Core Viewpoint - Arm Holdings Plc has provided optimistic revenue forecasts that exceed Wall Street expectations, driven by the expansion of AI data centers globally, indicating a strong demand for AI computing infrastructure [1][2][3] Financial Performance - In the second fiscal quarter ending September, Arm's total revenue increased by 34% to approximately $1.14 billion, surpassing previous forecasts [5][6] - Non-GAAP earnings per share for the same quarter were $0.39, exceeding analyst expectations of $0.33 [5][6] - The company reported an operating profit of approximately $163 million, a 155% year-over-year increase, with an operating margin of 14.4% [5][6] Revenue Breakdown - Arm's revenue consists of two main components: licensing fees and royalties. Licensing revenue for the second quarter was approximately $515 million, a 56% increase year-over-year, while royalty revenue was about $620 million, reflecting a 21% increase [7][4] Market Position and Strategy - Arm is transitioning to a more complete chip design provider, enhancing its influence in the semiconductor market and capitalizing on the growing AI spending by enterprises [7][8] - The company is actively expanding into larger markets such as data centers and personal computer components, aiming to benefit from the robust demand for AI infrastructure [7][8] Industry Context - Arm's architecture is increasingly penetrating the data center server cluster market, traditionally dominated by x86 architecture, due to its energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness [8][10] - The company is a key player in the AI technology development landscape, participating in significant AI infrastructure projects alongside major tech firms [8][9] Investor Sentiment - Arm's strong performance and outlook have bolstered the narrative of a long-term AI bull market, countering recent pessimism regarding an "AI bubble" [2][12] - The overall sentiment in the market remains optimistic, with major players in the AI computing space continuing to invest heavily in infrastructure [12][14]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported total revenue of $1,050,000,000 for Q1, marking the highest revenue quarter and the second highest revenue quarter overall [6][12] - Royalty revenue reached $585,000,000, up 25% year on year, with strong momentum across all end markets [6][12] - Licensing revenue was $468,000,000, showing a slight decrease of 1% year on year, as expected [12][13] - Non-GAAP operating profit was $412,000,000, with non-GAAP EPS of $0.35, above the midpoint of guidance [16] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - ARM Neoverse data center chips saw a 40% year-on-year increase in enterprises running AI workloads, now exceeding 70,000 [6] - The compute subsystems (CSS) are driving double the royalty of RMV9, with three new CSS licenses signed this quarter [9][13] - The average contract value (ACV) increased by 28% year on year, significantly above previous expectations [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The smartphone segment grew faster than the overall market, although growth was slower than anticipated [12][28] - ARM's market share in AI workloads is expected to reach nearly 50% this year, up from approximately 18% last year [7][34] - ARM's China business accounted for 21% of revenue, showing growth from previous quarters [67] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on expanding into full end solutions and exploring opportunities in ASICs and chiplets [20][24] - Continued investment in R&D is prioritized to support customer needs and capitalize on AI demand [10][18] - The company aims to maintain its leadership in AI by leveraging its extensive developer ecosystem of over 22 million developers [8] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in healthy growth driven by visibility into customer design pipelines and rising demand for custom silicon [18][61] - The ongoing increase in CapEx from hyperscalers is viewed as a strong tailwind for ARM's royalty growth [61] - Management acknowledged potential indirect impacts from macroeconomic conditions but expects limited direct effects on royalty and licensing revenues [16] Other Important Information - The company is seeing significant adoption of its V9 architecture, with royalties stepping up from 18% to 25% [71] - The CSS platforms are expected to deliver the highest royalty rates seen to date, with new deals indicating strong future growth [13][51] Q&A Session Summary Question: ARM's strategy in ASICs and full end solutions - Management indicated that further integration is a direction of travel, with insights into chiplet development and the potential for full solutions [20][24] Question: Royalty growth expectations - Management noted that royalty growth was slightly below expectations due to slower growth in the smartphone sector, but overall forecasts remain stable [28][30] Question: Market share context for Neoverse chips - Management highlighted significant share gains in AI workloads, moving from sub-20% to nearly 50% market share [34] Question: FX impact on EPS - Management expects approximately $0.01 impact on EPS for the next three quarters, with a hedging strategy in place [40][41] Question: ACV drivers - The increase in ACV was driven by new CSS deals and expanded licensing with SoftBank, contributing to a 28% year-on-year growth [49] Question: ARM China business impact - Management stated that ARM's China business continues to grow consistently with the global market, unaffected by recent export controls [66][67] Question: Adoption of ARM V9 - Management confirmed that V9 adoption continues to grow, with royalty rates increasing faster than adoption rates [71] Question: CSS applications in automotive - Management indicated that CSS is well-suited for automotive applications, particularly in ADAS, with strong customer interest [78]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported total revenue of $1,050 million for Q1, marking the highest revenue quarter and the second highest overall revenue quarter [5][11] - Royalty revenue reached $585 million, up 25% year on year, with strong growth across all end markets [5][11] - Licensing revenue was $468 million, showing a slight decrease of 1% year on year, which was anticipated following a strong previous fiscal year [12][14] - Non-GAAP operating profit was $412 million, with non-GAAP EPS of $0.35, exceeding the midpoint of guidance [15][18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - ARM's compute subsystems (CSS) are gaining traction, with demand exceeding expectations and delivering double the royalty of RMV9 [8] - The first generation of CSS is now in market with five customers, and three additional CSS licenses were signed this quarter, more than doubling CSS licenses from a year ago [8][12] - The company expects the royalty rate for the new CSS platforms to be higher than previous generations, indicating strong future revenue potential [12][52] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - More than 70,000 enterprises are running AI workloads on ARM Neoverse data center chips, a 40% increase year on year [5] - ARM's market share in AI workloads is expected to reach nearly 50% this year, up from approximately 18% last year [6][34] - ARM's China business accounted for about 21% of revenue in Q1, showing growth from previous quarters [70] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on expanding into full end solutions and exploring opportunities in the ASIC market, driven by customer demand for better starting points in SoC development [23][24] - ARM is committed to investing aggressively in R&D to support customer needs and capitalize on AI opportunities [18][88] - The company aims to leverage its unique compute platform to address a wide range of applications from cloud to edge computing [4][88] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in healthy growth for the coming year, driven by visibility into customer design pipelines and rising demand for custom silicon [18][66] - The ongoing increase in CapEx from hyperscalers is seen as a strong tailwind for ARM, supporting both technology and royalty growth [66] - Management noted limited direct impact from current macroeconomic conditions on royalty and licensing revenues, although there is uncertainty regarding indirect impacts on end demand [16][18] Other Important Information - The company highlighted the importance of its software developer ecosystem, with over 22 million developers building on ARM, which drives demand for its compute platform [7] - ARM's leadership in AI is supported by its unmatched software ecosystem, which is crucial for expanding its market presence [7] Q&A Session Summary Question: ARM's strategy in ASICs and full end solutions - Management acknowledged the complexity of entering the ASIC market but emphasized the company's unique position and expertise in chip design and manufacturing [21][24] Question: Royalty growth expectations and market performance - Management indicated that royalty growth was slightly below expectations due to slower growth in the smartphone sector, but overall performance remained strong [28][30] Question: Neoverse market share and competition with x86 - Management reported that ARM's share in the hyperscaler market is expected to approach 50%, up from 18% last year, driven by AI workloads and general-purpose workloads [34][35] Question: Impact of foreign exchange on EPS - Management stated that FX had a minimal impact on EPS this quarter and expected a similar impact in the upcoming quarters [38][40] Question: Insights on SoftBank's expanded licensing deal - Management discussed the potential of the Stargate project with SoftBank, emphasizing the significant compute opportunities it presents [57][58] Question: Adoption of ARM V9 - Management noted that while specific adoption rates would be updated annually, royalty growth from V9 implementations continues to increase [75][76] Question: Future of Ethos and Xena platforms - Management expressed optimism about the long-term potential of Ethos for low-power applications and highlighted the growth opportunities for Xena in the automotive sector [80][82]