Just saw Applied Digital hit up 375% over the past year and everyone's suddenly asking if they should hop in. Let me break down what's actually going on here.



So APLD has been riding the AI infrastructure wave hard. They build and operate data centers, lease computing power to companies like CoreWeave, and business has been absolutely booming. Last quarter ending November, sales jumped 250% to around $127 million. They're signing these massive multiyear deals too — CoreWeave alone could generate up to $16 billion over 15 years. On paper, it looks like they're crushing it.

But here's where it gets sketchy. Yes, sales are up 250%, but expenses are climbing just as fast — up 230% to nearly $158 million. The company still isn't profitable. They posted a non-GAAP diluted loss of $0.07 per share last quarter. That's honestly the biggest red flag. We're in the peak of the AI spending boom right now. If Applied Digital can't turn a profit during the best possible conditions for their business, when exactly are they going to?

There's another thing nobody wants to talk about: this spending spree has to end eventually. Some tech giants are already getting cold feet about their AI investments — returns aren't matching expectations. Microsoft's stock took a hit partly because investors are worried their AI spending is too aggressive and not delivering enough payoff. So what happens to Applied Digital's revenue when the trillion-dollar AI infrastructure spending wave starts to slow? Their stock and sales will feel it hard.

And then there's the valuation issue. They're trading at a price-to-sales ratio of about 31, while the tech sector average is around 9. You're basically overpaying for a company that hasn't figured out profitability even when conditions are perfect. That's a tough sell.

Look, the AI infrastructure play isn't wrong — it's just that at 375% up, this stock has already priced in a lot of optimism. I'd probably wait for either better profitability metrics or a more reasonable entry point. There are better opportunities out there.
This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.
  • Reward
  • Comment
  • Repost
  • Share
Comment
Add a comment
Add a comment
No comments
  • Pin