AI Cloud Rains on Energy's Parade: A Quarter of Two Economies
This earnings season was defined by a single, stark divergence: AI infrastructure and its semiconductor supply chain grew at triple-digit rates, while the rest of the market—energy, healthcare, consumer staples—crawled along at single digits. The median AI cloud infrastructure company grew revenue 283.2% year over year, while the median consumer staples company managed just 6.6%. That gap—a factor of 43—is the defining story of the quarter.
Revenue growth by industry (median YoY)
AI infrastructure and its suppliers are in a league of their own
The AI cloud infrastructure industry posted a median revenue growth of 283.2% year over year, led by Nebius with a staggering 454.0% increase. CoreWeave, the other player in this space, grew revenue 112.5% and EBITDA 132.3%. These are not base-effect flukes; they reflect genuine, accelerating demand for GPU-powered computing.
The semiconductor supply chain feeding this boom is equally impressive. Data-centre connectivity semiconductors, represented by Astera Labs, grew revenue 104.5% and net profit 199.0%. Credo Technology, another connectivity player, saw revenue jump 114.7% and net profit 104.1%. Even memory maker Micron Technology posted a 345.7% revenue surge, underscoring the insatiable demand for AI hardware.
Energy's pain is natural gas's gain—unless you're CNX Resources
The worst performer this season was the natural gas & NGL exploration & production industry, with a median revenue decline of 35.7%. CNX Resources was the sole representative, posting a 35.7% revenue drop, a 43.9% EBITDA decline, and a 53.1% net profit plunge. This contrasts sharply with oil & gas E&P, where the median company grew revenue 32.6% and net profit often doubled or tripled.
Other notable losers include Lamb Weston Holdings, a consumer staples company that saw revenue fall 13.0% and net profit drop 42.0%. In healthcare, Merck & Co. suffered a 101.5% EBITDA decline and a 130.2% net profit collapse, a stark reminder that even defensive sectors can harbor severe disappointments.
The plot twist: Super Micro Computer is growing like a startup but trades like a value stock
Super Micro Computer delivered a stunning 93.2% revenue growth and 261.9% EBITDA growth, yet its P/E is just 10.8x and EV/EBITDA 6.9x. That is cheaper than many slow-growing industrials. The market is clearly pricing in fears of margin compression or a cyclical peak, but the growth numbers suggest that pessimism may be overdone. This is the most intriguing mispricing of the season.
Cheap for growth: energy and Super Micro offer value; AI darlings are priced for perfection
Oil & gas E&P companies are remarkably cheap relative to their growth. SM Energy trades at just 2.6x EV/EBITDA despite 215.3% revenue growth. APA Corporation trades at 3.2x EV/EBITDA with 9.0% revenue growth. In contrast, AI high-flyers like Palantir (P/E 132.6x) and Astera Labs (P/E 174.7x) are priced for flawless execution. Even Nvidia, with 105.9% revenue growth, trades at a relatively modest 27.5x P/E—a rare combination of growth and reasonable valuation.
Income seekers find little solace in this growth-obsessed market
Dividend yields are scarce among the high-growth names. Among the data provided, AT&T offers the highest yield at 4.7% (P/E 8.7x), followed by Verizon at 3.9% (P/E 13.2x). Both are communication services stalwarts with minimal growth (revenue +2.3% and -0.7%, respectively). For income investors, the trade-off is clear: accept low growth for reliable yield, or chase the AI boom with no dividend.
Looking at the long view, Nvidia's three-year revenue CAGR of 100.0% stands out as truly exceptional, followed by Robinhood Markets at 48.8% and Palantir at 32.9%. These companies have not just benefited from a single good year but have compounded growth relentlessly. As we look ahead, the key question is whether the AI infrastructure boom can sustain its torrid pace or whether it will face a cyclical slowdown. For now, the numbers suggest the party is far from over, but valuation discipline will be crucial.
Players: growth & yield (no absolute levels)
| Company | Industry | Revenue YoY | EBITDA YoY | Net profit YoY | P/E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMAZON COM INC (Q2) | Consumer discretionary | +19.6% | +37.9% | +244.9% | 20.4x |
| Walmart Inc. (Q2) | Consumer staples | +4.9% | +23.5% | -9.4% | 38.7x |
| Alphabet Inc. (Q2) | Communication services | +24.2% | +32.0% | +297.9% | 16.8x |
| UNITEDHEALTH GROUP INC (Q2) | Health care | +0.4% | +44.9% | +61.0% | 24.3x |
| Apple Inc. (Q3) | Technology | +16.4% | +25.7% | +27.1% | 38.1x |
| NVIDIA CORP (Q2) | Technology | +105.9% | +122.8% | +125.9% | 27.5x |
| MICROSOFT CORP (Q4) | Technology | +17.7% | +32.7% | +31.3% | 27.6x |
| COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP /NEW (Q3) | Consumer staples | +11.6% | +15.7% | +15.2% | 48.6x |
| CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. (FY) | Technology | +11.8% | +29.0% | +30.3% | 33.4x |
| Meta Platforms, Inc. (Q2) | Communication services | +28.0% | +4.5% | -13.6% | 24.1x |
| JPM (Q2) | — | +27.7% | +57.8% | +41.2% | n/m |
| HOME DEPOT, INC. (Q2) | Consumer discretionary | +5.7% | +4.7% | +4.7% | 21.5x |
| Dell Technologies Inc. (Q2) | United States — large cap (SEC filings) | +57.7% | +142.2% | +255.1% | 32.5x |
| MICRON TECHNOLOGY INC (Q3) | Technology | +345.7% | n/m | n/m | 21.7x |





















































