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Did Workday Help Signal the SaaS Bottom?
Yahoo Finance· 2026-03-01 13:50
Core Viewpoint - Workday's stock has faced challenges over the past year, particularly due to the broader SaaS sell-off, but recent results and guidance may indicate a potential bottom for the stock [1][7]. Financial Performance - Workday reported Q4 revenue of $2.53 billion, a 14.5% year-over-year increase, with subscription revenue rising nearly 16% to $2.36 billion [4]. - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) increased by 29% to $2.47, surpassing consensus estimates of $2.32 [4]. - The company's 12-month subscription revenue backlog grew by 16% to $8.33 billion, while total subscription revenue backlog increased over 12% to $28.1 billion [4]. AI Integration and Growth - Workday's new annual contract value for AI solutions doubled to $100 million, with annual recurring revenue (ARR) for AI solutions exceeding $400 million [3]. - The company is investing heavily in agentic AI and has developed 12 role-based agents now moving into general availability [3]. Cash Flow and Debt Position - Workday ended the quarter with $5.4 billion in cash and marketable securities, alongside $3 billion in debt following recent acquisitions [5]. - The company generated operating cash flow of $2.9 billion and free cash flow of $2.8 billion for the year [5]. Future Guidance - Management forecasts Q1 subscription revenue growth of 13% to approximately $2.335 billion, slightly below the consensus of $2.35 billion [6]. - Full-year subscription revenue is expected to be between $9.925 billion and $9.95 billion, indicating 12% to 13% growth, which is just below the $10 billion anticipated by analysts [6]. Valuation Metrics - Workday's stock trades at a forward price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 3.2 and a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of below 12.5, based on fiscal 2026 estimates [7].