Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported revenue of $3.9 billion for the third quarter, reflecting a 3% increase year-over-year on a reported basis, unchanged in constant currency [15][16] - Adjusted EBITDA decreased by 1% year-over-year to $696 million, while Adjusted Pre-Tax Income grew by 5% year-over-year to $168 million [16][18] - Free cash flow generated in the third quarter was $217 million, with a net CapEx of $210 million [18][19] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Kyndryl Consult experienced a strong performance with a 20% year-over-year growth in constant currency, now representing 25% of total revenue [15][16] - Hyperscaler-related revenue reached $500 million in the third quarter, marking a 58% increase year-over-year, exceeding initial growth expectations [17] - The company signed contracts totaling $3.9 billion in the quarter, with a trailing 12-month revenue book-to-bill ratio remaining above 1.0 [5][16] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted a slowdown in attrition rates, particularly in strategic markets and the UK, which has led to increased local hiring costs [31][32] - The evolving partnership with IBM has resulted in a significant reduction in annualized spend from nearly $4 billion to approximately $2 billion, impacting revenue growth [9][58] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on expanding its capabilities in AI and private cloud services, responding to increased demand driven by data sovereignty and security requirements [12][66] - The strategic direction emphasizes the importance of long-term customer relationships and adapting to changing market dynamics [13][66] - The company aims to achieve fiscal 2028 targets, projecting approximately $1.1 billion in Adjusted Pre-Tax Income and over $1 billion in adjusted free cash flow [14][23] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged that longer sales cycles and evolving customer consumption models are impacting revenue expectations [24][28] - The company remains confident in its growth strategy despite current challenges, emphasizing the importance of adapting to industry disruptions caused by AI and regulatory changes [7][39] - Management reiterated that they do not expect a restatement of financial statements despite ongoing SEC reviews [25][36] Other Important Information - The company has repurchased 3.7 million shares in the quarter, representing 1.6% of outstanding shares, as part of its capital allocation strategy [18][19] - The financial position remains strong with a cash balance of $1.35 billion and a net leverage ratio of 0.7x Adjusted EBITDA [20][21] Q&A Session Summary Question: Outlook and Revision Factors - Analysts inquired about the reasons behind the revised outlook, focusing on sales cycle delays and the evolving IBM partnership [27][28] - Management explained that the sales cycles have lengthened due to market dynamics and regulatory discussions, impacting growth expectations [28][29] Question: Strategic Market Changes - Questions were raised regarding changes in strategic markets, particularly in the UK, and the associated costs and benefits [30][31] - Management indicated that investments in local markets are necessary but may take time to yield results [31][32] Question: Free Cash Flow and Working Capital - Analysts sought clarification on the factors affecting free cash flow projections, particularly in relation to pre-tax income revisions [49][50] - Management confirmed that the primary driver of the change in free cash flow guidance is linked to the revision in pre-tax income [50] Question: Confidence in Fiscal 2028 Targets - Questions were posed about the building blocks supporting confidence in achieving fiscal 2028 targets despite current shortfalls [56][57] - Management highlighted the importance of cash flow growth, profitability improvements, and the shift towards higher-margin contracts as key factors [58][59]

Kyndryl (NYSE:KD) Q3 2026 Earnings call February 09, 2026 08:30 AM ET Company ParticipantsHarsh Chugh - Interim CFOIan Zaffino - Managing DirectorJames Faucette - Managing DirectorJonathan Lee - Managing DirectorLori Chaitman - Global Head of Investor RelationsMartin Schroeter - Chairman and CEOConference Call ParticipantsJames Friedman - Senior AnalystTien-tsin Huang - Managing Director and Senior AnalystOperatorPlease be advised that today's conference is being recorded. I would now like to hand the confe ...

Kyndryl (NYSE:KD) Q3 2026 Earnings call February 09, 2026 08:30 AM ET Speaker3Please be advised that today's conference is being recorded. I would now like to hand the conference over to your first speaker today, Lori Chaitman, Global Head of Investor Relations. Please go ahead.Speaker7Good morning, everyone, and welcome to Kyndryl's earnings call for the third fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2025. Before we begin, I'd like to remind you that our remarks today include forward-looking statements. These sta ...

Core Viewpoint - Hertz Global Holdings, Inc has announced an expanded technology partnership with Kyndryl Holdings to modernize its critical systems and operations, which is expected to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency. Group 1: Partnership Details - Kyndryl has extended its collaboration with Hertz for five years to advance the car rental company's technology ecosystem [2] - The partnership will utilize Kyndryl's Agentic AI Framework to modernize Hertz's core technology and operations [2][3] Group 2: Operational Improvements - Kyndryl's consulting services will help Hertz make its systems faster, more reliable, and easier to manage [3] - The collaboration aims to streamline key processes and improve customer experiences at Hertz [3] Group 3: Technology Integration - Kyndryl will assist Hertz in migrating legacy mainframe systems to cloud-based architectures to centralize technology platforms [4] - The integration of AI-driven automation into Hertz's workflow is expected to optimize operational tasks and reduce complexity [5] Group 4: Strategic Goals - The extended partnership reflects Hertz's broader effort to evolve its technology stack and support future business needs [5]

Core Insights - Kyndryl has announced a five-year extension of its agreement with Hertz to enhance Hertz's technology ecosystem using its Agentic AI Framework and consulting services [1][3] Group 1: Partnership Details - The extension allows Kyndryl to continue its collaboration with Hertz, focusing on advancing technology and streamlining critical processes [2] - Kyndryl's services aim to modernize Hertz's core technology and operations, improving system reliability and operational efficiency [3] Group 2: Technology and Operations - Key components of the partnership include migrating mainframe systems to cloud-based architectures and consolidating IT platforms for a more integrated technology environment [3] - The integration of AI-driven automation capabilities through Kyndryl's Agentic AI Framework is expected to optimize Hertz's operational workflows [3] Group 3: Company Overview - Kyndryl is a leading provider of mission-critical enterprise technology services, operating in over 60 countries and focusing on IT infrastructure services [4]

Group 1 - Kyndryl Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:KD) is recognized as one of the most undervalued tech stocks to buy in 2026, with a recent multi-year partnership with Wayne State University aimed at creating a research hub and pilot factory [1] - The partnership will focus on testing AI-driven manufacturing technology, utilizing advanced AI, hands-on training, and automation to modernize factories, with the goal of building intelligent and agentic AI for autonomous manufacturing [2] - Kyndryl is expected to release its fiscal Q3 2026 results on February 4, with Wall Street anticipating revenue of approximately $3.89 billion and a GAAP EPS of $0.47, reflecting a 38.83% upside potential from current levels [3] Group 2 - Kyndryl Holdings Inc. is an IT infrastructure services provider that specializes in designing, building, managing, and modernizing complex technology systems, helping enterprises adopt and scale AI solutions through consulting and strategic partnerships [4]

Core Insights - Kyndryl has launched new AI-powered services that enhance managed services delivery for IBM Z customers, combining mainframe expertise with agentic AI and hybrid IT capabilities to improve application development and operational agility [1][2][3] AI-Powered Services - The new agentic AI mainframe services are designed to help IBM z/OS customers adopt innovative technologies, facilitating faster decision-making and simplifying complex processes in application and infrastructure management [2][3] - Kyndryl's AI services integrate with the Kyndryl Bridge platform, providing intelligent automation, predictive analytics, and insights across mainframe infrastructure and applications [4][5] Collaboration and Expertise - Kyndryl collaborates with IBM to enhance AI capabilities in core business systems, enabling clients to leverage advanced AI on mainframes for improved decision-making and operational agility [5][6] - The company utilizes its intellectual property and expertise in mainframe transformation, along with technologies from cloud hyperscalers, to drive innovation for customers [6][7] Market Insights - According to Kyndryl's 2025 State of Mainframe Modernization Survey, 88% of respondents have implemented or plan to implement AI in their mainframe environments, with expected benefits including increased business agility (37%), faster operational actions (32%), and cost savings (31%) [8][9] - The survey predicts that AI will generate $12.7 billion in cost savings and $19.5 billion in increased revenues over the next three years, with key use cases in performance enhancement, fraud detection, and security [9]

Core Insights - Kyndryl Holdings, Inc. has successfully transitioned from traditional IT services to next-generation infrastructure and AI-driven solutions, making it one of the best-performing mid-cap tech stocks in the last three years [1] - The company launched an Agentic AI-powered Aviation Industry Cloud Solution in collaboration with Google Cloud, aimed at modernizing airline and travel-sector operations [2] - Kyndryl's Agentic AI Framework has been expanded to enable customers to orchestrate, secure, and scale AI agents across business environments, facilitating the transition from proof-of-concept to full enterprise deployment [3] Company Overview - Kyndryl Holdings, Inc. is based in New York City and specializes in designing, building, and managing critical technology systems for enterprises globally, increasingly integrating AI-native automation into its core IT modernization services [4]

Core Insights - Kyndryl reported a significant earnings and revenue miss for Q1 FY26, with non-GAAP EPS at $0.37, missing the estimate of $0.83, and GAAP revenue flat at $3.74 billion, missing expectations of $3.92 billion by 4.6% [1][5] - Despite the shortfall, the company achieved a 16% year-over-year increase in adjusted EBITDA and improved profitability, with management reaffirming full-year guidance [1][13] Financial Performance - Non-GAAP EPS was $0.37, missing the estimate of $0.83, and showing a 184.6% increase from $0.13 in Q1 FY25 [2] - GAAP revenue was $3.74 billion, unchanged from the prior year, but below the consensus estimate of $3.92 billion [2] - Adjusted EBITDA reached $647 million, a 16.4% increase from $556 million in Q1 FY25, with adjusted EBITDA margin rising to 17.3% from 14.9% [2][6] - Free cash flow was negative $222 million, reflecting typical seasonal outflows, and higher than the prior year's outflow [2][9] Business Focus and Strategy - Kyndryl specializes in designing, managing, and modernizing IT systems for enterprise clients, focusing on cloud, data management, security, AI, and networking [3] - The company is expanding higher-value services, particularly in consulting and cloud partnerships, and developing AI tools for enterprise clients [4] - Kyndryl Consult saw a revenue increase of 30% year-over-year, with signings for consulting services up 36% [7] Market Trends and Product Development - The hyperscaler alliances, which integrate clients with major cloud providers, generated significant revenue, with cloud-related revenue soaring 86% to $400 million [7][11] - The launch of the Agentic AI Framework aims to help businesses adopt advanced AI solutions, enhancing Kyndryl's position in automation and AI-enabled IT operations [8][11] Future Outlook - Management reaffirmed guidance for FY2026, projecting at least $725 million in adjusted pre-tax income, an adjusted EBITDA margin of approximately 18%, and free cash flow of approximately $550 million [13] - The company emphasizes the importance of converting contract signings into recognized revenue, particularly in consulting and cloud alliance segments [14]