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Aslan Research · Chips

ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES INC (AMD)

Data as of 2026-08-21 · 27 quarters · filed in USD

Revenue grew 32% per year while expenses grew 31%, leaving a much larger operating scale than the $222 million backlog. The backlog is small beside $41.3 billion of trailing-year revenue.

Revenue, last 12 mo $41B to 2026-06-27
Spend, last 12 mo $35B cost + R&D + admin + tax
Debt they report $3.2B balance-sheet borrowings
Money promised $4.3B debt + leases + purchases
Unrealized revenue $0 + $222M signed backlog
Due in next 5 years $71B the obligation wall

Earned, collected early, and merely signed

revenue (qtr)signed backlogdeferredQ3 '19Q2 '21Q4 '22Q4 '24Q2 '26$6.1B$12B

Reports $3.2B of debt; has promised $4.3B

Committed obligations total $4.3 billion, or 1.3x reported debt of $3.2 billion. Leases account for $1.1 billion of the committed total beyond debt.

promisedreported debtQ3 '19Q2 '21Q4 '22Q4 '24Q2 '26$8.5B$17B

What the promised total is made of, latest quarter

debtleasespurchase deals
today
75%
25%

Spending, by reported line

Cost of revenueR&DSelling & adminTax
2020
75%
28%
14%
2021
64%
21%
11%
2022
64%
25%
12%
2023
61%
29%
12%
2024
58%
29%
12%
2025
59%
27%
14%

When the promises come due

The next 5 years carry $70.8 billion of obligations against $594 million of future revenue promised for that period. That is a 119.2x gap between amounts due and revenue promised.

$71Bnext 5 years$51Myears 5–10$0beyond 10$1.3Bafter yr 5, undated$594Mrevenue promised to them

The rates that matter

Revenue growth /yr 32% 2020-Q2 → 2026-Q2
Expense growth /yr 31%
Promised money /yr 22%
Reported debt /yr 21%
Deferred revenue /yr
Quarters re-stated 1 of 27 by cited reconciliation

Expenses as filed vs after cited reconciliation

$3.4Bfiled2019$3.4Breality2019$7.2Bfiled2020$7.2Breality2020$13Bfiled2021$13Breality2021$20Bfiled2022$20Breality2022$15Bfiled2023$15Breality2023$23Bfiled2024$23Breality2024$30Bfiled2025$29Breality2025$18Bfiled2026$18Breality2026

10 patterns worth a second look

The largest disclosed exposure is $4.1 billion tied to guarantees of commercial partners' data-center lease obligations. Other notable items include $1.3 billion to $4.5 billion tied to future data-center and real-estate lease payments that had not yet commenced, and an unsecured parent guarantee tied to ZT Systems' credit facility of approximately $642 million. The disclosures also describe an $800 million export-control inventory charge followed by a $360 million reversal in the same fiscal year's fourth quarter, plus recurring substantial purchases and payables tied to ATMP joint ventures in which AMD holds a 15% interest.

circular financing · 1

The filings report AMD financing an ATMP joint venture that also supplies AMD and receives resale revenue from AMD.

off balance sheet · 3

The filings report guarantees of commercial partners' data-center lease obligations with maximum gross exposure of $4.1 billion.

The filings report $1.3 billion to $4.5 billion of future payments for data-center and real-estate leases that had not yet commenced.

The filings report an unsecured parent guarantee of ZT Systems' obligations under an asset-based revolving credit facility of approximately $642 million.

one time dressing · 1

The filings report a $800 million export-control inventory charge followed by a $360 million reversal in the fourth quarter of the same fiscal year.

redefinition · 1

The filings change the reported scope of international-sales comparisons from customer billing location to a broader risk-factor presentation while the percentages vary by period.

related party exposure · 1

The filings report recurring, substantial purchases and payables with ATMP joint ventures in which AMD holds a 15% interest.

subsequent event · 3

The filings report a $900 million favorable tax-provision impact after the March 2025 quarter from IRS approval.

The filings report the ZT Systems acquisition closing after the March 2025 quarter, followed by a $4.4 billion recorded purchase consideration.

The filings report a subsequent $2.4 billion cash receipt when AMD completed the sale of the ZT Manufacturing Business to Sanmina.

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