Accelerated Optical Circuit Switch (OCS) Revenue Recognition and Capacity Expansion
Lumentum received its first revenue from optical circuit switches (OCS) in the quarter, with shipments to two hyperscale customers, and a third customer committed for 2026.
The company expects significant revenue contributions from OCS in the first half of 2026, with a more meaningful inflection point in the second half.
In-house OCS manufacturing capacity is being expanded rapidly to meet high demand, with a focus on 300x300 form factors that offer volume advantages.
The largest single purchase commitment in company history was received for ultra-high-power lasers supporting CPO, indicating strong strategic emphasis on this emerging technology.
Investments are underway in U.S.-based wafer fab to support CPO, positioning the company for a revenue ramp in the second half of 2026.
Management highlighted that OCS is expected to be significantly above company average margins and highly accretive as volume scales up.
Ciena's Industry-First AI Infrastructure Wins and Market Impact
Ciena announced two industry-first wins with cloud providers, including a dedicated AI training architecture in North America using RLS platform and WaveLogic 6 nano 800G ZR plug from their interconnects portfolio.
The North American AI training project is expected to ramp to hundreds of millions of dollars over the next several quarters, highlighting a significant new revenue stream.
A focused application inside data centers for out-of-band network management (DCOM), co-developed with a hyperscaler, is streamlining large-scale data center operations and reducing power and space.
Ciena secured significant orders for 400ZR plus pluggables from a major hyperscaler, establishing itself as a leading supplier in this high-demand technology.
These wins demonstrate Ciena's strategic focus on AI infrastructure, positioning the company as a critical enabler in the AI network transformation, with a multi-year investment cycle.
Photronics' US Expansion and Advanced Capabilities Investment Strategy
Photronics is expanding its cleaning facility in Texas to support increased demand for U.S. midrange nodes, reflecting a strategic shift towards geographic diversification.
The company is elevating its leading-edge production capabilities in Idaho with a new multi-beam mask writer to serve high-end semiconductor markets.
These US projects align with broader industry trends of reshoring semiconductor manufacturing to the United States, positioning Photronics to benefit from this reshoring movement.
Management emphasized leveraging a strong balance sheet to reinvest in capacity and technology, aiming to drive future revenue and earnings growth.
The US expansion and advanced capability investments are part of a multi-year strategic plan, with CapEx expected to remain elevated for about three years due to end-of-life tool replacements and new technology rollouts.
Nutanix's Strategic Expansion into External Storage Support
Nutanix announced support for external storage hardware, including Dell PowerFlex and Pure Storage, marking a strategic shift to accommodate existing storage investments.
This new capability allows customers to run HCI and external storage simultaneously, broadening the platform's flexibility and appeal.
The support for Dell PowerFlex was a key win, with initial deals with two North American global 2000 companies, indicating early traction.
Management highlighted that this approach addresses customer needs for risk management during industry M&A and infrastructure modernization.
The company expects the Dell PowerFlex support to contribute to FY 2026 revenue, though it remains in early stages of adoption.
Keysight's Strategic Investment in AI Ecosystem and Silicon Photonics
Keysight has made strategic investments in AI-related physical layer solutions and silicon photonics capabilities to support rapid innovation in digital infrastructure.
The company delivered the industry's first protocol layer solution for validating 1.6 terabit performance, a milestone for next-generation networks.
Partnerships with AMD for PCIe gen 6 compliance validation demonstrate Keysight’s focus on enabling AI-ready high-speed interfaces.
Broader adoption of Keysight AI solutions indicates a deepening engagement with customers seeking to streamline AI infrastructure deployment.
Management emphasized that AI is contributing to multiple end markets, with wireline showing early demand inflections.
The company sees AI as a long-term growth driver, with incremental contributions across various sectors, not just initial markets.