Applied Digital Surges 15.97% on $3 Billion AI Factory Announcement Trading Volume Hits $1.13 Billion Ranking 59th in Market Activity

On August 18, 2025, Applied Digital (NASDAQ: APLD) surged 15.97% to close with a trading volume of $1.13 billion, ranking 59th in market activity. The stock’s performance followed the company’s announcement to break ground in September 2025 on its $3 billion Polaris Forge 2 AI Factory in Harwood, North Dakota. The 280-megawatt facility, designed to scale beyond its initial capacity, is slated for initial operations in 2026 and full capacity by early 2027.

The project, spanning over 900 acres, underscores Applied Digital’s expansion in AI infrastructure amid surging demand for compute power. The company secured power through Cass County Electric Cooperative and highlighted North Dakota’s advantages, including abundant energy, available land, and a pro-business environment. CEO Wes Cummins emphasized the campus as a strategic milestone, with advanced negotiations underway with a U.S.-based investment-grade hyperscaler to anchor the facility.

Local stakeholders, including North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong and Cass County Electric Cooperative, praised the project’s economic and community benefits. The facility is projected to create over 200 full-time jobs and reinforce the state’s position as a key hub for AI infrastructure. Applied Digital’s prior success with the Polaris Forge 1 Ellendale campus further positions the company to capitalize on high-performance computing trends.

The strategy of buying the top 500 stocks by daily trading volume and holding them for one day from 2022 to now delivered moderate returns. The 1-day return was 0.98%, with a total return of 31.52% over 365 days. This indicates the strategy captured some short-term momentum but also reflected market volatility and potential timing risks.