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Two of the biggest megatrends gripping Wall Street and Main Street alike are the space economy and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). Developments in each of these dynamic fields are changing investor perceptions about what is possible and mark paradigm shifts in technology.
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 14x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our analysts, we're only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
Space Exploration Technologies (NASDAQ:SPCX), aka SpaceX, is one of the most intriguing names in space stocks, and Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) gets the nod for enabling the expansion of AI thanks to advances in its graphics processing units (GPUs).
The two companies are already AI partners, but recent reports suggest the pair are taking that partnership to the next level.
SpaceX and its CEO, Elon Musk, are in active discussions to raise $40 billion to finance the purchase of Nvidia processors, according to a report that first appeared in the Financial Times. The company is seeking to fund the purchase through a combination of roughly $10 billion in bank loans and another $30 billion in high-grade debt.
The rocket launch, satellite, and AI company secured a BBB credit rating soon after its initial public offering (IPO) earlier this year. As a result, SpaceX's investment-grade bonds are attracting capital from high-profile institutions, including private equity firm Apollo Global Management and Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO), among others.
This report should come as no surprise to investors. Musk had previously shared a vote of confidence for Nvidia chips, saying that SpaceX would only use Nvidia for AI:
Musk went even further during SpaceX's Q2 earnings call in August:
And going forward, we've decided to build exclusively on Nvidia because we think the Vera Rubin architecture is the best architecture. We think it's the best AI computer, and we greatly value our close cooperation and partnership on many levels with Nvidia. So we're exclusive to Nvidia.
Given the close ties between SpaceX and Nvidia, investors shouldn't be surprised by the revelation. Moreover, during the SpaceX earnings call, Musk noted that the company planned to have 2 gigawatts of compute online by the end of 2026, up from 1.4 gigawatts currently. He also said the company expects to have "closer to 10 gigawatts of compute than 5 gigawatts of compute" online by the end of next year. That's several times higher than the current level.
The cost to generate 1 gigawatt of AI compute can range from $40 billion to $50 billion, with 50% of that spent on GPUs. That suggests a $40 billion purchase of Nvidia GPUs could translate into roughly 2 additional gigawatts of compute capacity for SpaceX.
Rising capacity will provide additional growth opportunities for SpaceX's AI segment. In Q2, revenue for the segment grew 247% year over year and 213% quarter over quarter to $2.6 billion. Furthermore, the company inked deals worth more than $14 billion to provide customers with access to its compute capacity.
SpaceX isn't yet profitable and still faces several technological hurdles for its Starship rocket and proving the viability of deploying data centers in space. Moreover, the stock is currently valued at 106 times sales. That said, the company's stunning growth and increasing backlog suggest the stock may not be as costly as its multiple suggests.
Nvidia has shaken off concerns from earlier this year about the durability of AI innovation and concerns about circular financing. Indeed, the stock was recently near a new all-time high and closing in on a $6 trillion market cap, making it the world's most valuable company.
Yet most experts believe the opportunity ahead is vast for Nvidia. In its 2027 second quarter (ended July 26), revenue grew 106% year over year to $96.2 billion, and earnings per share (EPS) of $2.46 soared 128%. For the full year, the company is on track to deliver $412 billion in revenue and $9.31 in EPS, up 90% and 95%, respectively.
Despite the opportunity, Nvidia continues to sell at a discount of just 25 times forward earnings and 15 times next year's expected earnings -- so the stock is attractively priced, particularly in light of the vast opportunity represented by AI.
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Danny Vena, CPA has positions in Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Is SpaceX About to Hand Nvidia a $40 Billion Payday? Here's What it Could Mean for Investors. was originally published by The Motley Fool
