Market Overview - The U.S. stock markets ended the week mostly lower, with the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 slipping by 1.49% and 0.28% respectively due to a sharp selloff in tech stocks [1] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.51% as investors rotated toward value and traditional sectors [1] Federal Reserve Actions - The Federal Reserve cut its key overnight borrowing rate by a quarter-percentage-point, now in the range of 3.5% to 3.75% [2] - This decision was influenced by signs of gradually cooling inflation, aimed at supporting the labor market and stimulating economic growth [2] - The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits surged to a 4.5-year high of 236,000, indicating a sharp deterioration in the jobs market [2] Stock Performance and Recommendations - Liquidia Corporation (LQDA) shares gained 43.9% since being upgraded to Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) on October 13, outperforming the S&P 500's 4.4% increase [3][6] - The Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Limited (NTB) returned 22.7% since its upgrade to Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) on October 7, compared to the S&P 500's 1.5% increase [4] - Western Digital Corporation (WDC) shares advanced 52.8% since its upgrade to Outperform on October 13, significantly beating the S&P 500's 4.4% increase [7] Portfolio Performance - A hypothetical portfolio of Zacks Rank 1 stocks returned +14.3% in 2025, slightly underperforming the S&P 500 index's +14.9% [11] - The Zacks Model Portfolio has outperformed the S&P index by more than 12 percentage points since 1988, with an annualized average return of +23.9% compared to +11.5% for the S&P 500 index [14] Sector-Specific Stocks - Cencora, Inc. (COR) and Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) returned 18.7% and 18.6% respectively over the past 12 weeks [15] - Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) returned 19.3% over the past 12 weeks, benefiting from investor demand for quality dividend stocks [19]

Group 1 - Tech stocks are experiencing significant declines, with the Nasdaq down more than 1% and set to finish the week with losses [1] - Astera Labs, involved in AI infrastructure, saw its stock drop by 4.36% within a 15-minute timeframe [1] - Amphenol, a manufacturer of fiber-optic cables and connectors, reported a decline of 2.1% during the same period [2] - Coherent, another company in the components sector, experienced a 4.17% loss over a similar 15-minute window [2]

Company Overview - Coherent is a $29 billion global leader in laser technologies and photonics, serving industrial, communications, electronics, and instrumentation markets [1] - The company has seen explosive growth in demand for its optical solutions due to the AI/datacenter buildout [1] Financial Performance - Revenues are projected to double from $3.3 billion in June 2022 to $6.7 billion by June 2026, with a stock appreciation of 290% during the same period [1] - Profits are expected to increase by 42% this fiscal year, surpassing $5 EPS, with a current year EPS consensus raised by 9.6% following a strong performance in the September quarter [2] Strategic Partnerships - A significant driver of investor enthusiasm has been Coherent's collaboration with NVIDIA to develop silicon photonics networking switches using co-packaged optics [3] - This partnership aims to enhance connectivity in AI factories, allowing for the connection of millions of GPUs [3][4] Product Innovations - Coherent supplies the laser technology for Apple's Face ID, continuing a multiyear strategic supply agreement to produce vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) [7][8] - The company is expanding its manufacturing capabilities at its Sherman, Texas facility, which is equipped for next-generation optoelectronic applications [9] Business Divestitures - Coherent is selling its Aerospace & Defense business to private equity firm Advent for $400 million, allowing the company to focus on its core technologies [7][9]

Core Insights - Coherent Corp. is recognized as a significant player in the AI sector, with Raymond James raising its price target from $180.00 to $210.00 while maintaining a "Strong Buy" rating, indicating optimism about the company's AI exposure driving future growth [1][2] Company Overview - Coherent Corp. is an American manufacturer specializing in optical materials and semiconductors, positioning itself as a leader in enabling various AI architectures across data centers [2][3] Market Position and Analyst Sentiment - Analysts believe that the value of Coherent's technology and intellectual property is not fully recognized, suggesting that there is potential for further appreciation in the stock's value [2] - The industrial segments have shown signs of recovery, supported by recent strategic actions taken by the company, which bodes well for future performance [2] Investment Considerations - While Coherent is seen as a promising investment, some analysts suggest that other AI stocks may present greater upside potential with less associated risk [3]

Group 1: Company Performance - Coherent (COHR) has gained approximately 96.2% year-to-date, significantly outperforming the average loss of 10.6% in the Business Services sector [4] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for COHR's full-year earnings has increased by 12.9% over the past quarter, indicating improved analyst sentiment and a more positive earnings outlook [3] - Coherent holds a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), reflecting its strong performance and favorable market conditions [3] Group 2: Industry Context - Coherent is part of the Technology Services industry, which includes 124 companies and currently ranks 89 in the Zacks Industry Rank, with an average gain of 21.5% year-to-date [5] - In contrast, FirstCash Holdings (FCFS), another outperforming stock in the Business Services sector, belongs to the Financial Transaction Services industry, which has seen a decline of 12.6% year-to-date and ranks 176 [6] - Investors should continue to monitor Coherent and FirstCash Holdings as they exhibit solid performance within their respective industries [6]

Summary of J.P. Morgan Research on AI Data Center Opportunities Industry Overview - The report discusses the expanding demand for AI data centers and the associated networking technologies, particularly focusing on the data center interconnect (DCI) market, which is estimated to have a total addressable market (TAM) of over $10 billion [1][13]. Key Concepts - **Scale-Up**: Refers to XPU-to-XPU connectivity within a tightly coupled node or local cluster. - **Scale-Out**: Involves the fabric linking multiple nodes across racks and pods within a single data center. - **Scale-Across**: Focuses on enabling distributed training between geographically separated data centers. - **Multi-Rail**: Increases fiber density to expand DCI capacity and support new use cases [1]. Market Opportunities - The report estimates that Scale-Across and Multi-Rail opportunities could represent a combined TAM of over $10 billion for the DCI market, matching the current DCI TAM [1]. - A specific example of Scale-Across involves a U.S. hyperscaler interconnecting two data centers over approximately 100 km, enabling 20-25 Pb/s of aggregate AI training traffic [5][7]. Financial Projections - The DCI content for Scale-Across opportunities could range from $300 million to $500 million per DCI connection, excluding optical fiber cable and connectors [11]. - The revenue opportunity per DCI connection is broken down as follows: - **Coherent Pluggable Modules**: 55,000 units at an ASP of $4,000 to $6,000. - **Reconfigurable Line Systems (RLS)**: 860 units at an ASP of $20,000 to $50,000. - **Ethernet Switches**: 1,720 units at an ASP of $700 to $1,000 [11][12]. Company Positioning - Companies best positioned for the DCI opportunity include: - **Networking**: Arista and Cisco. - **Optical**: Ciena, Coherent, Corning, Fabrinet, and Lumentum [15]. Infrastructure Challenges - Increasing fiber density requirements are driving the need for innovation in existing infrastructure rather than simply adding more equipment [17]. - Traditional in-line amplifier (ILA) huts are becoming bottlenecks due to their limited capacity, necessitating the development of multi-rail technology to increase fiber pair capacity from 16 to 128 or even 256 pairs [23][33]. Future Projections - Lumen's ambitious plan to expand its network fiber miles from 12 million in 2022 to 47 million by 2028 could represent a significant opportunity, with an estimated total revenue opportunity of $200 million to $300 million for the incremental Lumen opportunity alone [29][33]. Conclusion - The report highlights significant growth potential in the AI data center market, driven by technological advancements and increasing demand for high-capacity interconnect solutions. Companies involved in networking and optical technologies are well-positioned to capitalize on these emerging opportunities [1][15].

Core Insights - Coherent Corp.'s stock price has increased by 60.9% over the past year, significantly outperforming the industry growth of 5.7% and the S&P 500 Composite's rise of 16.6% [1] - The company has also outperformed peers such as Byrna Technologies and Industrial Tech Acquisitions, which saw declines of 0.9% and 11%, respectively [1] Stock Performance - Over the past month, Coherent's stock has risen by 12.4%, surpassing the slight dip of Industrial Tech Acquisitions and the 10.9% growth of Byrna Technologies [4] Growth Catalysts - The AI datacenter business has shown strong demand, with a 23% year-over-year revenue increase in the first quarter of fiscal 2026 [5] - The CEO indicated broad adoption of 800G and rapid adoption of 1.6T transceivers, expecting significant growth in these products in 2026 [6] - The production yield of 6-inch indium phosphide (InP) is higher than that of 3-inch InP, with plans to double internal production capacity in 2026 [7][8] - The Optical Circuit Switch (OCS) platform is projected to add over $2 billion in addressable market opportunity, with sequential revenue growth expected [9] - Demand for ZR/ZR+ DCI-focused products, including 100G, 400G, and 800G transceivers, is anticipated to continue growing [10] Financial Position - As of September 2025, Coherent held $875 million in cash reserves against a current debt of $48 million, indicating strong liquidity [11] - The current ratio was 2.33, up 6.4% from the previous quarter, exceeding the industry average of 1.54 [11] Revenue and Earnings Outlook - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 revenues is $6.7 billion, reflecting a 15.2% year-over-year growth, with fiscal 2027 expected to grow by 14.6% [13] - The consensus estimate for fiscal 2026 EPS is $5.02, indicating a 42.2% year-over-year growth, with fiscal 2027 EPS expected to increase by 25% [13] - Over the past 60 days, there have been upward revisions in EPS estimates for both fiscal 2026 and 2027, highlighting analyst confidence [14] Investment Recommendation - Coherent is positioned for rapid growth in 2026, driven by demand for 800G and 1.6T transceivers, advancements in InP production, and the OCS platform [15][16] - The strong balance sheet and positive growth outlook suggest that investors should consider buying the stock for potential long-term returns [17]

Core Viewpoint - Coherent has achieved a significant milestone with its next-generation 300mm silicon carbide (SiC) platform, aimed at meeting the increasing thermal efficiency demands of artificial intelligence data center infrastructure [2]. Group 1: Technology and Innovation - The new 300mm solution is developed to address the growing thermal load and performance scalability needs of modern data centers, leveraging Coherent's established 200mm platform technology [2]. - The platform's conductive SiC substrate features low resistivity, low defect density, and high uniformity, enabling low power consumption, high frequency, and good thermal stability [2]. - The technology is also applicable in AR/VR devices and power electronics, allowing for the production of thinner, more efficient waveguides for immersive display modules [2]. Group 2: Market Impact - The 300mm platform solidifies Coherent's leadership in wide bandgap semiconductor materials, facilitating innovation in data centers, optics, and power applications [3]. - The transition to 300mm wafer size allows for more devices per wafer and reduces the cost per chip, supporting applications in electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and industrial automation [2].

Core Insights - The article highlights the growing importance of drone technology across various industries, emphasizing its evolution from basic operations to advanced missions, making drones essential tools [1] Group 1: Company Profiles - **AeroVironment Inc. (AVAV)**: Specializes in unmanned aircraft systems and efficient energy systems, serving primarily U.S. Department of Defense agencies. The company anticipates over 100% revenue growth and 10.4% earnings growth for the fiscal year ending April 2026 [5][7][8] - **Coherent Corp. (COHR)**: Focuses on breakthrough technologies across various markets, including industrial and communications. Expected revenue growth is 15.2% with earnings growth at 42.2% for the year ending June 2026 [9][10] - **Trimble Inc. (TRMB)**: Benefits from strong recurring revenue growth and digital adoption, particularly in its AECO and Field Systems segments. The company projects revenue growth of 6.9% and earnings growth of 11.1% for the next year [11][13] Group 2: Market Position and Growth Potential - AeroVironment's expected growth rates indicate a strong market position, particularly in defense-related applications, with a consistent earnings estimate over the past week [6][7] - Coherent's recent earnings estimate has improved by 9.6%, reflecting positive market sentiment and growth potential [10] - Trimble's focus on software-driven revenue and AI solutions positions it well for future growth, supported by a robust patent portfolio [12]

Core Thesis - Coherent Corp. is positioned for significant growth, with the market yet to fully recognize its potential, as evidenced by its recent performance and operational strength [1][2][6]. Financial Performance - The company has achieved ten consecutive double-beats over more than two years, indicating consistent outperformance [3]. - Gross margins are approaching 40%, and operating margins are nearing 20%, reflecting improved profitability [3]. Market Dynamics - Demand visibility has significantly expanded, with constrained supply in critical optical and laser segments reducing execution risk [4]. - The industrial-laser segment, which has historically underperformed, is expected to turn positive in the next quarter, alleviating a long-standing drag on earnings [4]. Competitive Positioning - Coherent's leadership in networking optics sets it apart from competitors like Lumentum and Broadcom, which do not offer the same growth-at-a-reasonable-price (GARP) profile [5]. Growth Potential - Analysts have raised the 12-month price target from $200 to $225, with a three-year potential target of $500, indicating the market's underappreciation of the company's growth trajectory [6]. - The combination of strong demand, margin expansion, and operational leverage positions Coherent as an exceptional growth story with both visibility and scalability [6].