Stock Markets June 8, 2026 04:56 PM

Applied Digital Locks In $5.2 Billion, 15-Year AI Data Center Lease at Delta Forge 2

Take-or-pay agreement for 210 MW at new AI campus boosts contracted backlog and sends shares higher in after-hours trading

By Marcus Reed
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Applied Digital has executed a 15-year take-or-pay lease with a U.S.-based investment-grade hyperscaler for 210 megawatts at its Delta Forge 2 AI campus, a deal expected to produce about $5.2 billion in revenue over the term and lifting the company's shares in extended trading. The contract expands Applied Digital’s long-term commitments and strengthens its already substantial contracted portfolio, while offering potential upside if renewal options are exercised.

Applied Digital Locks In $5.2 Billion, 15-Year AI Data Center Lease at Delta Forge 2
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Key Points

  • Applied Digital signed a 15-year take-or-pay lease for 210 megawatts at its Delta Forge 2 AI campus, expected to generate about $5.2 billion over the contract term.
  • About 70% of Applied Digital’s contracted revenue is backed by U.S.-based investment-grade hyperscalers; the new lease is the firm’s third long-term agreement with the same hyperscaler.
  • Applied Digital’s contracted portfolio covers five campuses with 1.4 gigawatts of critical IT load and roughly 2.15 gigawatts of grid-connected utility power; base-term lease revenue is about $36 billion, rising to roughly $86 billion with all renewal options.

Applied Digital on Monday disclosed a 15-year lease at its Delta Forge 2 site with a U.S.-based hyperscaler that is expected to generate roughly $5.2 billion in revenue over the life of the agreement. The announcement sent the company’s shares up 8.7% in extended trading.

The arrangement covers 210 megawatts of computing capacity at Delta Forge 2, the company’s new AI Factory campus, and is structured as a take-or-pay lease. Applied Digital said this marks the third long-term lease it has signed with the same investment-grade hyperscaler, although it did not identify the customer.

Applied Digital noted that about 70% of its contracted revenue is now backed by U.S.-based investment-grade hyperscalers. The firm also highlighted the potential revenue uplift should tenants exercise renewal options: with all renewals taken, the Delta Forge 2 contract could produce approximately $12.7 billion over a 30-year span.

Companywide, Applied Digital’s contracted portfolio now encompasses five campuses, representing 1.4 gigawatts of critical IT load supported by about 2.15 gigawatts of grid-connected utility power. Applied Digital said its contracted base-term lease revenue has risen to about $36 billion and would increase to roughly $86 billion if all renewal options across its portfolio are exercised.

Delta Forge 2 will employ Applied Digital’s waterless cooling technology and infrastructure designed for high-power density AI workloads. The company expects initial operations at the campus to commence in the first quarter of 2028.


Context and market reaction

The deal adds to a string of long-term capacity agreements for Applied Digital and reflects sustained demand from hyperscale customers for facilities optimized for artificial intelligence. The company emphasized the take-or-pay nature of the lease, which provides a defined revenue stream for the leased capacity over the contract term.

What remains undisclosed

  • The identity of the hyperscaler was not provided.
  • The company did not disclose additional commercial terms beyond the duration, revenue estimate and megawatt allocation.

Applied Digital’s announcement leaves a clearer picture of its contracted backlog and the scale of its AI-focused infrastructure ambitions while noting that key execution milestones remain ahead as the Delta Forge 2 campus prepares for initial operations in 2028.

Risks

  • Concentration risk: a large portion of contracted revenue is tied to U.S.-based investment-grade hyperscalers, which could affect revenue exposure if customer relationships change - impacts data center, cloud services and real estate sectors.
  • Renewal uncertainty: projected revenue increases rely on tenants exercising renewal options, which are not guaranteed - impacts Applied Digital’s long-term revenue forecasts and investor expectations.
  • Execution and timing risk: initial operations for Delta Forge 2 are not expected until the first quarter of 2028, leaving a multi-year period in which construction, commissioning and deployment risks could affect delivery - impacts construction, utilities and infrastructure sectors.

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