Summary of Conference Call on AI Infrastructure and Related Industries Industry Overview AI Data Center (AIDC) - China's AIDC market experienced a significant surge in the second half of 2025, driven by rapid AI adoption and advancements in domestic chip technology [1][7] - ByteDance's token usage increased dramatically from 4 trillion in February to 30 trillion in September 2025 [1][7] - AIDC investments are primarily led by cloud vendors, telecom operators, and third-party firms, with construction costs ranging from RMB 17,000 to 23,000 per kW [1][8][9] - Major players like ByteDance, Tencent, and Huawei are actively pursuing new data center projects, including a notable 800MW park for ByteDance [1][10] Liquid Cooling - Liquid cooling technology in China has low adoption rates, remaining below 10% in 2025, compared to over 3,000 units deployed overseas [2][14] - The market for liquid cooling is projected to grow at a 64% CAGR from 2025 to 2030, with penetration expected to rise from 10% in 2025 to 45% by 2030 [2] - Cold plate systems dominate the liquid cooling market with a 90% share, while immersion cooling faces high costs and lacks standardization [2][15] - Domestic competition is intense, leading to significant price gaps; CDU pricing ranges from US$10 to 230 per kW [2][16] Optical Fiber - China accounts for approximately 50% of global fiber demand, with projections of 260 million fiber-km domestically and 568 million globally by 2025 [3][19] - The optical cable market is expected to grow at a 5% CAGR, with a shift towards high-end products like G654E fiber and hollow-core fiber [3][20] - Profitability in the optical fiber market is concentrated upstream, with preforms contributing 70% of profits, fiber 20%, and cables only 10% [3][22] - Intense domestic competition has led to price reductions, making it challenging for smaller players to survive [3][21] Key Insights AIDC Developments - The AIDC market is rebounding due to broader AI applications across various sectors, including manufacturing and healthcare [7] - Domestic chips are being commercially deployed, although they still lag behind NVIDIA's technology [7] - The construction of training clusters in western China is part of the "Eastern Data, Western Computing" strategy [8] Liquid Cooling Market Dynamics - The domestic AI market is in an early stage of rapid growth, with server memory prices tripling [13] - Liquid cooling systems are becoming critical components of the data center value chain, with export opportunities emerging [11][18] - Future growth in liquid cooling will depend on cost reductions and advancements in microchannel technology [2][18] Optical Fiber Market Trends - The demand for fiber optic communication is projected to reach nearly 170 million fiber-kilometers in 2025 [19] - Export opportunities are concentrated in Southeast Asia, while Europe and North America present challenges due to trade barriers [20] - Emerging technologies like hollow-core fiber and multi-core fiber are expected to enhance competitiveness in the market [21] Conclusion - The AIDC, liquid cooling, and optical fiber industries are poised for significant growth driven by technological advancements and increasing demand for AI applications. However, challenges such as intense competition and reliance on imported components may impact profitability and market dynamics in the near future.

Alloy Enterprises has developed a new additive manufacturing technique that can improve liquid cooling performance while bringing it to new parts of the server rack. https://t.co/gr1ztvc4ul ...

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - **Industry**: Greater China Technology Hardware - **Analyst Rating**: In-Line [71] Company Insights - **Eaton's Acquisition**: Eaton announced the acquisition of Boyd Thermal for US$9.5 billion, which implies a valuation of 22.5x 2026 estimated EBITDA. Boyd Thermal is projected to generate US$1.7 billion in revenue in 2026, with US$1.5 billion coming from liquid cooling [2][3] - **Market Expansion**: Eaton aims to enhance its data center portfolio in both power and liquid cooling, addressing the growing power demand effectively [3] Financial Projections - **Delta Electronics (2308.TW)**: Expected to double its liquid cooling revenue to US$3-3.5 billion in 2026 [9] - **Asia Vital Components (AVC, 3017.TW)**: Anticipated to grow its server cooling revenue by 69% year-over-year to US$3.2 billion [9] - **Valuation Multiples**: Delta trades at 16x 2026 estimated EBITDA, while AVC trades at 12x [9] Market Trends - **AI Demand Impact**: The demand for AI is projected to drive the total addressable market (TAM) for power and cooling solutions to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30%, reaching US$1,729 billion from 2026 to 2030 [9] - **Valuation Expansion**: The acquisition of Boyd Thermal underscores a secular trend that may lead to potential valuation expansion across the related supply chain [9] Risks and Opportunities - **Upside Risks**: - Faster-than-expected global economic growth - Falling raw material prices - Margin improvement due to operational efficiencies [13][14] - **Downside Risks**: - Global economic slowdown - Ongoing component supply tightness - Rising raw material prices leading to margin contraction [13][14] Analyst Ratings and Recommendations - **Current Ratings**: Delta and AVC are rated Overweight (OW) [4][5] - **Investment Banking Relationships**: Morgan Stanley has investment banking relationships with several companies in the technology hardware sector, which may influence research objectivity [7][20][24] Conclusion - The conference call highlighted significant developments in the Greater China Technology Hardware sector, particularly focusing on Eaton's strategic acquisition and the growth potential of Delta and AVC in the cooling solutions market. The insights provided on market trends, financial projections, and associated risks present a comprehensive view for potential investors.

Deal Overview - Eaton, a power management company, is acquiring Boyd Corporation for $9.5 billion [1] - The acquisition gives Eaton a deeper footprint in the data center market [3] Boyd Corporation's Business - Boyd Corporation's thermal business is crucial for data center cooling [2] - Boyd Thermal forecasts sales of $1.7 billion for 2026, with $1.5 billion from liquid cooling [4] - Liquid cooling is essential for next-generation data centers [3][4] Market Implications - The data center market is experiencing significant growth [3] - Liquid cooling is becoming increasingly important in data centers [2][3][4] - The acquisition is a positive move for Eaton, enhancing its position in the data center market [3][4]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the article emphasizes the significant growth potential in capital expenditures related to AI in China, projected to reach 6000-7000 billion RMB by 2025 [4] - From now until 2030, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for relevant sectors is expected to reach 29% [6] - Major North American companies are anticipated to experience considerable capital expenditure growth in the coming years, although a slowdown is expected by 2027 [10] Group 2 - In the data center sector, IT equipment constitutes the largest share, while non-IT equipment, including power, liquid cooling, and AI-related metals, also represents a significant portion [10] - The market for non-IT equipment in China is projected to reach 8000 billion RMB by 2030, indicating substantial growth opportunities across various segments [10] - Liquid cooling is highlighted as a particularly lucrative area within AI data centers, with many companies actively developing this segment [12] Group 3 - Estimated capital expenditures for AI-related components, including power, equipment, metals, and cooling, are projected to grow significantly from 2025 to 2030, with notable players identified in each category [13] - The demand for copper is also expected to rise, with a CAGR of 18%, and by 2030, direct AI-related copper demand is projected to reach 1 million tons, accounting for 5-6% of total demand [13]

Group 1: Artificial Intelligence and Energy Sector Insights - The energy sector is experiencing a resurgence, returning to growth trends similar to the 1990s, with a notable increase in electricity demand driven by commercial markets and data centers for AI [1][4][3] - The growth in electricity demand is primarily coming from commercial end-use rather than residential, as efficiency improvements have stunted residential growth [4][3] - Innovations in energy will be necessary to meet the booming demand projected through 2040, indicating potential investment opportunities in energy companies [4][5] Group 2: Investment Opportunities in AI and Robotics - Companies involved in robotics and automation, such as Honeywell and Amazon, are seen as having significant growth potential due to advancements in AI [6][7] - Liquid cooling technology for GPUs is emerging as a critical trend, with market predictions suggesting a tenfold increase in size over the next seven years, benefiting companies like Vertiv [8] - The restaurant industry, particularly companies like CAVA, is being monitored for potential undervaluation despite current market challenges, with a focus on long-term growth prospects [18][20] Group 3: Market Valuation and Stock Predictions - The S&P 500 is perceived as overvalued, with many regional and midsize banks trading below 1.5 times their book value, presenting potential investment opportunities [15][16] - Oracle's recent acquisition of TikTok and its substantial debt raise questions about its future performance, with mixed opinions on whether it will continue to rise or face challenges [12][27] - Alphabet is expected to perform well due to its diverse business model and advancements in AI, positioning it favorably in the market [35][36] Group 4: Meta Platforms and Competitive Landscape - Meta Platforms is investing heavily in AI talent and technology, focusing on utilizing AI for advertising effectiveness rather than solely developing models [41][42] - The competitive landscape in AI is shifting, with companies that can effectively integrate AI into their existing platforms likely to gain an advantage [43][44] - The introduction of AI-generated content by Meta raises questions about its long-term strategy and market positioning compared to competitors [41][44]

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - **Data Center Market in Asia-Pacific**: The data center market in Thailand is emerging as a new destination for regional deployment, with a pipeline capacity of 2.6GW in Bangkok, which increased by over 1.7GW in 2024 [1][12]. Johor, Malaysia, has a pipeline market of 5.7GW but has seen a slowdown in incremental supply growth due to stricter local regulations [1]. Core Insights - **AI Demand Growth**: AI-related demand is expected to contribute approximately 25-30% of incremental data center demand in markets like Thailand, although current AI capacity in APAC (excluding China) is only about 1GW [2]. Customers remain cost-sensitive regarding AI workloads, leading to deployments in markets like Malaysia and Australia [2]. - **Edge Data Centers**: There is a strong demand for smaller edge data centers at metro edges, which are essential for AI inference due to low latency requirements. Telecom operators are well-positioned to capitalize on this trend [3]. - **GPU as a Service (GPUaaS)**: The GPUaaS market is projected to be significant, with estimates ranging from $35 billion to $70 billion globally by 2030. Companies like Singtel are well-positioned to benefit from this growth [4]. Pricing and Cost Analysis - **Data Center Pricing Variability**: Pricing for data centers varies significantly across the region, with Singapore being the most expensive at up to $300/KW/month, while Malaysia offers lower rates around $90-95/KW/month due to lower land costs [27][30]. - **Cost Structure**: In Japan, MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) costs constitute 59% of total data center build costs, highlighting the importance of these components in overall expenditure [25]. Market Dynamics - **Regulatory Environment**: In Johor, the local government is becoming more selective in approving new data center projects, focusing on water and power usage efficiency [46]. There are currently 13 live projects with a total approved capacity of 1774MW, but only about 500MW is operational [46]. - **Investment Trends**: The Johor Special Economic Zone (SEZ) agreement between Malaysia and Singapore is expected to enhance cross-border connectivity and attract global investments, particularly in data centers [46]. Emerging Technologies - **Liquid Cooling Solutions**: Liquid cooling is becoming increasingly relevant for data centers hosting AI workloads, as traditional air-cooling systems fail to support higher rack densities required for AI [30][31]. Various liquid cooling methods are being explored, including direct-to-chip and immersion cooling [31]. - **AI Workloads and Infrastructure**: AI workloads require higher densities, with rack densities exceeding 100KW/rack, necessitating advanced cooling solutions [38]. The demand for AI infrastructure is expected to grow rapidly, with significant investments needed to meet this demand [24]. Conclusion - The data center industry in the Asia-Pacific region is experiencing rapid growth driven by AI demand, regulatory changes, and technological advancements. Companies like Singtel and Indosat are positioned to benefit from these trends, particularly in GPUaaS and liquid cooling technologies. The evolving landscape presents both opportunities and challenges, particularly in terms of regulatory compliance and infrastructure development.

Vertiv (NYSE:VRT) FY Conference Summary Company Overview - **Company**: Vertiv - **Date**: September 10, 2025 - **Key Speakers**: CEO Giordano Albertazzi, CFO David Fallon Industry Insights - **Market Demand**: Strong demand in the data center market with a reported **35% organic growth** last quarter and a **$1.2 book-to-bill ratio** [3][25] - **Pipeline Strength**: The strength of the pipeline is a critical indicator of future performance, defined as active commercial opportunities with quotes [5][6] - **Liquid Cooling**: The industry is shifting towards liquid cooling, which is expected to represent about **one-third of the total Total Addressable Market (TAM)** for data center cooling [9][10] - **CapEx Structure**: The growth in IT spending is increasing, but the physical infrastructure segment remains strong, indicating a healthy TAM for Vertiv [11][12] Key Company Strategies - **Focus on White Space**: Vertiv is increasing its presence in the white space of data centers, which is becoming a fertile ground for growth due to rising complexity in power and cooling distribution [12][14] - **Future-Proofing Infrastructure**: The company is collaborating with key players like NVIDIA to design future-proof data center infrastructures [16][19] - **Prefabrication Solutions**: Introduction of prefabricated solutions to significantly reduce fit-out time in data centers, enhancing time to revenue for customers [13][14] Growth Constraints and Capacity - **Growth Moderating Factors**: Power availability is a limiting factor in some regions, but there is no expectation of a cliff in demand. The construction nature of the data center industry also limits speed [25][26] - **Capacity Management**: Vertiv is expanding manufacturing capacity and ensuring service capacity grows in line with manufacturing to maintain operational leverage [27][29] Financial Performance - **Margins**: Gross margins faced pressure due to tariffs and operational challenges, but a recovery is projected with operating margins expected to reach **20% in Q3** and **over 23% in Q4** [33][34] - **Pricing Strategy**: The company is actively managing pricing to offset tariff impacts and is confident in maintaining a price-cost positive position moving forward [35][36] Regional Market Insights - **North America**: Strong growth with a **40% increase** in physical shipments [40] - **Europe**: Slow growth attributed to regulatory challenges, but strong pipelines and low vacancy rates in data centers suggest potential for future growth [42][43] - **Asia-Pacific**: Generally positive outlook, with specific mentions of growth opportunities in India and China [43] Conclusion - Vertiv is well-positioned in the data center market with strong growth indicators, a focus on innovative solutions, and strategic partnerships. The company is navigating challenges related to tariffs and capacity while maintaining a positive outlook for future performance.

Financial Performance - nVent delivered record Q2 sales of $963 million, up 30% year-over-year[10] - Adjusted EPS was $0.86, a 28% increase[12] - Adjusted operating income reached $200 million, up 18% year-over-year, with a ROS of 20.8%[12] - Free cash flow generation amounted to $74 million in Q2 2025[12] Growth and Orders - Organic sales increased by 9%[12] - Organic orders grew by over 20% year-over-year[10] - Total backlog increased more than four-fold year-over-year[10] - New products contributed over 3 percentage points to sales growth[12] Outlook and Guidance - nVent is raising full-year sales and adjusted EPS guidance[10] - The company expects sales to be up 24% to 26% reported, and 8% to 10% organically[33] - Adjusted EPS is projected to be between $3.22 and $3.30, a 29% to 33% increase[33]

Summary of nVent Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: nVent - **Industry**: Electrical Infrastructure and Data Solutions Key Points and Arguments Transformation and Growth Strategy - nVent reported $3 billion in sales for the previous year, indicating a strong return on sales and free cash flow generation [3][4] - The company is focusing on high-growth verticals, new products, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) as part of its transformation strategy [4][6] - The portfolio has shifted to 40% electrical infrastructure, 20% data solutions, and 20% power utilities, reflecting a balanced approach between high-growth and long-cycle businesses [6][10] Acquisitions and Market Position - nVent has completed eight acquisitions since its spin-off, including the recent acquisitions of Trocde and Avail EPG, which have significantly expanded its utility segment [5][12] - The utility segment has grown to 20% of sales due to these acquisitions, focusing on engineered building solutions and long-cycle businesses [12][13] - The company has a leadership position in the utility category, particularly in transmission and distribution [14] Financial Performance and Guidance - nVent raised its guidance for organic growth to 4-6% for the second quarter, driven by strong backlog and orders, particularly in Data Solutions and Power Utilities [25][26] - The company expects to see margin improvement over time through synergy savings and productivity enhancements, despite initial lower margins from newly acquired businesses [17][19] Market Trends and Competitive Landscape - The trends of digitalization, sustainability, and electrification are expected to drive growth in the electrical industry [7] - nVent is well-positioned in the liquid cooling market, which is anticipated to grow significantly as demand for energy-efficient solutions increases [44][46] - The competitive environment in liquid cooling is intensifying, but nVent believes its established testing and performance standards will maintain its leadership [46][47] Future Outlook and M&A Strategy - nVent is optimistic about future growth, with plans to update midterm targets due to the transformation of its portfolio [55] - The company has a healthy pipeline for M&A opportunities in the fragmented $100 billion connect and protect space, targeting deals that generate value above the weighted average cost of capital [70][71] - nVent aims to integrate its recent acquisitions into a cohesive business model, enhancing synergies and operational efficiencies [62][66] Additional Insights - The company is focused on expanding its presence in Europe and Asia, recognizing the growth potential outside North America [22][23] - nVent's CapEx guidance has increased due to strong backlog and orders, particularly in Data Solutions and supply chain resiliency [52] - The company is committed to offsetting tariff impacts through pricing strategies and operational flexibility [30][31] Conclusion - nVent is undergoing a significant transformation aimed at enhancing its growth potential in the electrical infrastructure and data solutions markets. The company is leveraging acquisitions, focusing on high-growth verticals, and maintaining a disciplined approach to M&A, positioning itself for a strong future in a rapidly evolving industry [76]