New York, January 27, 2026, 19:45 EST — After-hours
- Applied Digital shares surged about 14% in after-hours trading.
- Nvidia acted following its recent investment in CoreWeave, a key client of Applied Digital.
- With the Fed decision coming Wednesday, traders are shifting their attention for new cues.
Applied Digital Corporation (APLD) shares jumped about 14.2%, ending Tuesday’s after-hours session at $41.35. This move adds to a recent surge tied to Nvidia’s fresh stake in AI cloud firm CoreWeave. Throughout the session, the stock swung between $36.51 and $42.07, with roughly 47.5 million shares changing hands. 1
This step matters because Applied Digital’s story is really a financing play in rugged gear. The company builds high-density data centers designed for high-performance computing (HPC) — the heavy-duty computational power required for AI training and inference — and its biggest projects depend on ongoing customer capital injections.
CoreWeave and Nvidia described this week’s announcement as an extension of their existing partnership, with Nvidia investing $2 billion to buy CoreWeave shares at $87.20 apiece. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said in a statement, “AI is entering its next frontier and driving the largest infrastructure buildout in human history.” 2
Applied Digital has tied itself to CoreWeave for months through long-term leases at its Polaris Forge 1 campus in North Dakota. In August, the company disclosed CoreWeave’s leased capacity there hits 400 megawatts (MW), a measure of electrical power. Those deals are expected to bring in about $11 billion in contracted lease revenue. CEO Wes Cummins called the arrangement one that “underpins our commitment to building the next generation of AI infrastructure.” 3
The Nvidia-CoreWeave deal has stirred up the “circular financing” debate long shadowing segments of the AI supply chain — where chipmakers and infrastructure providers fund customers who then turn around and buy more of their products. MarketWatch highlighted these concerns, even though the announcement aimed to strengthen CoreWeave’s finances and push forward its data-center expansion. 4
Applied Digital has leaned heavily on structured project financing to drive its construction efforts. In its Jan. 7 earnings release, the company disclosed that CoreWeave has 400 MW contracted at Polaris Forge 1. It also announced a $900 million draw under a preferred equity deal with Macquarie Asset Management, coupled with a $2.35 billion senior secured notes issuance. As of Nov. 30, Applied Digital held $2.3 billion in cash and restricted cash, against $2.6 billion in debt. “This strong liquidity position gives us flexibility to complete construction, bring assets online, and generate cash flow,” Saidal Mohmand said in the release. 5
That jump doesn’t erase the usual risks. Applied Digital still needs to get power-hungry buildings up and running on time, secure financing, and manage its customer concentration carefully. The downside? Delays, tougher credit, or a tenant refusing to pay the next bill.
Wednesday’s macro calendar remains light. Investors are focused on the Federal Reserve’s January meeting, scheduled for Jan. 27–28, searching for hints on shifts in the rate path—potential developments that could pressure high-multiple infrastructure stocks. 6
The Fed’s decision arrives at 2 p.m. Eastern on Jan. 28, with Chair Jerome Powell holding a press conference at 2:30 p.m. Traders will be keen to see if Applied Digital’s AI-driven rally holds through the open, and if the CoreWeave update turns into a real lift for Applied Digital’s contract pipeline. 7
