Braze (NasdaqGS:BRZE) FY Conference January 13, 2026 02:15 PM ET Company ParticipantsIsabelle Winkles - CFOConference Call ParticipantsNone - AnalystScott Berg - Senior AnalystScott BergI know, that's kind of crazy. I didn't hear that earlier when I was here. All right, anyways, thanks everyone for joining us today. My name is Scott Berg. I lead the enterprise software and SaaS research efforts here at Needham for those that are not familiar with myself. Today we actually have my top pick for 2026. I'm exci ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported revenue of $191 million for the fiscal third quarter 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 25.5% and a sequential increase of 6% [7][23] - Non-GAAP operating margins improved by over 400 basis points year-over-year, with non-GAAP operating income of $5 million, or 2.7% of revenue, compared to a non-GAAP operating loss of $2 million in the prior year quarter [7][28] - Free cash flow for the quarter was $18 million, a significant improvement from a negative free cash flow of $14 million in the prior year quarter [7][29] - The total remaining performance obligation (RPO) was $891 million, up 24% year-over-year, while current RPO was $573 million, up 25% year-over-year [26] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Subscription revenue accounted for 95% of total revenue, with the remaining 5% from professional services and one-time fees [23] - The company added 106 new customers sequentially and 317 year-over-year, bringing the total customer count to 2,528, a 14% increase [8][23] - Large customers (those spending at least $500,000 annually) grew by 29% year-over-year to 303, contributing 63% to total annual recurring revenue (ARR) [24] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue outside the U.S. contributed 45% of total revenue, consistent with previous quarters [24] - Dollar-based net retention was 108% overall and 110% for large customers, indicating strong customer retention and expansion [24] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to position itself as the global standard for omnichannel customer engagement, leveraging AI-driven solutions to enhance customer experiences [7][8] - The introduction of new AI capabilities and the Braze AI Decisioning Studio is expected to drive future growth and customer engagement [19][31] - The company is focused on innovation and product development, particularly in AI, to maintain competitive advantage in the customer engagement landscape [14][20] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about continued market demand and strong pipeline generation, indicating a positive outlook for fiscal year 2027 [7][8] - The company anticipates revenue for the fourth quarter to be in the range of $197.5–$198.5 million, representing a year-over-year growth rate of approximately 23% [30] - Management highlighted the importance of first-party data and customer engagement strategies in navigating the evolving market landscape [70][74] Other Important Information - The company achieved a record of 102.5 billion messages delivered during Cyber Week, showcasing the platform's scalability and reliability [10][12] - The integration of Braze with ChatGPT apps is expected to enhance customer engagement and provide new monetization opportunities [20][70] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on the Braze healthcare customer using the AI agent - Management highlighted the agility of deploying AI solutions within the Braze Canvas, allowing for enhanced customer interactions and support [35][39] Question: Drivers of improving trends in key metrics - Management attributed improvements to ongoing productivity enhancements, mitigation of downsell activity, and effective sales strategies [40][42] Question: Factors driving momentum in legacy replacement cycles - Management noted that the competitive landscape is shifting, with increased awareness and differentiation for Braze, leading to more enterprise replacements [45][47] Question: Impact of AI on growth strategy - Management discussed the monetization of AI, emphasizing the potential for real-time AI functionalities to enhance customer engagement and operational efficiency [54][56] Question: Customer interest in ChatGPT integration - Management explained that the evolution of app ecosystems will determine the role of Braze in enhancing customer engagement through first-party data [68][70]

Summary of Braze FY Conference Call - September 10, 2025 Company Overview - **Company**: Braze (NasdaqGS:BRZE) - **Industry**: Customer Engagement and Marketing Technology Key Points Data Architecture and Competitive Advantage - Braze emphasizes the importance of data architecture as a competitive advantage in the AI era, focusing on real-time data processing rather than traditional data warehousing [7][12][11] - The company has built a stream processing engine similar to high-frequency trading systems, allowing for real-time updates and actions based on customer engagement data [8][9][10] - Braze processes over 10 trillion data points annually, highlighting its capability to handle massive data flows efficiently [29] Business Momentum and Growth Outlook - Braze has shown an improving growth outlook for margins and profits, with increased productivity in its sales force over the last two quarters [34][36] - The company has improved its renewal processes, leading to lower downsell risks and better customer retention [38][40] - The overall effectiveness of the sales team has increased, contributing to a positive forecast for future performance [41] Replacement Cycle and Market Position - Braze is four years post-IPO and is analyzing changes in enterprise replacement cycles, indicating a shift in customer engagement strategies [7] - The company is focusing on enhancing its international strategy and verticalization to improve efficiency [38] AI and Composable Intelligence - Braze is transitioning to a new framework of context, intelligence, and interaction, leveraging advancements in AI and machine learning [20][21] - The concept of "composable intelligence" is introduced, where models are imbued with brand knowledge and can operate autonomously, enhancing marketing strategies [24][23] - The integration of AI tools aims to improve marketer productivity and customer engagement by automating decision-making processes [22][28] OfferFit and Unit Economics - OfferFit, a new product line, has two SKU types priced between $100,000 and $300,000, targeting enterprises with high-leverage use cases [49][50] - The potential for cross-selling between OfferFit and Braze's existing customer base is significant, with many OfferFit customers not currently using Braze's customer engagement solutions [51] - The decisioning products have higher gross margin potential compared to traditional messaging services, positioning Braze favorably in the market [52] Future Outlook - Braze is excited about upcoming developments in AI-centric customer engagement and plans to share more at the Forge event [53] - The company is focused on enhancing its product portfolio and leveraging AI to drive customer engagement strategies [52][53] Additional Important Insights - The company has made significant investments in first-party data and real-time context understanding, which are crucial for effective customer engagement [29][30] - Braze continues to expand its channel offerings, including new functionalities for messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Kakao [30]

Core Insights - Braze reported a 20% year-over-year revenue increase to $162.1 million for fiscal Q1 2026, with a non-GAAP operating margin improvement of over 900 basis points and a non-GAAP net income of $7 million [1][5] Financial Performance - The company achieved a non-GAAP operating margin of 2%, a significant turnaround from a negative 7% in the prior-year period, and generated free cash flow of $23 million, despite acquisition-related expenses [4][5] - Non-GAAP R&D spending rose by $2 million to $25 million, representing 15% of revenue, while sales and marketing expenses increased by $4 million to $64 million, accounting for 39% of revenue [4] Strategic Developments - Braze acquired OfferFit, an AI decisioning platform, which is expected to contribute approximately $11 million to $12 million in fiscal 2026 revenue, equating to about 2% incremental growth [2][3] - The acquisition enhances Braze's AI product suite and positions the company for increased wallet share capture against competitors [3] Pricing Strategy - The company implemented a new pricing model in May, shifting from data point-based limits to API rate-based usage, which has already shown positive results in sales cycles and customer satisfaction [6][7] - This pricing overhaul is expected to facilitate workload expansion and strengthen Braze's competitive differentiation [8] Future Outlook - For fiscal Q2 2026, management projects revenue between $171 million and $172 million, reflecting an 18% year-over-year growth rate, with a non-GAAP operating margin of approximately 1% [9] - The fiscal 2026 revenue guidance is set at $702 million to $706 million, indicating a 19% growth at the midpoint, with OfferFit contributing an estimated 2% incremental uplift [9]