NewsStocksNokia (NOK) Rises 3.7% on Q2 Earnings Beat and 103% AI Revenue Growth

Nokia (NOK) Rises 3.7% on Q2 Earnings Beat and 103% AI Revenue Growth

Author: Blockonomi·

Key Takeaways

  • Nokia reported Q2 earnings per share of $0.08, exceeding the Wall Street consensus estimate of $0.07, on revenue of 4.82 billion euros representing 8% year-over-year growth.
  • The company's AI and Cloud segment revenue surged 103% year-over-year and now accounts for 9.3% of total consolidated sales, supported by 2.8 billion euros in new contracts secured during the quarter.
  • CEO Justin Hotard outlined plans to secure extended supply commitments and pass costs to customers in response to memory component shortages expected to persist through 2027.
  • Nokia raised its full-year profit guidance following the strong quarterly performance, contributing to the stock's gains.
  • Among 18 analysts covering Nokia, the consensus rating is Moderate Buy with an average price target of $12.57, significantly above the current closing price.
Nokia (NOK) Rises 3.7% on Q2 Earnings Beat and 103% AI Revenue Growth

Key Highlights

  • Nokia (NOK) gained 3.7% to close at $9.465 on Tuesday, with trading volume surpassing 65.5 million shares.
  • Q2 results exceeded expectations: EPS came in at $0.08 versus a consensus estimate of $0.07; revenue rose 8% year-over-year to 4.82 billion euros (approximately $5.60 billion USD).
  • Artificial Intelligence and Cloud segment revenue surged 103% year-over-year, now accounting for 9.3% of total company sales.
  • CEO Justin Hotard outlined plans to secure extended supply contracts in response to expected memory component shortages persisting through 2027.
  • Wall Street consensus from 18 analysts rates Nokia as a "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of $12.57.

Nokia (NOK) rose 3.7% to settle at $9.465 during Tuesday's trading session, reaching an intraday high of $9.52. The advance followed the release of strong second-quarter financial results and growing investor confidence in Nokia's expanding role in artificial intelligence infrastructure.

The telecommunications equipment manufacturer had closed the prior trading day at $9.13. Tuesday's trading volume reached approximately 65.5 million shares, down roughly 20% from the stock's typical daily average of 81.4 million shares.

Q2 Financial Performance

For the second quarter, Nokia reported earnings per share of $0.08, exceeding the Wall Street consensus estimate of $0.07 by one cent. Revenue grew 8% year-over-year to 4.82 billion euros, or approximately $5.60 billion USD. Although earnings surpassed forecasts, revenue came in slightly below the anticipated $5.57 billion mark.

The Network Infrastructure division was a standout performer, posting 12% revenue growth. Within this segment, Optical Networks surged 19% and IP Networks expanded 15%. Optical networking has become increasingly critical as hyperscale data center operators expand AI compute capacity, which demands high-bandwidth fiber connectivity between server clusters.

AI and Cloud Revenue Doubles

The most notable figure drawing market attention was the company's AI and Cloud revenue stream, which grew 103% year-over-year—effectively doubling. This segment now represents 9.3% of Nokia's consolidated revenue. During the quarter, Nokia secured 2.8 billion euros in new AI and cloud-related contracts.

CEO Justin Hotard emphasized sustained demand from AI-powered data centers as a key growth driver. Nokia's pivot toward AI infrastructure marks a meaningful diversification beyond its traditional 5G wireless equipment business, where it competes with Ericsson and Huawei. The company traces its current network infrastructure portfolio in part to its 2016 acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent, which brought optical and IP networking capabilities that are now central to data center demand.

Hotard also addressed supply chain challenges confronting the industry. With memory component shortages expected to continue through 2027, management intends to secure extended supply commitments, adjust product engineering specifications, and pass elevated input costs on to customers.

Following these results, Nokia raised its full-year profit guidance, contributing further momentum to Tuesday's stock gains.

Analyst Sentiment and Valuation

Among 18 analysts covering the stock, 13 maintain Buy ratings, three assign Hold ratings, and two recommend Sell. The overall consensus stands at "Moderate Buy," with a collective average price target of $12.57—well above Tuesday's closing price.

Northland Securities holds the most bullish outlook on the Street, with a $20.00 price target issued in June. On July 1, Danske upgraded Nokia to a Buy rating.

On the institutional side, several investment funds increased their positions during recent reporting periods. Fifth Third Bancorp expanded its holding by 248.7% in the fourth quarter. Institutional investors collectively control 5.28% of outstanding shares.

Technical Outlook

From a technical analysis standpoint, Nokia currently trades 2.9% below its 20-day moving average and 22.8% below its 50-day moving average. The stock sits just 0.5% above the 200-day moving average, a level technical traders often watch as a key support threshold.

Primary resistance is located near the $10 level, while downside support is identified around $8, corresponding to a prior accumulation zone.

Over the trailing twelve-month period, Nokia has gained 128.41%, though recent price activity has shown heightened volatility. Analysts currently project full-year earnings per share of $0.39.