Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL) ranks among the best big data stocks to invest in. On December 12, Evercore ISI reaffirmed its Outperform rating and $275 price target for Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL), citing the company’s considerable data center lease contracts. The firm stated that Oracle’s multi-year data center leases are priced around $1.2 billion per month, with the capacity to sustain around 7.6 gigawatts of data center power. Pixabay/Public Domain Evercore ISI predicts that this network may cre ...

Key Takeaways MSFT posted 18% revenue growth in Q1 FY26, with its Cloud topping $49B and Azure up about 40%.ORCL's cloud infrastructure jumped 68% in Q2 FY26, as RPO surged to $523B on massive AI contracts.ORCL plans about $50B in FY26 capex, pushing free cash flow negative as it scales datacenter capacity.Microsoft (MSFT) and Oracle (ORCL) have emerged as two dominant players capitalizing on the enterprise cloud and artificial intelligence revolution. Both companies are investing billions in AI infrastruct ...

Core Viewpoint - The recommendation is to buy Oracle (ORCL) shares following a significant price drop, indicating a potential investment opportunity after a period of market euphoria in September [1]. Company Analysis - Oracle has experienced a sharp decline in share price, which presents a buying opportunity for investors [1]. - The article serves as an initial coverage of Oracle, aiming to provide insights into the company's current market position and future potential [1]. Market Context - The shift from euphoria to a price drop suggests volatility in the market, which may affect investor sentiment and decision-making [1].

Core Viewpoint - Oracle's shares dropped over 11% in after-hours trading following its Q2 fiscal 2026 report, despite a significant increase in AI demand and a large backlog of orders [2][3]. Group 1: Financial Performance - Oracle reported a slight revenue miss of $16.06 billion compared to the estimated $16.20 billion, but Remaining Performance Obligations (RPO) surged 438% year-over-year to $523 billion, indicating strong AI bookings [3][6]. - Capital expenditures reached $12 billion this quarter, with ongoing aggressive spending anticipated [11]. Group 2: Operational Challenges - The primary reason for the revenue shortfall is attributed to a lack of energized capacity rather than insufficient customer demand, highlighting concerns over the time and costs associated with developing AI infrastructure [6]. - The market is recalibrating its expectations, recognizing that Oracle's growth will depend on the speed of establishing new capacity rather than just demand [10][12]. Group 3: Strategic Positioning - Oracle is transitioning from a high-margin software company to a capital-intensive infrastructure builder, which may lead to increased depreciation expenses impacting earnings per share [7][11]. - The company is embedding its hardware within competitors' data centers, which could complicate the narrative for Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) [11]. Group 4: Market Dynamics - The competitive landscape is influenced by the physical limitations of data center construction and power availability, which are becoming bottlenecks in the AI cycle [10]. - Customers are incentivized to train AI models where their data is located, which is often within Oracle databases, providing a structural advantage against customer churn despite deployment delays [11]. Group 5: Future Outlook - The stock is perceived as "dead money" in the short term until management can demonstrate expedited physical deployment of AI clusters [13]. - Potential future improvements could arise from advancements in energy infrastructure, such as nuclear SMRs or grid upgrades, which may alleviate current capacity constraints [16].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Remaining performance obligations (RPO) reached $523.3 billion, up 433% year over year, with a $68 billion increase since August [5] - Total cloud revenue was $8 billion, up 33%, with cloud infrastructure revenue at $4.1 billion, up 66% [6] - Total revenues for the quarter were $16.1 billion, up 13%, and operating income grew 8% to $6.7 billion [7] - Non-GAAP EPS was $2.26, up 51%, while GAAP EPS was $2.10, up 86% [7] - Operating cash flow was $2.1 billion, while free cash flow was negative $10 billion due to $12 billion in CapEx [8] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Cloud applications revenue was $3.9 billion, up 11%, with strategic back office applications revenue at $2.4 billion, up 16% [7] - Cloud database services revenue increased by 30%, with autonomous database revenue up 43% and multi-cloud consumption up 817% [6][15] - Fusion ERP grew by 17%, Fusion SCM by 18%, and Fusion HCM by 14% [23] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Cloud infrastructure business grew at an accelerating 66% year over year, driven by strong demand for AI infrastructure [12] - Multi-cloud database consumption increased by 817% year over year, with 11 multi-cloud regions launched [15][16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on maintaining profitability while expanding its cloud services, with a commitment to an investment-grade debt rating [9][10] - The integration of AI capabilities into its database and applications is a key strategy, with the Oracle AI Data Platform enabling multi-step reasoning on private data [20][21] - The company aims to leverage its unique combination of infrastructure and applications to differentiate itself from competitors [12][18] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the operational and financial strength to execute successfully, with significant demand for cloud services [10] - The company expects total cloud revenue growth of 37%-41% in constant currency for Q3, with total revenues expected to grow from 16% to 18% [11] Other Important Information - The company recognized a pre-tax gain of $2.7 billion from the sale of its interest in Ampere [7] - The company is expanding its customer base and partnerships, with significant growth in marketplace consumption [15] Q&A Session Summary Question: Funding for AI Growth Plans - The company has various options for funding its AI growth, including customer chip contributions and leasing arrangements, expecting to need less than $100 billion for buildouts [36][39] Question: OCI Margins for AI Workloads - The timeline for OCI margins to reach 30%-40% depends on the mix of data centers and the speed of capacity delivery [42][45] Question: Selling Additional Platform Services - The company has made its database available across multiple clouds and is enhancing its database capabilities to support AI models, which increases the value of its offerings [48][50] Question: Fungibility of Infrastructure - The company can quickly transfer capacity between customers, with a process that takes hours [56][58] Question: Cash Flow for Data Centers - The cash flow for data centers is structured to incur no expenses until they are operational, with various models affecting cash flow dynamics [60][63] Question: Confidence in Applications Business Growth - The company is optimistic about its applications business due to its unique position in offering complete application suites with integrated AI features [68][72]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Remaining performance obligations (RPO) ended at $523.3 billion, up 433% year over year, with a $68 billion increase since August [5] - Total cloud revenue was $8 billion, up 33%, with cloud revenue now accounting for half of Oracle's overall revenue [5] - Total revenues for the quarter were $16.1 billion, up 13%, higher than the 9% growth reported in Q2 last year [6] - Non-GAAP EPS was $2.26, up 51%, while GAAP EPS was $2.10, up 86% [6] - Operating cash flow was $2.1 billion, while free cash flow was negative $10 billion due to $12 billion in CapEx [7] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Cloud infrastructure revenue was $4.1 billion, up 66%, with GPU-related revenue growing 177% [5] - Cloud applications revenue was $3.9 billion, up 11%, with strategic back office applications revenue at $2.4 billion, up 16% [6] - Multi-cloud consumption increased by 817% year over year [15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Oracle's cloud infrastructure business continues to grow faster than competitors, with significant demand for AI infrastructure [11] - The company operates 147 live customer-facing regions with 64 more planned, indicating strong market expansion [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on maintaining investment-grade debt rating while exploring various funding options for growth [8] - Oracle aims to synchronize payments with receipts to minimize borrowing needs, emphasizing a strategic approach to capital expenditures [8] - The integration of AI into database and application services is a key strategy, with a focus on delivering enterprise-grade AI solutions [19][20] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the healthy customer backlog and operational strength to execute future growth [9] - The company expects $4 billion of additional revenue in FY27 due to added RPO from Q2 [9] - Guidance for Q3 includes total cloud revenue growth expected between 37%-41% in constant currency [10] Other Important Information - The company recognized a pre-tax gain of $2.7 billion from the sale of its interest in Ampere [6] - The launch of new AI models and partnerships is expected to enhance customer experience and drive OCI consumption [15] Q&A Session Summary Question: How much money does Oracle need to raise to fund its AI growth plans? - Management indicated that they expect to need less than the $100 billion anticipated by analysts, thanks to various funding models that minimize upfront capital expenditures [36][39] Question: How long will it take for AI margins across OCI data centers to ramp up? - Management stated that the time to ramp up margins is a couple of months, depending on the mix of data centers and the speed of capacity delivery [42][44] Question: How is Oracle thinking about selling additional platform services? - Management highlighted the importance of making the Oracle database available across multiple clouds and integrating AI capabilities to enhance data value [47][49] Question: What would be required to convert a data center from one customer to another? - Management explained that the process of reallocating capacity between customers is efficient, taking only hours due to the technology and demand in place [55][56] Question: Why is there confidence in the applications business despite industry trends? - Management attributed confidence to the unique position of Oracle in offering complete application suites with integrated AI, leading to significant growth in industry applications [66][70]

So, let's go inside out on Oracle ahead of earnings. Joining us now is Steven Dickens, CEO and principal analyst, Hyperframe Research. Very good morning to you, Stephen.What are your expectations for Oracle heading into this report card. >> Hey, Sam. So, thanks for having me on the show.I think what I'm looking for as I look towards their Q2 earnings for their financial year 2026 is [gasps] the market's going to be looking at cloud backlog. It's going to be looking at capex. One of the key indicators for me ...

Key Takeaways Oracle expands AWS partnership with new key management integration for cloud databases.The AWS KMS integration simplifies encryption management while addressing enterprise compliance needs.ORCL shares gained 18.8% in six months, outpacing the Computer-Software industry's 1.6% growth.Oracle's (ORCL) strategic expansion of its cloud partnership with Amazon (AMZN) -owned Amazon Web Services (“AWS”) appears positioned to drive sustained growth, particularly through enhanced security integrations t ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The meeting discussed the successful election of 13 Directors, with all nominees receiving a majority vote from Oracle's common stockholders [16] - The advisory vote on executive compensation also received majority approval [17] - The appointment of Ernst & Young as Oracle's independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2026 was ratified by a majority vote [18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Oracle's AI offerings are broad, encompassing model training, inferencing, reasoning, and embedded AI features in applications, which positions the company uniquely in the market [30] - The Oracle Database is expected to grow significantly, with a projection of more than 8X growth over the next five years due to increased demand and strategic partnerships with major cloud providers [34][35] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Oracle is experiencing strong growth in its AI business, with a notable increase in RPO (Remaining Performance Obligations), indicating a competitive advantage over peers [27] - The company is leveraging its extensive database capabilities to provide unique AI solutions that utilize private enterprise data, which is essential for inferencing [29] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Oracle is embedding AI features directly into its applications, allowing customers to adopt these technologies easily and at no extra cost, which enhances customer engagement and accelerates time to value [36][39] - The company is focused on integrating AI into various industries, including healthcare and finance, to drive innovation and efficiency [37][38] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in Oracle's positioning within the AI market, highlighting the importance of combining private data with advanced AI models to create impactful solutions [24][25] - The executives noted that the transition to cloud services and the integration of AI into existing platforms are key drivers for future growth [34] Other Important Information - The meeting included a formal portion followed by a Q&A session, where stockholders were encouraged to submit questions regarding Oracle's business [19][20] - The company emphasized the importance of reviewing its Form 10-K and Form 10-Q for a comprehensive understanding of risks that may affect future results [20] Q&A Session Summary Question: When will AI inferencing become more material to Oracle's business? - Management indicated that AI reasoning is expected to take off as Oracle combines private data with powerful AI models, positioning the company well for future growth [21][24] Question: Why is Oracle winning more AI business than competitors? - The differentiation stems from strategic decisions made years ago, including the development of a non-blocking network and the ability to leverage private enterprise data for AI applications [27][29] Question: What is driving the expected 8X growth in the Oracle Database? - Growth is attributed to the expansion of database services into major cloud platforms and the increasing demand for AI capabilities integrated with the database [32][34] Question: How will Oracle succeed in getting customers to adopt AI and grow market share? - Oracle is embedding AI features into its applications, making them readily available to customers without additional costs, which facilitates easier adoption [36][39]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The meeting discussed the election of directors and the ratification of Ernst & Young as the independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2026, indicating a stable governance structure [12][19]. - The preliminary voting results showed that all proposals received affirmative votes from a majority of Oracle's shares present, reflecting shareholder confidence [17][18][20]. Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company highlighted its focus on AI, particularly in AI reasoning, which is expected to become increasingly important for Oracle's business [22][24]. - Oracle's database services are projected to grow significantly due to the integration of AI capabilities and partnerships with major cloud providers [35][36]. Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Oracle's AI offerings are broad and encompass various areas, including model training, inferencing, and embedded AI features in applications, which positions the company favorably in the competitive landscape [31][39]. Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is actively embedding AI features into its applications, making it easier for customers to adopt these technologies without additional costs [37][40]. - Oracle's strategy includes leveraging its extensive database capabilities and AI data platform to enhance customer interactions and data utilization [25][26]. Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the growth of the AI inferencing business and its potential impact on Oracle's future [22][24]. - The executives emphasized the importance of private enterprise data for AI applications, which Oracle is uniquely positioned to manage [29][30]. Other Important Information - The meeting included a reminder for shareholders to review the most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q for discussions on risks that may affect future results [21]. Q&A Session Summary Question: When will AI inferencing become more material to Oracle's business? - Management indicated that AI reasoning is expected to take off as models become more capable, and Oracle is well-positioned due to its data management capabilities [22][24]. Question: Why is Oracle winning more AI business than competitors? - The differentiation stems from Oracle's historical decisions in technology and architecture, which have created a scalable and cost-effective AI offering [28][29]. Question: What is driving the expected 8X growth in Oracle's database? - The growth is attributed to the expansion of Oracle Database services into other cloud environments and the increasing demand for AI-integrated database solutions [33][35][36]. Question: How will Oracle succeed in getting customers to adopt AI? - Oracle is embedding AI features directly into its applications, allowing for seamless adoption and immediate value for customers [37][40].