IREN's GPU Expansion Accelerates: Is Revenue Visibility Improving?
Iris Energy Iris Energy (US:IREN) ZACKS·2026-01-05 18:06

Core Insights - IREN Limited's expanding GPU footprint is significantly enhancing its revenue visibility and stock performance, driven by a multi-year AI Cloud contract with Microsoft [1][9] - The company plans to scale its GPU fleet from approximately 23,000 units to 140,000 by the end of 2026, targeting $3.4 billion in annualized AI Cloud revenues [2][9] - IREN's first-quarter fiscal 2026 revenues showed substantial year-over-year growth, with improved adjusted EBITDA indicating operational leverage as AI workloads increase [3][9] - The global demand for AI compute, tight GPU supply, and power constraints in major data center markets are favorable for IREN's growth prospects [4] - Analysts project a 125.89% year-over-year revenue growth for fiscal 2026, with earnings estimates rising to 79 cents per share from 4 cents [4][14] Company Strategy and Performance - IREN's vertically integrated model, which includes ownership of power, data centers, and GPU infrastructure, minimizes execution risk and allows for faster commissioning compared to competitors [2] - The company has secured only about 16% of its 3 GW power portfolio for its GPU expansion, indicating significant growth potential [2] Competitive Landscape - Applied Digital is a notable competitor, operating purpose-built GPU data centers under long-term contracts, including an $11 billion deal with CoreWeave [5] - CoreWeave has rapidly scaled AI-native, GPU-optimized data centers and has secured multi-billion-dollar contracts with major companies like OpenAI and Microsoft, giving it a competitive edge [6] Market Performance - IREN's shares have increased by 151.9% over the past six months, outperforming the broader Zacks Finance sector and the Zacks Financial Miscellaneous Services industry [7]