Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net sales for the December quarter were $1.186 billion, up 4% sequentially and 15.6% year-over-year, exceeding original guidance [5][16] - Non-GAAP gross margins were 60.5%, up 379 basis points sequentially, while GAAP gross margins were 59.6% [6][17] - Non-GAAP net income was $252.8 million, with earnings per diluted share at $0.44, which was $0.04 above the high end of guidance [6][7] - Total operating expenses were $555.2 million, with non-GAAP operating income at 28.5% of sales [7][9] - Cash flow from operating activities was $341.4 million, with adjusted free cash flow at $305.6 million [9] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Sales from microcontroller and analog businesses were flat sequentially, while growth came from networking, data center, FPGA, and licensing business units [16] - Distribution sell-through was $11.7 million higher than sell-in, indicating a reduction in distributor inventory [16] - The adjusted EBITDA for the December quarter was $402 million, representing 33.9% of net sales [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net sales growth was observed in the Americas and Europe, while sales in Asia were flat [16] - The strongest sales performance was noted in the aerospace and defense sector, as well as in networking data center solutions [17] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on modernizing connectivity in automotive and industrial markets, with a strategic collaboration with Hyundai Motor Group to integrate 10BASE-T1S solutions [12][13] - The company aims to capture opportunities in Industry 4.0 and automotive Ethernet, with a comprehensive portfolio of Ethernet solutions [14][15] - The company is positioned to benefit from significant growth in the automotive and industrial Ethernet connectivity markets, projected to be worth tens of billions by 2030 [15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the recovery of end markets, including automotive, industrial, communication, data center, aerospace and defense, and consumer sectors [17] - The company anticipates net sales for the March quarter to be $1.26 billion ±$20 million, representing 6.2% sequential growth and 29.8% year-over-year growth [22] - Management noted challenges with lead times and substrate availability, but overall demand remains strong [20][21] Other Important Information - The company expects to maintain a non-GAAP tax rate of about 10% for fiscal year 2026 [8] - Total debt decreased by $12.1 million sequentially, with net debt down by $26 million [9] - The company plans to prioritize debt reduction over share buybacks until a more favorable debt leverage ratio is achieved [105][106] Q&A Session Summary Question: How should the continued strength versus seasonality be viewed? - Management indicated that distribution inventory is largely corrected, with strong backlog and bookings for the current quarter, leading to confidence in growth [25] Question: Update on inventory reserve and underutilization charges? - Management expects inventory reserves to normalize, with underutilization charges continuing to decrease gradually as factories ramp up [27][28] Question: Clarification on microcontroller and analog segments? - The upside in December was primarily driven by stronger performance in product segments, while licensing growth was anticipated [32] Question: Customer inventory behavior and restocking signs? - Management noted that while customers are still drawing down inventories, some products are starting to be purchased at consumption rates, but restocking has not yet begun [42][43] Question: Backlog for the June quarter? - Management reported that January bookings were strong, and the June quarter backlog is higher than the March quarter backlog at the same point in time [48] Question: Thoughts on the aerospace and defense segment? - Management highlighted strong growth driven by increased defense budgets and commercial airplane production, benefiting the company significantly [74][75] Question: Growth in FPGA business? - Management indicated that FPGA is experiencing significant growth and gaining market share, although specific numbers are not disclosed [85]