PSquared Asset Management AG sold out its stake in BlackLine (BL 1.20%), unloading 304,576 shares in the first quarter, with an estimated trade value of $13.12 million based on quarterly average pricing, according to a May 14, 2026, SEC filing.
What happened
According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated May 14, 2026, PSquared Asset Management AG sold its entire holding of 304,576 shares in BlackLine during the first quarter. The estimated transaction value was $13.12 million, calculated using the average unadjusted closing price for the quarter. The fund’s quarter-end position in BlackLine was reduced to zero, with a net position change of $16.84 million, reflecting trading activity and price movement.
What else to know
- Top holdings after the filing:
- NASDAQ:WBD: $45.67 million (15.9% of AUM)
- NYSE:IHS: $35.75 million (12.4% of AUM)
- NYSEMKT:SLSR: $35.26 million (12.3% of AUM)
- NASDAQ:HOLX: $30.68 million (10.7% of AUM)
- NYSE:NSC: $27.66 million (9.6% of AUM)
- As of May 13, 2026, BlackLine shares were priced at $25.23, down 50% over the past year and underperforming the S&P 500 by about 80 percentage points.
Company Overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Revenue (TTM) | $716.65 million |
| Net Income (TTM) | $26.59 million |
| Price (as of market close 2026-05-13) | $25.23 |
| One-Year Price Change | -50% |
Company Snapshot
- BlackLine offers cloud-based financial close and accounting automation solutions, including account reconciliations, transaction matching, journal entry, variance analysis, and accounts receivable automation.
- The firm serves multinational corporations, large domestic enterprises, and mid-market companies across diverse industries.
BlackLine, Inc. provides cloud-based software designed to automate and streamline core accounting and finance operations at scale. With a focus on financial close management and accounts receivable automation, the company delivers solutions that help enterprises increase efficiency, accuracy, and compliance in financial processes. BlackLine's technology-driven approach and subscription business model support organizations seeking to modernize their finance functions.
What this transaction means for investors
Investors have spent the past year rewarding companies with accelerating AI revenue and faster growth profiles, while punishing many software names, and BlackLine, for its part, has remained stuck in a slower rebuilding phase despite steady execution.
The tricky part is that the underlying business actually continues to improve. First-quarter revenue rose nearly 10% year over year to $183.2 million, while non-GAAP operating margin expanded to 21.6% from 20.9% a year earlier. Remaining performance obligations climbed nearly 18% to $1.1 billion, and BlackLine repurchased $47.1 million of stock during the quarter. Management also raised full-year guidance and continues pushing deeper into AI-powered finance automation through its Verity AI tools and Studio360 platform.
For long-term investors, the debate comes down to whether BlackLine can reaccelerate growth before competitors eat into its niche. The company still has sticky enterprise customers and strong cash flow generation, but after a 50% stock decline, the market clearly wants proof that AI can become a real growth driver instead of just a buzzword.
