Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) stock experienced a 24-hour plunge of 5.09% during intraday trading, extending a recent correction phase.

The sharp decline is primarily attributed to significant profit-taking pressure following a rally of over 15% across two prior sessions. This earlier surge was driven by renowned investor Serenity publicly endorsing AAOI as a top U.S. photonics pick and the company's Xinbei factory securing production approval from a hyperscale customer for 800G optical transceiver capacity.

Additionally, the broader Communication Equipment sector experienced a severe selloff, with peers also declining sharply, reflecting bearish sector sentiment. Company-specific factors added to the negative pressure, including a Q1 EPS loss that missed market expectations and a $600 million ATM equity offering plan. Reports of insider selling by a director further weighed on investor sentiment.