Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry and Companies Involved - **Industry**: Hardware & Networking, specifically focusing on Cloud Capital Expenditures (Capex) - **Companies**: Meta Platforms Inc (META), Microsoft (MSFT) Core Insights and Arguments - **Capex Growth Trends**: - Meta and Microsoft reported strong capex trends for the December quarter, with aggregate capex increasing by +10% quarter-over-quarter and +60% year-over-year to $60 billion [1] - Both companies expect significant capex growth in their respective fiscal years, with guidance for increases exceeding +$50 billion year-over-year and growth rates above +60% [1] - **Meta's Capex Outlook**: - Meta's capex for Q4 2025 rose by +14% quarter-over-quarter and +49% year-over-year to $22 billion, driven by investments in data centers, servers, and network infrastructure [3] - For 2026, Meta is guiding a full-year capex outlook of $115-$135 billion, indicating a year-over-year growth of nearly +75% at the midpoint, translating to an increase of approximately +$55 billion compared to 2025 [3] - **Microsoft's Capex Outlook**: - Microsoft’s capex is projected to grow by more than +60% year-over-year in FY26, with Q2 FY26 capex rising +7% quarter-over-quarter and +66% year-over-year to $38 billion [3] - The majority of Microsoft's spending is focused on short-lived assets, including GPUs and CPUs, with significant investments in data center capacity, including nearly 1 gigawatt added in Q2 FY26 [3] - Microsoft anticipates a sequential decline in capex heading into Q3 FY26, but year-over-year growth is still expected to be +65%, equating to an increase of +$14 billion [3] Additional Important Information - **Positive Tailwinds for Related Companies**: The strong capex growth from Meta and Microsoft is expected to benefit companies in the coverage universe that are leveraged to AI infrastructure spending, including Amphenol, Arista, Celestica, Ciena, Coherent, Fabrinet, Flex, Jabil, and Lumentum [1] - **Analyst Coverage**: The report is produced by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, with analysts Samik Chatterjee, Joseph Cardoso, Manmohanpreet Singh, and Marc Vitenzon involved in the analysis [2] This summary encapsulates the key points from the conference call, highlighting the robust capex growth expectations for Meta and Microsoft, along with the implications for related companies in the industry.

Core Viewpoint - Ericsson reported stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings, with an EPS of 27 cents, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of 23 cents [1] Financial Performance - The company's reported sales for the quarter were 69.3 billion Swedish Krona ($7.37 billion), representing a 5% year-over-year decline but exceeding the consensus revenue estimate of $7.03 billion [2] - Organic sales rose by 6% for the period, excluding the impact of acquisitions, divestments, and foreign currency fluctuations [2] Segment Performance - The Networks division experienced a 6% decline in sales, while the Enterprise segment saw a significant 25% drop, mainly due to the divestment of iconectiv [3] - Cloud Software and Services sales grew by 3%, with a 12% increase in sales across all market areas [4] - Within the Networks segment, organic sales decreased by 4%, with growth in specific regions partially offsetting declines in others [4] Profitability and Cash Position - The adjusted gross margin improved to 48.0% from 46.3% year-over-year, driven by cost-reduction actions and operational efficiency [5] - Adjusted EBIT margin improved to 17.7% from 13.1% year-over-year, and adjusted EBITA margin improved to 18.3% from 14.1% [5] - Free cash flow before M&A was 14.9 billion Swedish Krona, down from 15.8 billion Swedish Krona in the prior-year period [6] - The company's net cash position was 61.2 billion Swedish Krona at year-end 2025 [6] CEO Commentary - CEO Börje Ekholm highlighted that the company achieved organic growth despite a flat RAN market, driven by momentum in mission-critical networks, 5G core, and Enterprise [7]

Core Insights - The Finnish telecommunications company is increasing its domestic spending to optimize its network infrastructure for artificial intelligence [1] Company Summary - The company is focusing on enhancing its network capabilities to support advancements in artificial intelligence [1]

Core Insights - Lumen Technologies exceeded third-quarter revenue estimates and reported a smaller-than-expected loss, attributed to increased demand for its network infrastructure to handle significant data flows and complex applications [1] Financial Performance - The company reported third-quarter revenue that surpassed analyst expectations, indicating strong performance in its core business [1] - The loss reported was less than what analysts had anticipated, showcasing improved operational efficiency [1] Market Demand - There is a growing demand for network infrastructure, driven by the need to support massive data flows, which is a positive indicator for the company's future growth prospects [1]

Core Insights - Regency Capital Management disclosed a new position in WESCO International, acquiring 15,203 shares valued at approximately $3.22 million based on the average price in Q3 2025 [2][3] - This new stake represents 1.53% of Regency's total assets under management (AUM) [3] - WESCO International's stock price was $218.85 as of October 20, 2025, reflecting a 23.27% increase over the past year, outperforming the S&P 500 by 6.41 percentage points [3] Company Overview - WESCO International reported a total revenue of $22.23 billion and a net income of $662.60 million for the trailing twelve months (TTM) [5] - The company offers a range of products including electrical, electronic, network infrastructure, security solutions, and utility products across three business segments [6][7] - WESCO generates revenue through B2B distribution, logistics, and supply chain solutions, serving various sectors including contractors, manufacturers, and public power companies [6][7] Recent Performance and Outlook - WESCO's data center sales accounted for approximately 17% of total revenue, with a year-over-year surge of about 65% in Q2 2025, exceeding $1 billion [9] - The company has raised its full-year organic sales growth outlook to between 5% and 7% for 2025, driven by strong demand from hyperscalers [10]

Group 1 - Nokia Corp has been upgraded to "Outperform" by BNP Paribas Exane, with a price target of EUR4.30, due to expected benefits from the AI and data center boom [1][2] - The acquisition of Infinera is anticipated to enhance Nokia's position in the AI and data center sectors, which have previously been overlooked, and to increase hyperscaler revenues, currently only 5% of total revenues [2][4] - Despite power constraints in the AI sector, unique opportunities are expected to arise, compelling companies to develop medium-sized clusters that require additional optical and IP infrastructure, which Nokia can provide [3][4] Group 2 - BNP Paribas forecasts that Nokia's revenues will grow 3% faster than consensus estimates next year, alongside additional margin benefits and synergies from the Infinera acquisition [4] - Nokia is a Finnish telecommunications and IT company that offers network infrastructure, software, and services globally, focusing on mobile (5G and 4G) and fixed networks, as well as network automation and cloud services [5]