Applied Digital (APLD) ZACKS·2025-04-11 20:06Core Viewpoint - Applied Digital Corporation (APLD) is expected to report strong revenue growth in its third-quarter fiscal 2025 results, driven by its Cloud Services and data center hosting segments, despite facing challenges related to valuation and competition [2][4][19]. Group 1: Financial Performance Expectations - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for APLD's third-quarter fiscal 2025 revenues is 27.7 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2025, marking a 523% year-over-year increase [5]. - The data center hosting segment for cryptocurrency clients remains robust, with revenues of 5 billion perpetual preferred equity financing facility, is anticipated to provide financial support for future expansion [7][8]. - Investments from CIM Group, NVIDIA, and Macquarie are expected to lower the cost of capital, enhancing APLD's financial flexibility and growth prospects [8]. Group 4: Stock Performance and Valuation - APLD shares have declined by 33.1% year-to-date, underperforming the broader Zacks Finance sector's decline of 16.3% and the Zacks Financial - Miscellaneous Services industry's decrease of 19.4% [9]. - The company's forward 12-month Price/Sales (P/S) ratio is 3.29, which is higher than the industry average of 2.93, indicating a stretched valuation [12]. Group 5: Competitive Landscape and Future Outlook - APLD's expanding data center capacity is viewed positively for its long-term growth prospects, although the company faces stiff competition from major data center providers like Equinix [19]. - The company has established partnerships with key players such as Super Micro Computer, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and NVIDIA to enhance its operational capabilities [15][16][17].