Corning reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of $0.72 per share, surpassing the consensus estimate of $0.70 and up from $0.57 a year earlier. Revenue rose 14% year-over-year to $4.27 billion, driven by a 33% increase in its optical communications segment to $1.65 billion and a 9% gain in specialty materials. Excluding one-time items, operating margin expanded by 120 basis points to 19.8%, reflecting tight cost controls and higher volume leverage across its fiber-optic and specialty glass businesses.

Corning secured a multiyear agreement worth up to $6 billion to supply advanced optical fiber, cables and connectivity hardware for Meta’s AI data centers through 2030. Under the deal, Corning will expand its manufacturing footprint in North Carolina, adding a new facility and increasing headcount by approximately 800 employees. This contract positions Corning as the anchor supplier for one of the largest planned AI build-outs in the U.S. and underscores its leadership in next-generation fiber designed to transmit data at nearly the speed of light with 20% lower energy use than legacy systems.

For the first quarter, Corning forecast sales of $3.9 billion to $4.1 billion, above the Street’s $3.85 billion consensus, as resilient demand for its fiber-optic products continues. The company expects optical communications revenue to grow at a mid-30% rate, supported by hyperscale cloud providers and telecom carriers upgrading networks. Management highlighted ongoing ramp-up of its Contour AI cable—capable of doubling strand density in standard conduits—and anticipates capital expenditures of $1.2 billion in 2026 to support capacity expansion and R&D investments.