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SMCI Plunges 25.6% Post Q4 Earnings: Should You Hold or Fold the Stock?
ZACKS· 2025-08-21 16:56
Core Insights - Super Micro Computer (SMCI) stock has declined by 25.6% following its fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 earnings report, which showed non-GAAP earnings of 41 cents per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.8% [1][6] - The stock is currently undervalued compared to the Zacks Computer-Storage Devices industry, trading at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 19.2X, lower than the industry's 25.08X [2] Competition and Market Position - SMCI faces increasing competition from major players in the storage and server market, including Pure Storage, Dell Technologies, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise [3] - Dell Technologies reported orders worth $12.1 billion for AI servers in Q1 fiscal 2026, which increased to $14.4 billion in AI backlogs, highlighting the competitive landscape [4] Financial Performance and Margins - SMCI's server segment sales grew by 6% year over year, driven by strong demand for AI servers [7] - The company is experiencing margin compression due to competitive pricing, client delays, and rising production costs, with a non-GAAP gross margin contraction of 70 basis points year over year in Q4 fiscal 2025 [8][9] - High inventory reserves for older-generation products and increased upfront costs for production ramp-up are further pressuring margins [10][11] Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimates for SMCI's first-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings is 47 cents, indicating a year-over-year decline of 37.3% [11] - Year-over-year growth estimates for the current year and next year are 23.30% and 29.21%, respectively [12] Long-Term Prospects - Despite current challenges, SMCI's long-term growth prospects remain strong, particularly in the AI-driven solutions market [13][14] - The company's expertise in integrating advanced graphics processing units positions it well for future growth as enterprises expand their data centers [15] Conclusion - While SMCI is facing near-term challenges, its long-term outlook is positive, supported by high demand for its AI-driven solutions and energy-efficient server systems [16]
SMCI Surges 69.3% in 3 Months: Should You Buy, Sell or Hold the Stock?
ZACKS· 2025-07-21 15:46
Core Insights - Super Micro Computer (SMCI) stock has increased by 69.3% over the past three months, outperforming the Zacks Computer-Storage Devices industry's return of 54.8% [1][6] - The stock is currently considered overvalued, trading at a forward 12 months P/E ratio of 19.49X, compared to the industry's 18.59X [4][6] Performance and Valuation - SMCI's stock has shown high volatility, with a significant price increase recently [4] - The gross margin for SMCI has been inconsistent, with a decline of 590 basis points year-over-year and 220 basis points sequentially to 9.7% in Q3 FY25 [11][13] Competitive Landscape - SMCI faces strong competition from major players in the storage and server market, including Pure Storage, Dell Technologies, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise [7][8] - Dell Technologies reported a 16% year-over-year growth in AI-optimized servers, with orders worth $12.1 billion for AI servers in Q1 FY26 [8] Margin Pressures - The company is experiencing margin contraction due to rising competition, price cuts, and delayed transitions to AI platforms [6][9] - High inventory reserves for older-generation products and increased costs associated with new product ramp-ups are contributing to margin pressures [11][13] Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimates for SMCI's fiscal 2025 bottom line is projected at $2.07, indicating a year-over-year decline of 6.33% [13][14] - Year-over-year growth estimates for the next fiscal year show a potential increase of 26.33% [14] Conclusion - Given the current challenges, including delayed purchasing decisions and margin contraction, the recommendation is to avoid investing in SMCI stock at this time [15]
SMCI's Margins Contracting: Is it Still Built for Profitable Scale?
ZACKS· 2025-06-30 14:56
Core Insights - Super Micro Computer's (SMCI) revenue is rapidly growing due to its innovative product offerings, particularly in direct liquid cooling (DLC) and server solutions, which are gaining traction among hyperscalers and AI customers [1][2] - Despite the revenue growth, SMCI's gross margin has been inconsistent and is currently on a declining trend, with a significant contraction noted in recent quarters [1][2] Financial Performance - In Q3 FY25, SMCI's non-GAAP gross margin decreased by 590 basis points year-over-year and 220 basis points sequentially to 9.7%, primarily due to rising costs associated with new products and high inventory reserves for older products [2][9] - The company has faced margin pressure attributed to an unfavorable product and customer mix, as well as increased costs from ramping up production for its DLC technology [3][4] Production and Capacity Expansion - SMCI is increasing its production capacity in Malaysia and Taiwan, which is expected to lower manufacturing costs in the long term due to economies of scale [5] - The company is also expanding its production capacity in California, aligning with U.S. government initiatives to boost domestic manufacturing, which is anticipated to positively impact gross margins in the future [5] Competitive Landscape - The server and liquid cooling market includes major players like Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and Dell Technologies, with Dell reporting a backlog of $14.4 billion in AI server contracts despite the irregularities in product deployment [6][7] - HPE's server segment saw a 6% year-over-year sales growth in Q2 FY25, driven by strong demand for AI servers, indicating a competitive environment for SMCI [7] Stock Performance and Valuation - SMCI's shares have increased by 56.1% year-to-date, outperforming the Zacks Computer-Storage Devices industry, which grew by 6.7% [8] - The company currently trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 0.96X, which is lower than the industry average of 1.76X, suggesting potential undervaluation [10] Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SMCI's fiscal 2025 earnings indicates a year-over-year decline of 6.33%, while fiscal 2026 estimates suggest a growth of 27.54% [11]
SMCI Climbs 34.1% YTD: Should You Hold or Fold the Stock?
ZACKS· 2025-06-24 15:41
Core Insights - Super Micro Computer (SMCI) shares have shown volatility but have returned 34.1% year-to-date, outperforming the Zacks Computer-Storage Devices industry's decline of 0.3% in the same period [1][6]. Financial Performance - SMCI is currently trading at a discounted valuation with a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 14.6X, lower than the industry average of 26.82X [2]. - The company's server revenues increased by 19% year-over-year, reaching $4.5 billion in Q3 FY25, driven by strong demand for AI servers [6][7]. Market Dynamics - The enterprise data center customer vertical generated $1.9 billion in revenues, accounting for 42% of total revenues in Q3 FY25, up from 25% in the previous quarter, indicating a growing representation of AI products in sales [9]. - SMCI is expanding its global manufacturing capabilities in Malaysia, Taiwan, and Europe to enhance deployment and mitigate geopolitical risks [10]. Competitive Landscape - SMCI faces significant competition from major players like Pure Storage, Dell Technologies, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, which are also experiencing growth in AI-optimized servers [12][13]. - The company is encountering margin pressure due to pricing competition and inventory write-downs on older-generation GPUs, affecting its near-term outlook [14]. Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SMCI's fiscal 2025 earnings indicates a year-over-year decline of 6.33%, with downward revisions in estimates over the past 30 days [15][16].
SMCI's Server Demand Rising: Will Innovation Keep the Momentum?
ZACKS· 2025-06-17 15:06
Core Insights - Super Micro Computer's (SMCI) server and storage system revenues grew 19% year over year in Q3 FY25, surpassing $4.5 billion, driven by demand from hyperscalers and AI clients [1][11] - The company's direct liquid cooling products for data centers are a significant contributor, with production exceeding 2000 DLC racks per month [2] - Recent product launches, including Data Center Building Block Solutions (DCBBS) and petascale storage systems, are expected to enhance future growth [3] Revenue and Growth - The server and storage system segment accounted for 97% of SMCI's total revenue, indicating a strong reliance on this area for overall performance [1] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SMCI's fiscal 2025 revenues is projected at $22.12 billion, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 48% [5] Competitive Landscape - The global storage and server market features competitors like Pure Storage and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, with Pure Storage focusing on modern storage solutions and HPE experiencing a 6% year-over-year growth in server sales due to AI demand [6][7] - The enterprise server market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 8.03% from 2025 to 2030, reaching $139.81 billion, presenting significant opportunities for SMCI and its competitors [8] Manufacturing and Expansion - SMCI is expanding its global manufacturing capabilities in Malaysia, Taiwan, and Europe to enhance deployment and navigate geopolitical and tariff challenges [4][11] Valuation and Performance - SMCI shares have increased by 43.3% year to date, contrasting with a 3.2% decline in the Zacks Computer-Storage Devices industry [9] - The company trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 0.87X, significantly lower than the industry average of 1.61X, indicating potential undervaluation [12]
Will SMCI's AI and Liquid Cooling Push Drive Long-Term Growth?
ZACKS· 2025-06-06 15:46
Core Insights - Super Micro Computer (SMCI) is experiencing strong demand for its AI infrastructure, particularly in storage and server offerings, which are providing customers with higher computational densities and lower total cost of ownership for AI services [1] Group 1: Company Performance - In Q3 of fiscal 2025, SMCI reported high volume shipments of liquid-cooled 4U NVIDIA B200 HGX systems and GB200 NVL72 racks, indicating robust demand for its AI product line [2] - The company achieved a production milestone of 5,000 racks per month, with over 2,000 being direct liquid cooling (DLC) racks, to meet the rising demand for AI solutions [3] - SMCI's enterprise data center customer vertical generated $1.9 billion in revenues, contributing to 42% of total revenues in Q3 of fiscal 2025, up from 25% in the previous quarter, highlighting the increasing significance of AI products in its revenue stream [4] Group 2: Revenue Guidance and Estimates - Due to the rising adoption of its AI infrastructure and DLC offerings, SMCI has provided revenue guidance of $21.8-$22.6 billion for fiscal 2025, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate of $22.12 billion, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 48% [5] - Despite the strong revenue growth forecast, earnings estimates for fiscal 2025 indicate a decline of 6.33% year-over-year, while estimates for fiscal 2026 suggest a recovery with a growth of 35.75% [13] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - SMCI faces strong competition from Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and Dell Technologies (DELL) in the server market, with HPE recently entering the AI infrastructure space and reporting a 6% year-over-year growth in server segment sales due to demand for AI servers [6][7] - Dell also offers a variety of server solutions, including PowerEdge Rack Servers and Modular Infrastructure, positioning itself as a competitor in the AI-server market alongside HPE [8] Group 4: Valuation Metrics - SMCI's shares have increased by 33.8% year-to-date, contrasting with a decline of 1.6% in the Zacks Computer-Storage Devices industry [9] - The company trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 0.82X, which is lower than the industry average of 1.65X, indicating a potentially attractive valuation [12]
SMCI vs. HPE: Which Server Stock Offers a Better Value Right Now?
ZACKS· 2025-05-15 15:36
Industry Overview - The global server market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.8% from 2024 to 2030, driven by strong adoption across various industries including healthcare, retail, BFSI, and education [1] Super Micro Computer (SMCI) - SMCI's growth is primarily fueled by the increasing demand for AI workloads, with a rise in data centers and the expansion of existing ones [3] - The company's liquid-cooled and modular servers are popular among cloud service providers and enterprises, particularly for handling AI at scale [4] - SMCI is facing near-term challenges such as delayed purchasing decisions from customers evaluating next-generation AI platforms [5] - Margin contraction is occurring due to price competition and a one-time inventory write-down on older-generation GPUs, affecting overall profitability [6] - SMCI revised its revenue guidance for fiscal 2025 from $23.5-$25.0 billion to $21.8-$22.6 billion, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate of $22.07 billion indicating a growth of 47.7% [7] Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) - HPE's server segment sales increased by 29% year-over-year in Q1 2025, driven by strong demand for AI servers [9] - The server segment accounted for 53% of HPE's fiscal 2024 revenues, with a focus on high-margin enterprise-class server markets [10] - HPE's GreenLake platform is gaining traction, with a customer base growth of 5.1% year-over-year, contributing to a revenue run rate of over $1.9 billion [11] - HPE forecasts a year-over-year revenue growth of 7-11% in constant currency, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 revenues at $32.6 billion, indicating an 8.2% growth [12] Stock Performance and Valuation - Over the past year, SMCI and HPE stocks have declined by 51.3% and 1.5%, respectively [14] - SMCI is trading at a forward 12-month ratio of 0.92X, while HPE is at 0.70X, making HPE's valuation more attractive [15] Conclusion - HPE is considered a stronger investment option due to its deep server portfolio and GreenLake offerings, while SMCI faces challenges from delayed purchasing decisions and margin pressures [17]