Super Micro Computer (SMCI) said it expects quarterly revenue of $18.5 billion to $19.5 billion, roughly $4 billion above the midpoint of its previous guidance, as demand for AI data center infrastructure continues to accelerate. The stronger outlook sent shares up almost 16% in after-hours trading.

The preliminary figures cover the three months ended September 30, which marks the first quarter of the company's fiscal year 2027. Analysts had been projecting revenue of about $15 billion for the period, meaning Super Micro's preliminary results came in well above those estimates — the midpoint of the new range sits roughly 27% above the analyst figure. The figures were issued ahead of the company's full quarterly report.

The company pointed to growing appetite for its AI platforms as the main driver behind the upgraded outlook. Headquartered in San Jose, California, Super Micro builds servers and data systems around chips from suppliers such as Nvidia and AMD, both major producers of the accelerators used to power AI workloads. That spot in the supply chain — assembling accelerator chips into the server systems inside AI data centers — makes the company's results a useful gauge of how quickly the AI infrastructure buildout is unfolding.

Super Micro also raised its gross margin forecast to a range of 12.0% to 12.5%, up from its previous guidance of 10.4% to 10.8%, Reuters reported. The company attributed the improvement to a more favorable customer and product mix. At the new guidance midpoint, each percentage point of gross margin is worth roughly $190 million, giving the upgraded range added weight for the bottom line.

Investigation casts a shadow

The upbeat forecast arrives as Super Micro continues to face scrutiny over allegations that its AI servers were illegally shipped to China. Earlier this month, a fixer involved in the case pleaded guilty to shipping the servers. Taiwanese authorities raided a Super Micro office in June as part of the related investigation.

Super Micro has not been charged in connection with the case. An independent investigation found no evidence that the company's senior leadership knew about the alleged scheme in advance, Yahoo Finance reported.

Relief after months of pressure

The stronger outlook also offered some relief to investors after months of pressure on the stock. Shares rose 12% in after-hours trading, according to Investing.com, recovering some ground after the company warned in July that fiscal fourth-quarter 2026 revenue would likely come in near the lower end of its forecast.

Super Micro also disclosed a record order backlog of more than $60 billion, a figure that exceeds the $39 billion worth of AI server orders the company announced plans to help finance with a $7 billion raise in June. How quickly that backlog converts into shipped systems and revenue will be one of the details to watch when the full quarterly report arrives.