Up 15% in 2026! Why Nvidia shares could be in for a huge week

Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA) shares are heading into one of their biggest weeks of 2026.

The Nvidia share price closed Friday at US$214.72, down 0.98% for the session. Despite the fall, the stock is still up around 15% since the beginning of the year and roughly 23% over the past 12 months.

It is also trading about 9% below its 52-week high of US$236.54.

Attention will now turn to the AI chip giant’s second-quarter results, due after the US market closes on Wednesday. This means Australian shareholders will get the numbers early Thursday morning.

So, what should investors be watching?

Wall Street is expecting another huge result

Let’s cut to the chase. Expectations are already extremely high.

According to Reuters, analysts are looking for quarterly revenue of around US$92 billion, nearly double what Nvidia reported a year earlier. Wall Street is also expecting adjusted earnings of around US$2.09 per share.

Nvidia itself guided to second-quarter revenue of around US$91 billion when it released its first-quarter numbers in May.

The company is coming off another huge quarter. Revenue jumped 85% year on year to a record US$81.6 billion, while Data Center revenue climbed 92% to US$75.2 billion.

Keep in mind, those numbers leave Nvidia with a very high bar to clear this week. A strong result may not be enough if management’s outlook even slightly disappoints the market.

AI server prices are heading higher

There’s also something else to watch before the result.

Reuters reported over the weekend that some of Nvidia’s largest customers have been told prices for servers containing its AI chips will rise by more than 15%.

The increases are expected to apply to systems shipped early next year, including those using Nvidia’s Vera Rubin and Grace Blackwell chips. More expensive memory is behind the move, as key components used in AI servers have become considerably more costly.

Passing some of that added expense on to customers could help Nvidia protect its margins. Thursday’s result should also give the market a better idea of whether buyers are starting to push back.

Another big AI bet

Furthermore, Nvidia has been busy away from its chip business.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the company plans to invest US$1 billion in AI startup, Poolside, and pay US$6 billion to license its technology. Nvidia is also expected to bring across most of Poolside’s engineers.

The deal would give Nvidia a bigger presence in open-weight AI models and put it more directly up against companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic.

What should investors watch on Thursday?

Revenue and earnings will attract plenty of attention, but the outlook is likely to have the biggest say in how Nvidia shares move.

The market will also be listening for any comments on Blackwell demand, the progress of Vera Rubin, and whether gross margins can remain around the mid-70% range.

With Nvidia already valued at US$5.2 trillion, there isn’t much room for disappointment.

The post Up 15% in 2026! Why Nvidia shares could be in for a huge week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.