The Motley Fool·2026-01-28 02:15Core Insights - Applied Digital has experienced significant stock growth, with a nearly 540% increase over the past 12 months, driven by rapid growth and new leases [1] - The company plans to spin off its unprofitable cloud-based AI infrastructure platform, which is seen as a competitor to its own customers [2] - Equinix is presented as a more stable investment option for long-term income investors, offering reliable dividends and stable profits [7] Applied Digital Overview - From fiscal 2022 to fiscal 2025, Applied Digital's revenue increased from $8.5 million to $144.2 million, excluding its cloud business [3] - The company has secured $16 billion in lease payments over the next 15 years, primarily from CoreWeave [3] - Despite expansion efforts, analysts predict Applied Digital will remain unprofitable post-spin-off of its cloud business [4] Equinix Overview - Equinix operates over 270 data centers with a total capacity of approximately 1 GW, making it one of the largest data center REITs [8] - The company serves over 10,000 customers and generates significantly more revenue than Applied Digital, with a gross margin of 30.89% [9][10] - Equinix has consistently raised its dividend payout since becoming an REIT, currently offering a forward dividend yield of 2.3% [11] Financial Performance - Equinix's revenue and EPS grew at CAGRs of 10% and 19% from 2020 to 2024, with expectations for continued growth [11][13] - For 2025, Equinix anticipates an adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) per share increase of 8%-11%, easily covering its dividend rate [12] - Analysts project revenue and EPS growth of 6% and 74%, respectively, for the current year, with further growth expected from 2025 to 2027 [13]