APLD Accelerates Hyperscale Growth With $5B Expansion Backing

Core Insights - Applied Digital (APLD) is implementing an ambitious expansion strategy focused on hyperscale infrastructure, supported by significant investments from Macquarie Asset Management and SMBC totaling up to $5.375 billion [1][7] - The Ellendale campus is central to APLD's data center vision, with the first building expected to provide 100 megawatts of IT load by the end of 2025, and plans for additional buildings to increase capacity to over 400 megawatts [2][7] - APLD aims to become a leader in high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure and is exploring strategic alternatives for its Cloud Services business, potentially transitioning to a REIT structure [3][7] Competition Update - CoreWeave (CRWV) has raised over $1 billion to expand its GPU-powered data center capacity, positioning itself as a significant competitor in the AI-focused cloud market [4] - Equinix (EQIX) announced a joint venture to raise over $15 billion for expanding its xScale data centers in the U.S., adding more than 1.5 gigawatts of capacity to meet AI and cloud demands [5] Financial Performance - APLD's shares have increased by 67.1% year-to-date, contrasting with a 5% decline in the industry [6] - The company trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 12.85, which is above the industry average and its five-year median of 1.42 [8] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates a projected 73.6% rise in APLD's fiscal 2026 earnings year-over-year [9]