BUZZ - Driven by strong artificial intelligence demand, Super Micro shares surged after issuing an optimistic first-quarter earnings forecast

October 21 - ** Artificial intelligence server manufacturer Super Micro Computer (SMCI.O) shares soared 12.4% in pre-market trading to $36.45

** SMCI expects first-quarter revenue and profit margins to exceed market expectations, indicating that demand for AI data centers remains robust despite last week's sharp sell-off in AI stocks

** The company expects (link) first-quarter revenue to be between $18.5 billion and $19.5 billion, above analysts' expectations of $15.23 billion—data compiled by LSEG

** SMCI raised its first-quarter profit margin forecast to a range of 12% to 12.5%, up from the previous prediction of 10.4% to 10.8%

** JPMorgan stated that SMCI's performance, boosted by artificial intelligence demand, may signal benefits for peers such as Dell (DELL.N) and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE.N), though investors will focus on the sustainability of its margin improvement

** Shares of peer companies Dell (DELL) and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) rose 5.1% and 4.2%, respectively

** As of the end of the previous trading session, SMCI had risen nearly 11% so far this year, while the Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) was up 13.7%

(For the convenience of non-English speakers, Reuters automatically translates its reports into several other languages. As automated translation may contain errors or may not include the required context, Reuters does not guarantee the accuracy of automated translation texts, which are provided solely for readers' convenience. Reuters accepts no responsibility for any harm or loss caused by the use of the automated translation function.)