surrounding the announcement day.”
There have been recent rhymes in the stock market, but of the AI (artificial intelligence) variety.
On 15 April 2026, Allbirds announced a financing agreement along with changes in its business direction (laughably, from consumer footwear to providing compute for AI) and name (to NewBird AI). In response, its stock price surged 582% to US$17 on the day of the changes. NewBird AI’s stock price has since retreated to US$8, but it is still significantly higher than the pre-name-change price of less than US$3.
Later in the same day saw Myseum add “AI” to its name to highlight “the Company’s core technology platform that will integrate proprietary privacy-first artificial intelligence (AI) into its secure messaging and social media platforms.” The company’s stock price jumped by 129% the next day to close at US$3.30; at the day’s peak of US$5.77, Myseum AI’s stock price was up by 300%. The stock price is currently hovering near US$3.
The acclaimed investor Howard Marks has a great investing quote: “We may never know where we’re going, but we’d better have a good idea where we are.” And where we are right now, from what I see, is a bubbly place in AI-land.
Disclaimer: The Good Investors is the personal investing blog of two simple guys who are passionate about educating Singaporeans about stock market investing. By using this Site, you specifically agree that none of the information provided constitutes financial, investment, or other professional advice. It is only intended to provide education. Speak with a professional before making important decisions about your money, your professional life, or even your personal life. I don’t have a vested interest in any company mentioned. Holdings are subject to change at any time.