Super Micro shares slide more than 10% on weaker-than-expected outlook and uncertainty over annual data filings

Shares of Super Micro Computer (SMCI) fell over 10% in after-hours trading on Tuesday after the company's outlook for both earnings per share and revenue for the current quarter fell short of Wall Street estimates.

Additionally, Super Micro still has not filed its 10-K annual report, which was initially postponed on August 28th. The company said it “cannot predict at this time when the Form 10-K will be filed.”

Super Micro expects second-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $0.56 to $0.65, below consensus estimates of $0.80, according to Bloomberg data. Meanwhile, Super Micro's forecast for net sales in a range of $5.5 billion to $6.1 billion was weaker than Wall Street's $6.79 billion forecast.

“Of course, it looks like revenue is not where it should be, either for the quarter just reported or going forward,” Matt Bryson, equity analyst at Wedbush Securities, told Yahoo Finance.

Bryson added that uncertainty over who Super Micro will hire as its next auditor or when the company will be able to file its 10-K annual report continues to be a headwind for the stock.

“There’s a lot of unknowns here,” Bryson said.

The gains came less than a week after accounting firm Ernst & Young (EY) resigned as Super Micro's auditor. EY said in a filing it was “unwilling to be associated with the financial reports prepared by management.”

Super Micro responded to these allegations on Tuesday with a response from an independent special committee that investigated the allegations.

“Following a three-month investigation led by independent counsel, the committee's investigation to date has determined that the audit committee acted independently and that there is no evidence of fraud or misconduct on the part of management or the board,” the release said. “The committee recommends a range of remedial measures for the company to strengthen its internal governance and oversight functions and the committee expects to provide the full report on the work completed this week or next.”

EY's resignation came two months after a brief report from Hindenburg Research alleged, among other things, “accounting manipulation” at the artificial intelligence high-flyer.

After rising earlier in the year as investors cheered SMCI's AI data center prospects, the stock has now fallen more than 60% in the past six months.

In August, Hindenburg said its three-month investigation had revealed “glaring accounting red flags, evidence of undisclosed related party transactions, sanctions and export control failures, and customer issues.” The company also announced that it had taken a short position in Super Micro.

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