Funding & Expansion - Firmus has secured $327 million to expedite the development of AI data centers across Australia [1]

Core Viewpoint - Applied Digital Corporation's subsidiary, APLD ComputeCo LLC, has announced a $2.35 billion offering of senior secured notes to fund data center construction and repay existing debt [1][2]. Financing Details - The offering consists of 9.250% senior secured notes due in 2030, priced at an issue price of 97% [1]. - The net proceeds will be used for the construction of 100 MW and 150 MW data centers, repayment of existing credit agreements, funding debt service reserves, and covering transaction expenses [2]. Security and Guarantees - The notes will be fully guaranteed by APLD Compute's existing and future subsidiaries, with first-priority liens on substantially all assets of APLD Compute and the Guarantors [3]. - Applied Digital will provide completion guarantees to ensure timely construction of the data centers [4]. Regulatory Compliance - The notes have not been registered under the Securities Act and will only be offered to qualified institutional buyers [5]. Company Overview - Applied Digital is recognized for its high-performance, sustainably engineered data centers, focusing on AI, cloud, networking, and blockchain workloads [7].

Company Overview - Core Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ:CORZ) is recognized as one of the best mid-cap tech stocks to buy according to analysts [1] - The company provides digital infrastructure for high-density colocation and digital asset mining [4] Analyst Ratings and Price Targets - Gautam Chhugani from Bernstein raised the price target on Core Scientific from $17 to $24 and assigned a Buy rating [1] - George Sutton from Craig-Hallum upgraded the stock from Hold to Buy with a price target of $27 following the company's announcement regarding the termination of its merger agreement with CoreWeave [3] Merger and Acquisition Activity - Core Scientific has rejected CoreWeave's all-cash buyout offer for the second time, with shareholders voting against the merger proposal [4] - Analyst Gil Luria from D.A. Davidson commented that shareholders believe their value should be higher based on current valuations of comparable companies, indicating a perception of inflated AI trade values rather than actual economic value [4] Industry Context - Data centers face significant challenges in building AI systems due to high electricity demands, and bitcoin miners are becoming integral to the AI value chain by providing energy-powered spaces for AI data centers [2] - US bitcoin mining companies are focusing on extracting more value from their energy resources in addition to mining bitcoins [2]

Core Viewpoint - Applied Digital Corp. (NASDAQ:APLD) experienced significant selling pressure, dropping 7.56% to close at $26.41 after announcing a $787.5 million funding secured from Macquarie Asset Management [1][5]. Funding and Financial Details - The $787.5 million is part of a larger $5 billion perpetual preferred equity financing facility aimed at supporting the development of Polaris Forge 1 and 2 data centers in North Dakota [2]. - Of the total funding, $450 million is designated for the completion of Forge 2, which has a capacity to power 1 GW of critical IT load, with 200 MW already leased to a US-based Investment Grade Hyperscaler [3]. - The remaining funds will be allocated for Forge 1 [3]. - Additionally, Applied Digital entered into a loan agreement with First National Bank of Omaha for up to $65 million in revolving loans and letters of credit, carrying an interest rate of 2.75% per annum, secured by all of the company's assets [4][5].

Infrastructure Advantage in San Jose - San Jose is uniquely positioned with 2 gigawatts of new power capacity coming online in the next four years, making it the only city in California with such capacity [1][5][8] - This location in north San Jose offers access to ample recycled water at a reasonable rate and a new transmission line [2] - San Jose's infrastructure allows it to potentially triple its energy consumption in the next 4-5 years [8] Data Center Development - Prologis is proposing to build 400 megawatts worth of data centers in San Jose [3] - The location near a wastewater treatment facility and landfill is ideal for data centers as servers are not affected by odors [4][5] - The site is underutilized land, avoiding displacement of housing or retail [19][20] Energy and Sustainability - San Jose uses a community choice aggregator to purchase power, signing 20-year power purchase agreements to fund new generation capacity [10][11] - The city is investing in solar and wind power paired with storage to address intermittency issues and increase the renewable mix on the grid [11][12][15][16] - While the city aims for clean energy, it cannot guarantee that no power from nuclear or natural gas will be used, as power comes from the grid [14][15] Market Demand - There is a robust pipeline of interest from hyperscalers, large tech companies, and advanced manufacturing users for the new power capacity [17][18] - A cluster study last year showed over 800 megawatts worth of demand in San Jose, and it is suspected to be higher now [18]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q3 2025 reached $50.8 million, up 7% sequentially and 78% year-over-year [9] - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $44.9 million, up 6% sequentially and 79% year-over-year, with a margin of 88% [9][10] - Cash flow from operations totaled $34.9 million, and free cash flow was $33.7 million [10] - Total liquidity stood at $108.3 million, including $28.3 million in cash and $80 million in available borrowing capacity [10] - Net leverage ratio improved to 2.1 times at the end of Q3 from 2.4 times in Q2 [10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Surface use royalties and revenue increased by 2%, driven by higher commercial activity and new project easements [9] - Resource sales and royalties also rose by 2%, supported by a rebound in water sales [9] - Oil and gas royalties posted a 22% sequential increase, with net royalty production rising from 814 barrels of oil equivalent per day in Q2 to 912 in Q3 [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company continues to unlock new opportunities across energy, infrastructure, and environmental sectors, creating diverse cash flow streams [5] - The acquisition of approximately 37,500 acres is expected to contribute approximately $20 million in EBITDA beginning in 2026 [6] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The growth strategy focuses on maximizing economic output from surface positions and delivering a differentiated value proposition through force-based offerings [4] - The company emphasizes responsible pore space management and avoids over-concentration of produced water handling assets [5] - The company is committed to maintaining a strong balance sheet and returning capital to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases [11] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the growth potential from the recent acquisition and ongoing commercial developments [14][56] - The company anticipates healthy growth in surface use royalties driven by increased produced water volumes from Waterbridge [56] - Management highlighted the critical need for pore space access and the expected shortfall in disposal capacity in the Delaware Basin, which positions the company favorably [50][66] Other Important Information - The company finalized the sale of a 3,000-acre solar energy project with a proposed generation capacity of up to 250 megawatts [5] - A quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share has been declared, payable on December 18, 2025 [11] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you talk about the new acquisition and its expected EBITDA contribution? - Management conservatively expects $20 million of EBITDA from the acquisition in 2026, with potential for growth based on pore space capacity and infrastructure [14][17] Question: What visibility do you have on commercial agreements related to the acquisition? - Management indicated that discussions are already underway, with a three- to four-year timeline for significant growth in the southern portion of Loving County [26][27] Question: How do you see the power and data center projects evolving in West Texas? - Management noted that hyperscalers are now more engaged in package negotiations, indicating a shift from previous dynamics [36][38] Question: Can you provide details on the natural gas processing lease with One Oak? - Management explained that these deals typically involve upfront payments for long-term leases, with additional recurring revenue from associated infrastructure [42][43] Question: What are the drivers of growth in easement and surface-related revenues? - Management attributed growth to high demand for access to their surface and a healthy commercial backlog [65] Question: Is there a shift in royalty rates due to pore space constraints? - Management confirmed that while there hasn't been a significant shift in royalty rates recently, prudent operators are recognizing the importance of securing pore space [66][67]

Sam Atlman-backed Exowatt wants to power AI data centers with billions of hot rocks https://t.co/ISrClUP7iX ...

Core Insights - Nebius Group (NASDAQ: NBIS) gained attention earlier this year due to Nvidia's (NASDAQ: NVDA) disclosure of its investment portfolio, which included a stake in the AI data center company [1] Company Summary - Nebius Group is identified as an AI data center stock that has recently come into the spotlight following Nvidia's investment [1]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q3 2025, Bitfarms achieved total revenue of $84 million from continuing and discontinued operations, with $69 million from continuing operations, representing a year-over-year increase of 156% [40][41] - Gross mining profit from continuing operations was $21 million, with a gross mining margin of 35% and an average direct cost of $48,200 per Bitcoin mined [41] - Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations was $20 million, or 28% of revenue, up from $2 million, or 8% of revenue year-over-year in Q3 2024 [42] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company confirmed the ability to convert its Bitcoin megawatts for HPC and AI, representing a strategic opportunity to increase total data center megawatts in Quebec by 25% [19] - The Washington site is set to convert to HPC and AI workloads, with a fully funded agreement for $128 million for critical IT infrastructure [20][21] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Lease rates for data center infrastructure have grown at an average rate of 12% since 2022, compared to an average of 3% over the last 20 years [8][10] - Analysts predict a massive shortfall of nearly 45 gigawatts of power for data centers by 2030, confirming the increasing demand for data center capacity [10][11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Bitfarms aims to optimize lease rates and margins through prioritizing infrastructure development, locking in higher rates under multi-year agreements, and developing infrastructure for next-generation GPUs [12][13] - The company plans to transition from Bitcoin mining to HPC and AI infrastructure, with a focus on developing facilities for NVIDIA's Vera Rubin GPUs [14][30] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed high conviction in the demand for HPC and AI infrastructure, emphasizing the strategic value of their energy portfolio and the unique positioning of their megawatts [16][35] - The company is well-capitalized with over $1 billion available for funding development projects, indicating strong financial health and a clear vision for future growth [44][45] Other Important Information - The company has transitioned to U.S. GAAP for Q4 and is working towards a U.S. redomicile in 2026 to improve institutional composition [35] - Bitfarms has maintained steady mining operations, achieving approximately $8 million in monthly free cash flow after G&A, which will support HPC and AI development projects [39][40] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you share more on how you guys are thinking about economics for the Vera Rubin GPU infrastructure? - Management indicated that the economics will improve due to the increasing shortage of infrastructure and the specific requirements of the Vera Rubin GPUs, which will command a premium [47][49] Question: What is the expected timeline for expanding power capacity at Panther Creek and Scrubgrass? - Management noted that the timeline for expansion is uncertain but could happen quickly due to existing infrastructure and regulatory approvals [59] Question: What are the biggest challenges to meeting timelines for Washington, Sharon, and Panther Creek? - Management highlighted that construction bottlenecks are hard to forecast but emphasized the importance of having strong partners and project management teams in place [75]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q3 2025, the company achieved total revenue of $84 million from continuing and discontinued operations, with $69 million from continuing operations, representing a year-over-year increase of 156% [39] - Gross mining profit from continuing operations was $21 million, with a gross mining margin of 35% and an average direct cost of $48,200 per Bitcoin mined [39] - Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations was $20 million, or 28% of revenue, up from $2 million, or 8% of revenue year-over-year in Q3 2024 [40] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company confirmed that 100% of its 170 megawatts in Quebec are currently utilized for Bitcoin mining, with plans to convert these megawatts for HPC and AI, potentially increasing total data center megawatts in the province by 25% [18] - The Washington site has 18 megawatts of secured power, with a fully funded agreement for $128 million to develop the full capacity for HPC and AI workloads [19][20] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Lease rates for data center infrastructure have increased from an average of 3% over the last 20 years to an average of 12% since 2022, with expectations for this trend to continue [6][9] - Analysts predict a massive shortfall of nearly 45 gigawatts of power for data centers by 2030, confirming the increasing demand for data center capacity [9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to prioritize infrastructure development to minimize the time between signing leases and generating revenue, thereby optimizing lease rates and margins [11] - Plans include developing infrastructure for NVIDIA's next-generation Vera Rubin GPUs, which are expected to command significantly greater economics due to their higher energy density [12][13] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management believes that the demand for HPC and AI infrastructure will continue to grow, driven by the increasing need for data center capacity and the limitations in power and infrastructure [5][10] - The company is well-capitalized with over $1 billion available for funding its development projects, indicating strong financial health and a clear vision for advancing its HPC and AI initiatives [41][42] Other Important Information - The company has transitioned to a multi-strategy program for digital asset management, designed to offset Bitcoin production costs and fund energy infrastructure investments [39][40] - The company is actively pursuing GPU as a service or cloud monetization strategy, which could provide significant cash flow and returns compared to Bitcoin mining [21][56] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you share more on how you guys are thinking about economics for the Vera Rubin GPU infrastructure? - Management indicated that the economics will improve due to the increasing shortage of infrastructure and the specific requirements of the new GPU models, which will drive higher economics [44][46] Question: What is the expected timeline for expanding power capacity at Panther Creek and Scrubgrass? - Management mentioned that positive indications have been received for the conversion of existing agreements, with potential expansions happening quickly, but specific timelines remain uncertain [51][52] Question: What are the biggest challenges to meeting timelines for Washington, Sharon, and Panther Creek? - Management noted that construction bottlenecks are hard to forecast, but having strong partners and project management teams in place will help mitigate risks [59] Question: How does the company evaluate GPU as a service compared to standard colocation? - Management explained that GPU as a service offers compelling benefits in terms of free cash flow and operational knowledge, which could significantly exceed the returns from Bitcoin mining [56][57]