What is causing the decline in AI favorites ($NBIS, $IREN, $CRDO)? And why are hyperscalers ($GOOGL, $AMZN, $MSFT) surging? The AI market paradox following the election stems from the possible end of the era of unchecked CapEx growth. A Democratic victory will trigger strict regulatory scrutiny. Add to this pressure on cash flows (S&P’s downgrade of its outlook for $META to negative) and a slowdown in AI spending growth by 2028: down to 16% for hyperscalers and 6% for niche cloud providers. For hyperscalers, the forced slowdown in CapEx is a blessing: the market is pricing in protection for FCF and credit ratings. But the giants’ CapEx is contractors’ revenue. Selective debt financing and regional barriers are weighing on the multiples of CRDO (-10%), NBIS (-7%), and IREN (-11%). My conclusion: the phase of expanding AI capacity at any cost is in danger of coming to an end. Because of this, capital is now shifting away from "shovels and picks" toward balance sheet strength and FCF yields. Therefore, it’s worth buying into the dip in AI infrastructure by betting on the strongest players.
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