Riverwater Partners, an investment management company, released its “Small Cap Strategy” Q3 2025 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Small Cap Core Strategy reported solid results for the quarter but did not keep pace with the sharp rally, thus lagging the benchmark. The market’s preference for lower-quality companies persisted in the quarter and contributed significantly to the benchmark’s outperformance. On the other hand, the strategy remains focused on higher-quality compa ...

Key Takeaways NVT saw Q3 organic orders jump about 65% on large liquid cooling demand from hyperscalers.A new Minnesota site will double liquid cooling capacity as visibility extends into 2027.NVT joined NVIDIA's partner network, boosting exposure as AI infrastructure demand stays strong.nVent Electric ((NVT) is seeing strong demand from data center customers, driven mainly by growth in artificial intelligence (AI) workloads. In the third quarter of 2025, organic orders rose around 65% and management said m ...

ASIA-PACIFIC excl. Japan | Industrials Equity Research AI Infra Series #6 - Updates on GB300 Cooling Architecture and Innovation We hosted an expert call with Teddy Zhang, IDC consultant from Beijing Shenzhi Dizhi Technology Cervice Co., Ltd. Major topics include the fallback of GB300 cooling system architecture, product innovation in liquid cooling, CDU comparison, customer landscapes and opportunities for Chinese suppliers. GB300 System Architecture. The GB300 servers currently in shipment did not adopt t ...

Core Insights - Marvell Technology is a mid-tier player in the digital infrastructure industry with a market cap of $72 billion and revenue of $5.77 billion in fiscal year 2025 [3] - The company specializes in high-quality custom XPUs, CPUs, and DPUs, essential for AI and cloud-computing data centers, along with Ethernet and data center switches [2][3] - Marvell's recent quarterly results for fiscal 2Q26 showed revenues of $2 billion, a 57.5% year-over-year increase, although it slightly missed forecasts by $10 million [8] Company Overview - Marvell produces network and connectivity solutions that support enterprise mobility and cloud computing, promoting a 'borderless campus' concept [1] - The company provides hardware for connecting 5G radio access networks to the cloud, integrating networking and computing technologies [7] - Marvell's solutions are critical for building the infrastructure necessary for AI advancements [7] Financial Performance - In fiscal 2Q26, Marvell reported a non-GAAP EPS of 67 cents, aligning with forecasts [8] - The company is expected to benefit from positive trends in AI and cloud computing, with analysts expressing confidence in its growth prospects for 2026 [9] Analyst Insights - Analysts from JPMorgan have a bullish outlook on Marvell, citing strong commentary from major clients like Amazon and positive earnings guidance from related sectors [9] - The stock has an Overweight rating with a price target of $120, suggesting a potential 44% upside over the next year [9] - The consensus rating for Marvell is a Moderate Buy, based on 32 reviews, with an average price target of $93.23 indicating a 12% upside from current levels [10]

Core Insights - The article discusses the intertwined ecosystem of key players in the AI infrastructure space, including NVIDIA, OpenAI, AMD, and Oracle, highlighting their roles and relationships in the current AI revolution [1][2]. Group 1: Company Roles - OpenAI serves as the AI model developer and central "demand anchor," requiring substantial compute power, data centers, and scale [3]. - NVIDIA provides GPUs and accelerators to OpenAI, invests in OpenAI-linked infrastructure, and benefits from guaranteed demand [3][4]. - AMD also supplies GPUs with large-scale deployment commitments, similar to NVIDIA [7]. - Oracle builds data center infrastructure and cloud hosting for OpenAI, including "Stargate" facilities and power contracts [7]. Group 2: Economic Implications - OpenAI's AI models drive significant demand for high-performance GPUs, creating a symbiotic relationship with NVIDIA and AMD [7]. - NVIDIA's potential $100 billion investment in OpenAI highlights a strategic focus on long-term demand rather than immediate revenue [7]. - Oracle's $300 billion commitment to data center construction and AI hosting indicates a comprehensive infrastructure approach beyond just GPU supply [7]. Group 3: Market Dynamics - The current AI landscape shows speculative traits, with NVIDIA's forward P/E ratio exceeding 40x, suggesting high investor expectations [9]. - The concentration of capital among a few firms creates a feedback loop that reinforces investment and valuation [9]. - Unlike the dot-com era, the AI buildout involves tangible infrastructure, such as chips and data centers, which retain value even during downturns [10]. Group 4: Risks and Signals - Potential risks include order cancellations, delayed deployments, and regulatory scrutiny, which could impact market confidence and valuations [6][13]. - A 50% order cancellation from OpenAI could lead to a 4-5% short-term earnings hit for NVIDIA and 2-3% for AMD, indicating market sensitivity to earnings misses [13]. - The narrative momentum surrounding AI could drive market performance, but a weakening narrative may lead to valuation corrections [10]. Group 5: Cooling Solutions in AI Infrastructure - Companies specializing in advanced cooling technologies for data centers are positioned to benefit from the expanding AI infrastructure [11]. - Vertiv Holdings Co provides thermal management solutions and has recently acquired Great Lakes Data Racks & Cabinets for $200 million to enhance its capabilities [12][14]. - Schneider Electric has bolstered its data center cooling portfolio by acquiring a 75% stake in Motivair Corp for $850 million [17].

Core Insights - The article highlights the importance of lesser-known companies in the AI ecosystem, which are crucial for the foundational growth of AI technology [1][2][18] - These companies, often referred to as "hidden gems," provide essential infrastructure and services that support the AI revolution, contrasting with the more visible chip designers and software giants [1][2][18] Company Summaries Camtek - Camtek specializes in inspection and metrology equipment essential for semiconductor manufacturing, ensuring AI chips function correctly [5][7] - The company reported a 22% year-over-year revenue increase to $118.6 million and a 38% rise in net income to $34.3 million for Q1 2025 [6] - Management projects Q2 revenue between $120 million and $123 million, indicating a growth rate of 17% to 20% [6] - Camtek's market cap is $3.8 billion, and it is recognized as a key player in the advanced packaging market for AI applications [8] FormFactor - FormFactor addresses the challenge of testing AI chips with thousands of connections at high speeds, using advanced wafer probe cards [9][12] - The company reported Q1 2025 revenue of $171.4 million, with Q2 guidance set at $190 million, despite facing export restrictions [10] - FormFactor's acquisition of FICT Limited enhances its capabilities in advanced probe card components, and a $75 million share buyback reflects management's confidence [11] - The company is well-positioned to meet the increasing demands for sophisticated testing as AI chip complexity rises [12] Vertiv Holdings - Vertiv focuses on cooling solutions for AI data centers, which are critical for managing the heat generated by large-scale AI computations [13][16] - The company achieved Q1 2025 net sales of $2 billion, a 24% increase year-over-year, with a backlog 25% higher than the previous year [14] - Vertiv's collaboration with Nvidia and iGenius to deploy a large AI supercomputer in Italy showcases its role in AI infrastructure [15] - Full-year 2025 sales guidance has been raised to between $9.3 billion and $9.6 billion, reflecting the growing demand for thermal management solutions in AI [16] Industry Overview - The article emphasizes the interconnected roles of Camtek, FormFactor, and Vertiv in the AI ecosystem, where each company plays a vital part in the manufacturing, testing, and operational phases of AI chip deployment [17] - As AI adoption accelerates, the demand for inspection equipment, testing technology, and cooling infrastructure is expected to intensify, highlighting the critical nature of these "pick-and-shovel" companies [18]