Yahoo Finance·2025-11-06 20:40Core Insights - IREN Limited has entered a significant $9.7 billion partnership with Microsoft, marking a strategic shift towards artificial intelligence [1] - The company has also signed a $5.8 billion procurement deal with Dell Technologies to source GPUs and related equipment [2] - Following the Microsoft announcement, IREN's stock experienced a notable surge, reflecting investor optimism [3] - Analysts have varied opinions on the partnership, with some expressing confidence in IREN's growth prospects while others raise concerns about potential risks [5][6] Group 1: Partnership and Strategy - The five-year agreement with Microsoft involves IREN supplying access to NVIDIA GB300 GPUs through its AI Cloud platform, indicating a major strategic pivot [1] - The partnership includes a 20% prepayment, which underscores the commitment to scaling AI infrastructure [1] - IREN's transition from a Bitcoin mining company to a vertically integrated AI Cloud provider is aimed at capturing the increasing demand for compute power [2] Group 2: Market Reaction - IREN shares surged 20.03% in pre-market trading following the announcement, closing up more than 5% at $71.35 [3] - Analysts from Cantor Fitzgerald and Bernstein have raised their price targets significantly, reflecting strong confidence in IREN's future growth [3][4] Group 3: Analyst Opinions - While some analysts view the Microsoft partnership as "game-changing," others, like Jim Chanos, criticize it as a "high-risk financing arrangement" that may negatively impact shareholder value [5] - Concerns have been raised about potential decreases in earnings per share (EPS) and increased balance sheet risk due to the partnership [5] - Despite the bullish sentiment, IREN's stock fell 8.91% ahead of its earnings report, indicating some market volatility [6]