3 hidden shares powering the AI revolution
Rask Media·2025-10-16 05:46

Core Insights - The article highlights the significant role of Australian companies in the AI revolution, emphasizing the importance of energy and compute resources in shaping the future of AI [2][18] - It identifies three key Australian companies—GenusPlus Group, Southern Cross Electrical Engineering, and IREN Ltd—as enablers of AI technology through their infrastructure and services [3][18] GenusPlus Group (GNP) - GenusPlus Group is positioned as a critical enabler of AI and data center infrastructure, covering the entire project lifecycle from design to maintenance [4] - In FY25, Genus reported a 36% increase in revenue to $751 million, a 49% rise in operating earnings (EBITDA) to $67.4 million, and an 84% surge in profit to $35.4 million, with an order book exceeding $2 billion [6] - The company's share price has increased over 125% in the past year, reflecting strong performance and growth potential in energy transition and AI-linked infrastructure [7] Southern Cross Electrical Engineering (SXE) - Southern Cross Electrical Engineering has transitioned from a mining contractor to a diversified electrical infrastructure group, focusing on data centers, renewables, and defense [8] - In FY25, SXE achieved record revenue of $801.5 million, a 45.2% year-on-year increase, and operating earnings (EBITDA) of $54.8 million, up 36.6%, with expectations of further earnings growth of 18-24% in FY26 [9] - The company’s expertise in power distribution and complex electrical projects positions it well to meet the growing demands of AI workloads and renewable energy initiatives [10] IREN Ltd (IREN) - IREN has gained significant attention for its rapid growth, with its share price tripling in the last 90 days and increasing over 2,000% in two years, originally focusing on sustainable Bitcoin mining [12][16] - The company operates 810 MW of active capacity and has 2.9 GW of contracted power, making it one of the largest independent AI infrastructure operators globally [16] - In FY25, IREN's revenue rose 168% to US $501 million, driven by a record performance in Bitcoin mining and a more than 400% increase in AI Cloud revenue [16] Industry Trends - The article emphasizes that reliable power, engineering talent, and compute capacity are becoming bottlenecks in the new AI economy, creating investment opportunities in companies that provide essential infrastructure [18] - The focus on "picks and shovels"—the companies that build the foundational infrastructure for AI—highlights a strategic investment approach in the evolving tech landscape [18]