Parnassus Investments, an investment management company, released the "Parnassus Growth Equity Fund" second-quarter 2026 investor letter. The letter can be downloaded here. During the quarter, the Fund (Investor Shares) returned 17.49% (net of fees), outperforming the Russell 1000 Growth Index's 16.74%. Holdings in Information Technology and Consumer Discretionary sectors boosted relative returns, while Communication Services and Financials holdings detracted. For the year-to-date period, the Fund returned 6.17% (net of fees), outperforming the Russell 1000 Growth's 5.33%. The firm remains constructively bullish on U.S. equities and continues to be selective, valuation-sensitive, and focused on disruptive growth opportunities through active stock selection. Growth stocks advanced during the second quarter, as the Russell 1000 Growth Index generated strong double-digit returns driven by increased confidence in the durability of the ongoing artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure build-out. Additionally, reviewing the Fund's top five holdings could help identify its best picks for 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Parnassus Growth Equity Fund highlighted Medline Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLN). Medline Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLN) manufactures med-surg products serving hospitals, surgery centers, physician offices, post-acute facilities, and nursing home sites of care. On September 15, 2026, Medline Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLN) closed at $36.59 per share. Over the past month, Medline Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLN) declined 4.23%, and YTD its shares lost 22.68%. Medline Inc. has a market capitalization of $42.22 billion.
Parnassus Growth Equity Fund stated the following regarding Medline Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLN) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Medline Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLN) shares declined as medical technology stocks broadly came under pressure. The company also faced near term concerns surrounding tariffs and higher transportation costs, though we remain confident in its long-term competitive positioning."
Medline Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLN) is not on our list of the 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 52 hedge fund portfolios held Medline Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLN) at the end of the second quarter which was 65 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of Medline Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLN) as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

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