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The Crowd Is Dumping Iren. Here's Why I'd Be Buying It Down 54%.

newsfeedback@fool.com (Marc Guberti)
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⚡ Quantum Brief
The quantum-AI infrastructure provider’s stock plunged 54% from its peak after no new hyperscaler deals emerged, triggering investor exits despite its $11B market cap and 2025 Microsoft contract. Capital raises—including a $6B at-the-market equity program—sparked dilution fears, though the company may delay issuance until valuation recovers, mitigating shareholder impact. Iren expanded its energy pipeline to 4.5+ gigawatts, securing a 1.6GW Oklahoma site, positioning itself to support over 20 Microsoft-scale deals worth potential $40B annual revenue. The firm locked in 50,000 Nvidia chips and $3.6B GPU financing at 6% APR, signaling lender confidence and aggressive preparation for AI data center demand. Analysts frame the sell-off as short-term noise, emphasizing Iren’s long-term play in AI infrastructure—a sector constrained by energy, where its land, capacity, and hyperscaler ties remain unmatched.
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By Marc Guberti – Apr 7, 2026 at 8:45PM ESTKey PointsThe lack of a new hyperscaler deal and capital raises have caused investors to rush for the exits.Iren is still in the right place at the right time in one of the most promising industries.Iren is securing more gigawatts and buying additional Nvidia chips at attractive financing, which indicates it's preparing to land multiple deals. Not that long ago, Iren (IREN +1.74%) enjoyed a monumental bull run, soaring from $5 to $76 in less than a year. That euphoric momentum has been depleted. The stock has crashed by 54% from its all-time high, but the long-term picture is stronger than ever. Here's why Iren looks like a buy despite strong pessimism from retail investors. Capital raises are causing investors to ignore long-term catalysts No one likes it when their stock gets diluted, and it can cause investors to scramble. Iren has been raising money through loans with competitive rates for a while, but its at-the-market equity program of up to $6 billion drew skepticism. ExpandNASDAQ: IRENIrenToday's Change(1.74%) $0.61Current Price$35.74Key Data PointsMarket Cap$12BDay's Range$33.19 - $35.7752wk Range$5.13 - $76.87Volume24MAvg Vol38MGross Margin26.67% Iren currently has a $11 billion market cap, so this proposal can result in the dilution of half of its shares. However, it's not guaranteed to happen right away. Iren can theoretically wait until its market cap is much higher before tapping into the at-the-market equity program, which would result in less dilution. The company operates in an industry that requires significant capital, but these issues will become more manageable as Iren signs more deals. Its landmark five-year $9.7 billion deal with Microsoft for 200 megawatts of capacity at its artificial intelligence (AI) data center captured headlines in November. While many investors have become impatient due to the lack of additional deals, Iren still has the gigawatts, land, and AI data centers that serve as the foundation for AI growth. Image source: Getty Images. Iren grew its gigawatt pipeline in the first quarter Although Iren didn't announce a new deal with a tech giant in the second quarter of fiscal year 2026, which ended Dec. 31, 2025, it secured a 1.6 gigawatt site in Oklahoma, boosting its total pipeline to more than 4.5 gigawatts. Energy is a major constraint in AI, and with Iren securing $1.94 billion per year for 200 megawatts in its deal with Microsoft, it's easy to see how much its revenue can scale. Iren can support more than 20 additional deals like the Microsoft one, which can eventually translate into over $40 billion in annual recurring revenue. It will take a while for Iren to reach that level, since some of its AI data centers aren't yet complete, but more capacity will become available over time. The expansion of Iren's gigawatt pipeline is a major catalyst for new deals, and Iren doubled down by entering into a purchase agreement for more than 50,000 Nvidia chips. These aren't the moves of a struggling company. Iren is maximizing its ability to sign as many lucrative deals as possible. Its 6% APR for $3.6 billion in GPU financing related to the Microsoft contract shows that lenders also believe in Iren's future. The lack of a deal and the high-capital nature of Iren's business have rattled some investors, but this was never a stock to buy and hold for a few months. It's a multiyear play in one of the hottest industries right now, making it a stock to watch closely.Read NextMar 30, 2026 •By Eric TrieStock Market Today, March 30: IREN Falls on Funding Risks for AI Data CentersMar 28, 2026 •By Rick OrfordIREN Has a $9.7 Billion Microsoft Contract But Analysts Can't Agree on What It's WorthMar 22, 2026 •By Rick OrfordShould You Buy IREN Before Its AI Expansion Kicks In?Mar 15, 2026 •By Rick OrfordPrediction: IREN Could Be One of the Biggest AI Infrastructure Winners by 2028Mar 12, 2026 •By Rick OrfordBetter AI Infrastructure Stock: IREN vs. Applied DigitalMar 10, 2026 •By Billy DubersteinWhy IREN Limited Plunged Over 20% in FebruaryAbout the AuthorMarc Guberti is a Certified Personal Finance Counselor and has been a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst since 2025. He has written for several finance publications. Marc graduated from Fordham University with a finance degree. He is an avid marathon runner who aims to complete more than 100 marathons in his lifetime. His fastest marathon time is 2:40.TMFmarcgubertiStocks MentionedIrenNASDAQ: IREN$35.74(+1.74%)+$0.61MicrosoftNASDAQ: MSFT$371.85(-0.28%)-$1.03NvidiaNASDAQ: NVDA$177.77(+0.07%)+$0.13*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.

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