Camtek Ltd. (CAMT) shares surged 9.43% during Monday's intraday trading session, extending a strong pre-market rally after the semiconductor inspection and metrology equipment provider reported second-quarter financial results that handily beat analyst expectations and issued an exceptionally bullish outlook for the second half of the year.

The company posted record revenues of $133.2 million for the quarter, an 8% year-over-year increase, surpassing the consensus estimate of $130.18 million. Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share came in at $0.78, beating the $0.76 estimate. The real catalyst for the upward move, however, was management's forward guidance. Camtek expects third-quarter revenues of $158 to $160 million, representing a 20% sequential jump, and forecasts more than 30% growth in the second half of 2026 compared to the first half. CEO Rafi Amit highlighted “unprecedented demand for data centers” driven by the AI revolution, citing an exceptional order intake of approximately $600 million since the beginning of the year that has built a record backlog and provided confidence for sustained growth into 2027.

Investors cheered the results and the AI-fueled demand narrative, propelling the stock sharply higher as the company's strong market position in Advanced Packaging and alignment with industry leaders' technology roadmaps underscored its growth trajectory.