Applied Opt is trading 11.9% down at $173.20 as traders take profits following a week of extreme, momentum-driven gains in the AI and optical networking space.

  • The move appears to be a profit-taking pullback rather than a reaction to new company fundamentals.
  • Shares have experienced repeated double-digit swings and outsized volatility amid heavy retail speculation.
  • The correction follows a period where traders aggressively chased exposure to AI-infrastructure names.