Is AAOI a good stock to buy? We came across a bullish thesis on Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. on Stock Croc (patiently hunting ‘Quality’ stocks)’s Substack by Stock Crock. In this article, we will summarize the bulls’ thesis on AAOI. Applied Optoelectronics, Inc.’s share was trading at $159.42 as of April 17th. AAOI’s forward P/E was 84.03 according to Yahoo Finance. 
Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of fiber-optic networking products in the United States, Taiwan, and China. AAOI is emerging as a central beneficiary of the accelerating photonics supercycle, driven by the structural shift from copper-based connectivity to light-powered data transmission in AI infrastructure.
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AAOI’s recent earnings highlighted unprecedented demand for 800G and 1.6T optical transceivers, with capacity effectively booked through 2027 and a roadmap targeting a 10x scale-up to a $4.5 billion revenue run rate.
This surge is reinforced by broader industry validation, including significant investments into optical ecosystems and increasing institutional adoption, signaling that photonics is now a critical bottleneck in scaling AI workloads. AAOI’s vertically integrated model, spanning from laser diode manufacturing to finished modules, positions it uniquely to control supply in a constrained market, while its U.S.-based manufacturing footprint enhances its strategic importance amid geopolitical supply chain realignment.
The transition to 1.6T represents a fundamental inflection point, as copper-based systems face physical limitations in heat and signal degradation, making optical solutions indispensable for hyperscale data centers. AAOI’s early leadership in Linear Pluggable Optics (LPO) further strengthens its positioning, offering lower power consumption and improved efficiency for next-generation AI clusters, with strong adoption from major cloud providers.
While future architectural shifts like co-packaged optics remain longer-term considerations, near-term demand visibility and capacity expansion provide a clear growth runway. Despite execution risks, including manufacturing scale-up and qualification timelines, the company’s backlog and strategic alignment with hyperscalers support a compelling outlook. Overall, AAOI stands at the center of a multi-year infrastructure upgrade cycle, with its technology and capacity positioning it to capture disproportionate value as AI networking demand intensifies.
Previously, we covered a bullish thesis on Fabrinet (FN) by Industrial Tech Stock Analyst in April 2025, which highlighted the Amazon warrant deal signaling strategic hyperscaler alignment and diversification beyond Nvidia. FN’s stock price has appreciated by approximately 246.67% since our coverage. Stock Crock shares a similar view but emphasizes on Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AAOI)’s positioning in the photonics supercycle, driven by 1.6T demand and vertical integration.
Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. is not on our list of the 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 36 hedge fund portfolios held AAOI at the end of the fourth quarter which was 27 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the risk and potential of AAOI as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than AAOI and that has 10,000% upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.
Disclosure: None.
