PSTG Q3 Earnings Lag Despite Solid Revenues, Stock Up on Upbeat View
Pure StoragePure Storage(US:PSTG) ZACKS·2025-12-03 14:06

Core Insights - Pure Storage (PSTG) reported third-quarter fiscal 2026 non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) of 58 cents, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 59 cents, but up from 50 cents in the prior-year quarter [1] - The company generated $964.5 million in revenues, a 16% year-over-year increase, surpassing management's expectations and the consensus mark [2] - Pure Storage raised its fiscal 2026 revenue outlook to $3.63–$3.64 billion, indicating 14.5–14.9% year-over-year growth [4] Financial Performance - Product revenues amounted to $534 million, up 18% year-over-year, contributing 55.4% to total revenues [7] - Subscription services revenues rose 14% to $430 million, accounting for 44.6% of total revenues [7] - Subscription annual recurring revenues (ARR) reached nearly $1.8 billion, up 17% year-over-year [8] Operational Highlights - The company exceeded its full-year goal of 2 exabytes of hyperscale shipments in the fiscal third quarter and anticipates further shipments in the fiscal fourth quarter [3] - Non-GAAP gross margin improved to 74.1% from 71.9% in the prior-year quarter, with product gross margin at 72.9% [12] - Non-GAAP operating income was $196.2 million, exceeding the outlook and up from $167.3 million in the year-ago quarter [13] Cash Flow and Shareholder Returns - Pure Storage ended the fiscal third quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $1.5 billion, unchanged from the previous quarter [14] - Cash flow from operations was $116 million, compared to $97 million in the prior-year quarter, with free cash flow at $52.6 million [14] - The company returned $53 million to shareholders through share repurchases during the quarter [15] Future Guidance - For fiscal Q4, Pure Storage expects revenues in the range of $1.02-$1.04 billion, indicating a 17.1% increase at the midpoint from the year-ago level [16] - Non-GAAP operating income is projected to be $220-$230 million, reflecting around 47% year-over-year growth at the midpoint [16]