Coherent Executives Take the Stage at the Optica Executive Forum at OFC 2026, Spotlighting the Future of AI Networking

Rhea-AI Summary

Coherent (NYSE: COHR) executives will speak at the Optica Executive Forum during OFC 2026 on March 16 in Los Angeles, highlighting photonics' role in AI-driven networking and scale-out datacenter architectures.

Speakers include CEO Jim Anderson on the CEO panel and CTO Julie Eng in a CTO fireside chat, with sessions on optical interconnects and networking roadmaps.

Key Figures

Share price: $217.23 52-week range: $45.58–$247.145 Market cap: $40,726,682,710 +5 more

8 metrics

Share price $217.23 Prior close before OFC 2026 forum announcement

52-week range $45.58–$247.145 52-week low and high before this news

Market cap $40,726,682,710 Equity value prior to OFC 2026 news

Volume today 4,051,735 shares Trading volume vs 20-day average of 5,925,544

Shelf resale shares 9,775,846 shares Maximum common shares registered for resale under S-3ASR

Q2 FY26 revenue $1.69B Up 17% year-over-year (22% pro forma)

Q2 FY26 GAAP EPS $0.76 Reported earnings per share for Q2 FY26

Q3 FY26 guidance $1.70B–$1.84B Revenue guidance range provided on Feb 4, 2026

Market Reality Check

Price: $219.96 Vol: Volume 4,051,735 is at 0....

low vol

$219.96 Last Close

Volume Volume 4,051,735 is at 0.68x the 20-day average of 5,925,544, suggesting no unusual trading interest ahead of the forum. low

Technical Shares at $217.23 trade well above the 200-day MA of $127.01, with the stock already near the top of its recent range.

Peers on Argus

COHR is up 0.52% with modest volume while peers like GRMN (+4.74%), TDY (+2.05%)...

COHR is up 0.52% with modest volume while peers like GRMN (+4.74%), TDY (+2.05%), and KEYS (+1.53%) show stronger single-stock gains and no momentum-scanner cluster, pointing to stock-specific rather than broad sector flow.

Common Catalyst Multiple peers, notably KEYS, also highlighted networking and AI-related product news, indicating an industry focus on next-gen connectivity rather than a coordinated price move.

Previous AI Reports

5 past events · Latest: Dec 03 (Positive)

Same Type Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 03	SiC platform expansion	Positive	+3.7%	Launched 300mm SiC platform targeting AI datacenter thermal efficiency demands.
Oct 27	CPO AI networking demo	Positive	+4.4%	Showcased CPO-enabling photonics for AI-scale networks at NVIDIA GTC DC 2025.
Sep 25	Next-gen VCSEL arrays	Positive	+0.1%	Introduced 2D VCSEL and photodiode arrays for AI-driven optical interconnects.
Jun 12	Thermal material for AI	Positive	-4.4%	Unveiled diamond–SiC thermal material for AI datacenters and HPC systems.
Mar 25	InP fabs for AI lasers	Positive	-1.9%	Announced 6-inch indium phosphide fabs for AI transceivers and 6G networks.

Pattern Detected

AI-tagged announcements have generally been received positively, with an average move of 0.36%, though two past AI hardware breakthroughs saw negative next-day reactions.

Recent Company History

Across recent AI-tagged updates, Coherent emphasized enabling technologies for AI-scale infrastructure: a 300mm SiC platform for datacenters (Dec 3, 2025), CPO-enabling photonics showcased at NVIDIA GTC DC 2025, high-density 2D VCSEL/PD arrays for optical interconnects, a diamond–silicon carbide thermal material, and 6-inch indium phosphide wafer fabs. The current OFC executive forum appearance continues this AI networking narrative through thought leadership rather than a new product launch.

Historical Comparison

+0.4% avg move · Past AI-tagged news around hardware and materials averaged a 0.36% move. Today’s executive-forum AI ...

AI

+0.4%

Average Historical Move AI

Past AI-tagged news around hardware and materials averaged a 0.36% move. Today’s executive-forum AI networking focus fits the same strategic theme but is lighter on new product specifics.

AI-focused news has progressed from new wafer fabs and thermal materials to advanced VCSEL arrays and SiC platforms, consistently positioning Coherent as an enabler of AI-scale optical interconnects and datacenter infrastructure.

Regulatory & Risk Context

Active S-3 Shelf

Shelf Active

Active S-3 Shelf Registration 2025-12-16

An effective S-3ASR filed on 2025-12-16 allows selling securityholders to resell up to 9,775,846 shares of common stock issued from Series B-2 preferred conversion through 2028-12-16. The company receives no proceeds and has reported 0 usage events so far.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement emphasizes Coherent’s role in AI networking thought leadership at OFC 2026, with e...

Analysis

This announcement emphasizes Coherent’s role in AI networking thought leadership at OFC 2026, with executives speaking on optics, scale-out datacenter networks, and optical interconnects. It complements earlier AI-focused product and materials updates, such as VCSEL arrays and SiC platforms for datacenters. With shares already near the upper end of the 52-week range, future updates on concrete design wins, deployment metrics, and AI-related revenue will be key watchpoints.

Key Terms

optical interconnects

1 terms

optical interconnects technical

"will share insights on optical interconnects for scale-out systems"

Optical interconnects are systems that use light instead of electrical signals to move data between parts of computers, data centers, or telecom equipment, like replacing copper wires with tiny light pipes. They matter to investors because they can greatly increase speed and capacity while lowering power use and heat, making digital networks faster and cheaper to scale; think of swapping a crowded city road for a high-speed rail line that carries much more traffic efficiently.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

SAXONBURG, Pa., Feb. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coherent Corp. (NYSE: COHR), a global leader in photonics, today announced the participation of its executives in key thought leadership sessions at the Optica Executive Forum during OFC 2026, the premier global event for optical networking and communications.

Coherent’s Chief Executive Officer Jim Anderson will be a featured panelist on the CEO Panel on Monday, March 16, at the JW Marriott Hotel Los Angeles L.A. LIVE. He will join industry peers to share perspectives on the evolving role of optics in enabling next-generation networks and AI-driven infrastructure.

In addition, Dr. Julie Eng - Chief Technology Officer at Coherent - will take part in a fireside chat with CTOs, offering perspectives on Coherent technology roadmap, innovation priorities, and the photonics advancements shaping future optical networking solutions.

On the same day, Coherent executives will also contribute to discussions focused on scale-out datacenter networks, an increasingly critical topic as bandwidth demands and network architectures continue to evolve. Dr. Sanjai Parthasarathi - Chief Marketing Officer -will moderate the session, guiding dialogue on emerging trends and architectural considerations, while Vipul Bhatt - Vice President, Corporate Strategic Marketing - will share insights on optical interconnects for scale-out systems.

“The executive forum at OFC continues to be the foremost venue for industry dialogue and collaboration in optical networking,” said Dr. Sanjai Parthasarathi, Chief Marketing Officer at Coherent. “As the industry navigates rapid advances in photonics, AI-driven networking, compute and datacenter architectures, we look forward to sharing insights on scale-up, scale-out and scale-across networks and engaging with peers, customers, and partners on the technologies shaping the future.”

Coherent’s participation at the Optica Executive Forum and at OFC 2026 underscores the company’s commitment to advancing photonics innovation and collaborating across the ecosystem to enable the next generation of optical networking solutions.

About Coherent 

Coherent is the global photonics leader. We harness photons to drive innovation. Industry leaders in the datacenter, communications, and industrial markets rely on Coherent’s world-leading technology to fuel their own innovation and growth.

Founded in 1971 and operating in more than 20 countries, Coherent brings the industry’s broadest, deepest technology stack; unmatched supply chain resilience; and global scale to help its customers solve their toughest technology challenges.

Media Contact:
innovations@coherent.com 

FAQ

What will Coherent (COHR) executives discuss at the Optica Executive Forum on March 16, 2026?

They will discuss photonics enabling AI-driven networks and scale-out datacenter architectures. According to Coherent, sessions cover technology roadmaps, optical interconnects, and strategic implications for next-generation networking solutions.

Which Coherent (COHR) leaders are speaking at OFC 2026 and what are their roles?

CEO Jim Anderson and CTO Julie Eng are featured speakers, joined by other executives. According to Coherent, Anderson will join the CEO panel and Eng will appear in a CTO fireside chat on March 16.

How will Coherent (COHR) contribute to discussions about scale-out datacenter networks at OFC 2026?

Coherent will offer technical and market perspectives on scale-out network design and optical interconnects. According to Coherent, executives will moderate and present insights on architecture, bandwidth demands, and implementation considerations.

When and where is the Optica Executive Forum session featuring Coherent (COHR) executives?

The Coherent sessions are scheduled for Monday, March 16, 2026 at the JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE. According to Coherent, the events are part of OFC 2026's executive forum program.

What topics will Coherent (COHR) CTO Julie Eng address in her fireside chat at OFC 2026?

Julie Eng will address Coherent's technology roadmap, innovation priorities, and photonics advancements. According to Coherent, the chat will focus on solutions shaping future optical networking and datacenter connectivity.