HPE’s AI Servers Ready as Soon Data Centers Are, Says CEO

Financial Performance - The company posted a record profitable quarter with revenue growing 14% and profit growing faster at 26% [2] - The company exceeded both EPS and free cash flow guidance [2] - The server segment, inclusive of AI, returned to approximately 10% operating profit in Q4 [12] AI and Order Backlog - The company booked another $2 billion in AI orders [3] - Over 60% of AI orders are in sovereign enterprise [3] - The company has a backlog of over $47 billion [4] Data Center Buildout and Delays - A specific data center project experienced a delay, impacting revenue booking [1] - Data center buildouts are experiencing lumpiness and delays due to a combination of factors, including real estate, power and cooling, and component availability [5][6] - Buildouts involve tens or hundreds of megawatts, and are now moving towards gigawatts, requiring significant time to complete [6][7] Supply Chain and Component Costs - The cost of commodities will be driven by shortages expected in the latter part of 2026, particularly in Indira and NAND [12] - The company has already enacted price increases in November and factored expected cost increases into guidance [12] Technology and Customer Adoption - Customers are interested in getting the choice and flexibility to build data centers the right way [10] - Enterprises are accelerating AI adoption, with use cases in manufacturing, transportation, and healthcare [14][15] - The company announced the first Gallop Helios switch to allow customers to adopt new technology [10] Revenue Guidance - The company affirmed its 17% to 22% revenue growth guidance [5] - The company raised its non-GAAP EPS guidance [5][13]