Key Highlights
- Shares of SAP declined more than 4% following Oracle’s announcement of capital expenditures reaching $95 billion for fiscal year 2027
- Wall Street analysts had anticipated Oracle’s capex would total approximately $67.7 billion
- To finance the expansion, Oracle intends to secure close to $40 billion via debt and equity markets in 2027
- Oracle’s CFO indicated gross margins would experience a decline as data center construction intensifies
- SAP’s downturn also reflects investor profit-taking following gains from its AI-centric Sapphire conference and wider software sector weakness
Wall Street received an unexpected jolt Wednesday evening from Oracle, creating significant ripple effects for SAP.
Shares of SAP tumbled more than 4% Thursday following Oracle’s disclosure of capital spending projections reaching $95 billion for fiscal year 2027. Market analysts had forecasted approximately $67.7 billion, based on LSEG estimates. This substantial discrepancy between projections and actual guidance triggered a premarket plunge of over 10% for Oracle’s shares.
According to Oracle’s guidance, the company anticipates recouping as much as $25 billion of the total $95 billion through customer reimbursements, reducing Oracle’s actual net investment to roughly $70 billion. This figure was confirmed by CFO Hilary Maxson during the analyst earnings call.
Oracle’s financing strategy involves securing approximately $40 billion through combined debt offerings and equity issuances during 2027. This includes a $20 billion at-the-market equity program announced previously.
Maxson further cautioned investors that gross profit margins would experience a “step down” during the present fiscal period as Oracle intensifies its data center infrastructure expansion. Such forward-looking statements typically create investor anxiety, which manifested clearly in Thursday’s market activity.
Breaking Down Oracle’s Financial Performance
Oracle’s fourth-quarter financial results demonstrated strength at the revenue level. Total revenue reached $19.18 billion, slightly surpassing the analyst consensus of $19.10 billion. Adjusted earnings per share of $2.03 exceeded expectations of $1.96.
Cloud services revenue climbed to $9.9 billion, representing a 46% year-over-year increase on a constant currency basis. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure specifically saw revenue soar 92% to $5.8 billion. Meanwhile, total software revenue experienced a modest 2% decline in constant currency terms, settling at $6.8 billion.
These ambitious spending initiatives arrive as Oracle strengthens its foothold in artificial intelligence infrastructure. The enterprise holds significant data center agreements with Meta Platforms and OpenAI, positioning it as a direct competitor to Amazon and Microsoft.
During fiscal 2026, Oracle’s capital expenditures totaled approximately $55.7 billion, already exceeding its initial $50 billion target. The fiscal 2027 projection dwarfs even that elevated level.
Understanding SAP’s Collateral Damage
SAP released no earnings report. The company missed no financial targets. Yet as Oracle’s primary European software competitor, SAP frequently experiences sympathy moves when Oracle faces market turbulence.
SAP’s Thursday selloff also stemmed partly from internal factors. The stock had rallied following its AI-centered Sapphire conference held earlier this year, prompting some shareholders to seek profit-taking opportunities. Oracle’s capex announcement provided the catalyst they needed.
Broader market concerns are also influencing sentiment. Market participants have been scrutinizing SAP’s artificial intelligence implementation roadmap with considerable doubt, questioning whether the enterprise can execute its ambitious plans effectively at scale.
Prior to Thursday’s decline, SAP’s year-to-date performance showed approximately 25% losses, with the company maintaining a market capitalization near $208.4 billion.
Following Thursday’s price movement, no Wall Street analysts have issued revised price target recommendations.
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