What happened
Shares of Super Micro Computer (SMCI 3.01%) rallied this week, up 13.6% through Thursday trading.
This under-the-radar hardware stock was once again able to defy somewhat negative sentiment around technology companies this week -- a theme that echoes Super Micro's accomplishments throughout the year.
While Super Micro didn't report September earnings, it did issue an earnings pre-announcement on Wednesday evening that came in well ahead of prior guidance, leading to a big 10% rally on Thursday.
NASDAQ: SMCI
Key Data Points
So what
For its September quarter, Super Micro forecasts revenue between $1.78 billion and $1.82 billion, well above the company's prior guidance of $1.52 billion to $1.62 billion. Non-GAAP (adjusted) earnings per share are forecast to come in between $3.05 and $3.20, up from prior guidance of $2.07 to $2.32.
The company, which produces a variety of energy-efficient server platforms designed for artificial intelligence, cloud computing, 5G, and edge computing, attributed the success to "customer design wins and ramping and our total IT solution value." The company's "Total IT" solution consists of turnkey server, storage, and networking hardware, along with system management and security software. This is a change from Super Micro's past, in which it mostly sold sub-systems and components for clients to customize into servers for themselves.
The new solutions appear to be resonating with customers, as is the fact that Super Micro's servers tend to be among the most energy-efficient in the market. With electricity costs spiking worldwide, Super Micro's "green computing" ethos is winning business and taking market share in spite of macroeconomic headwinds.
Now what
This isn't the first time Super Micro has pre-announced a big earnings beat this year. The company also pre-announced big beats back in July and April as well.
The company is on a hot streak, as the stock has defied the tech sector swoon and has managed a notable 74% gain this year, even as the broader Nasdaq is down 30% in that time frame.
Despite the stock's notable rise this year, it still only trades around 11.5 times trailing earnings and just five times the next quarter's projected annualized run rate. It's a notable tech stock to follow, even if the economy softens.
Management will provide more details and commentary when the company officially reports third-quarter results on Nov. 1.
