Amphenol raises outlook on AI and datacom demand, dividend up 52% as shares jump

Amphenol's AI and Datacom Momentum: What Sales Teams Should Do Now

Amphenol just set the tone for Q4. Strong AI and datacom demand pushed results above expectations, sent shares up about 9% premarket, and signaled healthy budgets across key verticals.

If you sell into data centers, defense, aerospace, industrial, or automotive, this is your window. Buyers are funding infrastructure that ships now and scales later-cables, sensors, connectors, antennas, assemblies.

The numbers that matter

• Q3 sales: $6.2B vs. $5.53B expected (LSEG)
• Comms Solutions sales: $3.31B, up 96% year over year (high-speed cables and antennas)
• Q4 revenue guide: $6.0B-$6.1B vs. $5.7B expected
• Adjusted EPS guide: $0.89-$0.91 vs. $0.80 expected
• Dividend: up 52% to $0.25 per share (from $0.165)
• M&A: Trexon acquired for ~$1B to deepen defense/military cable assemblies

Why sales teams should care

• Budgets are real. AI infrastructure and defense spending are converting to orders-fast.
• Multi-market pull. Datacom, defense, industrial, aerospace, and auto are all active. Diversified demand reduces deal risk.
• Attach potential. Cables, connectors, sensors, antennas, and assemblies bundle well into larger builds.

Where the budget is flowing

• AI/datacom: High-speed interconnects for data centers, GPUs, and network backbones.
• Defense: Ruggedized assemblies and sensors backed by growing programs and modernization.
• Aerospace and industrial: Reliability-first components for avionics, factory automation, and testing.

Plays to run this quarter

• Lead with timelines and throughput. Speed to install, higher data rates, and proven reliability beat brochureware.
• Bundle strategically. Pair high-speed cables with connectors, antennas, and sensors to increase deal size and reduce vendor sprawl for the buyer.
• Chase funded work. Target accounts with active AI buildouts or defense program awards. Prioritize existing vendors in those stacks.
• Prospect adjacent teams. If IT/networking is hot, loop in facilities and test/measurement-same budget wave, different owners.
• Reference momentum. Point to segment growth and guidance to build confidence in supply, scale, and roadmap.

Discovery questions that move deals forward

• Which racks or zones are bandwidth-constrained today? What data rates are you designing for next?
• What qualification or ruggedization standards do you need to meet (MIL, aerospace, industrial)?
• What's the bottleneck: lead time, interoperability, or thermal limits?
• Which programs are funded this quarter, and where do you have deployment deadlines?
• What can we consolidate across cables, sensors, and antennas to streamline procurement?

Signals to monitor

• AI capex plans from hyperscalers and defense primes. They dictate volume and timelines.
• Lead-time movements. Shorter lead times are a green light to lock multi-site rollouts.
• Attachment rates. If customers trial one product line, introduce the next within the same cycle.

Quick context for customers

Amphenol's guidance and segment growth show sustained demand across core infrastructure. The Trexon acquisition deepens its defense catalog, while the dividend hike signals confidence.

For buyers, this means credible supply, broad compatibility across use cases, and less risk when consolidating vendors.

Helpful sources

• Amphenol Investor Relations
• AI upskilling by job role (for sales pros)