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Akamai Soars on $1.8 Billion AI Cloud Deal as Q1 Meets Expectations

The pact signals rising demand for Akamai’s AI infrastructure despite a near‑term outlook that trails some estimates.

Overview

  • Akamai shares jumped more than 20% in premarket trading Friday after it disclosed a seven‑year, $1.8 billion commitment from a leading frontier model provider for its cloud infrastructure services.
  • Akamai reported first‑quarter adjusted earnings of $1.61 per share on about $1.07 billion in revenue, which was roughly in line with Wall Street forecasts.
  • For the June quarter, the company guided to $1.075 billion to $1.10 billion in revenue and non‑GAAP EPS of $1.45 to $1.65, with midpoints that analysts noted were below FactSet estimates.
  • Cloud Infrastructure Services revenue rose 40% to $95 million as Akamai sells computing, storage, and tools to run AI applications closer to users, while security revenue grew 11% to $590 million and delivery revenue fell 7% to $389 million.
  • The buyer was not named, described only as a leading AI lab, underscoring both the competitive scramble for AI customers and Akamai’s push to reposition itself in a market where tech giants are lifting data‑center spending.