Core Insights - Corning Incorporated is a leading innovator in materials science, particularly known for its glass and ceramics products, operating in sectors like display technologies, optical communications, and environmental technologies [1] Financial Performance - On January 28, 2026, Corning reported earnings per share of $0.72, surpassing the estimated $0.70, and revenue of approximately $4.41 billion, exceeding the estimated $4.36 billion, driven by strong demand for fiber-optic products which account for nearly 40% of total revenue [2][6] - The company projects continued sales growth in the first quarter, supported by robust demand for its products [2] Valuation Metrics - Corning's price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is approximately 69.1, indicating high investor expectations for future earnings growth [3][6] - The price-to-sales ratio stands at about 6.31, suggesting investors are willing to pay $6.31 for every dollar of sales, reflecting confidence in revenue generation [3] - The enterprise value to sales ratio is approximately 6.81, and the enterprise value to operating cash flow ratio is around 44.85, indicating a higher valuation relative to cash flow from operations [4] Financial Health - Corning maintains a debt-to-equity ratio of about 0.80, indicating a moderate level of debt relative to equity [5] - The current ratio is approximately 1.56, demonstrating good short-term liquidity to cover current liabilities [5]

Core Insights - Corning Incorporated (GLW) reported strong fourth-quarter 2025 results, with adjusted earnings and revenues exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate, driven by robust sales across various end markets and the increasing adoption of advanced products for generative AI applications [1][9] Financial Performance - The company achieved a net income of $540 million or 62 cents per share for the fourth quarter, a significant increase from $310 million or 36 cents in the same quarter last year, with core earnings rising to $624 million or 72 cents per share from $497 million or 57 cents [2][3] - For the full year 2025, GLW reported a net income of $1.59 billion or $1.83 per share, compared to $506 million or 58 cents per share in 2024, with core net income reaching $2.19 billion or $2.52 per share, up from $1.69 billion or $1.96 per share in 2024 [3] Revenue Breakdown - Net sales for the fourth quarter were $4.21 billion, up from $3.5 billion year-over-year, with core sales increasing by 14% to $4.41 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate of $4.32 billion [4][9] - The Optical Communications segment generated $1.7 billion in revenues, a 24% increase year-over-year, driven by strong demand for Gen AI products, while the Display Technologies segment saw revenues of $955 million, down 2% year-over-year [5] - Specialty Materials reported $544 million in net sales, up 6% year-over-year, and the Automotive segment contributed $440 million, down 1% year-over-year [6][7] - Life Sciences revenues were $246 million, slightly down from $250 million year-over-year, while Hemlock and Emerging Growth Businesses reported a 62% increase in net sales to $526 million [8] Profitability Metrics - Quarterly gross profit increased to $1.49 billion from $1.19 billion, with gross margins improving to 35.5% from 34.2% year-over-year, and operating income rose to $672 million from $393 million [10] Cash Flow and Liquidity - Corning generated $1.05 billion in net cash from operations during the December quarter, compared to $623 million in the same quarter last year, with total cash flow for 2025 reaching $2.69 billion [11] Future Outlook - For the first quarter of 2026, core sales are projected to be between $4.2 billion and $4.3 billion, with core EPS expected in the range of 66 to 70 cents [12]

​Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) is one of the High-Flying Tech Stocks to Buy. Wall Street is bullish on the stock ahead of its fiscal Q4 2025 earnings expected to be released on January 28, 2026. Out of the 17 analysts covering the stock, 71% maintain a Buy rating. ​Recently, on January 22, Meta Marshall from Morgan Stanley reiterated a Hold rating on the stock with a $98 price target. Earlier, on January 13, Wamsi Mohan from Bank of America Securities also reiterated a Buy rating on Corning Incorporated ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q4 2025, sales increased by 14% year-over-year to $4.41 billion, and EPS grew by 26% to $0.72. Operating margin expanded by 170 basis points to 20.2%, and ROIC increased by 150 basis points to 14.2% [5][20][19] - For the full year 2025, sales grew by 13% to a record $16.4 billion, with EPS growing 29% to $2.52. Operating margin expanded by 180 basis points to 19.3%, and free cash flow reached $1.7 billion [20][19] Business Segment Data and Key Metrics Changes - **Optical Communications**: Q4 sales were $1.7 billion, up 24% year-over-year, with net income increasing by 57% to $305 million. For the full year, sales were $6.3 billion, up 35% year-over-year, driven by strong adoption of new Gen AI products [20][21] - **Display**: Q4 sales were $955 million, with net income of $257 million. For the full year, net income reached $993 million, exceeding the target range [21][22] - **Specialty Materials**: Q4 sales increased by 6% to $544 million, with net income up 22% to $99 million. For the full year, sales grew by 10% to $2.2 billion, and net income increased by 41% to $367 million [23] - **Automotive**: Q4 sales were $440 million, down slightly year-over-year, with a full-year decline of 3%. Net income for the full year was $63 million, up 7% [25] - **Life Sciences**: Full year sales were $972 million, consistent with the prior year, and net income was $61 million [25] - **Hemlock and Emerging Growth Businesses**: Q4 sales were $526 million, up 62% year-over-year, driven by growth in polysilicon and module sales for the solar industry [26] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The enterprise business within Optical Communications grew by 61% year-over-year, with hyperscale data center sales growing significantly faster [21] - The heavy-duty diesel market in North America and Europe remained weak, impacting the Automotive segment [25] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company upgraded its Springboard plan to add $11 billion in incremental annualized sales by the end of 2028, up from the original $8 billion target [7][17] - A multi-year agreement with Meta, valued at up to $6 billion, aims to support Meta's AI ambitions and enhance domestic supply chains [9][10] - The company is focusing on organic growth opportunities and plans to invest significantly in capacity expansions, with a capital expenditure target of $1.7 billion for 2026 [31][60] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's position entering 2026, citing strong demand for innovations and manufacturing capabilities [8][18] - The company expects year-over-year growth to accelerate in Q1 2026, with core sales projected to increase by approximately 15% [8][26] Other Important Information - The company celebrated its 175th anniversary, highlighting its long-standing history and commitment to innovation [18] - Ann Nicholson, the head of Investor Relations, announced her retirement after 40 years of service [34][35] Q&A Session Summary Question: Are similar long-term agreements with other major customers included in the Springboard plan? - Management indicated that these agreements are significant but have not yet been fully included in the Springboard plan as they are still being finalized [39] Question: Is the optical fiber market experiencing supply constraints? - Management believes there is enough fiber to meet demand but noted robust demand for new high-density products, leading to capacity expansions [41] Question: Will Meta disproportionately increase purchases after the agreement? - Management clarified that while Meta's agreement is significant, they are concluding similar agreements with other major customers, which will expand the overall market [48] Question: How will the Meta deal be accounted for? - The deal will be accounted for in the enterprise business, while sales to carriers will be recorded in the carrier business [58] Question: What is the expected CapEx for 2026? - The company plans to spend about $1.7 billion in CapEx, which includes investments related to the Meta project [60][67]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q4 2025, sales increased by 14% year-over-year to $4.41 billion, and EPS grew by 26% to $0.72 [5][20] - Operating margin expanded by 170 basis points to 20.2%, achieving the Springboard target a year early, and ROIC increased by 150 basis points to 14.2% [5][20] - For the full year 2025, sales grew by 13% to a record $16.4 billion, with EPS growing by 29% to $2.52 [20] Business Segment Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Optical Communications, Q4 sales were $1.7 billion, up 24% year-over-year, with net income increasing by 57% to $305 million [20][21] - Display segment sales for Q4 were $955 million, with net income of $257 million, exceeding targets for the year [21][22] - Specialty Materials saw Q4 sales rise by 6% to $544 million, with net income up 22% to $99 million [23] - Automotive segment sales were $440 million, down slightly year-over-year, while net income for the full year was up 3% [25] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The enterprise business within Optical Communications grew by 61% year-over-year, with hyperscale data center sales growing significantly faster [21] - The carrier networks business saw a 15% increase in sales for the full year, primarily driven by interconnect data centers [21] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company upgraded its Springboard plan to add $11 billion in incremental annualized sales by the end of 2028, up from the original $8 billion target [7][17] - A multi-year agreement with Meta worth up to $6 billion was announced to support AI ambitions, reflecting a commitment to U.S. manufacturing and innovation [9][10] - The company aims to enhance profitability and cash generation while pursuing organic growth opportunities [31][33] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving accelerated growth in Q1 2026, with core sales expected to rise by approximately 15% [8][26] - The company anticipates significant growth in the Optical Communications segment, supported by recent customer agreements [21][24] - Management noted that the financial profile has transformed significantly over the past two years, establishing a strong base for future growth [28][33] Other Important Information - The company plans to spend about $1.7 billion in capital expenditures for 2026, which is above the depreciation level [60][62] - The head of Investor Relations, Anne Nicholson, announced her retirement after 40 years of service [34][35] Q&A Session Summary Question: Are similar long-term agreements with other major customers included in the Springboard plan? - Management indicated that these agreements are significant but have not yet been fully included in the Springboard plan as they are still being finalized [39][40] Question: Is the optical fiber market experiencing supply constraints? - Management stated that there is enough fiber globally to meet demand, but they are expanding capacity for new high-density products due to robust demand [41][42] Question: Will Meta disproportionately increase purchases after the agreement? - Management clarified that while Meta's agreement is significant, they are concluding similar agreements with other major customers, which will expand the overall market [48][50] Question: How will the Meta deal be accounted for? - The deal will be accounted for in the enterprise business, while sales to carriers will be recorded in the carrier business [58] Question: What is the expected CapEx for 2026? - The company plans to spend about $1.7 billion in CapEx, which includes investments related to the Meta deal [60][67]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q4 2025, sales grew 14% year-over-year to $4.41 billion, and EPS increased 26% to $0.72 [4][18] - Operating margin expanded by 170 basis points to 20.2%, achieving the Springboard target a year early, and ROIC increased by 150 basis points to 14.2% [4][18] - For the full year 2025, sales reached $16.4 billion, up 13%, with EPS growing 29% to $2.52 [18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - **Optical Communications**: Q4 sales were $1.7 billion, up 24% year-over-year, with net income rising 57% to $305 million. For the full year, sales were $6.3 billion, up 35% [18][19] - **Display**: Q4 sales were $955 million, with net income of $257 million. Full year net income reached $993 million, exceeding the target [20] - **Specialty Materials**: Q4 sales increased 6% to $544 million, with net income up 22% to $99 million. Full year sales grew 10% to $2.2 billion, and net income rose 41% to $367 million [22] - **Automotive**: Q4 sales were $440 million, down slightly year-over-year, with full year sales down 3% [24] - **Life Sciences**: Full year sales were $972 million, consistent with the prior year [24] - **Emerging Growth Businesses**: Q4 sales were $526 million, up 62% year-over-year, driven by growth in polysilicon and module sales for the solar industry [24] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The enterprise business in Optical Communications grew 61% year-over-year, with hyperscale data center sales growing significantly faster [19] - The carrier networks business saw a 15% growth for the full year, primarily driven by sales to interconnect data centers [19] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is upgrading its Springboard plan to add $11 billion in incremental annualized sales by the end of 2028, up from the original $8 billion [5][15] - A multi-year agreement with Meta worth up to $6 billion was announced to support Meta's technologies and AI ambitions, reflecting a commitment to U.S. manufacturing [7][8] - The company aims to enhance profitability and cash generation while pursuing organic growth opportunities [30] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the growth trajectory, expecting year-over-year sales growth to accelerate in Q1 2026, with core sales projected to increase by approximately 15% [6][25] - The company anticipates significant growth in the Optical Communications segment, supported by recent customer contracts [6][19] - Management noted that the financial profile has been transformed, establishing a strong base for future growth [27][32] Other Important Information - The company plans to spend about $1.7 billion in capital expenditures for 2026, which is above the depreciation level [26][58] - The company has a strong track record of returning excess cash to shareholders, primarily through share buybacks [31] Q&A Session Summary Question: Are similar long-term agreements with other major customers included in the Springboard plan? - Management indicated that these agreements are significant but have not yet been included in the Springboard plan as they are still being finalized [37] Question: Is the optical fiber market experiencing supply constraints? - Management stated that there is enough fiber to meet demand, but they are expanding capacity for new high-density products due to robust demand [39] Question: Will Meta disproportionately buy more after the agreement? - Management clarified that while Meta's agreement is significant, they are concluding similar agreements with other major customers, which will expand the overall market [45] Question: How will the Meta deal be accounted for? - Sales to Meta will be accounted for in the enterprise business, while sales to carriers will be accounted for in the carrier business [56] Question: What is the expected CapEx for 2026? - The company plans to spend about $1.7 billion in CapEx, which includes investments for the Meta deal [58][65] Question: How does the company view the cyclicality of the carrier business? - Management believes that the carrier business will grow over the next several years, driven primarily by data center interconnect spend [88]

Core Insights - Corning (GLW) reported quarterly earnings of $0.72 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.70 per share, and up from $0.57 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of +3.11% [1] - The company achieved revenues of $4.41 billion for the quarter ended December 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.08% and increasing from $3.87 billion year-over-year [2] - Corning has consistently outperformed consensus EPS and revenue estimates over the last four quarters [2] Earnings Performance - The earnings surprise for the previous quarter was +1.52%, with actual earnings of $0.67 per share against an expected $0.66 [1] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.65, with projected revenues of $4.18 billion, and for the current fiscal year, the estimate is $3.03 on revenues of $18.09 billion [7] Stock Performance - Corning shares have increased approximately 25.3% since the beginning of the year, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 1.9% [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating expectations of outperforming the market in the near future [6] Industry Outlook - The Communication - Components industry, to which Corning belongs, is currently ranked in the top 16% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable outlook [8] - Empirical research indicates a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can be tracked by investors [5]

Group 1 - Corning reported a 26% increase in earnings to 72 cents per share for Q4, exceeding estimates [1] - The company struck a significant $6 billion deal with Meta, which contributed to the positive earnings report [1] - Following the announcement, Corning's stock experienced a rally, breaking out on Tuesday before paring some gains on Wednesday morning [1] Group 2 - Corning specializes in optical communications, including fiber optic cables, display technologies, and consumer electronics components [1] - The deal with Meta is expected to enhance Corning's position in the fiber-optic market, aligning with industry trends towards increased demand for high-speed internet and connectivity solutions [1]

Company News - ASML's ADRs rose 5% after reporting orders significantly exceeding investor expectations, driven by increased demand for AI computing workloads [3][5][17] - Seagate's stock increased by 8% following a strong second-quarter earnings report that surpassed expectations, along with a positive outlook [3] - Texas Instruments gained 7% after providing a favorable outlook, indicating improved demand in industrial and data center markets [3] - AT&T's shares rose 3% after reporting fourth-quarter profit and revenue that exceeded analysts' estimates, attributed to strong broadband subscriber growth [3] - C3.ai's stock surged 15% amid reports of merger talks with Automation Anywhere [3] - F5 Inc. jumped 8% after raising its revenue forecast for the fiscal year [3] - New Oriental Education's ADRs rose 6% after beating second-quarter estimates and increasing its annual net revenue forecast [3] - Corning's shares fell 3% after reporting fourth-quarter results and providing a disappointing outlook [3] - Elevance Health dropped 6% after giving an adjusted profit forecast for 2026 that fell short of Wall Street expectations [3] - Qorvo's stock fell 10% after issuing a weaker-than-expected outlook [3] Industry Trends - The tech sector is experiencing a rally, driven by strong earnings from semiconductor and memory companies, which is boosting the AI trade [1][4][6] - The Magnificent Seven stocks are mostly higher, with Nvidia, Alphabet, and Amazon showing gains, while Meta and Apple experienced slight declines [3] - The semiconductor, memory, and storage sectors are seeing significant gains due to positive earnings reports, particularly from ASML, Seagate, and Texas Instruments [3][4] - Asian equities are also benefiting from the tech rally, with notable gains in TSMC and SK Hynix [5][13] - The demand for AI memory is driving earnings growth for companies like SK Hynix, indicating a strong market for AI-related technologies [5][14]

Full-Year 2025 Investor Call Corning Reports Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Financial Results January 28, 2026 Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements The statements contained in this presentation and related comments by management that are not historical facts or information and contain words such as "will," "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "seek," "see," "would," "target," "estimate," "forecast" or similar expressions are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statement ...