The Shocking Number in Nvidia’s Q2 Earnings the Market Is Missing

A Market Misstep on Nvidia’s Stellar Q2

Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) released its second-quarter 2026 earnings report yesterday, delivering a performance that, by most metrics, was nothing short of extraordinary. The artificial intelligence (AI) chipmaker reported $46.7 billion in revenue, surpassing consensus estimates and beating earnings per share expectations, while also issuing Q3 guidance that exceeded Wall Street’s forecasts. 

However, the market’s reaction was surprisingly tepid, with NVDA’s stock dropping as much as 5% in after-hours trading and remaining down about 1% premarket. The culprit? A slight miss in the data center segment, where revenue came in at $41.1 billion against expectations of $41.2 billion. 

This narrow shortfall in the high-flying data center business — a cornerstone of Nvidia’s AI dominance — overshadowed the broader success. Yet, buried in the report is a shocking number the market seems to be missing entirely.

China’s Shadow Looms Large

The market’s fixation on Nvidia’s data center “miss” appears heavily tied to concerns about China. Geopolitical tensions and U.S. export controls have severely restricted Nvidia’s ability to ship its H20 chips, designed specifically for the Chinese market, leading to a $5.5 billion inventory writedown in the first quarter. 

Investors seem to view China as a critical growth driver, and the absence of these sales has fueled a negative outlook. Beijing’s recent push to boycott H20 chips, favoring domestic alternatives, has further dampened sentiment, suggesting Nvidia’s access to this massive market may remain limited. 

This narrative has dominated post-earnings discussions, with analysts pointing to the data center shortfall as evidence of vulnerability in Nvidia’s growth story, particularly in light of China’s restrictions.

The Overlooked Triumph

What the market is missing, however, is a jaw-dropping reality: Nvidia achieved a record-breaking $46.7 billion in quarterly revenue without shipping a single H20 chip to China. This figure alone underscores the company’s unparalleled strength in the global AI infrastructure boom. 

Even more striking, Nvidia’s Q3 guidance of $54 billion — also excluding any China sales — signals continued explosive growth. CFO Colette Kress had emphasized on Nvidia’s first-quarter earnings call, “Had the export controls not occurred, we would have had orders of about $8 billion for H20 [in Q2].” In yesterday’s call, Kress said, “If geopolitical issues subside, we should ship between $2 billion to $5 billion in H20 revenue in Q3” to China. 

It’s clear trade tensions are having an impact on sales, and these projections highlight a massive untapped opportunity. If Nvidia regains access to China, it could supercharge an already robust growth trajectory, potentially shattering revenue expectations.

China as a Bonus, Not a Necessity

Nvidia’s ability to post record revenues and provide even higher guidance without China sales reveals a critical truth: the company doesn’t need China to dominate. The global demand for Nvidia’s AI chips, particularly its Blackwell and Hopper architectures, is so strong that it has more than compensated for the loss of the Chinese market. 

Networking revenue, for instance, surged 98% year-over-year and 46% sequentially to $7.3 billion, driven by demand for Spectrum-X, InfiniBand, and NVLink. In May, Nvidia had said Blackwell revenue hit $27 billion, or 70% of data center revenue, and it rose 17% from that figure in Q2. This diversified growth across platforms and regions showcases Nvidia’s resilience. 

Should China reopen as a market, even partially, the potential $2 billion to $5 billion in H20 revenue would act as a turbocharger, not a lifeline, for Nvidia’s already stellar performance.

Key Takeaway

By all accounts, Nvidia’s Q2 earnings were phenomenal, showcasing its iron grip on the AI and accelerated computing markets. The market’s focus on a minor data center miss and China-related headwinds overlooks the company’s ability to generate $46.7 billion in revenue and guide for $54 billion in Q3 without any China sales. 

Beijing’s boycott of H20 chips may delay Nvidia’s return to that market, but the company’s soaring sales elsewhere prove China is not everything for the chipmaker. This resilience cements Nvidia’s dominance, making any continued stock weakness a compelling buying opportunity for investors. 

The market’s myopia is missing the bigger picture: Nvidia is a juggernaut, with or without China.