Flex Q1 Earnings & Revenues Beat Estimates, Up Y/Y, Stock Down

Core Insights - Flex Ltd. reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of 72 cents, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 14.3% and up from 51 cents in the prior-year quarter [1][9] - Revenues increased by 4.1% year over year to $6.6 billion, beating the consensus mark by 5.6%, driven by strong data center growth in cloud and power markets [1][9] Management Commentary - Management highlighted that the strong first-quarter results indicate a solid start to fiscal 2026, emphasizing the effectiveness of the strategic focus on high-growth markets like data centers and power [2] Stock Performance - Following the results announcement, shares declined by 7.7%, closing at $49.67 on July 24, 2025, despite a 55.2% increase in stock value over the past year compared to a 6.6% decline in the Zacks Electronics - Miscellaneous Products industry [2] Segment Performance - The Flex Reliability Solutions Group, which includes Health Solutions, Automotive, and Industrial businesses, saw revenues fall by 2% to $2.9 billion due to macroeconomic pressures, although strong performance in the power segment partially offset this decline [3] - The Flex Agility Solutions Group, comprising Communications & Enterprise Compute and Lifestyle and Consumer Devices, experienced a 10% revenue increase to $3.7 billion, driven by strong demand in cloud and AI [4] Operating Metrics - Non-GAAP gross profit was $596 million, up 20.4% year over year, with a gross margin expansion of 130 basis points to 9.1% [5] - Non-GAAP operating income rose to $395 million, a 29.1% increase year over year, with operating margin expanding by 120 basis points to 6% [5] Financial Overview - As of June 30, 2025, cash and cash equivalents were $2.24 billion, while long-term debt was $3 billion, compared to $2.29 billion and $2.48 billion a year ago [10] - The company generated $399 million in cash flow from operating activities and $268 million in adjusted free cash flow during the first quarter [10] Future Guidance - For Q2 fiscal 2026, Flex expects revenues between $6.5 billion and $6.8 billion, with adjusted earnings projected at 70-78 cents per share [11] - For fiscal 2026, the revenue forecast has been raised to between $25.9 billion and $27.1 billion, with adjusted earnings anticipated in the range of $2.86-$3.06 per share [14]