AI bubble worries are rising. Nvidia's $31.9 billion profit says otherwise.

Nvidia may have just put fears of an AI bubble to rest.

| More on:
Woman and man calculating a dividend yield.

Image source: Getty Images

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

Key Points

  • Nvidia set another record for quarterly revenue with $57 billion in sales.
  • The company's gross margin was 73.4% and is expected to improve in the fourth quarter.
  • The stock jumped 4% in after-hours trading.

While the stock market has been fretting in recent weeks about the idea of an artificial intelligence (AI) bubble, Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) may have just let the air out of those fears. The company's earnings report for its fiscal third quarter of 2026 shows that the appetite for AI stocks -- and Nvidia's groundbreaking infrastructure in particular -- remains ravenous. 

A look at Nvidia's report

Nvidia's earnings report after the bell on Nov. 19 showed record revenue of $57 billion, which is up 62% from last year and 22% on a sequential basis. Most of that revenue comes from Nvidia's data center sales, which recorded $51.2 billion in revenue – up 66% from last year.

Nvidia's gross margin was an incredible 73.4% with net income of $31.9 billion -- up 65% from last year and 21% from the second quarter. Earnings per share were up 67% from a year ago to $1.30.

"Blackwell sales are off the charts, and cloud GPUs are sold out," CEO Jensen Huang said. "Compute demand keeps accelerating and compounding across training and inference – each growing exponentially. We've entered the virtuous cycle of AI.

"The AI ecosystem is scaling fast -- with more new foundation model makers, more AI start-ups, across more industries, and in more countries," Huang said. "AI is going everywhere, doing everything, all at once."

Nvidia's guidance for its fiscal fourth quarter calls for revenue of $65 billion, and for margins to improve to between 74.8% and 75%.

What Nvidia's earnings mean for AI demand

If there's an AI bubble to be had, it won't be with Nvidia or its major customers. Nvidia already has contracts with OpenAI, which is using at least 10 gigawatts of Nvidia architecture, and has a new agreement with Anthropic to build at least 1 gigawatt of compute power with Nvidia's chips.

In addition, Nvidia has partnerships with Alphabet's Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, Oracle, and xAI to build out domestic AI infrastructure -- all using Nvidia's chips.

That's why Nvidia's stock jumped 4% in after-hours trading after the company dropped its earnings report. Shares of other major AI stocks were also up – Advanced Micro Devices rose 3% in after-hours trading, Broadcom was up 2%, and Palantir Technologies was up 2.5%.

Nvidia's earnings report may be just the thing that the stock market -- and AI stocks in general -- need to finish the year strong. The technology sector has been slipping in recent weeks, having just broken even in the last month after a better than 20% gain in the first 10 months of 2025. With Nvidia showing continued strength and forecasting even better margins and revenue in the fourth quarter, fears of an AI bubble may fade away quickly.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

Patrick Sanders has positions in Nvidia and Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Microsoft, Nvidia, Oracle, and Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Broadcom and has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

More on International Stock News

red arrow representing a rise of the share price with a man wearing a cape holding it at the top
Share Market News

Goldman Sachs reveals 2026 predictions for S&P 500 and other global markets

What's the outlook?

Read more »

A businesman's hands surround a circular graphic with a United States flag and dollar signs, indicating buying and selling US shares
ETFs

Own IVV ETF? Here are your returns for 2025

US stocks outperformed ASX shares but the stronger Aussie dollar eroded returns for IVV ETF investors.

Read more »

A woman pulls her jumper up over her face, hiding.
International Stock News

Here's how the US Magnificent Seven stocks performed in 2025

Not so magnificent: 5 of the 7 stocks underperformed the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite.

Read more »

the australian flag lies alongside the united states flag on a flat surface.
Share Market News

US stocks vs. ASX shares in 2025

Which market came out on top?

Read more »

A female engineer inspects a printed circuit board for an artificial intelligence (AI) microchip company.
International Stock News

Should you really invest in AI stocks in 2026? Here's what other investors are saying

Is AI headed for a bubble? Or is there still room for growth?

Read more »

Happy teen friends jumping in front of a wall.
International Stock News

4 reasons to buy Nvidia stock like there's no tomorrow

Nvidia's 2026 is shaping up to be just as good as 2025.

Read more »

Hand with AI in capital letters and AI-related digital icons.
International Stock News

2 AI stocks to buy in January and hold for 20 years

Investing in these tech leaders can help you profit from a generational opportunity.

Read more »

A woman wearing a black and white striped t-shirt looks to the sky with her hand to her chin contemplating buying ASX shares today as the market rebounds
International Stock News

Where will Nvidia stock be in 1 year?

It's starting to head down. Is that a worrisome trend?

Read more »