Since I published my pre-earnings note last week, Applied Digital (NASDAQ: APLD ) stock is up almost 24%. I was prompted to write an earnings preview on the stock after it traded down from its post-CoreWeave ( I'm a retired Wall Street PM specializing in TMT; since kickstarting my career, I've spent over two decades in the market navigating the technology landscape, focusing on risk mitigation through the dot com bubble, credit default of '08, and, more recently, with the AI boom. In one word, what I'd like ...

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - The conference call focuses on the **Global Cloud Capital Expenditure (Capex)** in the **US Technology** sector, particularly among the largest global hyperscalers. Core Insights and Arguments 1. **2025 Cloud Capex Growth**: - Global Cloud Capex is projected to reach **$445 billion** in 2025, reflecting a **56% year-over-year (Y/Y)** growth, which is **12 percentage points** higher than previous estimates [3][6][24]. - The increase is primarily driven by positive revisions from major companies such as **Microsoft**, **Amazon**, and **Alphabet**, which account for over **90%** of the upward revision [3][6]. 2. **2026 Preliminary Consensus**: - The preliminary consensus for 2026 Cloud Capex is estimated at **$518 billion**, indicating a **16% Y/Y** growth, but with a potential upward bias suggesting growth could exceed **30%** [3][6][16]. 3. **Capital Intensity**: - Cloud Capex is expected to account for **18.4%** of revenue in 2025, marking a **5 percentage point** increase Y/Y and setting a new record [3][13]. 4. **Major Contributors to Growth**: - The largest contributors to the Y/Y growth in 2025 Capex include **Amazon** (+$34.3 billion), **Alphabet** (+$32.2 billion), **Meta** (+$31.5 billion), and **Microsoft** (+$25.3 billion), collectively accounting for **77%** of the growth [3][6]. 5. **Future Spending Trends**: - The call highlights a trend of increasing capital expenditures directed towards **AI infrastructure** to address compute shortages and support complex workloads, with executives expressing confidence in the returns from these investments [24][25]. 6. **Non-GPU/ASIC Spending**: - For 2025, non-GPU/ASIC cloud capex is tracking to **56-66% Y/Y** growth, while for 2026, estimates vary significantly, with consensus suggesting only **3% Y/Y** growth, while Morgan Stanley's estimates imply **27% Y/Y** growth [26][30]. Additional Important Insights 1. **Revisions in Capex Estimates**: - Consensus estimates for 2025 Capex have been revised upwards by more than **50%** (or **$150 billion**) over the past year, indicating a trend of conservative initial forecasts [20][23]. 2. **Monthly Token Processing Growth**: - Monthly tokens processed by major cloud service providers indicate a growing demand for AI inference, suggesting robust growth in cloud services [21][22]. 3. **Investment in Short-lived Assets**: - Companies like **Microsoft** and **Meta** are expected to allocate a growing portion of their capital expenditures towards short-lived assets such as CPU/GPU servers and networking equipment [24][25]. 4. **Potential for Further Revisions**: - There is an expectation that both consensus and Morgan Stanley's 2026 Capex estimates may trend higher in the coming months due to ongoing strength in AI infrastructure spending [20][24]. 5. **Revenue Exposure to Cloud Capex**: - A detailed analysis of over **50 technology companies** shows an average revenue exposure of **38%** to cloud capex, highlighting the significant impact of cloud spending on the broader technology sector [32]. This summary encapsulates the key points discussed in the conference call, providing insights into the current and future landscape of cloud capital expenditures among major technology companies.

Summary of Conference Call Records Industry Overview - The AI infrastructure industry is experiencing a high-intensity investment cycle globally, with major companies like Microsoft and Google significantly increasing their capital expenditures for 2025 to $30 billion per quarter and $85 billion annually, respectively, indicating sustained high investment from 2021 to at least 2026 [1][2] Key Insights and Arguments - **Diverse Investment Sources**: In China, the construction of data centers is diversified, with internet and cloud companies accounting for just over 30%, telecom operators 23%, local governments and state-owned platforms 13%, and IDC vendors less than 10%. Nearly 30% comes from AI enterprises and central state-owned enterprises, indicating overall investment intensity is lower than overseas levels [1][4] - **Projected Growth in Power Demand**: China's data center power demand is expected to maintain a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 37% from 2024 to 2027, with AI data centers projected to add approximately 3.6 GW in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 220%, and around 10 GW by 2027 [1][5] - **Capital Expenditure Trends**: In 2024, domestic internet companies are expected to see capital expenditures grow by over 230%, while upstream equipment suppliers show varied growth rates, with some experiencing declines [8][9] - **AI Server Proportion**: In 2024, AI servers are expected to account for 9.3% of all server shipments, with AI computing power being approximately ten times that of general computing power [10] Additional Important Insights - **Telecom Operators' Investments**: The three major telecom operators in China are projected to invest a total of 85.9 billion yuan in computing-related fields in 2024, a 25% increase year-on-year. For 2025, China Telecom and China Unicom plan to increase their investments by 22% and 28%, respectively, while China Mobile's investment is expected to remain flat [3][12] - **Government Cloud Market Growth**: The government cloud market in China is expected to reach approximately 90 billion yuan in 2024, growing by 18%. Many governments are shifting some public cloud services to dedicated clouds due to security compliance, driving significant data center construction demand [16] - **Financial Sector AI Adoption**: The financial sector, particularly banks, has begun applying AI models in various areas, including customer service and risk management, although specific investment amounts in data centers remain unclear [14][15] Future Projections - **2025 Data Center Demand**: For 2025, the projected growth rates for various sectors are as follows: internet industry 80%, telecom operators 15%, government 10%, IDC 70%, financial sector 5%, and other sectors 10%. Overall, China's new data center power is expected to approach 8 GW, with AI data centers accounting for about 3.6 GW [17] Technology Trends and Investment Recommendations - **Emerging Technologies**: The report highlights the importance of new technologies such as liquid cooling, HVDC, and high-power server power supplies. Companies like Infinera, Shenneng Environment, and Zhongke Electric are recommended for their advancements in these areas [6][18]

Core Viewpoint - Digi Power X Inc. reported significant growth in Bitcoin production and financial performance for July 2025, alongside advancements in its AI infrastructure and energy efficiency initiatives [1][7][10]. Financial Performance - As of July 31, 2025, the company held approximately $30 million in cash, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and cash deposits, marking a 122% increase from $13.5 million on June 30, 2025 [7]. - The company's Bitcoin inventory increased from approximately 40 coins to 61 coins, representing a 51% growth over the previous month [7]. - The total value of coins produced in July 2025 was approximately $4.3 million, with miners producing around 23 BTC valued at approximately $2.7 million [7]. - Gross energy and power revenue for July 2025 was approximately $1.6 million [7]. Operational Updates - The company is actively participating in load curtailment programs to reduce Bitcoin mining costs, which have been historically high during summer [2]. - Digi Power X operates with approximately 100MW of available power across three sites and aims to expand capacity to 200MW and beyond [12]. - The company has invested approximately $5.2 million year-to-date in capital expenditures and mining infrastructure support equipment [7]. Technological Developments - Digi Power X's subsidiary filed a provisional patent for the ARMS 200, a Tier 3-certified platform designed for high-density GPU workloads [4]. - Each ARMS 200 platform is designed to deliver 1 megawatt of compute and support up to 256 NVIDIA GPUs, with the first deployment scheduled at the Alabama site [5]. - The company executed a purchase order with Super Micro Computer Inc. for NVIDIA B200-powered systems to be deployed within the ARMS 200 infrastructure [8]. Future Initiatives - The company plans to scale its Bitcoin mining capacity through next-generation hydro-powered mining systems and advanced cooling technologies, expected to be operational by Q1 2026 [10]. - Digi Power X is in discussions to launch pilot testing programs for its GPU-as-a-Service platform, NeoCloud™, in Q4 2025 [9].

Revenue Growth & Expectations - Trillion-dollar companies, Microsoft and Meta, are posting over 20% revenue growth quarter-on-quarter, exceeding expectations [1] - Microsoft is experiencing 18% growth [1] - Meta is signaling a potential 25% growth for the next quarter [1] Capital Expenditure (CapEx) & Investment - Microsoft's ASEAN number is $75 billion, revealing CapEx spending for generative AI [2] - Companies are committing to higher CapEx spending, indicating firepower for further investment in AI [3] - Meta's generative AI is improving ad performance, leading to a 9% increase in ad pricing [3] - Companies are investing heavily in talent, including $200 million pay packages, to scale AI [4] AI & Superintelligence - Companies are focusing on making AI more personable, aiming for a superintelligence helper for personal use [4] - Meta is articulating the implications of superintelligence lapse for their business [3] - The vindication in CapEx comes through increased app usage driven by AI advancements [5]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) was $0.95, up approximately 42% year-on-year, primarily driven by higher adjusted operating profit [12][29] - Organic sales grew 34% year-on-year, with strong performance in the Americas (up mid-40s) and APAC (up mid-30s), while EMEA delivered high single-digit growth [13][30] - Adjusted operating profit was $489 million, up 28% year-on-year, with an adjusted operating margin of 18.5%, approximately 110 basis points lower than the prior year due to tariffs [15][30] - Free cash flow for Q2 was $277 million, down year-on-year, but adjusted free cash flow for the first half was $542 million, a robust growth of 24% year-on-year [16][32] - Full-year adjusted free cash flow guidance raised to $1.4 billion, with net sales guidance increased by $550 million to $10 billion [17][37] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Americas organic sales increased by 43%, driven by strength in colocation and hyperscale markets, with an adjusted operating margin of 24% [32] - APAC saw a 37% organic sales increase, with margin expansion to 10.6% [32] - EMEA's organic sales grew 7%, but the region is expected to be flat for the full year due to operational execution challenges and investments in fixed costs [34][35] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The backlog stands strong at $8.5 billion, up 21% year-on-year and 7% sequentially from Q1, supporting increased guidance for the year [18] - The regulatory environment is becoming more conducive to AI infrastructure investment, positively impacting customer discussions and pipeline [19][110] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company maintains a strategy of driving growth through organic expansion and strategic acquisitions, with a robust M&A pipeline [10] - Recent acquisition of Great Lakes is expected to enhance the company's capabilities in high-end rack solutions and AI infrastructure [26] - Ongoing investments in R&D and capacity expansion are aimed at staying ahead of market demand and delivering innovative solutions [11][21] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's performance and future trajectory, highlighting the digital revolution and the fundamental role of data centers [10] - The company anticipates that operational inefficiencies and execution challenges will be resolved by year-end, leading to improved margins in 2026 [31][102] - The management is optimistic about the growth trajectory and market share gains, particularly in the context of AI infrastructure [40][130] Other Important Information - The company plans to change how it communicates orders, providing projected full-year orders rather than quarterly orders to better align with business operations [19] - The tariff situation remains dynamic, with ongoing countermeasures being executed to mitigate impacts [20][21] Q&A Session Summary Question: Margin expectations for 2026 - Management believes that 2026 could be a more normal year for margins, with a positive long-term trajectory expected [48] Question: Strength in backlog and order duration - Backlog duration remains similar to historical trends, with some customers seeking earlier deliveries, indicating a healthy demand [52][53] Question: Impact of tariffs and inflation on pricing - Management indicated that they have the commercial leverage to recover tariffs, despite delays in converting orders to sales [57] Question: Win rates and procurement changes among hyperscalers - Win rates remain stable, with no significant changes in procurement methods among hyperscalers [66][68] Question: Operational inefficiencies - Inefficiencies are attributed to tariff transitions and the need for new sources, compounded by significant growth [75][78] Question: Growth rates for thermal service contracts - Management expects strong growth in thermal service contracts, particularly related to liquid cooling systems [88] Question: Evolution of product offerings for data centers - The company is evolving its product footprint to accommodate higher voltage power distribution and increasing rack density [92][94] Question: Gross margin expectations - Management expects gross margins to improve in Q4 due to operational leverage and resolution of inefficiencies [102][121] Question: Capital allocation priorities post-acquisition - M&A will remain a key part of the capital allocation strategy, with a strong process and active pipeline in place [136]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) was $0.95, up approximately 42% from Q2 2024, primarily driven by higher adjusted operating profit [9][27] - Organic sales grew 34% year-on-year, with strong performance in The Americas (up mid-40s) and APAC (up mid-30s), while EMEA delivered high single-digit growth [10][28] - Adjusted operating profit was $489 million, up 28% year-on-year, with an adjusted operating margin of 18.5%, approximately 110 basis points lower than the prior year due to tariffs [12][28] - Free cash flow for Q2 was $277 million, lower year-on-year, but adjusted free cash flow for the first half was $542 million, a robust growth of 24% year-on-year [13][30] - Full-year adjusted free cash flow guidance raised to $1.4 billion, with net sales guidance increased by $550 million to $10 billion [14][36] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Americas organic sales increased by 43%, driven by strength in colocation and hyperscale markets, with an adjusted operating margin of 24% [30] - APAC saw a 37% organic sales increase, with margin expansion to 10.6% [30] - EMEA's organic sales grew 7%, but are expected to be flat for the full year due to operational execution challenges and investments in fixed costs [31][32] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Q2 orders were up approximately 15% from Q2 2024 and up 11% sequentially from Q1 2025, with a trailing twelve-month organic orders growth of 11% [11][15] - Backlog stood at $8.5 billion, up 21% year-on-year and 7% sequentially from Q1, supporting increased guidance for the year [15][36] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company continues to focus on organic expansion and strategic acquisitions to extend market leadership, with the recent acquisition of Great Lakes showcasing this approach [7][24] - Investments in R&D and capacity expansion are aimed at staying ahead of market demand and delivering innovative solutions [8][18] - The company is adapting to a changing regulatory environment that is becoming more conducive to AI infrastructure investment [16][104] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to capitalize on long-term opportunities in the digital revolution and data center market [6][8] - The operational challenges faced in Q2 are expected to be resolved by year-end, with a projected adjusted operating margin improvement in Q4 [29][96] - The company anticipates continued strong growth in 2025, raising guidance for adjusted diluted EPS and net sales [14][35] Other Important Information - The company plans to communicate projected full-year orders rather than quarterly orders starting from Q4 2025 to better align with business operations [16] - The tariff situation remains dynamic, with ongoing countermeasures being executed to mitigate impacts [17][18] Q&A Session Summary Question: Margin expectations for 2026 - Management believes that 2026 could be a more normal year for margins, with a positive long-term trajectory expected [44][45] Question: Strength in backlog and order duration - Backlog duration remains similar to historical trends, with some customers seeking earlier deliveries, indicating a healthy demand [48][50] Question: Tariffs and inflation recovery - The company has commercial leverage to recover tariffs, and relationships with hyperscalers are strong, allowing for co-engineering opportunities [54][56] Question: Win rates and procurement changes - Win rates remain stable, with no significant changes in how hyperscalers procure equipment [62][66] Question: Operational inefficiencies - Inefficiencies are attributed to tariff transitions and the need for increased capacity to meet growth demands, with expectations for normalization [74][78] Question: Growth rates for thermal service contracts - Liquid cooling is expected to drive growth in thermal service contracts, as the complexity of systems increases [83][85] Question: Current product footprint evolution - The company is evolving its product offerings to accommodate higher voltage power distribution and increasing rack density [88][90] Question: Free cash flow allocation - Free cash flow will be prioritized for strategic acquisitions, with a strong process in place for capital allocation [129][131] Question: Modular and prefab solutions trend - There is an acceleration in modular business, with prefabrication of technology being a key focus for the company [134][135]

This news release constitutes a "designated news release for the purposes of the Company's amended and restated prospectus supplement dated May 14, 2025, to its short form base shelf prospectus dated September 11, 2024. San Antonio, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - July 30, 2025) - HIVE Digital Technologies Ltd. (TSXV: HIVE) (NASDAQ: HIVE) (FSE: YO0) (the "Company" or "HIVE"), a diversified multinational digital infrastructure company, is proud to announce that it has surpassed 14 Exahash per second ("EH/s") of Bit ...

Core Insights - Accelsius has experienced significant growth in the first half of 2025, marked by a five-fold increase in data center deployments and expansion into international markets [1][5][9] - The company has achieved industry-leading thermal performance with its NeuCool technology, capable of cooling up to 4,500W per GPU socket, addressing the demands of next-generation AI workloads [2][4][10] - Accelsius has doubled its product portfolio, introducing the MR250 multi-rack Coolant Distribution Unit (CDU) to meet the growing needs of hyperscale and AI infrastructure [13][14] Industry Trends - The data center industry is undergoing a transformation due to the increasing demands of AI infrastructure, necessitating advanced cooling solutions [2][4] - Traditional cooling methods are becoming inadequate as rack densities approach 600kW configurations, highlighting the need for innovative technologies like those offered by Accelsius [2][4] Product and Technology Developments - Accelsius successfully demonstrated its cooling technology by maintaining GPU temperatures below NVIDIA's thermal throttle limits in a 250kW rack of AI servers [3][4] - The NeuGuard program was launched to enhance cooling reliability for AI and advanced computing deployments, offering coverage for internal damage caused by leaks [11][12] Strategic Partnerships and Market Expansion - The company has established key partnerships in Europe and entered the Canadian market, enhancing its international presence [5][8][9] - Collaborations with major players like Equinix and Nordik Data Centers are set to bolster Accelsius's market position and facilitate the development of next-generation AI data centers [7][8] Sustainability and Energy Efficiency - Accelsius's technology can operate with facility water temperatures 6-8°C higher than competitors, leading to over 25% cooling energy savings and supporting sustainability goals [4][10]

Core Viewpoint - Digi Power X Inc. successfully closed a registered direct offering of 4,807,693 shares at a price of U.S.$3.12 per share, raising approximately U.S.$15 million, which strengthens its financial position with over U.S.$30 million in cash and no long-term debt [2][3][9] Financial Highlights - The offering generated gross proceeds of approximately U.S.$15 million before deducting fees and expenses [2][4] - Post-offering, the company holds over U.S.$30 million in cash and cash equivalents with zero long-term debt [3][8][9] Offering Details - The offering was made to a single new fundamental institutional investor, indicating growing interest in the company's scalable AI infrastructure strategy [3][9] - Titan Partners Group acted as the sole placement agent, receiving a 7% cash commission and purchase warrants [4][9] Strategic Use of Proceeds - Proceeds from the offering will be used to expand the deployment of NeoCloud Tier 3 AI infrastructure, accelerate manufacturing and global distribution of ARMS 200 pods, and support strategic joint ventures and energy deployments [9]