Nvidia and Micron shares rebound as OpenAI clarifies its revenue picture

Shares of Nvidia and Micron Technology bounced back after follow-up reports clarified that OpenAI’s apparently soft revenue figure came down to how the company counts its sales.

A revenue scare, then a correction

The trouble started on October 8, 2026, when the Financial Times reported that OpenAI’s annualized revenue run rate stood at approximately $50 billion at the end of September 2026. Investors had been expecting something closer to $68-70 billion, a figure they had pieced together by comparing OpenAI with rival Anthropic.

The gap between $50 billion and the high $60s did not go over well. Nvidia shares fell approximately 3%, while Micron dropped nearly 5%.

The damage spread beyond the two chipmakers. The Nasdaq slid by 1.25% to 1.4% as the broader AI trade took a hit.

Then came October 9. Follow-up reports explained that the shortfall was largely an apples-to-oranges problem: OpenAI does not include certain revenue generated through cloud partners in its run-rate math, while Anthropic does.

OpenAI also offered investors something forward-looking to hold onto. According to a Bloomberg report, the company expects its annualized run rate to reach or exceed $70 billion by December 31, 2026.

OpenAI’s total run-rate growth for the third quarter came in at 77%, and its enterprise segment posted run-rate growth of 107%.

That was enough to reverse the mood. Nvidia and Micron shares recovered as investors priced in the stronger growth story.

Why OpenAI’s numbers move chip stocks

Nvidia supplies the GPUs that train and run large AI models. Micron makes the memory chips those systems depend on, so both are tied closely to how much companies like OpenAI plan to spend.

OpenAI has extensive spending commitments that stretch into the next decade, along with a projected cash burn running into the hundreds of billions of dollars through 2030.

OpenAI’s annual run rate started 2026 at roughly $20 billion, meaning even the contested $50 billion figure represented a sharp climb within a single year.

OpenAI is in fundraising talks targeting more than $30 billion at a valuation of around $1.4 trillion.

What this means for the AI trade

The accounting issue deserves attention too. OpenAI is a private company, so investors rely on reports, leaks and company statements rather than standardized public filings to gauge its health. When two leading AI labs define a key metric differently, comparisons between them become unreliable.

For anyone tracking the AI sector, a few things are worth watching. First is whether OpenAI’s run rate actually clears $70 billion by December 31, since that target is now the yardstick the market will use.

Second is the fundraising round. Closing more than $30 billion at a valuation near $1.4 trillion would signal that large investors accept the growth narrative, despite the projected cash burn through 2030.

Third is enterprise demand. The 107% enterprise run-rate growth suggests businesses, not just consumers, are driving much of OpenAI’s expansion.