POET Technologies shares surge 28.95% after-hours as Marvell's $3.25B acquisition of Celestial AI validates its photonic technology.

POET Technologies surged 28.95% in after-hours trading following Marvell Technology’s announced acquisition of Celestial AI for $3.25 billion (plus up to $2.25 billion in performance-based consideration). The move validated POET’s photonics technology, as Celestial AI—a prior POET customer—utilizes POET’s optical interposer in its systems. Marvell highlighted the acquisition as critical for advancing AI and cloud data center connectivity, positioning POET’s optical solutions as essential for next-generation infrastructure. Analysts, including Northland, upgraded POET’s price target to $8, citing the acquisition’s implications for demand in optics components. Additionally, POET’s recent 1.6T optical receiver launch with Semtech, tailored for AI clusters, reinforced investor optimism. The stock’s sharp rise also reflected heightened retail interest and speculative trading on platforms like r/wallstreetbets.