MORRISVILLE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Extreme Networks, Inc. ("Extreme†) (Nasdaq: EXTR) today released financial results for its second quarter of fiscal 2026 ended December 31, 2025. Extreme FY26 Results - Seven Consecutive Quarters of Revenue Growth Share Kevin Rhodes, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer stated, "Second quarter results exceeded our expectations for revenue and profitability. Our results highlight the leverage in our business model, where earnings growth exceeds revenue gr ...

Summary of Earnings Conference Call Insights Industry Overview - **Industry Focus**: US Enterprise Hardware and Networking - **Key Trends**: AI infrastructure investments are expected to drive earnings per share (EPS) beats for select companies, while traditional demand remains uneven. Strong performance is anticipated in AI-centric data centers, supported by robust financial results from vendors like Ciena and EMS providers such as Jabil and TD SYNNEX [2][4]. Company-Specific Insights Arista Networks (ANET) - **Performance Expectations**: Anticipated revenue for December quarter is $2.42 billion, approximately 3% above the estimate of $2.35 billion, reflecting a 25% year-over-year growth against a guide of 19% to 24% [10][11]. - **EPS Forecast**: Expected diluted EPS of ~$0.79, which is a 5% beat compared to the estimate of $0.75 [10][11]. - **Revenue Guidance**: Expected to raise the CY26 revenue guidance to 22% growth from the previous 20% due to strong AI investments and $2.5 billion in deferred revenue entering the December quarter [18][19]. - **Historical Performance**: Over the past five years, Arista has consistently exceeded revenue guidance by an average of 4% in the December quarter [7][13]. - **Operating Margins**: Expected operating margin of at least 48.3%, which is approximately 150 basis points above the estimate of 46.8% [11]. IBM - **Revenue Expectations**: Anticipated revenue of $19.2 billion for the December quarter, in line with consensus estimates [22][25]. - **Segment Performance**: Expected constant currency growth of ~9% in Software, ~2% in Consulting, and ~6% in Infrastructure [22][24]. - **EPS Forecast**: Expected adjusted EPS of $4.29, slightly below consensus of $4.30 [23][25]. - **Future Guidance**: Anticipated guidance for CY26 revenue growth of 5+%, including a contribution from the pending Confluent acquisition [39][42]. Celestica (CLS) - **Revenue Expectations**: Projected revenue of $3.61 billion for the December quarter, which is 3% to 4% above the guide, driven by strong demand for AI back-end 800G switches [49][54]. - **EPS Forecast**: Expected adjusted EPS of $1.86, approximately 7.5% above the midpoint of the company outlook [49][54]. - **Future Guidance**: Anticipated increase in CY26 revenue and EPS guidance to $16.5 billion and $8.70 respectively, reflecting strong demand in both HPS switching and TPU/Compute [62][63]. Extreme Networks (EXTM) - **Performance Expectations**: Continued strength in wired and wireless markets is expected to support upside in December quarter revenue and EPS estimates [68]. Lumentum - **Revenue Expectations**: Expected revenue to exceed estimates by at least 5%, driven by strong demand for laser chips and transceivers [4]. Key Takeaways - **AI Investment Impact**: Companies like Arista, Celestica, and Lumentum are well-positioned to benefit from AI infrastructure investments, with expectations of revenue and EPS beats [2][4]. - **Market Sentiment**: Investor expectations for Celestica and Lumentum are notably high, while Arista's expectations are more modest, indicating a preference for Arista based on its conservative outlook [2][4]. - **Guidance Trends**: Companies are expected to provide optimistic guidance for the upcoming quarters, reflecting confidence in sustained demand and operational efficiency [18][19][59]. Additional Insights - **Market Dynamics**: The anticipated price increases by customers may lead to a slight demand pull-in, impacting orders positively for companies like Extreme Networks [68]. - **Operational Efficiency**: Companies are maintaining tight control over operating expenses, which is expected to enhance margins despite potential revenue mix challenges [11][23].

Core Insights - Extreme Networks, Inc. has launched a new partner program called Extreme Partner First, aimed at simplifying partner engagement and enhancing collaboration through a unified rebate structure and AI tools [1][4] Group 1: Program Features - The Extreme Partner First program eliminates confusion and delays typical in traditional partner programs, offering quicker deal approvals and clearer pricing [1][2] - It simplifies deal registration and provides transparent pricing, comprehensive training, and certifications to improve time to revenue and profitability [2][6] - The program includes a global, SKU- and volume-based rebate model, enhancing margin predictability for partners [6] Group 2: Partner Benefits - Reseller partners benefit from a unified global deal framework that allows for frictionless international deal registration and protection [6] - The program features an AI Sales Assistant that helps partners access critical sales information quickly, facilitating faster deal closures [6] - Role-based experiences and automation provide personalized dashboards, real-time deal visibility, and accelerated access to rewards [6] Group 3: Commitment to Partners - The program reflects Extreme Networks' commitment to building long-term partnerships focused on mutual success and customer satisfaction [4] - The company emphasizes the importance of removing friction in partner programs to adapt to accelerating technology shifts and rising customer expectations [4]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the performance of Extreme Networks, Inc. (EXTR) and the author's investment philosophy, emphasizing a long-term investment horizon and a preference for value stocks [1]. Company Performance - The analysis indicates that it has been a significant period since the last coverage of Extreme Networks, suggesting a need to evaluate its recent performance [1]. Investment Philosophy - The company adopts a long-term investment strategy, typically focusing on a 5-10 year horizon, and advocates for a diversified portfolio that includes growth, value, and dividend-paying stocks, with a stronger inclination towards value investments [1].

Company Overview - Extreme Networks is a global provider of advanced networking equipment and cloud-managed solutions, focusing on integrating hardware and software for secure, AI-driven network management across various industries [5] - The company reported a total revenue of $1.18 billion and a net income of $8.65 million for the trailing twelve months (TTM) [4] - The company has 2,656 employees and experienced a 1-year price change of -9.38% as of January 2, 2026 [4] Recent Transaction - Edward Meyercord, President and CEO, exercised 50,000 stock options and sold them for approximately $827,000 on January 2, 2026 [1][2] - Post-transaction, Meyercord holds 1,871,418 shares directly, valued at approximately $30.95 million [2][6] - This transaction is considered a routine liquidity event rather than a discretionary sale, as it was part of a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan [6][9] Financial Performance - For the fiscal first quarter ended September 30, revenue increased by 15% year-over-year to $310.2 million, although this growth rate decelerated from 20% in the previous quarter [10] - The company forecasts fiscal 2026 revenue between $1.25 billion and $1.26 billion, indicating modest growth compared to fiscal 2025's $1.14 billion [11] - Fiscal Q1 net income was $5.6 million, a significant improvement from a net loss of $10.5 million in the prior year [11] Investment Consideration - Despite the recent stock price decline, Extreme Networks may present a viable investment opportunity, particularly given its price-to-sales ratio of less than two, suggesting a reasonable valuation [12]

Core Viewpoint - Extreme Networks, Inc. has enhanced its board of directors by appointing Ron Pasek, who brings extensive experience as a former CFO and board member of various public tech companies, to support the company's long-term growth objectives [1] Company Summary - The addition of Ron Pasek to the board is aimed at providing strategic, financial, and governance oversight for Extreme Networks as it pursues its growth plans [1]

Core Insights - The finance sector is experiencing a significant shift towards the integration of AI, moving from experimentation to proven enterprise-wide applications by 2026, with a focus on governance, data quality, and human judgment [1][2][3] Group 1: AI Integration in Finance - CFOs are expected to transition from viewing AI as a tool for efficiency to recognizing it as a strategic driver for business transformation [1][2] - AI will enable finance teams to provide real-time insights, enhance decision-making, and optimize capital allocation, moving beyond traditional automation [2][3] - The role of CFOs will evolve to become transformational architects, focusing on strategy and decision-making rather than merely financial gatekeeping [1][2] Group 2: Governance and Data Management - Strong governance and clean, trusted data will be critical for the successful implementation of AI in finance [1][3] - Organizations will need to prioritize data governance and process redesign to ensure the effective use of AI technologies [1][2] - The importance of human oversight and accountability in AI-driven processes will be emphasized to maintain quality and reliability [1][3] Group 3: Future of Finance Operations - AI is anticipated to disrupt low-value, transactional activities, allowing finance teams to concentrate on higher-value strategic work [5] - The integration of AI will facilitate real-time decision-making, enhancing forecasting and cash visibility while automating compliance processes [3][5] - CFOs will need to develop AI literacy to evaluate investments in AI platforms and guide their teams in adoption [3][5] Group 4: Market Dynamics and Competitive Edge - The market is currently saturated with overlapping AI tools, leading to a cautious approach among CFOs regarding broad AI adoption [5] - Predictive analytics and competitive benchmarking will become essential for anticipating market shifts and optimizing decisions [5] - Companies that embrace streamlined, integrated AI solutions are expected to gain a competitive advantage in the evolving financial landscape [5]

Group 1 - Extreme Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXTR) is rated as a consensus 'Buy' by 88% of analysts, with a median price target of $24.50 indicating a potential upside of nearly 35% [1] - BofA analyst Tomer Zilberman initiated coverage with a 'Buy' rating and a $24 price target, citing growth catalysts such as campus network refresh projects, the WiFi-7 upgrade cycle, and increased adoption of cloud and SaaS products [2] - The price target is based on 17 times the company's forecasted EPS for CY2027, which is considered a discount compared to peers due to the company's narrower operating scale and exposure to budget-sensitive markets [3] Group 2 - Other analysts, including Eric Martinuzzi from Lake Street and Michael Genovese from Rosenblatt Securities, have also reaffirmed 'Buy' ratings with price targets of $24 and $25 respectively [4] - Extreme Networks specializes in infrastructure equipment and related software, offering products like ExtremeCloud IQ, ExtremeCloud IQ-Site Engine, and ExtremeCloud IQ Essentials [5]

Company Overview - Extreme Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXTR) is entering a new phase, having spent the last year validating its cloud strategy [1] Analyst Insights - The analyst emphasizes the importance of understanding how businesses grow and how markets react, focusing on tech, infrastructure, and internet services [1] - The analyst aims to connect with long-term investors and share investment ideas through thoughtful analysis [1]

Core Insights - The article does not provide specific company or industry insights, focusing instead on disclosures and disclaimers related to investment positions and advice [1][2] Group 1 - There are no stock, option, or similar derivative positions held by the analyst in any mentioned companies, nor plans to initiate such positions in the near future [1] - The article expresses personal opinions of the author and does not represent the views of Seeking Alpha as a whole [2] - No investment recommendations or advice are provided regarding the suitability of investments for particular investors [2]