Eagle Materials (NASDAQ: EXP) is not exactly an AI play, as it has no exposure to the tech market beyond its own investment in operational quality. However, as the nation's 7th-largest producer of cement and concrete, and the largest U.S.-owned manufacturer of gypsum wallboard, it is very well positioned for the AI data center buildout.
Datacenters are not only on track to double and triple in number over the coming years, but their size and scale are increasing. They rely heavily on concrete, cement, and gypsum wallboard for structural support in the first two cases, and fire safety, temperature, and humidity control across the board. Domestic cement volume demand alone is expected to double over the coming years, topping 2 million metric tonnes annually, while tepid housing demand for wallboard is expected to be offset by datacenters.
