New York, Jan 10, 2026, 10:54 EST — Market closed
- Oracle revealed in a regulatory filing that two veteran directors are stepping down.
- Shares closed Friday up, having briefly topped $200 earlier.
- Investors are digesting hefty data-center spending plans ahead of the upcoming earnings report.
Shares of Oracle (ORCL) jumped 4.7% to $198.52 on Friday after the software giant, headquartered in Austin, Texas, announced the immediate retirement of two veteran directors. According to a Form 8-K filing, George H. Conrades, 86, and Naomi O. Seligman, 87, stepped down with no disputes involved. The stock fluctuated between $188.78 and $200.18 during the session, with roughly 26 million shares changing hands. 1
Oracle’s board shake-up isn’t typically a market mover, but it comes amid heated debate over how much cash the company must pour into meeting soaring AI-driven demand for computing power. Deutsche Bank recently called Oracle a high-conviction buy for early 2026, despite the stock tumbling over 40% since September amid concerns about debt and financing strategies. 2
Rate expectations have driven much of the action, with growth stocks moving in step with Treasury yields. Investors are now eyeing two key macro events: the U.S. consumer price index release on Jan. 13 and the Fed’s policy meeting scheduled for Jan. 27-28. 3
In December, Oracle reported remaining performance obligations—contracted revenue still unrecognized—at $523 billion. CFO Doug Kehring pointed to fresh commitments from Meta and Nvidia as key factors behind the rise. The company also announced a $0.50 quarterly dividend, set for payment on Jan. 23 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 9.
Investors are zeroing in on the flip side of that backlog: the mounting bill for data centers. Oracle’s December forecast missed analyst sales and profit estimates, and it raised its fiscal 2026 capital spending outlook by $15 billion over the $35 billion it flagged in September, Reuters reports. “The ramp in capex and unclear debt needs are causing uncertainty among investors,” said Melissa Otto, head of research at S&P Global’s Visible Alpha. 4
Oracle moved to ease concerns over financing. Last month, it confirmed that discussions for an equity deal backing its $10 billion Michigan data center project were still on track, pushing back against reports that negotiations had stalled and sent shares lower. 5
Friday’s surge past $200 brought that key level into focus again, following a week mostly spent below $195. Should the rally lose steam, traders will likely target the $190 zone initially, with the week’s lows lingering around the mid-$180s.
The downside remains straightforward: delays and cost overruns. Oracle pushed back against a December report claiming it had postponed completion dates for some OpenAI-related data centers due to labor and material shortages, insisting its milestones were still on schedule. 6
Traders are tuning into the Fed after Governor Stephen Miran voiced support for a 150 basis point rate cut this year, citing inflation closing in on the Fed’s 2% target. That stance could shake up tech stocks sensitive to interest rate shifts. 7
Oracle’s next major event is its fiscal third-quarter earnings, slated for roughly March 9 after the market closes, per MarketBeat estimates. Investors are looking for updated data on cloud demand, capital expenditures, and the pace at which the $523 billion backlog is being converted into revenue.
