This $56 Million Sale Slashed One Fund's DigitalBridge Stake Amid 49% Stock Surge

Portolan Capital Management reported selling 4,643,280 shares of DigitalBridge Group (NYSE:DBRG), an estimated $55.79 million trade based on quarterly average pricing, in a February 17, 2026, SEC filing.

What happened

According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated February 17, 2026, Portolan Capital Management reduced its stake in DigitalBridge Group by 4,643,280 shares during the fourth quarter of 2025. The estimated transaction value, based on the mean closing price over the quarter, was $55.79 million. The fund’s quarter-end position in DigitalBridge Group decreased in value by $51.32 million, reflecting both the sale and share price changes.

What else to know

• Portolan Capital Management’s DigitalBridge Group holding now represents 0.68% of reportable assets, down from 3.5% in the prior quarter.
• Top holdings after the filing:
  • NASDAQ:TTMI: $79.12 million (4.2% of AUM)
  • NYSE:MOD: $71.55 million (3.8% of AUM)
  • NASDAQ:CSTL: $67.28 million (3.6% of AUM)
  • NYSE:CLS: $50.93 million (2.7% of AUM)
  • NASDAQ:AKAM: $45.75 million (2.5% of AUM)
• As of February 17, 2026, shares of DigitalBridge Group were priced at $15.41, up 49% over the past year and handily outperforming the S&P 500’s roughly 16% gain in the same period.

Company overview

Company snapshot

• DigitalBridge provides investment and operational expertise in digital infrastructure, including cell towers, data centers, fiber networks, small cells, edge infrastructure, and diversified real estate assets.
• The firm operates as an infrastructure investment firm focused on investing in and operating businesses across the digital ecosystem.
• It is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, with additional offices in Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Denver, London, Senningerberg, and Singapore.

DigitalBridge Group, Inc. is a leading investor and operator in the digital infrastructure sector, with a focus on assets critical to global connectivity. The company leverages its expertise to manage and grow a diversified portfolio of digital real estate, targeting high-demand segments such as data centers and fiber networks. Its scale and specialized focus position it to capitalize on the accelerating demand for digital infrastructure worldwide.

What this transaction means for investors

DigitalBridge has become a key player in the infrastructure powering artificial intelligence, and that theme has driven a sharp rally in the stock over the past year. Of course, a major catalyst also arrived in late 2025 when SoftBank agreed to acquire the company for about $4 billion, paying $16 per share in cash and highlighting the growing value of data centers, fiber networks, and other infrastructure required to run modern AI systems.

Once a takeover price anchors the upside, the math for investors changes. With the stock already up nearly 50% over the past year, the potential return becomes limited to the spread between the market price and the acquisition price, while regulatory risk still lingers until the deal closes.

Within a portfolio dominated by electronics manufacturing services, infrastructure components, and semiconductor supply chain companies, DigitalBridge was also never a core holding. The fund’s top positions remain technology hardware and industrial names like TTMI, Modine Manufacturing, and Celestica. For long-term investors, the bigger takeaway is about the theme itself. AI infrastructure spending is still accelerating globally. Even if this particular trade is winding down, the underlying demand for data centers, fiber networks, and connectivity might just be getting started.

Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Celestica and Modine Manufacturing. The Motley Fool recommends Akamai Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.