Oracle Pushes Up Capex Spending on AI: High Risk or High Reward?

Oracle Corporation ORCL is making one of the most aggressive infrastructure bets in enterprise technology, and its third-quarter fiscal 2026 results have sharpened the debate around whether this capital-intensive pivot will ultimately pay off.The company posted total revenues of $17.2 billion for the quarter ended Feb. 28, 2026, up 22% year over year. Cloud revenues climbed 44% to $8.9 billion, with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (“OCI”) leading the charge at 84% growth to $4.9 billion. Non-GAAP earnings per share rose 21% to $1.79. These figures mark the first quarter in over 15 years where both organic total revenues and non-GAAP EPS grew at 20% or better simultaneously — a milestone that underscores the scale of Oracle's ongoing transformation.Yet the headline that continues to generate the most scrutiny is capital expenditure. Oracle has guided its fiscal 2026 capex guidance at $50 billion, a figure that has ballooned significantly over the past year and pushed free cash flow into negative territory. The risk side of the equation is real: a heavy debt load and constrained near-term cash generation leave limited room for execution missteps.The reward argument, however, is equally compelling. Remaining Performance Obligations surged 325% year over year to $553 billion — a contractual backlog driven almost entirely by large-scale AI agreements. Crucially, Oracle structured much of this demand to reduce capital strain, with customers either funding equipment upfront or supplying their own hardware. Over 10 gigawatts of power and data capacity have been secured for AI infrastructure over the next three years, with more than 90% partner-funded. Operating cash flow over the trailing 12 months stood at $23.5 billion. Looking ahead, Oracle raised its fiscal 2027 revenue target to $90 billion, signaling confidence in sustained demand conversion.Whether Oracle's capex surge represents disciplined long-term infrastructure investment or an overleveraged growth gamble will likely depend on how swiftly — and profitably — that $553 billion backlog translates into recognized revenues.Google, Amazon Double Down on AI InfrastructureOracle's $50 billion capex commitment, while aggressive for its scale, stands in contrast to the even larger bets being placed by rival hyperscalers. Alphabet GOOGL guided fiscal 2026 capital expenditures of $175 billion to $185 billion, directing Google's spend toward AI compute capacity and significant cloud customer demand. Amazon AMZN, meanwhile, projected $200 billion in capital expenditures for 2026 — the highest among its peers — with AWS infrastructure absorbing the bulk of that commitment. Like Oracle, both Amazon and Google face the same fundamental tension: mounting debt-funded spending against the promise of long-term AI monetization. Amazon's free cash flow is projected to turn negative this year, while Google retains a stronger near-term cash position. Whether Amazon or Google can convert infrastructure scale into durable earnings growth remains the defining question across the sector.ORCL’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Oracle have lost 53.6% over the past six months, underperforming the Zacks Computer and Technology sector’s loss of 2.4% and the Zacks Computer - Software industry’s 29.7% decline.ORCL’s 6-Month Price PerformanceImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchFrom a valuation standpoint, ORCL stock is currently trading at a premium with a trailing 12-month price/earnings ratio of 25.78x, which is higher than the industry average of 25.43x. Oracle carries a Value Score of D.ORCL’s ValuationImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for ORCL's fiscal 2026 earnings is pegged at $7.43 per share, indicating 23.22% growth year over year.Oracle Corporation Price and Consensus Oracle Corporation price-consensus-chart | Oracle Corporation QuoteORCL stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.Quantum Computing Stocks Set To SoarArtificial intelligence has already reshaped the investment landscape, and its convergence with quantum computing could lead to the most significant wealth-building opportunities of our time.Today, you have a chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this technological revolution. In our urgent special report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power, you'll discover the little-known stocks we believe will win the quantum computing race and deliver massive gains to early investors.Access the Report Free Now >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN): Free Stock Analysis Report Oracle Corporation (ORCL): Free Stock Analysis Report Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks