CBRS stock jumps 18% after hours on Cerebras earnings, Microsoft deal

What the numbers say. Cerebras reported GAAP revenue of $210.8 million, up 55% from a year ago. Its "core" revenue, a non-GAAP measure that leaves out things like stock-based pay and some non-cash items, was $230.9 million, up 70%. Cloud and other services did the heavy lifting: GAAP revenue there was $141.9 million, up 265%. Hardware went the other way, falling to $68.9 million from $96.8 million.

The loss is still big. GAAP gross margin was 20% and GAAP operating margin was minus 106%. The net loss was $161.2 million, or 67 cents a share. On the core measure the operating margin was minus 14%.

The outlook. For the fourth quarter Cerebras expects core revenue of about $310 to $330 million and a core gross margin of 47% to 49%. Bloomberg says the roughly $320 million it expects beats the $271.2 million average analyst estimate. For the full year it expects core revenue of $940 to $960 million. It also says it expects revenue to triple in 2027. CNBC puts that at about $2.85 billion, a bit under the $2.92 billion analysts had been looking for.

The customers. The press release says Cerebras announced a cloud deal with a top three hyperscaler and will share more next year. It does not name the company. CNBC says CEO Andrew Feldman named Microsoft, said the deal was signed in October and expects revenue to show up in the first quarter of 2027. Oracle is adding Cerebras to its cloud in 2027, and CNBC notes deals with Amazon too.

Capacity and cash. Cerebras says it has 700 megawatts of data center capacity secured for delivery by the end of 2027, $26.1 billion in remaining performance obligations (work already contracted but not yet delivered) and $7.8 billion in cash and short-term investments. CNBC says Feldman is also weighing financing options for the growth.

The caveats. The company itself lists dependence on a small number of big customers as a risk, including its agreement with OpenAI. The stock is still about 47% below where it started trading in May, per CNBC. And the after-hours move can change by the next open. CNBC also notes that the report landed on the day Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigned.

Confirmed facts

• Cerebras reported GAAP revenue of $210.8 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2026, up 55% year over year, and core revenue of $230.9 million, up 70%.^[1]
• GAAP cloud and other services revenue was $141.9 million, up 265% year over year.^[1]
• Hardware revenue was $68.9 million, down from $96.8 million a year earlier.^[1]
• GAAP gross margin was 20% and GAAP operating margin was minus 106%; the GAAP net loss was $161.2 million, or $0.67 per share. Core operating margin was minus 14%.^[1]
• Core revenue of $230.9 million compared with $214.7 million expected by analysts polled by LSEG, CNBC says.^[2]
• Fourth-quarter outlook: core revenue of about $310 to $330 million, core gross margin of 47% to 49%.^[1]
• Bloomberg says revenue of roughly $320 million in the fourth quarter topped the $271.2 million average analyst estimate.^[3]
• Full-year 2026 outlook: core revenue of $940 to $960 million; the company expects to triple revenue in 2027.^[1]
• CNBC says tripling implies about $2.85 billion in 2027 revenue, versus $2.92 billion expected by analysts polled by LSEG.^[2]
• The company announced a cloud deal with a top three hyperscaler and will share more next year; Oracle Cloud Infrastructure will offer Cerebras in 2027.^[1]
• CNBC says Feldman named Microsoft as the new partner, said it signed in October and expects revenue to begin in the first quarter of 2027.^[2]
• Cerebras secured 700 gross megawatts of data center capacity for delivery by the end of 2027 and reported $26.1 billion in remaining performance obligations.^[1]
• Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term investments were $7.8 billion, with debt capacity of $850 million.^[1]
• CNBC says Feldman said Cerebras is evaluating financing options to meet rising demand.^[2]
• The stock rose 18% in extended trading, CNBC says, and is down about 47% since its Nasdaq debut in May.^[2]
• The company lists dependence on a limited number of significant customers as a risk, including its Master Relationship Agreement with OpenAI.^[1]

Implications

• ConfirmedCloud is now the growth engine, while hardware sales fell.
• ConfirmedGrowth comes with large losses on a GAAP basis.
• ConfirmedRevenue from the Microsoft deal is not in these results; CNBC says it should start in the first quarter of 2027.
• Our readingThe 2027 target is close to, not far above, what analysts already expected.

Still unknown

• Terms and size of the Microsoft deal, which the press release does not name.
• How Cerebras will finance its expansion.
• Where the shares trade at the next regular session, since the 18% is an after-hours move.

Who it affects

US, Global. Anyone following AI chip stocks, Nvidia's rivals and cloud computing demand

Sources

1. Cerebras Systems (investor relations): Cerebras Systems Delivers Record Revenue in Third Quarter 2026, Raises Full-Year Outlook November 12, 2026 · official
2. CNBC: Cerebras surges 18% after beating on quarterly revenue and announcing Microsoft deal November 12, 2026 · media
3. Bloomberg: Cerebras Delivers Solid Outlook in Its Bid to Challenge Nvidia November 12, 2026 · media