Cantor Fitzgerald

Nvidia shifts AI advantage from chips to capital

Nvidia is using its large cash reserves and credit capacity to extend its AI advantage beyond chip technology by financing AI infrastructure and partners. The company said it will provide up to $105 billion to support a large OpenAI data-center project in Ohio, including a $1.5 billion equity investment in SB Energy and commitments for power and lease support. Nvidia previously invested $30 billion in OpenAI and has arranged a broader pact with Wall Street firms to enable up to $500 billion in GPU financing. The strategy leverages strong free cash flow (reported at $48.5 billion in the latest quarter), dividend increases, and an $80 billion buyback to accelerate AI buildout and create financial moats around its systems.

Workday Shares Surge on Silver Lake Takeover Report

Reuters reported on August 14, 2026 that private equity firm Silver Lake is in talks to potentially acquire payroll and HR software provider Workday. The news sent Workday shares up about 18% — their best single-day performance since 2016 — triggering multiple trading halts and lifting market value from roughly $43 billion to about $51 billion. Analysts told CNBC the potential buyout could establish a valuation floor for software stocks after an AI-driven selloff and spur further software M&A. The report noted recent leadership changes — co-founder Aneel Bhusri was renamed CEO in March 2026 — and that Workday had posted better-than-expected results in May and raised its forecast citing AI tailwinds, even as some investors worry AI might disrupt its business model. Workday and Silver Lake did not immediately comment.

CrowdStrike, Palo Alto Stocks Rally After Black Hat AI Threat

Cybersecurity stocks CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Networks reached record highs after discussions at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas highlighted a rising threat from AI agents. Analysts at BTIG said AI agents have “fundamentally changed the threat landscape,” and the firm raised price targets on Palo Alto to $380 and CrowdStrike to $237 while also boosting Rubrik. The article notes businesses are increasingly adopting AI-driven security tools to counter more sophisticated attacks. Other cybersecurity names including Tenable, Rubrik, Netskope and Zscaler also rallied. Market commentary from Cantor and Jefferies emphasized that AI has shifted from a feature to a core pillar of attacker and defender infrastructure, driving renewed investor interest in security vendors.