By Juby Babu (Reuters) -Zoom Communications (ZM) raised its annual revenue and profit forecasts on Monday, benefiting from hybrid work trends and the ​integration of artificial intelligence into its products. Shares of the company rose 4%‌ in premarket trading on Tuesday. Zoom has intensified its push to embed AI functionalities across its products and broaden ‌its service offerings to capitalize on the demand for hybrid work solutions. New products such as Phone, Contact Center and Virtual Agent, are ...

Core Insights - Zoom Communications is evolving from a pandemic-focused video meeting platform to a diversified collaboration provider, offering solutions like Zoom Phone, Contact Center, Workvivo, and AI-driven Zoom Workplace [1] Financial Performance - In Q2 of fiscal 2026, Zoom reported revenue of $873.97 million from the Americas, a 4.6% year-over-year increase; EMEAC contributed $200 million, up 5.7%; and Asia Pacific generated $148.3 million, growing 4.2% [2] - The Zacks Consensus Estimates for Q3 fiscal 2026 revenues are $870.53 million for the Americas (up 3%), $194.32 million for EMEAC (up 4%), and $149 million for Asia Pacific (up 3.2%) [4] - Zoom shares have appreciated 2.4% year to date, while the Zacks Internet – Software industry and the Zacks Computer and Technology sector have increased 26.5% and 22.4%, respectively [6] Strategic Initiatives - Zoom is expanding its market reach through new distribution channels and strategic partnerships, including collaborations with AWS and PwC, to enhance enterprise penetration globally [3][8] - The company is focusing on AI-driven product enhancements, such as AI Companion 3.0, to resonate with multinational and hybrid workforces [3][8] Competitive Landscape - Competitors like Microsoft and Cisco are also expanding their global reach, with Microsoft leveraging its Office 365 ecosystem and Cisco investing in local data centers for Webex [5] - Zoom differentiates itself through AI-driven innovation and platform flexibility, which is crucial for building global momentum [5] Valuation Metrics - Zoom's stock is currently trading at a forward 12-month Price/Sales ratio of 5.14X, compared to the industry's 6.01X, indicating a relatively favorable valuation [10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Q3 fiscal 2026 earnings is $1.42 per share, reflecting a year-over-year improvement of 2.9% [13]

Summary of Zoom's Earnings Call Company Overview - **Company**: Zoom - **CFO**: Michelle Chang, who joined in October 2024 after 25 years at Microsoft, where she was CFO of Teams during the pandemic [2][4] Key Points and Arguments Company Strategy and Priorities - **Growth Rate Acceleration**: The primary focus is on accelerating growth rates, which is crucial for stock performance [5][6] - **Capital Allocation**: Emphasis on refining internal and external capital allocation, including an aggressive buyback strategy [6] - **Business Evolution**: Transitioning from a meetings company to a comprehensive workplace platform, expanding into adjacent Total Addressable Markets (TAM) [6][10] - **AI Integration**: Infusing AI across products and monetizing AI capabilities more explicitly [6][12] Product Offerings and Market Position - **Workplace Platform**: Zoom is not just a meetings tool; it includes calendar, chat, collaboration, and email functionalities [10] - **Customer Experience**: Significant demand in customer experience solutions, particularly in contact centers, with AI driving growth [11][12] - **Employee Experience**: Strong demand from Fortune 100 customers for employee experience solutions, with many new customers being introduced to the Zoom ecosystem [13][45] Growth Drivers - **New Customer Acquisition**: Focus on bringing new customers into the ecosystem rather than just upselling existing ones [14][15] - **AI as a Differentiator**: AI is seen as a key driver for growth, with a focus on democratizing AI value for all customers [16][17] - **M&A Strategy**: Future acquisitions will align with business priorities and aim to accelerate top-line growth [18] Recent Performance and Guidance - **Quarterly Results**: The recent quarter showed strong performance, leading to raised guidance for the full year [34] - **Price Increases**: A planned price increase for a subset of customers, expected to generate an additional $10 million to $15 million [34][38] - **Churn Reduction**: Online churn has decreased significantly, providing confidence for the price increase [37][38] Competitive Landscape - **Contact Center Growth**: Zoom is experiencing triple-digit growth in the contact center space, attributed to its omnichannel excellence and AI capabilities [46] - **Partnerships**: Strategic partnerships are essential for expanding capabilities and market reach [48] Capital Management - **Buyback Strategy**: Recent buybacks were both opportunistic and a response to investor feedback, with a commitment to a $1.2 billion buyback program [49][50] Additional Insights - **Customer Sentiment**: Surveys indicate that customers are willing to pay for added value, reflecting confidence in the platform's offerings [40] - **WorkVivo Success**: WorkVivo, an employee experience platform, has seen significant growth, with 90% of its customers being new to Zoom [41][45] This summary encapsulates the key insights from Zoom's earnings call, highlighting the company's strategic direction, product offerings, growth drivers, and recent performance metrics.

Core Viewpoint - Zoom Communications is set to report its first-quarter fiscal 2026 results, with expected revenues between $1.162 billion and $1.167 billion, indicating a 2.03% increase year-over-year [1][2] Revenue Expectations - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Zoom's first-quarter fiscal 2026 revenues is currently at $1.16 billion, reflecting a 2.03% increase from the previous year's figure [1] - The consensus for earnings per share is $1.30, which represents a 3.70% decrease from the year-ago reported figure [2] Growth Drivers - The expansion of Zoom's AI Companion capabilities, particularly with the launch of AI Companion 2.0, is expected to enhance customer engagement and boost top-line performance [3] - The enterprise segment is anticipated to remain the primary growth driver, with a 6% year-over-year revenue increase in the previous quarter, accounting for 60% of total revenues [4] - The number of customers generating over $100,000 in trailing 12-month revenues grew by 7% year-over-year, with record low churn rates [4] Segment Performance - The Online business segment, which includes SMB and individual customers, is expected to remain flat to slightly down, reflecting stabilization trends [5] - Large deal wins, such as deployments to Amazon and Delta Airlines, are expected to reinforce the platform's appeal to larger clients [5] Margin and Cash Flow Insights - Strategic investments in AI are likely to impact gross margins, but efforts in AI infrastructure optimization are expected to keep operating margins stable near 39% [6] - Free cash flow is anticipated to be affected by timing differences, tax conditions, and changes in interest rates [6] Earnings Prediction Model - According to the Zacks model, Zoom currently has an Earnings ESP of -1.68% and a Zacks Rank of 3, indicating lower odds of an earnings beat [7]