Data Center Hosting

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Can an Expanding Clientele Push WULF Stock's Top-Line Growth?
ZACKS· 2025-09-23 16:10
Core Insights - TeraWulf's prospects are bolstered by a significant contract with Fluidstack, amounting to approximately $6.7 billion in contracted revenues, with total contract revenues projected to reach $16 billion [1][9] - The deal involves TeraWulf providing over 360 MW of critical IT load at its Lake Mariner data center, which has the potential to expand to 750 MW with upgrades [2] - Alphabet supports Fluidstack's lease obligations with $3.2 billion in credit support and increases its equity ownership in TeraWulf to around 14% [2][9] Company Developments - TeraWulf is set to deliver 72.5 MW of HPC colocation capacity under agreements with Core42 Holding, with revenue generation expected to commence in Q3 2025 [3] - TeraWulf faces competition from IREN Limited and Applied Digital in the bitcoin mining and HPC sectors [4] Competitor Analysis - IREN Limited has expanded its AI cloud capacity to 23,000 GPUs, anticipating $500 million in annualized run-rate revenue by Q1 2026, with a total revenue target of $1.25 billion by December 2025 [5] - Applied Digital is experiencing strong demand for data center infrastructure, with hyperscaler spending projected to exceed $350 billion in 2025, benefiting its hosting business [6] Financial Performance - TeraWulf shares have increased by 103% year-to-date, outperforming the broader Zacks Finance sector and the Zacks Financial Miscellaneous Services industry [7][9] - The stock is trading at a premium with a price/book ratio of 26.77X compared to the industry average of 3.81X [13]
Applied Digital Jumps 122% Year to Date: Buy, Sell or Hold the Stock?
ZACKS· 2025-09-11 15:31
Core Insights - Applied Digital (APLD) shares have appreciated 122.2% year to date (YTD), significantly outperforming the broader Zacks Finance sector's return of 12.1% and the Zacks Financial – Miscellaneous Services industry's return of 3.8% [1] - APLD's strong performance is attributed to robust demand for data center infrastructure and a growing focus on energy efficiency within the data center industry [2] - The global AI market is projected to reach $500 billion by 2027, necessitating high-capacity data centers to support AI applications [2] Company Performance - APLD operates data center hosting services with a total capacity of approximately 286 megawatts (MWs) [7] - The Polaris Forge 1 facility is designed to scale up to 1 gigawatt (GW) and is expected to drive long-term growth, with the first 100-MW facility operational by Q4 2025 [9] - APLD has secured lease agreements with CoreWeave for 400 MW, with anticipated lease revenues of approximately $11 billion [11] Industry Trends - Strong spending by hyperscalers is expected to exceed $350 billion by 2025, which is beneficial for APLD as they require high-capacity data centers [3] - The demand for AI infrastructure is increasing, with AI queries requiring significantly more electricity than traditional queries, presenting a growth opportunity for APLD [10] Financial Outlook - APLD reported fiscal 2025 revenues of $144.2 million, a 6% increase from fiscal 2024, primarily driven by Data Center Hosting [12] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for APLD's fiscal 2026 loss has widened to 34 cents per share, indicating a challenging near-term outlook [13] - APLD's stock is currently considered overvalued, trading at a forward price/sales ratio of 14.46X compared to the industry average of 3.58X [15] Investment Considerations - The CoreWeave lease deal enhances revenue visibility, which is favorable for long-term investors, but rising loss estimates and high valuation present risks [18] - APLD currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting that investors may want to wait for a more favorable time to accumulate the stock [19]
Applied Digital Rises 69% in a Month: Buy, Sell or Hold the Stock?
ZACKS· 2025-05-28 14:16
Core Viewpoint - Applied Digital Corporation (APLD) has experienced a significant share price increase of 69.4% over the past month, driven by positive industry trends despite previous declines due to industry-specific challenges [1][2]. Company Performance - APLD reported a loss of 16 cents per share in the first quarter, a decline from earnings of 52 cents per share a year ago, attributed to higher depreciation and amortization expenses despite robust sales growth [3]. - The company's stock has outperformed the broader Finance sector, which grew by 2.6%, and the S&P 500 Index, which increased by 4.4% [2]. Industry Trends - Major hyperscalers like Microsoft and Meta are planning substantial investments in AI services, with Meta investing $62.5 billion and Microsoft potentially reaching $80 billion in capital expenditures by 2025, indicating strong demand for AI-focused data centers [6]. - APLD's Data Center Hosting sales declined by 7% year over year in the first quarter, but rising demand may lead to securing its first hyperscaler customer at the Ellendale facility, which could significantly boost future sales [6]. Expansion and Financial Position - APLD has invested nearly $1 billion in assets over the past year, primarily for data center construction, and currently operates 286 megawatts of fully contracted data center hosting capacity [7]. - The company secured a $150 million equity facility to support its HPC infrastructure expansion, addressing substantial cash burn from high capital expenditures [8]. Short-Term Challenges - Rising costs, particularly from higher depreciation expenses and seasonal power cost fluctuations, are expected to pressure APLD's bottom line in the near term [9]. - APLD experienced a 35.7% sequential decline in Cloud Services revenues due to technical challenges in transitioning to a multi-tenant on-demand model, although the issue has been resolved [9][10]. Valuation Concerns - APLD's stock is currently trading at a premium, with a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/S) ratio of 7.02X compared to the industry average of 3.48X, indicating a lofty valuation [11]. Conclusion - The recent surge in APLD's share price has led to a significant increase in its valuation, making it an expensive choice currently, with margins likely to remain under pressure [15].
Applied Digital's Q3 Earnings & Revenues Miss Estimates, Stock Down
ZACKS· 2025-04-15 17:30
Financial Performance - Applied Digital (APLD) reported a third-quarter fiscal 2025 loss of 16 cents per share, which was wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 11 cents, compared to earnings of 52 cents per share in the same quarter last year [1] - The company generated revenues of $52.9 million for the third quarter, reflecting a 22.1% year-over-year increase, although it missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 16.75% [2] - The Cloud Services business revenues increased by 220% year over year to $17.8 million, but saw a sequential decline of 35.7% due to a shift in contract models [3] Business Segments - The Data Center Hosting segment generated $35.2 million in revenues, representing a 7% year-over-year decline [3] - The High-Performance Computing (HPC) Data Center Hosting business is negotiating with multiple U.S.-based hyperscalers to lease up to 400 MW of capacity, including ongoing construction at the Ellendale HPC data center [4] Cost Management - Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased by 24.3% year over year to $22.7 million [6] - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $10 million, a significant improvement from a loss of $1.3 million year over year [6] - Adjusted operating loss narrowed to $8.8 million from a loss of $23.4 million in the previous year [6] Strategic Initiatives - The board of directors approved a plan to divest the Cloud Services Business to focus on core data center operations [7] - APLD secured a $375 million financing arrangement with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation to repay outstanding debts and fund the development of new data center buildings [8] - The company maintains a strategic partnership with Macquarie Asset Management, which has the right to invest up to $5 billion for the expansion of next-generation data centers [9] Balance Sheet - As of February 28, 2025, APLD had cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash totaling $261.2 million against a debt of $689.1 million [10]
APLD Set to Report Q3 Earnings: Buy, Sell or Hold the Stock?
ZACKS· 2025-04-11 20:06
Core Viewpoint - Applied Digital Corporation (APLD) is expected to report strong revenue growth in its third-quarter fiscal 2025 results, driven by its Cloud Services and data center hosting segments, despite facing challenges related to valuation and competition [2][4][19]. Group 1: Financial Performance Expectations - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for APLD's third-quarter fiscal 2025 revenues is $63.57 million, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 46.63% [2]. - The consensus estimate for loss is 11 cents per share, unchanged over the past 30 days, compared to a loss of 52 cents per share in the same quarter last year [2]. - APLD has missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the last four quarters, with a negative average surprise of 185.39% [3]. Group 2: Business Segments and Growth Drivers - APLD's Cloud Services business is experiencing strong demand, particularly due to the deployment of additional GPU clusters, which is expected to significantly contribute to revenue growth [5]. - The Cloud Services segment generated revenues of $27.7 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2025, marking a 523% year-over-year increase [5]. - The data center hosting segment for cryptocurrency clients remains robust, with revenues of $36.2 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2025, supported by the recent rise in Bitcoin prices [6]. Group 3: Strategic Partnerships and Financial Support - APLD's partnership with Macquarie Asset Management, involving a $5 billion perpetual preferred equity financing facility, is anticipated to provide financial support for future expansion [7][8]. - Investments from CIM Group, NVIDIA, and Macquarie are expected to lower the cost of capital, enhancing APLD's financial flexibility and growth prospects [8]. Group 4: Stock Performance and Valuation - APLD shares have declined by 33.1% year-to-date, underperforming the broader Zacks Finance sector's decline of 16.3% and the Zacks Financial - Miscellaneous Services industry's decrease of 19.4% [9]. - The company's forward 12-month Price/Sales (P/S) ratio is 3.29, which is higher than the industry average of 2.93, indicating a stretched valuation [12]. Group 5: Competitive Landscape and Future Outlook - APLD's expanding data center capacity is viewed positively for its long-term growth prospects, although the company faces stiff competition from major data center providers like Equinix [19]. - The company has established partnerships with key players such as Super Micro Computer, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and NVIDIA to enhance its operational capabilities [15][16][17].