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Oracle Seeks to Raise $18 Billion in Debt to Fund AI Cloud Push

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Oracle is planning to raise $18 billion in debt, according to a regulatory filing on Wednesday, as it accelerates investment in cloud infrastructure to meet soaring demand from artificial intelligence clients.

The enterprise software and cloud services giant has been expanding its capital spending to deliver on major contracts, including agreements with OpenAI, which are expected to drive significant growth in its cloud business.

According to a pricing term sheet filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Oracle will sell the debt in six tranches.

In a separate filing, the company said proceeds could be used for general corporate purposes, including stock buybacks, debt repayment, or acquisitions, in addition to infrastructure investment.

The debt sale highlights how rising AI adoption is reshaping the priorities of major tech firms, with Oracle joining a growing list of companies tapping capital markets to finance the costly buildout of hyperscale data centers.

Tencent Says AI Chip Stockpiles Shield It from U.S. Curbs as Q1 Revenue Beats Forecasts

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Tencent Holdings reported a strong 13% year-on-year revenue increase in the first quarter of 2024, reaching 180 billion yuan ($24.97 billion) and beating analysts’ expectations. The gains were largely fueled by growth in domestic and international gaming, AI-powered advertising, and financial technology services.

Despite ongoing U.S. restrictions on advanced chip exports, Tencent President Martin Lau downplayed the impact, stating that the company had previously stockpiled AI chips, enabling it to maintain momentum in its artificial intelligence development plans.

“The good thing is that we have a strong stockpile of chips… useful for executing our AI strategy,” Lau said during the earnings call.

While Nvidia’s H20 chip and other high-end processors have been barred from sale to Chinese firms under U.S. export restrictions, Tencent noted that alternative chips are available domestically, and its software advancements would help optimize chip usage.

Key Financial Highlights (Q1 2024):

  • Revenue: 180 billion yuan (vs. 174.6B expected, LSEG)

  • Net profit: 47.8 billion yuan (below 52.2B analyst estimate)

  • Domestic gaming revenue: Up 24% to 42.9B yuan

  • International gaming revenue: Up 23% to 16.6B yuan

  • Marketing services revenue: Up 22% to 17.7B yuan

  • FinTech & Business Services revenue: Up 16% to 27.6B yuan

AI and Strategic Investments

Tencent reaffirmed its commitment to AI development, planning to allocate a low double-digit percentage of 2025 revenue to capital expenditure, primarily targeting AI infrastructure. The company continues to evolve its proprietary large language model Hunyuan, and recently released a public-facing version named T1.

Tencent has also emerged as a collaborative leader among Chinese tech giants, integrating AI models from DeepSeek, an emerging firm known for developing competitive, cost-efficient alternatives to Western AI systems.

Broader Implications

The company’s performance illustrates Tencent’s resilience in the face of geopolitical tech tensions, while demonstrating the commercial viability of China’s AI ecosystem—even under hardware constraints. Its diverse revenue base, spanning gaming, advertising, and financial services, is increasingly supported by AI innovation, keeping Tencent at the forefront of China’s digital economy.

Axon Raises Full-Year Revenue Forecast on Strong Demand for Security Tech, Shares Surge

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Axon Enterprise (AXON.O), the maker of TASER devices, body cameras, drones, and law enforcement technology, raised its 2025 revenue guidance on Wednesday, fueled by continued strong demand for its security products and software platforms. The news sent Axon shares up more than 7% in after-hours trading.

The Arizona-based company now expects full-year revenue to reach $2.60–$2.70 billion, up from a prior forecast of $2.55–$2.65 billion, with the midpoint exceeding analysts’ consensus of $2.62 billion (LSEG).

Q1 Financial Highlights:

  • Adjusted EPS: $1.41 (vs. $1.27 expected)

  • Revenue: $603.6M (vs. $583.8M expected)

Axon, which supplies its technology across North America, Europe, and Australia, continues to lead the U.S. market for police body cameras and has been expanding its drone and sensor offerings.

CapEx & Strategic Investments:

  • 2025 capital expenditures are projected to range between $160M–$180M, excluding planned investments in a new headquarters facility.

“Axon’s strong financial performance reflects ongoing trust in our mission-critical technologies and our expanding global customer base,” the company said in a statement.

Axon’s raised forecast and strong quarterly beat reinforce its position as a dominant player in law enforcement tech, with growth driven by both hardware and recurring revenue from its software-as-a-service (SaaS) offerings.