MaxLinear raises 2026 optical data center revenue forecast to $250M-$270M

MaxLinear just told investors its optical data center business is growing faster than it thought three months ago. The company now expects 2026 revenue from that segment to land between $250 million and $270 million. That is the second upgrade this year. The low end of the new range sits above the top of the old one. The numbers behind the raise MaxLinear (NASDAQ: MXL) reported third-quarter 2026 results on October 22, 2026. Alongside the earnings, it lifted the optical data center outlook from a prior estimate of $210 million to $230 million. That earlier range was itself a raise, set during the second quarter of 2026. So the target has moved up twice in roughly six months. Total revenue for the third quarter came in at $218.1 million. That marked a 72% jump from the same quarter a year earlier and a 29% gain over the prior quarter. Infrastructure revenue was the standout line. It reached approximately $125 million in the quarter, up 210% year over year. The company credited much of the momentum to its high-speed optical DSP products. The workhorse right now is MaxLinear’s Keystone platform, which supports 800G deployments. Guidance points to more of the same For the fourth quarte...