Stéphane Renevier, CFA

22 days ago2 mins

Oracle Has Some Cloudy Skies On The Horizon

Oracle Has Some Cloudy Skies On The Horizon

Stéphane Renevier, CFA

22 days ago2 mins

Oracle Has Some Cloudy Skies On The Horizon

What’s going on here?

Oracle’s stock took a dip after its quarterly sales failed to dazzle investors.

What does this mean?

Oracle, the enterprise software titan, has long been a barometer of corporate demand for tech. And for most of this year, the readings were optimistic – with its stock surging by a sturdy 55%. But this uptrend, like all good things, ultimately came to an end: Oracle’s stock suffered its biggest one-day drop since March 2020. And the company didn’t just miss its revenue targets last quarter: it dialed down its projections for the current quarter too. There are a couple of reasons for that, but the main thorn in Oracle’s side is slowing growth in cloud sales – which signals potential headwinds for its ambitious cloud market expansion. That’s not to say it’s all stormy weather, though: the firm’s profit growth is on a solid footing.

Oracle stock
Source: Google Finance

Why should I care?

For markets: Clouded aspirations.

Oracle, traditionally celebrated for its database prowess, is now trying to climb the ranks as a cloud-sector contender too – hoping to stand toe-to-toe with behemoths like Amazon and Microsoft. But the journey is proving challenging so far. With companies recalibrating their post-pandemic digital strategies, and with established players capturing clients’ attention, Oracle’s cloud ambitions are set to face stiff competition.

Oracle cloud services revenue

The bigger picture: AI’s silver lining.

Oracle’s foray into AI has been met with both excitement and skepticism. On one hand, the firm’s been touting contracts worth over $4 billion from its AI-focused cloud service, painting a promising picture. On the other, though, Oracle’s cloud infrastructure growth has been tapering off lately. Granted, the immediate revenue impact of AI remains a topic of debate – and the long-term potential of this technology could still be a game-changer for Oracle. But for now, investors are watching closely for some more tangible results.

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