Solana Ecosystem Update - Solana's read layer receives a significant upgrade with the introduction of Fumarole [1] - Fumarole is designed as a streaming service prioritizing data completeness [1] - The service addresses issues with unstable gRPC connections by pausing and resuming data streams [1] Fumarole Features - Fumarole stores the last 23 hours of data, allowing users to stream data from the previous day up to the network's current state [1]

Core Insights - Confluent (NASDAQ: CFLT) has shown better-than-expected recent results, indicating that it may still have viable growth prospects despite losing a large customer [1] Group 1: Company Performance - The company's forward growth rates appear satisfactory even after accounting for the loss of a significant customer [1] Group 2: Analyst Perspective - Julian Lin, a financial analyst, emphasizes the importance of finding undervalued companies with long-term growth potential and strong management teams [1]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Q3 subscription revenue grew 19% to $286 million, representing 96% of total revenue [24][4] - Confluent Cloud revenue increased 24% to $161 million, accounting for 56% of subscription revenue compared to 54% in the previous year [24][4] - Non-GAAP operating margin expanded three percentage points to approximately 10% [4] - Subscription gross margin was 81.8%, above the long-term target of 80% [26] - Operating margin increased 340 basis points to a record 9.7%, exceeding guidance by 270 basis points [26] - Adjusted free cash flow margin increased 450 basis points to 8.2% [26] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Confluent Platform revenue grew 14% to $125.4 million, driven by demand in financial services [24] - Flink ARR for Confluent Cloud grew more than 70% sequentially, with over 1,000 customers using Flink [31][7] - The number of customers with $100k+ ARR increased to 2,533, up 36 sequentially [27] - The number of customers with $1 million+ ARR increased to 234, representing a growth acceleration of 27% [27] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue from the U.S. grew 13% to $172.1 million, while revenue from outside the U.S. grew 29% to $126.4 million [24] - Net retention rate stabilized at 114%, with gross retention rate close to 90% [27] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on tightening field alignment to drive more use cases into production and expanding its DSP specialist team for multiproduct selling [6][7] - The partner ecosystem sourced over 25% of new business in the last twelve months, indicating strong growth potential [10][11] - The company aims to position itself as a leader in providing real-time data context for AI applications, emphasizing the importance of data streaming in AI deployment [20][22] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the strong cloud consumption growth and the overall performance of the data streaming platform [22][36] - The company expects subscription revenue for 2025 to be in the range of $295.5 million to $296.5 million, representing approximately 18% growth [29] - For fiscal year 2025, subscription revenue is expected to be between $1.1135 billion and $1.1145 billion, indicating approximately 21% growth [29] Other Important Information - The company highlighted the successful integration and growth of WarpStream, which has seen eightfold growth in consumption since its acquisition [14][35] - The company has maintained a win rate above 90% in replacing CSP streaming offerings, with average deal sizes more than doubling over the past two quarters [11][12] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on go-to-market changes and pipeline conversion trends - Management noted that the specialization model for DSP and field execution improvements have driven strong pipeline progression, with high confidence in the late-stage pipeline [40][41] Question: RPO and CRPO as leading indicators - Management confirmed that RPO is a key leading indicator for the Confluent platform, while for Confluent Cloud, the focus is on new use cases moving into production [45][46] Question: Growth outlook and cannibalization effects - Management indicated that new offerings have proven to be a substantial tailwind, leading to larger deal sizes and increased customer engagement [54] Question: Flink adoption and future business impact - Management expressed excitement about Flink's growth and its potential to drive significant business opportunities in the future [76][78] Question: AI use cases and customer readiness - Management highlighted various AI use cases across industries, emphasizing the importance of data flow and quality in achieving successful AI deployments [86][87]

Investor Presentation October 27, 2025 Disclaimer This presentation includes express and implied forward-looking statements. All statements contained in this presentation other than statements of historical facts, including expectations of Confluent, Inc. ("we,ˮ "us,ˮ "our,ˮ or "Confluentˮ) regarding our revenue, revenue mix, expenses and other results of operations; net dilution; future financial performance, business strategy and plans; potential market and growth opportunities; our growth drivers; compet ...

Core Viewpoint - Confluent is exploring a potential sale after attracting interest from private equity firms and technology companies, leading to a significant rally in its stock price [1][5]. Company Overview - Confluent is a data streaming technology company that integrates AI and data analytics, primarily serving as a backend application provider [2][3]. - The company has faced challenges, including a 38% decline in stock price over the last three years and an 18.5% drop year-to-date [3]. Financial Performance - Confluent reported a significant operating loss of approximately $1.3 billion on sales of around $1 billion last year, with no profits recorded in the past decade [6]. - The company has high R&D and selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses, which contribute to its financial struggles [6][9]. - Despite these challenges, Confluent holds about $1.95 billion in cash, representing approximately 27% of its market capitalization of around $7.2 billion [10]. Market Dynamics - The competitive landscape includes major players like Snowflake, DataDog, Elastic, and MongoDB, which poses challenges for Confluent in terms of scalability and customer base [9][13]. - The recent loss of a significant AI-native customer led to a 30% drop in stock price, highlighting the volatility and risks associated with customer retention [4][13]. Investment Interest - The announcement of exploring a sale has sparked interest from institutional investors and private equity, indicating potential for operational streamlining and cost-cutting [5][11]. - The current environment suggests a trend towards consolidation within the data infrastructure sector, making Confluent's situation noteworthy [8][12].

Solana Data Streaming Solutions - Helius offers fast data streaming solutions on Solana, emphasizing speed and accessibility [1] - Two primary methods are available: Laserstream gRPC and direct shredstream [1] Laserstream gRPC - Laserstream gRPC adheres to the Yellowstone interface and is enhanced by highest staked validator shreds, ensuring fault tolerance [1] - It is available in 8 separate regions for completeness, suitable for 90% of users [1] Direct Shredstream - Direct shredstream streams shreds directly from the highest staked validators, providing the fastest data access [1] - Helius has top 2 highest stake on Solana, enabling them to get data the fastest [1] - Shredstream requires data deshredding and is available for pro users [1] Accessibility and Risk Mitigation - Both methods offer free trials, mitigating risk for users [1]

Core Viewpoint - Confluent's stock has experienced a significant decline following its recent earnings report, yet analysts on Wall Street maintain a positive outlook on the company's long-term potential [3][13]. Company Performance - Confluent's stock dropped by 30% after the release of its second-quarter 2025 operating results, marking an 81% decrease from its peak in 2021 [3][16]. - The company reported subscription revenue of $270.8 million for the second quarter, exceeding expectations and reflecting a 21% year-over-year increase [10]. - The net revenue retention rate was 114%, indicating existing customers are spending 14% more compared to the previous year [11]. - The number of customers spending at least $100,000 annually grew by 10%, while those spending at least $1 million increased by 24% [11]. Market Outlook - Despite some large customers optimizing their spending and one AI-native customer moving away from the platform, the overall outlook remains positive, with management raising the low end of its 2025 revenue forecast by $5 million [12][13]. - Analysts covering Confluent stock are largely bullish, with 21 out of 36 recommending a buy, and an average price target of $25, suggesting a potential 45% upside [13][14]. Industry Context - Data streaming is becoming increasingly vital in various sectors, including retail and AI applications, enhancing real-time data processing capabilities [2][6]. - Confluent's platform is positioned to support businesses in creating data pipelines for AI applications, which is expected to drive significant growth as AI adoption increases [8][15]. - The company estimates its addressable market at $100 billion, indicating substantial growth potential based on current revenue levels [15]. Valuation Metrics - Confluent's price-to-sales (P/S) ratio has decreased to 5.2, the lowest since its IPO, following an 81% decline in stock price, making it more attractive for long-term investors [16].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Subscription revenue grew 21% to $270.8 million, representing 96% of total revenue [26] - Confluent Cloud revenue increased 28% to $150.5 million, accounting for 56% of subscription revenue compared to 52% in the previous year [26] - Non-GAAP operating margin improved to 6%, up approximately six percentage points [5][28] - Adjusted free cash flow margin increased to 3.9% [28] - Net income per share was $0.09 with a diluted share count of approximately 380 million [28] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Confluent Platform revenue grew 12% to $120.3 million, driven by strong performance in financial services and OEM partners [26] - Flink ARR grew approximately 3x over the past two quarters, approaching $10 million [5][16] - RPO growth accelerated to 31%, indicating deepening customer relationships [8] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue from the US grew 15% to $164.3 million, while revenue from outside the US grew 29% to $117.9 million [27] - Total customer growth was in line with the average growth rate of the previous four quarters [29] - 20k+ ARR customer count grew approximately 8% to 2,497, representing over 95% of ARR [29] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on three key areas: replacing CSP streaming offerings, enhancing the partner ecosystem, and expanding Flink [10][12][34] - The partner ecosystem has sourced over 20% of the business in the past year, with significant partnerships established [14][35] - The company aims to capture a meaningful share of the $100 billion data streaming market [24] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that larger customers are optimizing their usage, which is expected to impact consumption growth in the near term [6][30] - Despite consumption headwinds, management remains confident in the strength of the business and the potential for growth in AI workloads [23][34] - The outlook for Confluent Cloud assumes month-over-month growth rates will remain notably below historical averages for the remainder of the year [31] Other Important Information - The company is seeing early success in operational enhancements aimed at improving customer engagement and driving use case expansions [9][33] - The Flink offering is central to the company's strategy for real-time data processing, with significant growth observed [17][34] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on the consumption optimization trends? - Management indicated that the optimization is a broader trend seen across various companies, with some customers reducing their Confluent Cloud usage due to internal changes [37][40] Question: How do you see production AI workloads impacting subscription growth? - Management believes that the relevance of streaming and processing in AI applications will positively impact subscription growth moving forward [43][45] Question: What is the outlook for NRR and GRR metrics? - Management expects near-term pressure on NRR and GRR due to current consumption patterns but sees potential tailwinds from operational improvements and customer commitments [98][99] Question: How is the company addressing the challenges in the 20k+ customer segment? - Management acknowledged the need to focus on this segment and is implementing strategies to drive growth, particularly through CSP takeouts [78][80]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Confluent reported a 21% growth in subscription revenue, reaching $270.8 million, which represented 96% of total revenue [25] - Non-GAAP operating margin increased to 6%, up approximately six percentage points year-over-year [4][28] - Adjusted free cash flow margin rose to 3.9%, reflecting operational efficiencies [28] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Confluent Cloud revenue grew 28% to $150.5 million, accounting for 56% of subscription revenue, up from 52% in the previous year [25] - Confluent Platform revenue increased by 12% to $120.3 million, driven by strong performance in financial services and OEM partnerships [25] - Flink ARR grew approximately 3x over the past two quarters, approaching $10 million [15][31] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue from the US grew 15% to $164.3 million, while revenue from outside the US increased by 29% to $117.9 million [26] - Total customer growth remained consistent with previous quarters, with 20k+ ARR customer count growing 8% to 2,497 [29] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on enhancing operational efficiencies and improving coverage ratios between account executives and post-sales roles to drive customer engagement [6][7] - Confluent is doubling down on three strategic areas: replacing CSP streaming offerings, expanding the partner ecosystem, and growing the Flink business [8][12][15] - The partner ecosystem has sourced over 20% of business in the past year, indicating a strong collaborative approach to market penetration [13] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged near-term consumption headwinds but expressed confidence in the long-term growth trajectory, particularly in AI workloads and DSP monetization [22][35] - The company expects production AI use cases to grow 10x across a few hundred customers, indicating a significant market opportunity [19][33] - Management raised full-year growth expectations for Confluent Platform, reflecting strong pipeline visibility [31] Other Important Information - The company ended the quarter with $1.94 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, providing a strong financial position [29] - Non-GAAP net income per diluted share was reported at $0.09, with expectations for continued growth in the upcoming quarters [28][31] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on the consumption optimization trends? - Management noted that optimization efforts are similar to trends seen across the industry, with some customers focusing on maximizing value from existing purchases [40][41] Question: How do you see production AI workloads impacting subscription growth? - Management believes that the relevance of streaming in AI applications will positively influence subscription growth moving forward [43][45] Question: What is the outlook for net revenue retention (NRR)? - NRR is expected to face near-term pressure due to current consumption patterns, but management is optimistic about future tailwinds from operational improvements and customer commitments [93][94] Question: How is the go-to-market strategy evolving? - Management indicated that changes in sales compensation to focus on incremental consumption have been beneficial, and they are optimistic about driving new use cases [62][63] Question: What are the expectations for structural changes from field realignment efforts? - Management is already seeing positive momentum from recent changes and expects these adjustments to yield meaningful results in the near future [107][108]

Financial Performance - Confluent's Q2 2025 revenue reached $282.3 million, a 21% year-over-year increase[9,58] - Cloud revenue was $150.5 million, representing a 28% year-over-year growth[9,56] - The company achieved a Non-GAAP operating margin of 6.3%, a 6 percentage point increase year-over-year[9] - Adjusted Free Cash Flow Margin was 3.9%, a 3 percentage point increase year-over-year[9] - Subscription revenue for Q2 2025 was $270.8 million[54,79] Customer Growth and Retention - Net Retention Rate was 114%[9] - The number of customers contributing $100,000 or more in ARR grew by 24% year-over-year[60] - Customers with >= $1M in ARR increased by 10% YoY[60] Market and Strategy - Confluent estimates a total addressable market (TAM) of over $100 billion[46,70] - The company is focused on expanding its Data Streaming Platform (DSP) capabilities[8,21] - Confluent is transitioning to "Act 3," focusing on a complete Data Streaming Platform[8,48] Revenue Mix - In Q2 2025, US revenue accounted for 53% and International revenue accounted for 47% of the total revenue[58] - Confluent Cloud accounted for 50% of the revenue, Confluent Platform accounted for 46% and Services accounted for 4% of the total revenue in Q2 2025[58]