AI Boom Fuels Record Pace for US Convertible Bond Sales

AI Is Powering Another Banner Year for US Convertibles - Here's Your Sales Playbook

AI-linked companies are pushing US convertible bond issuance to fresh highs - and the window looks wide open. Through Feb. 18, 2026, 18 companies raised nearly $13.6 billion in equity-linked deals, up about 556% from the same period in 2025, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. For context, last year's total issuance topped $120 billion, the busiest on record. If you sell into finance, tech, or enterprise, this is your moment.

Why convertibles are hot right now

• Cheaper capital vs. straight debt: Lower coupons in exchange for equity upside appeals to CFOs funding AI buildouts.
• Speed and flexibility: Faster to execute than many alternatives, with structures that can fit volatile equity backdrops.
• Investor demand: Institutions want exposure to AI growth with downside protection - convertibles deliver both.

What this means for sales teams

• Target buyers: CFOs, Treasurers, Capital Markets, Corp Dev, IR, and the banks/ECM desks advising them.
• Best timing: Post-earnings windows, positive guidance, product launches, AI capex announcements, share-price strength.
• Talk tracks: "Reduce cash burn without stalling growth," "Match financing to AI adoption curves," "Institutional demand meets your timeline."

Priority sectors and triggers

• Semiconductors & infrastructure: Capex-heavy cycles, capacity expansions, supply chain shifts.
• Cloud & data platforms: GPU spend, data center scale-outs, AI services attach.
• Enterprise software & cybersecurity: New pricing tiers, AI modules, usage growth after product launches.
• EV/autonomy & edge AI: Cost curves improving, partnerships, fleet or platform rollouts.
• Healthtech & bio+AI: Trial milestones, data partnerships, platform validation.

Plays you can run this quarter

• Account mapping: Build a list of AI-forward public companies with rising guidance, plus pre-IPO late-stage candidates prepared to list within 12-18 months.
• Signal-based outreach: Track earnings beats, AI product releases, and unusual options/volatility - follow up within 24 hours.
• Partner with banks: Co-sell with ECM/syndicate. Offer implementation, analytics, or investor communications support that accelerates deal readiness.
• Package value clearly: One-pager: outcome, timeline, stakeholders, and 90-day proof-of-value. Remove friction and shorten approvals.
• Post-deal expansion: After issuance, pitch monitoring, scenario analysis, IR tooling, and CFO dashboards tied to conversion thresholds.

Call openers that land

• "Your AI roadmap looks aggressive. If you could trim coupon and preserve runway without equity at market today, worth a 15-minute compare?"
• "Institutional demand for AI exposure is strong. We help teams structure, time, and communicate converts with less lift - here's how."

Data points to use in conversations

• $13.6B YTD (through Feb. 18, 2026) from 18 issuers; up ~556% vs. same period in 2025.
• $120B+ in 2025, the busiest year on record.

Common objections and quick responses

• "Dilution risk." Model conversion at multiple price paths and show EPS impact vs. growth funded by AI rollout.
• "Timing isn't right." Use earnings windows and catalyst calendars; map funding to known product and capacity milestones.
• "Too complex." Bring a simple structure-summary, peer comps, and a 30-60-90 plan to reduce internal workload.

KPIs to track

• Signal-to-meeting rate: Outreach within 24 hours of a catalyst should 2-3x meeting conversion.
• Stakeholder depth: Minimum 3 champions (CFO/Treasury, IR, Product/Finance partner).
• Cycle time: First contact to commercial proposal under 21 days; post-issuance expansion within 45 days.
• Attach rate: Add analytics/monitoring to >50% of deals to grow ACV.

Explainers you can share with clients

• SEC investor bulletin on convertible securities
• FINRA overview of convertible bonds

Sharpen your edge

• AI Learning Path for Sales Representatives - build prospecting, messaging, and pipeline automation around AI-heavy accounts.
• AI for Finance - get smarter on how AI is changing capital markets so your conversations hit the mark.

The takeaway: AI-driven issuers need capital now, investors want in, and convertibles bridge the two. If you bring timing, clarity, and a low-lift plan, you'll win deals while this window stays open.