Oracle shares closed down nearly 11% on 11th December 2025, after the company announced revenue that fell short of Wall Street estimates, wiping nearly 70 billion dollars off the company's market value in a matter of hours. Its revenue came in at 16.06 billion dollars, compared with 16.21 billion dollars expected by analysts, whilst Oracle also announced that its spending for fiscal 2026 would be 15 billion dollars more than its estimate in September. Oracle's share-price drop had a ripple effect on other top AI stocks, with Nvidia shares dropping almost 1.5%, whilst chipmakers Arm Holdings and Intel slid more than 3%.
The red-hot trade backing AI-related stocks has taken a bruising from Oracle's disappointing report, reigniting concerns about an AI bubble, as investors have piled into AI-related companies this year as the technology has taken off. Oracle's free cash flow for the űquarter was negative by about 10 billion dollars, whilst the StreetAccount consensus was negative 5.2 billion dollars, raising questions about the company's ability to service its debt. In late November, Meta shares also slumped 11% after the Facebook and Instagram parent forecast notably larger capital expenses next year due to AI investments, demonstrating growing investor scepticism towards heavy AI spending without clear profitability timelines.
With the S&P 500 up more than 16% and the Nasdaq Composite up more than 20% for the year, the market broadly remains in good shape, yet the nature and size of AI deals and their uncertain returns are leading some to question whether the investment boom portends an upcoming bust. Tech is by far the biggest sector in the S&P 500, accounting for a 35% weight in the benchmark index as of Wednesday's close. Oracle's results have become a critical test for whether massive AI infrastructure investments can translate into sustainable revenue growth, with the company's struggles highlighting the tension between ambitious AI expansion plans and the financial discipline required to execute them profitably.
Sources:
1. https://www.nbcnews.com/business/corporations/tech-stocks-oracle-nvidia-rcna248682
2. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/11/oracle-shares-plummet-dragging-down-ai-stocks-nvidia-coreweave.html
3. https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/analysisoracles-stumble-hits-ai-trade-but-many-remain-bullish-4405439
