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Brookfield Seeks Partner for Ascenty Amid Brazil’s Booming Data Center Market

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Brookfield Asset Management is reportedly looking for an investment bank to advise on the sale of a minority stake in Ascenty, a major data center operator in Latin America. This move comes as Brookfield, in partnership with Digital Realty, aims to attract a minority partner to fund Ascenty’s ongoing expansion, particularly in Brazil. The companies have approached local banks, such as Itaú BBA and Bradesco BBI, for the advisory role.

Ascenty’s growth plans align with Brazil’s rising status as a key global data center hub. Demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence is driving substantial investments, with estimates suggesting that over $10 billion could be funneled into Brazil’s data center sector over the next decade. Despite having fewer than 200 data centers, Brazil already ranks among the top 15 global markets. A report by Santander projected a 7.1% annual revenue increase for the sector from 2024 to 2028, outpacing the global average.

Brookfield initiated discussions with potential banks in 2024, aiming to complete the sale by the end of 2025. Founded in 2010, Ascenty currently operates or is constructing 34 data centers across Brazil, Mexico, Chile, and Colombia. These facilities are connected by an extensive 5,000-kilometer fiber-optic network. Although the valuation of Ascenty remains uncertain, its rapid expansion since Brookfield and Digital Realty’s $1.8 billion acquisition in 2018 indicates significant growth.

Ascenty’s expansion in Brazil is facilitated by the country’s availability of land, solid global connectivity, and an increasing renewable energy capacity, which makes it an attractive location for future data center investments. While competitors like Tecto Data Centers, Equinix, and ODATA are active in the region, Brazil’s potential for data center growth remains high, especially as energy constraints challenge other markets like the U.S. and Europe.

Market projections suggest Brazil’s energy load from data centers could increase substantially over the next decade, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges in expanding the country’s infrastructure to meet this demand. Official estimates suggest data center energy demand could rise to 9 GW by 2035, a massive increase from the current load of 671 MW, necessitating careful planning in transmission and distribution networks.

 

Vanguard Group Increases Talen Energy Stake to 10.4% Amid Growing AI Demand

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Vanguard Group has raised its stake in Talen Energy Corp to 10.4%, according to a filing made public on Wednesday. The asset management firm, which is now the second-largest shareholder of the independent power producer, purchased over 4 million shares of Talen Energy’s common stock. Prior to this acquisition, Vanguard held about 9.9% of Talen Energy’s outstanding shares as of October.

The increase in Vanguard’s stake comes at a time when demand for electricity has surged due to the growing investment in artificial intelligence (AI) by major tech companies. Data centers, which are central to AI operations, require significant power, and utilities like Talen Energy are seeing the benefits. Talen Energy’s stock price has tripled in 2024, and it continued to show slight gains in after-hours trading on Wednesday.

 

Applied Digital Posts Smaller-than-Expected Loss on Increased Demand for Cloud Services

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Applied Digital, a data center operator, reported a smaller-than-anticipated loss for the second quarter, driven by heightened demand for its high-performance data center infrastructure and cloud services. The company’s stock surged nearly 10% following the announcement of a significant investment deal with Australia’s Macquarie Group.

Macquarie has agreed to invest up to $5 billion in Applied Digital’s AI data centers, acquiring a 15% stake in the company’s high-performance computing business. This funding is expected to help Applied Digital reduce its debt from constructing data centers in North Dakota and recover more than $300 million of its equity investment in these facilities.

For the quarter ending November 30, Applied Digital reported an adjusted net loss of 6 cents per share, a smaller loss than the 15 cents per share analysts had predicted. The company’s revenue for the quarter was $63.9 million, a 51% year-over-year increase, aligning with analyst expectations.

Applied Digital’s success is closely linked to the growing AI industry, with the company’s data centers serving high-performance computing needs for technologies such as AI and crypto mining. The cloud services segment has also contributed significantly to the company’s growth. As the demand for data center capacity continues to rise, Applied Digital’s ability to secure substantial investments will be crucial in meeting these long-term capital requirements.

The company’s stock has more than tripled over the past two years, as investors look to capitalize on the booming AI sector, positioning companies like Applied Digital to benefit from the growing demand for advanced computing infrastructure.