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<\/a> Image source: Getty Images. <\/p>\nMissed AI’s “Act 1”? Act 2 Could Be 14x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn’t buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our analysts, we’re only at the end of “Act 1″\u2014the R&D phase. “Act 2” is the global rollout. Continue \u00bb<\/a> <\/p>\n Addressing recent concerns <\/p>\n Almost all the bearish concerns people bring up about Iren are actually bullish. First, Gartner released research that projected 80% of neoclouds ceasing independent operations by 2030 while casting doubts about AI infrastructure<\/a> spending. <\/p>\n However, Iren remains one of the top neocloud providers and has a pristine balance sheet. If 80% of neocloud providers are out of business by 2030, Iren’s capacity will become much more valuable due to supply constraints. <\/p>\n Second, CoreWeave’s (NASDAQ: CRWV) corporate bonds<\/a> reached yields of 15%, causing investors to worry about how expensive it would be for neoclouds to borrow money in the future. However, CoreWeave has an elevated rate because its balance sheet is under duress. CoreWeave has a current ratio of 0.46 and will need to refinance some of its debt. Iren has a much more favorable current ratio of 3.55. <\/p>\n Their balance sheets are in different leagues. If costs rise for neoclouds, it’s yet another barrier that delays or shuts down competitors. That scenario would let Iren charge higher prices for its megawatts. Less supply also gives Iren more negotiating power, which can translate into higher prepayments that reduce dilution or make it unnecessary in the near future. Iren can also obtain low-APR capital through GPU financing and by using its constructed data centers as collateral. <\/p>\n The frustration of zero news is great for investors who can wait <\/p>\n Iren hasn’t offered investors much material since it reported fiscal 2026 fourth-quarter earnings at the end of August. Since then, the company has only issued one press release at the start of September detailing that its 2-gigawatt Sweetwater Hub was included as Base Load in ERCOT Batch Zero. It’s a useful milestone that moves Iren a little closer to energizing the site, but nothing groundbreaking. <\/p>\n The lack of news also means nothing about the stock has changed. Iren still has a 5.8-gigawatt pipeline, and AI demand is still surging. The company is leading discussions for approximately $25 million per megawatt, and customer prepayments have been covering 45% to 55% of GPU capital expenditures. <\/p>\n Story Continues <\/p>\n Iren still expects to deliver 300 megawatts by 2026 and to have a total of 800 megawatts delivered by the end of 2027. The company also has undisclosed sites that it is not counting toward its publicly announced multi-gigawatt pipeline. Iren only includes sites in its portfolio after securing “relevant grid connection agreements.” <\/p>\n The long-term catalysts are still intact. Iren is still targeting $4 billion in annual recurring revenue by the end of the year, and its November earnings report will offer more updates. <\/p>\n Tech companies will report earnings soon <\/p>\n A few key earnings reports will arrive before the end of October, indicating the overall shape of AI spending. Meta Platforms and Tesla will report on the 21st, while Alphabet, Microsoft, and Amazon report their results one week after. <\/p>\n While those earnings haven’t come out yet, chipmakers offer some clues. Micron delivered exceptional results in its fiscal 2026 fourth quarter while telling investors that it expects an even stronger fiscal 2027. Taiwan Semiconductor cited “extremely robust demand” continuing for its chips after announcing 41.2% year-over-year revenue growth in its third quarter. <\/p>\n These results suggest that tech companies are still spending heavily on artificial intelligence and may ramp up capex in 2027. A shortage of AI data centers has been a major bottleneck, and as spending continues to increase, more capital should flow into Iren’s coffers. Investors will receive the verdict from these hyperscalers by the end of the month, while Iren will report its earnings shortly after. <\/p>\n Should you buy stock in Iren right now? <\/p>\n Before you buy stock in Iren, consider this: <\/p>\n The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks<\/a> for investors to buy now\u2026 and Iren wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. <\/p>\n Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $380,363!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,315,732!* <\/p>\n Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 919% \u2014 a market-crushing outperformance compared to 211% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. <\/p>\n See the 10 stocks \u00bb<\/a> <\/p>\n *Stock Advisor returns as of October 19, 2026. <\/p>\n Marc Guberti<\/a> has positions in Iren. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Micron Technology, Microsoft, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, and Tesla. The Motley Fool recommends Gartner. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy<\/a>. <\/p>\n