A resurgent AMD proves its AI mettle in strong Q2, boosting hopes for continued growth in a challenging environment for chip stocks.
Key financial highlights: AMD’s second-quarter results exceeded expectations, driven by strong performance in its data center and artificial intelligence businesses:
- Revenue grew 9% year-over-year to $5.84 billion, surpassing estimates of $5.72 billion.
- Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) increased 19% year-over-year to $0.69, beating estimates by a penny.
AI chip success: AMD’s MI300X AI chip is gaining traction in the rapidly growing AI market, contributing significantly to the company’s data center revenue:
- Sales of MI300 chips exceeded $1 billion in the quarter, marking the first time since the chip’s launch in late 2023.
- The company raised its full-year sales projections for MI300 chips to more than $4.5 billion, a $500 million increase from its April guidance.
PC market recovery: AMD is benefiting from a recovery in personal computer sales, driven by the need for upgrades and the introduction of AI-infused machines:
- The PC business maintained momentum in the second quarter, with positive outlook for the second half of the year.
- The combination of pandemic-driven upgrade cycles and AI-enhanced PCs is expected to support AMD’s growth in this segment.
Bullish outlook tempered by market conditions: Despite AMD’s strong performance and promising outlook, the company’s price target has been lowered to reflect the current market sentiment:
- The price target has been reduced by $10 to $200, acknowledging the lower multiples assigned to tech and semiconductor stocks in the current market environment.
- Despite the adjustment, AMD maintains a “1” rating, indicating a positive long-term outlook for the company.
Navigating a challenging landscape: AMD’s results provide a much-needed boost to investor confidence in the AI chip sector, which has been impacted by recent market rotations:
- The company’s strong performance and upbeat commentary on its AI business have helped alleviate some investor concerns, as evidenced by the 7% jump in AMD’s stock price in extended trading.
- However, the broader market trend of favoring small caps and other lagging sectors over tech winners has put pressure on AMD and its peers, highlighting the challenges faced by the industry.
AMD jumps on earnings report that validates our decision to reinvest in the stock