Deep Inference
Partner at Aion Analytics, Quantitative Markets Research
Nebius's partly customer-funded buildout makes its financing structure preferable to CoreWeave's as borrowing risks rise. CoreWeave's unsecured bond yields have approached 15%, while hotter CPI raises the possibility of more Fed hikes. Nebius had about $8B cash at Q2, expects over $9B in 2026 customer prepayments and secured a $775M facility at SOFR + 2.50%. Its $20-25B capex plan, negative free cash flow, dilution and premium valuation still demand attractive returns after costs. x.com x.comÂ
Nebius can do well while its convertible debt is not yet due, unlike CoreWeave, which faces immediate liquidity trouble. Pain may come when Nebius's convertibles mature; it is nowhere near CoreWeave's current default risk. A $3,000 share target goes too far. x.com x.comÂ
CoreWeave's bond financing carries about $2.6B a year in net interest, yet it still dilutes shareholders. The comparison shows roughly $45.2B in net debt, nine times shareholder equity, versus about $2B and 0.2 times for Nebius. x.comÂ
Hyperscaler borrowing could raise Nebius and CoreWeave's financing costs as investors favor safer debt. Microsoft reportedly plans to borrow. Nebius has prepayments and cheaper funding; CoreWeave has more debt. Nebius is strongly preferred if credit tightens. If rates fall and CoreWeave turns its $104B backlog into revenue, EBITDA and cash flow, it could have significantly more upside. Google expects more third-party compute use in Q4; Microsoft cites delayed deliveries. x.com x.com x.comÂ
Nebius's better debt position than CoreWeave's supports preferring Nebius. Nebius has much less net debt relative to cash than CoreWeave, whose debt and lease obligations far exceed its cash. realDiokles raises a valid risk that Nebius's convertibles may not convert without a sustained share-price rally through maturity, but that does not erase its relative debt advantage. x.com x.comÂ
CoreWeave looks like a poor long because its debt now exceeds its market capitalization. x.comÂ
Nebius is a better option than CoreWeave going forward because its balance sheet is stronger. x.comÂ
CoreWeave's pricing power is overlooked amid financing fears, making it potentially the most misunderstood AI stock right now. It had over $104B in Q2 backlog and signed $25B in net new commitments over six weeks. Short-term contracts approach $40M per MW annually versus about $7M on active capacity, but that rate cannot be applied fleetwide. A $4.2B convertible carried a 2.875% coupon despite near-15% unsecured bond yields; $35B debt, dilution and capacity-conversion risks remain. x.comÂ
CoreWeave's financing, not demand, is the problem. Q2 interest expense reached $640M, about 42% of its $1.51B adjusted EBITDA, eating too much into free cash flow. Its $100B+ backlog and 59% adjusted EBITDA margin look good, but Nebius and other neoclouds remain preferred. x.comÂ
Neoclouds can reprice higher only if financing constraints halt smaller rivals' buildouts, leaving CoreWeave and Nebius as survivors. CoreWeave CDS has seen its highs and its debt has repriced upward; a business that might fail in four years is different from one that must fail now. Ant's S-1 confirms that serving inference is extremely profitable. x.comÂ