Welcome to the game of life where the prize is your dream and the twist you don't always first try. Hi, I'm Euan, an electrical engineering student. And if rejection were a contestant scorecard, well, I'd be a finalist.I have been told no, not yet, sorry, but more times that I can count. But what I learned is rejection is feedback from the world, but often from ourselves. One of the most painful rejection I've ever got was from something I really, really wanted.A scholarship I had prayed for, worked for, an ...

Core Insights - The article highlights the significant role of Australian companies in the AI revolution, emphasizing the importance of energy and compute resources in shaping the future of AI [2][18] - It identifies three key Australian companies—GenusPlus Group, Southern Cross Electrical Engineering, and IREN Ltd—as enablers of AI technology through their infrastructure and services [3][18] GenusPlus Group (GNP) - GenusPlus Group is positioned as a critical enabler of AI and data center infrastructure, covering the entire project lifecycle from design to maintenance [4] - In FY25, Genus reported a 36% increase in revenue to $751 million, a 49% rise in operating earnings (EBITDA) to $67.4 million, and an 84% surge in profit to $35.4 million, with an order book exceeding $2 billion [6] - The company's share price has increased over 125% in the past year, reflecting strong performance and growth potential in energy transition and AI-linked infrastructure [7] Southern Cross Electrical Engineering (SXE) - Southern Cross Electrical Engineering has transitioned from a mining contractor to a diversified electrical infrastructure group, focusing on data centers, renewables, and defense [8] - In FY25, SXE achieved record revenue of $801.5 million, a 45.2% year-on-year increase, and operating earnings (EBITDA) of $54.8 million, up 36.6%, with expectations of further earnings growth of 18-24% in FY26 [9] - The company’s expertise in power distribution and complex electrical projects positions it well to meet the growing demands of AI workloads and renewable energy initiatives [10] IREN Ltd (IREN) - IREN has gained significant attention for its rapid growth, with its share price tripling in the last 90 days and increasing over 2,000% in two years, originally focusing on sustainable Bitcoin mining [12][16] - The company operates 810 MW of active capacity and has 2.9 GW of contracted power, making it one of the largest independent AI infrastructure operators globally [16] - In FY25, IREN's revenue rose 168% to US $501 million, driven by a record performance in Bitcoin mining and a more than 400% increase in AI Cloud revenue [16] Industry Trends - The article emphasizes that reliable power, engineering talent, and compute capacity are becoming bottlenecks in the new AI economy, creating investment opportunities in companies that provide essential infrastructure [18] - The focus on "picks and shovels"—the companies that build the foundational infrastructure for AI—highlights a strategic investment approach in the evolving tech landscape [18]

Financial Performance - SCEE achieved record revenue of $801.5 million in FY25, a 45.2% increase compared to $551.9 million in FY24[11, 13, 80] - Record EBITDA reached $54.8 million, up 36.6% from $40.1 million in the previous year[11, 13, 80] - The company reported record EBIT of $45.9 million, a 40.4% increase from $32.7 million in FY24[11, 13, 80] - Record NPAT was $31.7 million, up 44.5% from $21.9 million in the prior year[11, 13, 80] Order Book and Sector Diversification - The order book stood at $685 million, a 4.9% decrease from $720 million in the previous year[11, 80] - Infrastructure sector contributed 63.8% of total revenue, amounting to $511.6 million, more than doubling from $233.7 million in FY24[11, 13] - Commercial sector revenue was $152.5 million, compared to $171.1 million in FY24[13] - Resources sector revenue was $137.4 million, compared to $147.0 million in FY24[13] Acquisitions and Strategy - SCEE's strategy involves diversifying into adjacent disciplines and servicing infrastructure, commercial, and resources sectors[6, 8] - The acquisition of Force Fire was completed on April 1, 2025, contributing to the final quarter results[11, 36, 80] - The company is exploring multiple further acquisition targets to enhance geographic diversification and capabilities[8, 45, 74, 81] Future Outlook - FY26 EBITDA guidance is projected to be in the range of $65 million to $68 million, representing an 18-24% growth on FY25 EBITDA[29, 81]

Financial Performance - IPD Group achieved record revenue of $354.7 million, representing a 22.1% increase compared to the previous corresponding period (PCP) of $290.4 million[29, 32] - The company's EBITDA increased by 19.3% to $46.4 million, up from $38.9 million in the PCP[29, 32] - Net Profit After Tax (NPAT) rose by 17.0% to $26.2 million, compared to $22.4 million in the PCP[29, 32] - Earnings Per Share (EPS) increased by 8.6% to 25.3 cents, compared to 23.3 cents in the PCP[29, 32] - Operating cash flow increased to $52.7 million, compared to $35.5 million as at 30 June 2024[29] Business Segments - Data Centre revenue experienced strong growth, increasing by 33% compared to FY24, now representing 16% of group revenue[29, 34] - CMI's Cables revenue decreased by 10.2% on a pro-forma basis due to headwinds in the commercial construction sector[34, 45] - Addelec revenue decreased by 12.8% on the PCP due to previously disclosed project delays[34, 45] Financial Position - The group is in a net cash position of $9.8 million as of June 30, 2025, compared to a net debt position of $8.8 million as of June 30, 2024[29, 47, 49] - Total dividends declared for FY25 were 12.6 cents per share, up 16.7% on the PCP of 10.8 cents per share, equating to a total payout of $13.1 million and a 50% payout ratio[29, 55]

Core Viewpoint - Powell Industries reported fiscal third-quarter earnings that missed revenue expectations but exceeded profit expectations, indicating a more favorable underlying trajectory than initially perceived [1][3]. Revenue Performance - The company's fiscal third quarter experienced a slight 1% decline in revenue compared to expectations, but showed a 3% increase relative to the prior quarter [3]. - The electric utility segment saw a significant increase of 31%, while commercial and light industrial revenue rose by 18% [4]. - In contrast, the oil and gas segment declined by 8%, and the petrochemical segment saw a substantial decline of 36% [5]. Earnings and Margins - Earnings per share reached $3.96, reflecting a 4% increase and beating expectations, supported by an encouraging expansion in gross margins [3]. Booking Trends - Overall booking trends appeared positive, with bookings growing by 45% quarter over quarter, leading to a 7% sequential growth in backlog [5]. Future Growth Potential - Powell Industries trades at a 16.7 multiple based on 2025 estimates, which may seem low for a company with modest growth; however, as the electric utility segment constitutes a larger portion of the business, there is potential for upside surprises [7]. - The electric utility segment accounted for 26% of revenue in the June quarter, while commercial and industrial segments made up another 17% [7]. - Continued growth in these segments could position them as major drivers of the business in the future [8].