Nvidia-backed AI stock pulls off jaw-dropping deal

Core Insights - Nvidia is positioned as a leading player in the AI boom, with a market cap exceeding $4 trillion, reflecting a 12× increase over five years due to its GPU dominance and high demand for AI data centers [1] - Nvidia's sales are projected to grow from approximately $10.92 billion in fiscal 2020 to over $130.5 billion by early 2025, driven by the adoption of H100 and H200 GPUs by major companies like OpenAI and Google [2] Group 1 - Nebius, a Nvidia-backed AI firm, experienced a significant stock surge of over 40% after announcing a $17.4 billion AI infrastructure deal with Microsoft [4] - The five-year agreement includes Nebius providing dedicated AI computing capacity from a new data center in Vineland, N.J., starting later this year, with the potential total contract value increasing to $19.4 billion if Microsoft adds more capacity [5] - Nebius's CEO highlighted the strong performance of its core AI cloud business and the attractive economics of the deal, which is expected to accelerate growth into 2026 and beyond [5] Group 2 - Nebius's stock has risen 131% year-to-date and 129% over the past six months, fueled by the increasing demand for generative AI [6] - The partnership with Nvidia not only positions Nebius as a customer but also as a strategic partner with unique access to Nvidia's resources [9] - Microsoft's investment in Nebius aligns with its strategy to leverage external AI infrastructure, validating Nebius's emergence as a significant player in the hyperscale market [8]