Why Shares of Applied Digital Are Getting Crushed This Week

By Bram Berkowitz | November 13, 2025, 3:26 PM

Key Points

  • The company is working to build new data centers at its North Dakota campus.

  • Applied Digital announced new senior secured notes this week and that it would draw hundreds of millions from its perpetual preferred equity financing facility.

Since the close of trading on Friday, shares of the artificial intelligence data center company Applied Digital Corporation (NASDAQ: APLD) are trading roughly 24% lower, as of 3:12 p.m. ET Thursday. The company announced the issuance of senior secured notes and a drawdown from one of its funding partners.

Potential dilution and more debt

On Monday, Applied Digital announced its intention to conduct a private offering to raise $2.35 billion in senior secured notes due in 2030, the proceeds of which will be used to help fund construction costs related to its 100-megawatt (MW) and 150 MW data centers at its North Dakota campus. The notes add significant debt to the balance sheet and raise debt costs, which will affect financial results.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks »

Person holding head and looking surprised in front of computer.

Image source: Getty Images.

Additionally, Applied Digital announced that it expects to draw an additional $787.5 million from its $5 billion perpetual preferred equity financing facility with Macquarie Asset Management, which the company disclosed previously. These funds will also be used to help fund the North Dakota factories. Perpetual preferred equity is structured with components of both debt and equity. It offers investors a nonvoting ownership stake in the company and the ability to receive fixed dividends in perpetuity.

Based on the initial agreement between APLD and Macquarie, it seems the fund receives a dividend payment of 12.75% per year. The facility also comes with common shares, meaning there is likely dilution each time Applied draws additional funding from Macquarie.

A bet on artificial intelligence

Applied Digital is in the red-hot AI data center space, which is in high demand from the hyperscalers. However, the company trades at a $6.64 billion market cap, is losing money, and currently has an annual revenue run rate of roughly $256 million. The company could be a big hit if the company gets the new data centers online and secures lucrative contracts, but right now, I'd keep positions small and speculative, considering the stock's run-up.

Should you invest $1,000 in Applied Digital right now?

Before you buy stock in Applied Digital, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Applied Digital wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $624,230!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,187,967!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,069% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 195% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of November 10, 2025

Bram Berkowitz has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Latest News