ZACKS·2025-12-22 16:56Core Insights - Applied Digital (APLD) is expanding its operations with the development of Polaris Forge 2, a large-scale data center campus aimed at meeting the growing demand for AI infrastructure, starting with an initial capacity of 300 megawatts and a potential to scale to 1 gigawatt [2][4] - The company has secured full lease commitments for its first campus, Polaris Forge 1, at 400 megawatts, generating approximately $11 billion in long-term contracted revenues, indicating a strong market position [2][4] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate projects APLD's fiscal 2026 revenues to reach $280.9 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 30.39% as the company approaches commercial deployment of additional capacity [2][8] Industry Context - The development of Polaris Forge 2 is timely, as the demand for liquid-cooled, high-density AI infrastructure is currently outpacing supply, providing a competitive edge for developers who can deliver large-scale capacity efficiently [3] - APLD's focus on purpose-built infrastructure aligns with the needs of hyperscalers, positioning the company favorably against competitors like Riot Platforms and Equinix, which are also expanding their capacities [5] Financial Performance - APLD's stock has experienced a significant increase of 182.1% over the past six months, outperforming the broader Zacks Finance sector, which returned 10.1%, and the Zacks Financial-Miscellaneous Services industry, which declined by 4.2% [6] - The company's forward 12-month price/sales ratio stands at 18.24X, indicating that APLD may be overvalued compared to the broader sector's ratio of 9.08X [10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for APLD's fiscal 2026 loss is projected at 31 cents per share, consistent with the previous year's loss of 80 cents per share, while the company holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) [13]