Alta Fox Boosts XPEL Stake to 15.5% of Portfolio With $58 Million Bet Last Quarter
Key Points
Alta Fox Capital Management increased its XPEL stake by 1,384,769 shares; the estimated trade value was $57.88 million based on quarterly average pricing.
The quarter-end position value rose by $70.09 million, reflecting both additional purchases and stock price appreciation.
This transaction represented a 12.45% change in 13F reportable assets under management (AUM).
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On February 13, 2026, Alta Fox Capital Management disclosed a major buy of XPEL (NASDAQ:XPEL), adding 1,384,769 shares in an estimated $57.88 million trade based on quarterly average pricing.
What happened
According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated February 13, 2026, Alta Fox Capital Management acquired 1,384,769 shares of XPEL (NASDAQ:XPEL). The estimated transaction value was $57.88 million, based on the average closing price during the fourth quarter of 2025. The fund’s quarter-end XPEL stake was reported at 1,442,638 shares, valued at $72.00 million, reflecting both additional purchases and price appreciation over the period.
What else to know
- The XPEL buy brought the position to 15.49% of Alta Fox Capital Management’s 13F AUM as of December 31, 2025.
- Top holdings after the filing:
- NYSE: NATL: $74.35 million (16.0% of AUM)
- NASDAQ: DAKT: $73.81 million (15.9% of AUM)
- NASDAQ: XPEL: $72.00 million (15.5% of AUM)
- NASDAQ: CARG: $48.84 million (10.5% of AUM)
- NASDAQ: BTSG: $46.34 million (10.0% of AUM)
- As of February 12, 2026, XPEL shares were priced at $53.88, up 30.9% over the prior year and outperforming the S&P 500 by 18.03 percentage points.
Company overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Revenue (TTM) | $461.46 million |
| Net income (TTM) | $46.71 million |
| Price (as of market close February 12, 2026) | $53.88 |
| One-year price change | 30.9% |
Company snapshot
- XPEL offers automotive surface and paint protection films, window films, ceramic coatings, and installation accessories as primary products and services.
- The company generates revenue through the manufacturing, distribution, and installation of aftermarket automotive protection products, supplemented by proprietary software and online sales channels.
- It serves independent installers, new car dealerships, third-party distributors, company-owned installation centers, franchisees, and international customers across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and other global markets.
XPEL is a leading provider of aftermarket automotive protection products, leveraging a vertically integrated model that spans manufacturing, distribution, and installation. The company’s focus on premium protective films and coatings targets both consumer and commercial automotive markets, supporting strong recurring demand. Its global reach and proprietary software solutions underpin its competitive positioning in the automotive parts industry.
What this transaction means for investors
When nearly 15% of a portfolio sits in a single mid-cap name, the move looks less like a simple trade and more like a thesis. That’s what seems to be the case here with XPEL.
The firm recently posted record third-quarter revenue of $125.4 million, up 11.1% year over year, with gross margin at 41.8%. Net income, meanwhile, dipped to $13.1 million as the company leaned into channel investments and absorbed temporary margin pressure, but management has already outlined a path toward long-term margin expansion, targeting gross margins above 50% and operating margins in the mid to high 20% range by 2028 through up to $150 million in supply chain investments.
Within the portfolio, this sits alongside other concentrated bets like NATL and DAKT, signaling a preference for operational inflection stories rather than passive exposure. In this context, XPEL’s 30.9% one-year stock gain looks more like a result of real execution than hype.
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Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends CarGurus. The Motley Fool recommends Xpel. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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