Cerebras slumps as mixed quarterly results test AI growth narrative

Aug. 13 (Reuters) - Cerebras Systems CBRS.O slumped over 9% in early trading Thursday after it missed key estimates despite soaring cloud revenue, raising doubts about the ability of its AI chips to challenge Nvidia.

Expectations were high for AI-linked companies including Cerebras and networking equipment maker Cisco CSCO.O, given the strong run-up in shares driven by Big Tech's ballooning spending, set to cross more than $740 billion for this year.

Here are some details:

• Cerebras, in its second earnings report as a public company, offered a mixed picture as it increasingly derived revenue from cloud computing rather than its AI chips.
• The AI chips business had helped position Cerebras as a challenger to Nvidia NVDA.O and fueled a 41% rise in shares from the IPO price of $185.
• The Sunnyvale, California-based company's cloud business roughly quadrupled to $126 million, versus the year-ago quarter.
• But its hardware sales, including AI chips, declined to $54.1 million from $70.3 million a year ago.
• Second-quarter adjusted gross margin fell to 40.6% from 46.5% in the prior quarter, while revenue missed analysts' estimates despite a higher annual outlook.
• "Execution remains the key debate given the scale and speed of the capacity build required to support the ramp," said analysts at Morgan Stanley.
• Citi and Mizuho cut their price targets slightly; the median target as per estimates compiled by LSEG implied an upside of 15% from the previous close.
• Separately, shares of Cisco Systems fell around 8% as its outlook fell short of lofty expectations tied to its rise as a beneficiary of the AI data center buildout. The stock has gained more than 60% this year.