Corning and Broadcom Partner to Boost AI Data Center Capabilities with Optical Breakthrough

Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) has announced a strategic collaboration with Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO) to supply advanced optical components for Broadcom’s Bailly co-packaged optics (CPO) system, the industry's first 51.2 Tbps ethernet switch designed to supercharge AI data center performance.
The partnership brings together Corning’s precision fiber infrastructure and Broadcom’s silicon photonics-based CPO platform. This innovation addresses the growing demand for high-speed, energy-efficient connectivity in AI-driven data centers by tightly integrating optics and electronics.
Key Highlights:
• Corning will provide fiber harnesses, connectors, and fiber array units for Broadcom’s Bailly system, supporting eight 6.4 Tbps optical engines paired with Broadcom’s Tomahawk®5 Ethernet switch.
• The system enhances optical interconnection density, reduces power consumption, and improves AI cluster scalability.
• Corning’s CPO FlexConnect™ Fiber, engineered for superior bend performance and minimal signal interference, further boosts infrastructure performance.
Executives from both companies emphasized the collaboration’s role in meeting AI’s explosive bandwidth needs while maintaining energy efficiency.

Corning Q1 2025 Financial Summary

Corning reported strong first-quarter 2025 results, exceeding guidance and showcasing significant year-over-year growth in sales and profitability. Core EPS increased 42% to $0.54, and core sales rose 13% to $3.7 billion. Core operating margin expanded 250 basis points to 18%.

Key highlights:
- GAAP sales were $3.45 billion; core sales were $3.68 billion.
- GAAP EPS was $0.18; core EPS was $0.54.
- Core net income rose to $467 million from $330 million in Q1 2024.
- Optical Communications led performance with 46% year-over-year sales growth and a 106% surge in enterprise sales due to demand for Gen AI products.
- Display segment revenue grew 4%, supported by price and volume improvements.
- Specialty Materials revenue increased 10% year-over-year, driven by mobile device glass demand.
- Automotive sales declined 10% year-over-year amid softness in European and North American markets.
- Life Sciences was flat, while Hemlock and Emerging Growth saw an 11% decline due to seasonality.

Corning reaffirmed its Springboard plan and reported accelerating U.S. manufacturing ramp-ups to meet demand for Gen AI and solar products. For Q2 2025, it expects core sales of approximately $3.85 billion and core EPS between $0.55 and $0.59.

Corning Reports Strong Q1 2025 Results, Driven by Gen AI and U.S. Solar Demand

Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) announced first-quarter 2025 results that exceeded guidance, with core sales rising 13% year-over-year to $3.7 billion and core EPS jumping 42% to $0.54. Operating margin improved to 18%, up 250 basis points. Enterprise sales surged 106%, fueled by strong demand for Gen AI-related products.

Corning is accelerating U.S. production of solar products due to robust demand. For Q2, the company expects core sales of ~$3.85 billion and EPS of $0.55–$0.59. CEO Wendell Weeks reaffirmed confidence in Corning’s Springboard plan, citing momentum from secular trends like AI and clean energy.

CORNING LAUNCHES GLASSWORKS AI SOLUTIONS TO SUPPORT HIGH-DENSITY DATA CENTER NEEDS

Corning Incorporated has introduced GlassWorks AI solutions, a comprehensive suite of data center infrastructure products designed to meet the growing demands of generative AI. Unveiled on March 27, 2025, the end-to-end offering includes cables, connectivity solutions, and deployment support, tailored for high-density environments in both data centers and long-haul networks.

A key feature of the new portfolio is the Contour Flow Cable, which doubles fiber capacity within existing diameters, accelerating deployments without the need for major infrastructure upgrades. The innovation is enabled by Corning’s SMF-28 Contour fiber, which is 40% smaller and highly bend-resistant.

Inside AI data centers, where GPU clusters are rapidly expanding, the solution supports extreme fiber density with MMC-based connector assemblies that can handle up to 36 times more fiber connections than traditional LC connectors.

Corning will showcase GlassWorks AI, including Contour Flow Cable and other technologies, at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference in San Francisco, April 1-3, 2025. The launch underscores Corning’s continued leadership in materials science and its commitment to enabling the future of high-speed, scalable, and energy-efficient data infrastructure.

Corning Incorporated will host an Investor Event at the New York Stock Exchange on March 18, 2025, starting at 8:45 AM Eastern Time. The event will provide updates on the company’s Springboard plan, financial performance, guidance, and leadership in key markets.

Additionally, Wendell Weeks, Chairman and CEO, is scheduled to participate in an interview on CNBC at approximately 7:10 AM Eastern Time on the same day, where he is expected to discuss these topics and may provide additional business updates.

A live audio webcast of the Investor Event will be available on Corning’s investor relations website under Events & Presentations. A replay of the webcast and related information will also be accessible for 12 months.

Corning Incorporated reported strong financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year 2024, marking the first year of its "Springboard" plan. Fourth-quarter GAAP sales were $3.5 billion, while core sales reached a record $3.9 billion, up 18% year over year. Core earnings per share rose 46% to $0.57, and core operating margin expanded by 220 basis points to 18.5%. The company generated $623 million in operating cash flow for the quarter and $1.25 billion in adjusted free cash flow for the full year.

For 2024, Corning reported GAAP sales of $13.1 billion and core sales of $14.47 billion, reflecting a 7% annual increase. Core EPS increased 15% year over year to $1.96. The company highlighted significant growth in its Optical Communications segment, where Enterprise sales surged 93% year over year in Q4. Display Technologies also implemented successful price increases, with expectations to generate segment net income between $900 million and $950 million in 2025 while maintaining a 25% margin.

For Q1 2025, Corning projects core sales growth of 10% year over year to approximately $3.6 billion, with core EPS rising around 30% to a range of $0.48 to $0.52. Management will update its Springboard plan at an investor event in March, with an upgraded target to add more than $3 billion in annualized sales and achieve a 20% operating margin by 2026.

CEO Wendell P. Weeks emphasized Corning’s ability to capture growth opportunities driven by cyclical and secular trends, while CFO Ed Schlesinger highlighted the company’s strong incremental profit and cash flow performance. The company will provide further financial updates at upcoming investor events.