Forecast: ZTE Server Shipments May Plunge 28% in Q3, 2026 to Rep

Powerleader Server Q1 Shipments Estimated to Hit Record High of

According to the latest data from DataTrack, Powerleader's server shipment momentum will reach its peak in the first quarter of 2026, with estimated quarterly shipments surging to 37,000 units (37.0 K pcs). This not only surpasses the 34,000 units in the fourth quarter of 2025 but also sets a historical high for this data series. This continues the strong upward trend seen since 2024, reflecting explosive growth in market demand for domestic servers at the beginning of the year. However, data also indicates that shipments will retreat to 29,000 units in Q2, subsequently stabilizing at 30,000 units in Q3, presenting a pattern of "starting high and stabilizing." Examining the data structure, the estimated value of 37,000 units for the first quarter of 2026 represents a substantial growth of 32% compared to the 28,000 units in the same period of 2025, demonstrating significant year-on-year (YoY) momentum. In comparison, although the forecast values for the second and third quarters of 2026 (29.0 and 30.0 thousand units) are corrected from the first-quarter peak, they remain firmly above the average levels of 2023-2024. This trend of surging in Q1 followed by a correction implies that specific large-scale project deliveries (Project-based) or government budget execution cycles may be concentrated at the beginning of the year. Market analysis indicates that Powerleader, as a core complete machine partner in Huawei's "Kunpeng + Ascend" ecosystem, is deeply benefiting from China's "Eastern Data, Western Computing" initiative and the wave of Intelligent Computing Center construction. According to IDC and related media reports, China's AI server market size doubled in 2025. Powerleader has repeatedly won large orders in centralized procurement projects for AI servers from telecom operators such as China Mobile, becoming the main driving force supporting the surge in shipments from late 2025 to early 2026. The Xinchuang (IT application innovation) policy has accelerated domestic substitution in core financial and telecommunications systems, further consolidating Powerleader's market share. Looking ahead, in the short term (1-2 months), market focus will concentrate on whether the supply chain can smoothly deliver the massive orders for Q1; in particular, the supply situation of AI chips and CoWoS capacity will be a key variable. In the medium term (3-6 months), as Q2 forecast data shows shipments will correct by nearly 20%, investors need to pay attention to the timeline for the launch of the next wave of tenders by telecom operators, as well as the progress of inventory digestion for general-purpose servers. If AI project demand remains strong, the forecast value of 30,000 units for Q3 still has room for upward revision. Web Search References: https://news.cnyes.com/news/id/5496464 https://www.digitimes.com/news/a20250311PD205.html https://www.caixinglobal.com/2024-10-10/chinas-ai-server-market-doubles-in-first-half-102116035.html