✦ OCI: From $18 Billion to $144 BillionThin moat

Oracle (ORCL) — the future bets

Oracle met the first year of its eightfold cloud plan almost to the dollar, and the hard years start when the largest contracts begin in 2027.

In September 2025 Oracle published a five-year plan for its infrastructure cloud. Cloud infrastructure revenue would grow 77% to $18 billion in fiscal 2026 and then increase to $32 billion, $73 billion, $114 billion and $144 billion over the following four years1. Fiscal 2030 would be eight times fiscal 20262.

Oracle cloud infrastructure plan ($bn)18FY2026 plan18.1FY2026 actual32FY202773FY2028114FY2029144FY2030Oracle Q1 FY2026 results release (plan); Form 10-K FY2026 (actual)
Year one delivered; year three is the test.

The first year was delivered almost exactly. Cloud infrastructure revenue was $18,101 million in fiscal 20263. The first quarter of fiscal 2027 brought $7,388 million, up 121%4, an annual rate of about $29.6 billion5, close to the $32 billion planned for the full year. Oracle guides cloud revenue growth of 65% to 71% for the second quarter6.

The later years are where the plan becomes a bet. The step from $32 billion to $73 billion in fiscal 2028 is roughly when the large AI contracts, including the one reportedly with OpenAI starting in 20277, begin to be delivered. It requires the datacenters now being built to be finished and powered on time.

Oracle's co-chief executive said in October 2025 that it would become "a little bit easier for us to find supply, not this year or next year, but in subsequent years"8. That is a candid statement that supply, not demand, sets the pace.

The plan sits inside a much larger commitment to capacity. Oracle's leases not yet commenced were $288 billion at the end of August 20269, and it entered a further $19 billion of unconditional purchase commitments for cloud infrastructure assets after May 202610. The revenue plan and the lease book are two sides of one promise.

The plan is the clearest measure Oracle has given of its own success. Fiscal 2028 is the year to watch: cloud infrastructure revenue well short of $73 billion would mean capacity, power or customers did not arrive on the schedule the plan assumed.

Moat trajectory: Widening

FY2026 target met; Q1 FY2027 run rate about $29.6bn.

The number that tests this moat
Moat Explorer calc
Cloud infrastructure annual run rate, latest quarter
About $29.6bn (Q1 FY2027 x 4), against a $32bn plan for FY2027

Progress on the published plan; a run rate falling behind it would mean supply or customers are late.

How it's calculated: Q1 FY2027 cloud infrastructure revenue ($7,388M) multiplied by four, from Oracle's Q1 FY2027 results release.
Source: Moat Explorer calculation from Oracle filings ↗
References
  1. ReportedCloud infrastructure revenue would grow 77% to $18 billion in fiscal 2026 and then increase to $32 billion, $73 billion, $114 billion and $144 billion over the following four years.
    Oracle first-quarter fiscal 2026 results release, Form 8-K exhibit 99.1 - the OCI revenue plan and four multi-billion-dollar contracts. — Q1 FY2026 · publ. 9 September 2025 · source ↗
  2. Moat Explorer calcFiscal 2030 would be eight times fiscal 2026.
    Moat Explorer calculation from Oracle's reported figures ($ millions unless stated; fiscal years end 31 May). Revenue lines: software support 19,804 / 19,365 - 1 = 2.3% (FY2022-FY2026); support share 19,804 / 67,357 = 29.4%; support Q1 FY2027 4,895 / 4,955 - 1 = -1.2%; licences FY2026 4,737 / 5,201 - 1 = -8.9%; licences Q1 FY2027 655 / 766 - 1 = -14.5%; licences FY2017 to FY2026 4,737 / 6,523 - 1 = -27.4%; fourth-quarter licences 1,881 / 4,737 = 39.7%. Software (licence plus support) FY2022 5,878 + 19,365 = 25,243; FY2023 5,779 + 19,426 = 25,205; FY2026 24,541 / 24,724 - 1 = -0.7%; software share 24,541 / 67,357 = 36.4%. Cloud infrastructure FY2026 18,101 / 10,234 - 1 = 76.9%; FY2024 to FY2026 18,101 / 6,840 = 2.6 times; share 18,101 / 67,357 = 26.9%; Q1 FY2027 share 7,388 / 19,345 = 38.2%; annual run rate 7,388 x 4 = 29,552. Cloud applications FY2025 14,272 / 12,934 - 1 = 10.3%; FY2026 15,888 / 14,272 - 1 = 11.3%; share 15,888 / 67,357 = 23.6%; trailing twelve months 15,888 - 3,839 + 4,219 = 16,268. Applications ecosystem revenue 18,172 / 16,651 - 1 = 9.1%; 19,383 / 18,172 - 1 = 6.7%. Hardware segment margin 2,017 / 3,084 = 65.4% (FY2026); 1,709 / 4,152 = 41.2% (FY2017); 1,903 / 3,443 = 55.3% (FY2020); 1,932 / 3,274 = 59.0% (FY2023); 452 / 774 = 58.4% (Q1 FY2027); hardware revenue 3,084 / 4,152 - 1 = -25.7%; 3,084 / 5,205 - 1 = -40.7%; share 3,084 / 67,357 = 4.6%. Services margin 1,533 / 5,743 = 26.7% (FY2026); 993 / 5,233 = 19.0% (FY2025); 698 / 3,359 = 20.8% (FY2017); 450 / 3,106 = 14.5% (FY2020); 1,104 / 5,594 = 19.7% (FY2023); 445 / 1,414 = 31.5% (Q1 FY2027); services growth 5,743 / 5,233 - 1 = 9.7%; share 5,743 / 67,357 = 8.5%; revenue per services employee 5,743 / 34,000 = about $169,000. Cloud and software segment margin 20,801 / 30,452 = 68.3% (FY2017); 23,169 / 34,101 = 67.9% (FY2021); 26,126 / 41,086 = 63.6% (FY2023); 28,514 / 44,464 = 64.1% (FY2024); 30,930 / 49,230 = 62.8% (FY2025); 34,468 / 58,530 = 58.9% (FY2026); 7,691 / 12,907 = 59.6% (Q1 FY2026); 9,358 / 17,157 = 54.5% (Q1 FY2027); segment expenses 16,850 / 8,783 - 1 = 91.8%; segment revenue 58,530 / 44,464 - 1 = 31.6%; Q1 segment revenue 17,157 / 12,907 - 1 = 32.9%. Revenue growth 67,357 / 57,399 - 1 = 17.3%; FY2022 to FY2026 67,357 / 42,440 - 1 = 58.7%; Cerner share of FY2023 revenue 5,900 / 49,954 = 11.8%. Research and development 10,272 / 5,524 = 1.9 times; 10,272 / 67,357 = 15.3%. Sales and marketing 8,274 / 52,961 = 15.6% (FY2024); 8,651 / 57,399 = 15.1% (FY2025); 8,331 / 67,357 = 12.4% (FY2026); 8,331 / 8,651 - 1 = -3.7%; revenue per dollar of selling 52,961 / 8,274 = 6.4 and 67,357 / 8,331 = 8.1. Operating margin 15,353 / 52,961 = 29.0%; 17,678 / 57,399 = 30.8%; 20,606 / 67,357 = 30.6%; before amortisation (15,353 + 3,010) / 52,961 = 34.7%, (17,678 + 2,307) / 57,399 = 34.8%, (20,606 + 1,671) / 67,357 = 33.1%; amortisation 1,671 / 67,357 = 2.5%; non-GAAP less GAAP operating income 28.9 - 20.6 = 8.3 bn. Headcount 162,000 - 141,000 = 21,000, 21,000 / 162,000 = 13%. Headcount against the fiscal 2023 peak 164,000 - 141,000 = 23,000. Hardware FY2015 to FY2026 3,084 / 5,205 - 1 = -40.7%. Amortisation Q1 420 - 202 = 218. Stock compensation plus restructuring FY2026 4,811 + 1,838 = 6,649. Americas 44,478 / 36,339 - 1 = 22.4%; Americas share 23,679 / 42,440 = 55.8% (FY2022), 33,122 / 52,961 = 62.5% (FY2024), 44,478 / 67,357 = 66.0% (FY2026), 13,711 / 19,345 = 70.9% (Q1 FY2027); Asia Pacific 7,582 / 6,750 - 1 = 12.3%; EMEA plus Asia Pacific Q1 FY2027 3,726 + 1,908 = 5,634. US long-lived assets 102,717 / 45,439 = 2.3 times. Free cash flow FY2025 20,821 - 21,215 = -394; FY2024 18,673 - 6,866 = 11,807. Capital expenditure share of revenue 6,866 / 52,961 = 13%; 21,215 / 57,399 = 37%; 55,663 / 67,357 = 83%; 28,499 / 19,345 = 147%. Property added 127,845 - 99,957 = 27,888. Q1 FY2027 operating cash flow excluding prepayments 23,103 - 11,363 = 11,740; prepayments share 11,363 / 23,103 = 49%; free cash flow excluding prepayments -5,396 - 11,363 = -16,759. Borrowings 130,105 / 87,202 - 1 = 49%; net debt May 2025 92,568 - 10,786 - 417 = 81,365; May 2026 129,541 - 31,289 - 605 = 97,647; August 2026 7,625 + 117,712 - 36,369 - 708 = 88,260. Interest 1,428 / 923 - 1 = 55%; interest over operating income 1,428 / 6,728 = 21%. Leases not yet commenced over borrowings 288 / 125.3 = 2.3 times; over total assets 288 / 303.3 = 95%. Depreciation 3,156 / 1,351 = 2.3 times. Diluted shares 3,000 / 2,823 - 1 = 6.3%, 3,000 - 2,823 = 177 million; Ellison 1,158.2 / 3,023.7 = 38.3%; pledged 346 / 1,158 = 30%. Remaining performance obligations: 664 / 138 = 4.8 times; 664 / 455 - 1 = 46%; next twelve months 12% x 638 = 77 bn and 13% x 664 = 86 bn; beyond 36 months 100% - 13% - 37% = 50%; quarterly increases 455 - 138 = 317, 523 - 455 = 68, 553 - 523 = 30, 638 - 553 = 85, 664 - 638 = 26. Targets: 225 / 67.357 = 3.3 times; 225 - 24.5 = about 200 bn; 144 / 18 = 8 times; 20 / 2.4 = 8.3 times; Q1 FY2027 revenue 19,345 / 90,000 = 21.5% of guidance. Other: total assets 303,259 - 261,759 = 41,500 in one quarter; revenue FY2026 against FY2023 67,357 / 49,954 - 1 = 34.8%; cloud infrastructure Q1 FY2027 over Q4 FY2026 7,388 - 5,787 = 1,601; quarterly steps 4,079 - 3,347 = 732, 4,888 - 4,079 = 809, 5,787 - 4,888 = 899; cloud applications share 3,839 / 14,926 = 25.7% (Q1 FY2026) and 4,219 / 19,345 = 21.8% (Q1 FY2027); dividends over support 5,787 / 19,804 = 29.2%; interest, research and dividends 4,599 + 10,272 + 5,787 = 20,658; support FY2015 to FY2026 19,804 - 18,847 = 957; US revenue share 39,835 / 67,357 = 59.1%. Trailing twelve months to August 2026: revenue 67,357 - 14,926 + 19,345 = 71,776; net income 17,087 - 2,927 + 4,760 = 18,920; diluted EPS 5.83 - 1.01 + 1.56 = 6.38; P/E 421,930 / 18,920 = 22.3; P/S 421,930 / 71,776 = 5.88 - growth rates, segment margins and line totals. — FY2015-Q1 FY2027 · publ. September 2026 · source ↗
    Method: Arithmetic on figures reported in Oracle's Forms 10-K and 10-Q, results releases and market data; operands shown in the source line.
  3. ReportedCloud infrastructure revenue was $18,101 million in fiscal 2026.
    Oracle Corporation Form 10-K for fiscal 2026 (year ended 31 May 2026) - Item 7 MD&A and segment note: revenue by line, segment margins, geography and remaining performance obligations. — FY2026 · publ. 22 June 2026 · source ↗
  4. ReportedThe first quarter of fiscal 2027 brought $7,388 million, up 121%, an annual rate of about $29.6 billion, close to the $32 billion planned for the full year.
    Oracle first-quarter fiscal 2027 results release, Form 8-K exhibit 99.1, with supplemental tables - income statement, cash flow statement and balance sheet. — Q1 FY2027 · publ. 10 September 2026 · source ↗
  5. Moat Explorer calcThe first quarter of fiscal 2027 brought $7,388 million, up 121%, an annual rate of about $29.6 billion, close to the $32 billion planned for the full year.
    Moat Explorer calculation from Oracle's reported figures ($ millions unless stated; fiscal years end 31 May). Revenue lines: software support 19,804 / 19,365 - 1 = 2.3% (FY2022-FY2026); support share 19,804 / 67,357 = 29.4%; support Q1 FY2027 4,895 / 4,955 - 1 = -1.2%; licences FY2026 4,737 / 5,201 - 1 = -8.9%; licences Q1 FY2027 655 / 766 - 1 = -14.5%; licences FY2017 to FY2026 4,737 / 6,523 - 1 = -27.4%; fourth-quarter licences 1,881 / 4,737 = 39.7%. Software (licence plus support) FY2022 5,878 + 19,365 = 25,243; FY2023 5,779 + 19,426 = 25,205; FY2026 24,541 / 24,724 - 1 = -0.7%; software share 24,541 / 67,357 = 36.4%. Cloud infrastructure FY2026 18,101 / 10,234 - 1 = 76.9%; FY2024 to FY2026 18,101 / 6,840 = 2.6 times; share 18,101 / 67,357 = 26.9%; Q1 FY2027 share 7,388 / 19,345 = 38.2%; annual run rate 7,388 x 4 = 29,552. Cloud applications FY2025 14,272 / 12,934 - 1 = 10.3%; FY2026 15,888 / 14,272 - 1 = 11.3%; share 15,888 / 67,357 = 23.6%; trailing twelve months 15,888 - 3,839 + 4,219 = 16,268. Applications ecosystem revenue 18,172 / 16,651 - 1 = 9.1%; 19,383 / 18,172 - 1 = 6.7%. Hardware segment margin 2,017 / 3,084 = 65.4% (FY2026); 1,709 / 4,152 = 41.2% (FY2017); 1,903 / 3,443 = 55.3% (FY2020); 1,932 / 3,274 = 59.0% (FY2023); 452 / 774 = 58.4% (Q1 FY2027); hardware revenue 3,084 / 4,152 - 1 = -25.7%; 3,084 / 5,205 - 1 = -40.7%; share 3,084 / 67,357 = 4.6%. Services margin 1,533 / 5,743 = 26.7% (FY2026); 993 / 5,233 = 19.0% (FY2025); 698 / 3,359 = 20.8% (FY2017); 450 / 3,106 = 14.5% (FY2020); 1,104 / 5,594 = 19.7% (FY2023); 445 / 1,414 = 31.5% (Q1 FY2027); services growth 5,743 / 5,233 - 1 = 9.7%; share 5,743 / 67,357 = 8.5%; revenue per services employee 5,743 / 34,000 = about $169,000. Cloud and software segment margin 20,801 / 30,452 = 68.3% (FY2017); 23,169 / 34,101 = 67.9% (FY2021); 26,126 / 41,086 = 63.6% (FY2023); 28,514 / 44,464 = 64.1% (FY2024); 30,930 / 49,230 = 62.8% (FY2025); 34,468 / 58,530 = 58.9% (FY2026); 7,691 / 12,907 = 59.6% (Q1 FY2026); 9,358 / 17,157 = 54.5% (Q1 FY2027); segment expenses 16,850 / 8,783 - 1 = 91.8%; segment revenue 58,530 / 44,464 - 1 = 31.6%; Q1 segment revenue 17,157 / 12,907 - 1 = 32.9%. Revenue growth 67,357 / 57,399 - 1 = 17.3%; FY2022 to FY2026 67,357 / 42,440 - 1 = 58.7%; Cerner share of FY2023 revenue 5,900 / 49,954 = 11.8%. Research and development 10,272 / 5,524 = 1.9 times; 10,272 / 67,357 = 15.3%. Sales and marketing 8,274 / 52,961 = 15.6% (FY2024); 8,651 / 57,399 = 15.1% (FY2025); 8,331 / 67,357 = 12.4% (FY2026); 8,331 / 8,651 - 1 = -3.7%; revenue per dollar of selling 52,961 / 8,274 = 6.4 and 67,357 / 8,331 = 8.1. Operating margin 15,353 / 52,961 = 29.0%; 17,678 / 57,399 = 30.8%; 20,606 / 67,357 = 30.6%; before amortisation (15,353 + 3,010) / 52,961 = 34.7%, (17,678 + 2,307) / 57,399 = 34.8%, (20,606 + 1,671) / 67,357 = 33.1%; amortisation 1,671 / 67,357 = 2.5%; non-GAAP less GAAP operating income 28.9 - 20.6 = 8.3 bn. Headcount 162,000 - 141,000 = 21,000, 21,000 / 162,000 = 13%. Headcount against the fiscal 2023 peak 164,000 - 141,000 = 23,000. Hardware FY2015 to FY2026 3,084 / 5,205 - 1 = -40.7%. Amortisation Q1 420 - 202 = 218. Stock compensation plus restructuring FY2026 4,811 + 1,838 = 6,649. Americas 44,478 / 36,339 - 1 = 22.4%; Americas share 23,679 / 42,440 = 55.8% (FY2022), 33,122 / 52,961 = 62.5% (FY2024), 44,478 / 67,357 = 66.0% (FY2026), 13,711 / 19,345 = 70.9% (Q1 FY2027); Asia Pacific 7,582 / 6,750 - 1 = 12.3%; EMEA plus Asia Pacific Q1 FY2027 3,726 + 1,908 = 5,634. US long-lived assets 102,717 / 45,439 = 2.3 times. Free cash flow FY2025 20,821 - 21,215 = -394; FY2024 18,673 - 6,866 = 11,807. Capital expenditure share of revenue 6,866 / 52,961 = 13%; 21,215 / 57,399 = 37%; 55,663 / 67,357 = 83%; 28,499 / 19,345 = 147%. Property added 127,845 - 99,957 = 27,888. Q1 FY2027 operating cash flow excluding prepayments 23,103 - 11,363 = 11,740; prepayments share 11,363 / 23,103 = 49%; free cash flow excluding prepayments -5,396 - 11,363 = -16,759. Borrowings 130,105 / 87,202 - 1 = 49%; net debt May 2025 92,568 - 10,786 - 417 = 81,365; May 2026 129,541 - 31,289 - 605 = 97,647; August 2026 7,625 + 117,712 - 36,369 - 708 = 88,260. Interest 1,428 / 923 - 1 = 55%; interest over operating income 1,428 / 6,728 = 21%. Leases not yet commenced over borrowings 288 / 125.3 = 2.3 times; over total assets 288 / 303.3 = 95%. Depreciation 3,156 / 1,351 = 2.3 times. Diluted shares 3,000 / 2,823 - 1 = 6.3%, 3,000 - 2,823 = 177 million; Ellison 1,158.2 / 3,023.7 = 38.3%; pledged 346 / 1,158 = 30%. Remaining performance obligations: 664 / 138 = 4.8 times; 664 / 455 - 1 = 46%; next twelve months 12% x 638 = 77 bn and 13% x 664 = 86 bn; beyond 36 months 100% - 13% - 37% = 50%; quarterly increases 455 - 138 = 317, 523 - 455 = 68, 553 - 523 = 30, 638 - 553 = 85, 664 - 638 = 26. Targets: 225 / 67.357 = 3.3 times; 225 - 24.5 = about 200 bn; 144 / 18 = 8 times; 20 / 2.4 = 8.3 times; Q1 FY2027 revenue 19,345 / 90,000 = 21.5% of guidance. Other: total assets 303,259 - 261,759 = 41,500 in one quarter; revenue FY2026 against FY2023 67,357 / 49,954 - 1 = 34.8%; cloud infrastructure Q1 FY2027 over Q4 FY2026 7,388 - 5,787 = 1,601; quarterly steps 4,079 - 3,347 = 732, 4,888 - 4,079 = 809, 5,787 - 4,888 = 899; cloud applications share 3,839 / 14,926 = 25.7% (Q1 FY2026) and 4,219 / 19,345 = 21.8% (Q1 FY2027); dividends over support 5,787 / 19,804 = 29.2%; interest, research and dividends 4,599 + 10,272 + 5,787 = 20,658; support FY2015 to FY2026 19,804 - 18,847 = 957; US revenue share 39,835 / 67,357 = 59.1%. Trailing twelve months to August 2026: revenue 67,357 - 14,926 + 19,345 = 71,776; net income 17,087 - 2,927 + 4,760 = 18,920; diluted EPS 5.83 - 1.01 + 1.56 = 6.38; P/E 421,930 / 18,920 = 22.3; P/S 421,930 / 71,776 = 5.88 - growth rates, segment margins and line totals. — FY2015-Q1 FY2027 · publ. September 2026 · source ↗
    Method: Arithmetic on figures reported in Oracle's Forms 10-K and 10-Q, results releases and market data; operands shown in the source line.
  6. ReportedOracle guides cloud revenue growth of 65% to 71% for the second quarter.
    Oracle first-quarter fiscal 2027 results release, Form 8-K exhibit 99.1, with supplemental tables - commentary, bookings, capacity delivered and guidance. — Q1 FY2027 · publ. 10 September 2026 · source ↗
  7. Third-party estimateThe step from $32 billion to $73 billion in fiscal 2028 is roughly when the large AI contracts, including the one reportedly with OpenAI starting in 2027, begin to be delivered.
    DatacenterDynamics, OpenAI signs $300bn cloud deal with Oracle (report), citing the Wall Street Journal. — September 2025 · publ. 11 September 2025 · source ↗
  8. ReportedOracle's co-chief executive said in October 2025 that it would become "a little bit easier for us to find supply, not this year or next year, but in subsequent years".
    CNBC, Oracle confirms Meta cloud deal; fiscal 2030 targets of $225 billion revenue and $21 EPS; AI infrastructure margins and AI database targets. — October 2025 · publ. 16 October 2025 · source ↗
  9. ReportedOracle's leases not yet commenced were $288 billion at the end of August 2026, and it entered a further $19 billion of unconditional purchase commitments for cloud infrastructure assets after May 2026.
    Oracle Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 31 August 2026 - segments, leases not yet commenced, the ATM share programme, RPO timing and shares outstanding. — Q1 FY2027 · publ. 11 September 2026 · source ↗
  10. ReportedOracle's leases not yet commenced were $288 billion at the end of August 2026, and it entered a further $19 billion of unconditional purchase commitments for cloud infrastructure assets after May 2026.
    Oracle Corporation Form 10-K for fiscal 2026 (year ended 31 May 2026) - notes on borrowings, leases, commitments and guarantees. — FY2026 · publ. 22 June 2026 · source ↗
Sources
Generated September 25, 2026