Summary of Pure Storage Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Pure Storage - **Industry**: Technology, specifically data storage solutions Key Financial Performance - **Earnings Performance**: Pure Storage reported a strong quarter, beating both revenue and earnings expectations, continuing a trend of strength observed throughout the year [4][5] - **Hyperscaler Shipments**: The company surpassed its previously anticipated full-year shipments to hyperscalers, indicating robust demand in this segment [4][5] Core Business Insights - **Broad-Based Strength**: The company is experiencing broad-based strength across its enterprise business and newer product areas, such as Portworx [4][5] - **Incremental Financial Benefits**: Discussions highlighted the financial benefits from the hyperscaler business and the potential for new business models tailored to different hyperscaler environments [5][7] Business Model and Strategy - **Software Licensing Model**: The existing business model primarily revolves around software licenses or royalty revenue, with no hardware components provided to customers [8][9] - **Tailored Business Models**: There is a focus on tailoring business models to fit the needs of hyperscaler customers, with potential for gross margin profiles to align more closely with company averages over time [10][39] Technological Differentiation - **DirectFlash Technology**: The major differentiator for Pure Storage is its DirectFlash technology, which includes both hardware and software components, enabling higher performance and reliability [42][44] - **Efficiency Gains**: The technology allows hyperscalers to meet data needs with a smaller footprint, consuming less space and power, which is critical in the current market [52][56] Market Dynamics - **Demand Trends**: There is broad-based strength in the storage market, particularly in enterprise segments, driven by a focus on modern virtualization and selective repatriation of workloads from the cloud [67][70] - **Enterprise Data Cloud**: The Enterprise Data Cloud offering is gaining traction, allowing for more strategic conversations with C-suite executives, enhancing the company's market position [81][85] Supply Chain and Commodity Pricing - **Supply Chain Management**: Pure Storage has a strong track record in navigating supply chain challenges, leveraging structural advantages to maintain competitive pricing [90][104] - **Commodity Price Impact**: The company typically prices at a premium to competitors, which allows for disciplined discounting strategies even in fluctuating commodity price environments [88][90] Growth Opportunities - **Multiple Growth Vectors**: The company is pursuing various growth opportunities across hyperscalers, enterprise data cloud, and modern virtualization, indicating a diversified growth strategy [108][109] - **Intellectual Property Leverage**: Pure Storage has built a rich stack of intellectual property that enables it to adapt and meet the needs of multiple market segments, including AI and cloud-native environments [109][110] Conclusion - Pure Storage is positioned for continued growth through its innovative technology, strategic business models, and strong market demand across various sectors. The company is focused on leveraging its intellectual property to expand its market share and enhance customer relationships.

Core Insights - Pure Storage (PSTG) reported third-quarter fiscal 2026 non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) of 58 cents, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 59 cents, but up from 50 cents in the prior-year quarter [1] - The company generated $964.5 million in revenues, a 16% year-over-year increase, surpassing management's expectations and the consensus mark [2] - Pure Storage raised its fiscal 2026 revenue outlook to $3.63–$3.64 billion, indicating 14.5–14.9% year-over-year growth [4] Financial Performance - Product revenues amounted to $534 million, up 18% year-over-year, contributing 55.4% to total revenues [7] - Subscription services revenues rose 14% to $430 million, accounting for 44.6% of total revenues [7] - Subscription annual recurring revenues (ARR) reached nearly $1.8 billion, up 17% year-over-year [8] Operational Highlights - The company exceeded its full-year goal of 2 exabytes of hyperscale shipments in the fiscal third quarter and anticipates further shipments in the fiscal fourth quarter [3] - Non-GAAP gross margin improved to 74.1% from 71.9% in the prior-year quarter, with product gross margin at 72.9% [12] - Non-GAAP operating income was $196.2 million, exceeding the outlook and up from $167.3 million in the year-ago quarter [13] Cash Flow and Shareholder Returns - Pure Storage ended the fiscal third quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $1.5 billion, unchanged from the previous quarter [14] - Cash flow from operations was $116 million, compared to $97 million in the prior-year quarter, with free cash flow at $52.6 million [14] - The company returned $53 million to shareholders through share repurchases during the quarter [15] Future Guidance - For fiscal Q4, Pure Storage expects revenues in the range of $1.02-$1.04 billion, indicating a 17.1% increase at the midpoint from the year-ago level [16] - Non-GAAP operating income is projected to be $220-$230 million, reflecting around 47% year-over-year growth at the midpoint [16]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for Q3 FY26 was $964 million, representing a 16% year-over-year growth, while operating profit grew 17% year-over-year to $196 million, achieving an operating margin of 20.3% [19][24] - Total gross margin increased to 74.1%, with subscription services gross margin at 75.5% and product gross margin at 72.9% [23][24] - Annual recurring revenue (ARR) grew 17% to $1.8 billion, and total remaining performance obligations (RPO) increased 24% to $2.9 billion [22] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Product revenue reached $534 million, growing 18% year-over-year, while subscription services revenue was $430 million, up 14% year-over-year, accounting for 45% of total revenue [22] - Total contract value (TCV) sales for storage as a service offerings grew 25% year-over-year to $120 million [22] - The number of customers deploying the Pure Fusion capability has more than tripled since the beginning of the year, indicating strong market demand [7] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - U.S. revenue was $683 million, growing 22%, while international revenue was $281 million, growing 4% year-over-year [23] - The company added 258 new customers, increasing its penetration of the Fortune 500 to 63% [23] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to capitalize on the financial benefits from hyperscaler revenues to make significant investments in R&D and sales and marketing to sustain momentum and capture additional profitable growth opportunities [26][28] - The introduction of the Enterprise Data Cloud is expected to enhance customer engagement and drive demand for storage architectures [9][10] - The company is exploring new business model options for hyperscaler engagements that may alter gross margin economics in FY27 [28][72] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management anticipates increased commodity pricing and excess demand will pressure global supply chains, but the company is well-prepared with a resilient supply chain and strong business continuity plans [16] - The company expects revenue for Q4 FY26 to be in the range of $1.02-$1.04 billion, representing approximately a 17.1% year-over-year increase at the midpoint [25] - Management remains optimistic about the growth trajectory, emphasizing that operating profit is expected to grow significantly in FY26 and beyond [80] Other Important Information - The company welcomed Pat Finn as the new Chief Revenue Officer, bringing extensive experience in scaling sales and go-to-market organizations [17] - The company has a strong balance sheet with $1.5 billion in cash and investments, and generated $53 million of free cash flow in Q3 [24] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of memory price inflation on margins and revenue - Management explained that commodity pricing affects overall market pricing, and higher prices could lead to increased revenue, although gross margins may remain stable [33] Question: Increase in inventory and its implications - Management noted that the inventory increase was due to strategic purchases and tariff mitigation, and overall inventory levels remain low compared to business size [40] Question: Product gross margin sustainability - Management indicated that higher-end product sales and Portworx license purchases contributed positively to gross margins, and they expect to maintain strong margins moving forward [46] Question: Feedback on Enterprise Data Cloud - Early feedback has been positive, with significant demand for the new cloud-native offerings, indicating a shift in customer engagement [51] Question: Engagements with hyperscalers - Management confirmed ongoing engagements with top hyperscalers and multiple proofs of concept, indicating strong interest in their offerings [60] Question: Changes in demand dynamics due to memory costs - Management acknowledged that while higher prices could constrain demand, the overall demand for data remains strong, particularly with the rise of AI [88] Question: Scaling the hyperscale business - Management emphasized the importance of providing superior solutions and maintaining engagement with hyperscalers to capture a larger market share [110]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for Q3 FY26 was $964 million, representing a 16% year-over-year growth, while operating profit grew 17% year-over-year to $196 million, achieving an operating margin of 20.3% [19][24] - Total gross margin increased to 74.1%, with subscription services gross margin at 75.5% and product gross margin at 72.9% [23][24] - Annual recurring revenue (ARR) grew 17% to $1.8 billion, and total remaining performance obligations (RPO) increased 24% to $2.9 billion [22] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Product revenue reached $534 million, growing 18% year-over-year, while total contract value (TCV) sales for storage as a service offerings grew 25% year-over-year to $120 million [21][22] - Subscription services revenue in Q3 was $430 million, accounting for 45% of total revenue [22] - The number of customers deploying the Fusion platform has more than tripled since the beginning of the year, indicating strong demand [7] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - U.S. revenue was $683 million, growing 22%, while international revenue was $281 million, growing 4% year-over-year [23] - The company added 258 new customers, with a penetration rate of 63% in the Fortune 500 [23] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to capitalize on the financial benefits from hyperscaler revenues to make significant investments in R&D and sales and marketing to sustain momentum and capture additional profitable growth opportunities [26][28] - The focus is on expanding the Enterprise Data Cloud and enhancing the capabilities of the Pure Fusion platform to meet evolving customer needs [10][11] - The company plans to grow its hyperscaler business and evaluate additional business model options that may change gross margin economics in FY27 [28] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management anticipates increased commodity pricing and excess demand will pressure global supply chains, but the company is well-prepared with a resilient supply chain and strong business continuity plans [16] - The outlook for Q4 anticipates revenue in the range of $1.02-$1.04 billion, representing a 17.1% year-over-year increase at the midpoint [25] - The company expects operating profit for FY26 to be in the range of $629-$639 million, reflecting a 13.3% year-over-year increase at the midpoint [26] Other Important Information - The company has a strong balance sheet with $1.5 billion in cash and investments, and Q3 operating cash flow was $116 million [24] - The company returned $53 million to shareholders through share repurchases and has $56 million remaining in its buyback authorization [24] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of memory price inflation on margins and revenue - Management explained that commodity pricing affects overall market pricing, and higher prices generally lead to increased revenue across the storage market, benefiting the company [32][34] Question: Increase in inventory and its implications - Management noted that the increase in inventory was due to tariff mitigation purchases and strategic positions in key components to avoid supply chain disruptions [38][40] Question: Product gross margin and mix shift - Management confirmed that higher-end product configurations contributed positively to product gross margins, alongside revenue from Portworx licenses and hyperscaler shipments [44][46] Question: Feedback on Enterprise Data Cloud - Early feedback on the Enterprise Data Cloud has been positive, with significant demand for cloud-native solutions and improved customer engagement across various roles [50][52] Question: Engagements with hyperscalers - Management indicated ongoing engagements with top hyperscalers, with multiple proofs of concept underway, and emphasized investments in product SKUs and technology to drive growth [58][61] Question: Changes in demand dynamics due to memory costs - Management acknowledged that while rising prices could constrain demand, the overall demand for data remains strong, particularly due to AI [84][86] Question: Expectations for gross margin dynamics as hyperscale business scales - Management highlighted that while current gross margins are strong, exploring new revenue models with hyperscalers could impact future gross margin economics [70][72] Question: Operating margin trajectory into FY27 - Management reassured that they expect operating profit to grow beyond FY26, with continued investments in growth areas [80][81]

Pure Storage (NYSE:PSTG) Q3 2026 Earnings Call December 02, 2025 05:00 PM ET Speaker2Good day and welcome to the Pure Storage third quarter fiscal 2026 financial results conference call. Today's conference is being recorded. All lines will be muted during the presentation portion of the call, with an opportunity for questions and answers at the end. If you would like to ask a question, please press star one on your telephone keypad. At this time, I'd like to turn the call over to Paul Ziots, Vice President ...

Core Insights - Pure Storage, Inc. (PSTG) is set to report its third-quarter fiscal 2026 results on December 2, 2025, with earnings expected to be 59 cents, reflecting an 18% increase year-over-year, and total revenues estimated at $958.1 million, indicating a 15.3% growth from the previous year [1][3] Financial Performance - PSTG has achieved a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 12.4%, consistently beating estimates [2] - For the fiscal third quarter, PSTG anticipates revenues between $950 million and $960 million, representing a 15% increase at the midpoint compared to the previous year [4] - Non-GAAP operating income is projected to be between $185 million and $195 million, with around 14% growth at the midpoint [4] Growth Drivers - The company is experiencing widespread growth across its portfolio, driven by strong enterprise demand and increasing traction in key software and services such as Evergreen//One, Cloud Block Store, and Portworx [3] - Subscription services revenues are a significant contributor, with expectations of reaching $452.3 million, a 20.2% year-over-year increase [5] - The launch of the Enterprise Data Cloud (EDC) is expected to enhance governance, scalability, and agility while reducing costs [6][7] Strategic Initiatives - Initial collaborations with hyperscalers transitioning to DirectFlash technology are expected to support growth [3] - The co-engineering partnership with Meta is progressing, with the first volume rollout underway and initial revenue recognized [3] - Recent advancements in partnership with Cisco aim to enhance AI project scalability [9][10] Market Challenges - Management expresses caution regarding economic fluctuations and tariff volatility, alongside fierce competition in the flash-based storage market [8]

Core Insights - Pure Storage, Inc. (PSTG) has demonstrated strong stock performance, gaining 68.6% over the past three months, significantly outperforming the Zacks Computer-Storage Devices industry, the Zacks Computer and Technology sector, and the S&P 500, which grew by 35.4%, 13.2%, and 7.6% respectively [1][8]. Performance Drivers - The stock rally is attributed to increasing investor confidence driven by AI-related demand, a subscription-based growth model, and the rising need for flash-based storage solutions [4][8]. - Strong demand from large enterprises and ongoing momentum in products like FlashBlade, particularly FlashBlade//E, along with the adoption of core software and services offerings, are key growth catalysts [5][10]. - Subscription services revenues reached $414.7 million, representing a 14.8% increase, with annual recurring revenues nearing $1.8 billion, up 18% year-over-year [5][11]. Product and Service Innovations - The introduction of the Enterprise Data Cloud (EDC) and enhancements to the Pure Storage Platform are expected to boost revenue growth by enabling businesses to leverage AI for improved workflow efficiency [6][7]. - New storage products, including FlashArray//X R5 and FlashArray//C R5, have been launched, with FlashArray//XL 190 expected to be available in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026 [9][10]. Strategic Partnerships and Market Position - A strategic partnership with Meta Platforms has progressed to the first volume deployment, with revenues recognized in the fiscal second quarter [11]. - Management anticipates deploying 1-2 exabytes of DirectFlash technology by fiscal 2026, indicating strong confidence in future performance [11]. Financial Outlook - The company expects revenues between $3.6 billion and $3.63 billion for fiscal 2026, reflecting a 14% year-over-year growth at the midpoint, which is an increase from the previously guided 11% growth [11]. - Pure Storage reported cash and cash equivalents of $1.5 billion and free cash flow of $150.1 million in the fiscal second quarter [13]. Shareholder Returns - The company returned $42 million to shareholders through share repurchases in the fiscal second quarter, with $109 million remaining under its current authorization plan [14]. Competitive Landscape - Despite strong performance, Pure Storage faces challenges from economic pressures and intensifying competition in the flash-based storage market [15][16]. - The stock is currently trading at a premium with a forward 12-month Price/Earnings ratio of 39.34X compared to the industry average of 22.39X [18].

Core Insights - Pure Storage reported strong Q2 fiscal 2026 results, with non-GAAP EPS of 43 cents, exceeding estimates by 10.3% and slightly down from 44 cents in the prior year [2] - Quarterly revenues reached $861 million, a 13% increase year-over-year, surpassing estimates by 1.8% and management's guidance of $845 million [3] - The company has provided a revenue guidance range of $3.6 billion to $3.63 billion for fiscal 2026, indicating a 14% year-over-year growth at the midpoint, which is an increase from the previous guidance of 11% [4] Financial Performance - Product revenues contributed 51.8% to total revenues, amounting to $446.3 million, a 10.6% increase year-over-year, while subscription services revenues rose 14.8% to $414.7 million [6] - Subscription annual recurring revenues (ARR) reached nearly $1.8 billion, up 18% year-over-year [6] - Non-GAAP gross margin was 72.1%, slightly down from 72.8% in the prior year, with product gross margin at 68% and subscription services gross margin at 76.5% [8] Cash Flow and Shareholder Returns - Cash flow from operations was $212.2 million, down from $226.6 million in the prior year, while free cash flow decreased to $150.1 million from $166.6 million [11] - The company returned $42 million to shareholders through share repurchases, with $109 million remaining under its current authorization plan [11] Future Guidance - For Q3, Pure Storage expects revenues between $950 million and $960 million, indicating a 15% increase year-over-year at the midpoint [13] - Non-GAAP operating income is projected to be between $185 million and $195 million, reflecting around 14% year-over-year growth at the midpoint [13] Market Sentiment - There has been a positive trend in estimates revisions, with a consensus estimate shift of 23.75% in the past month [14] - Pure Storage holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting an expectation of in-line returns in the coming months [16]

Core Insights - Pure Storage has announced enhancements to its platform aimed at improving data accessibility and management, particularly in the context of AI and cloud environments [1][2][3] Group 1: Platform Enhancements - The Pure Storage Platform now supports expanded workload coverage into the cloud, facilitating streamlined workflows across on-premises and cloud environments [1][3] - The Enterprise Data Cloud architecture provides a unified operating model that enhances data control, automation, and cyber resilience [2][8] Group 2: AI and Data Management - Access to data is emphasized as critical for AI readiness, with a focus on managing data securely and consistently across various environments [3][4] - The introduction of Pure Storage Cloud aims to unify data landscapes for hybrid cloud storage, making data accessible for AI tools [5][8] Group 3: New Integrations and Features - New integrations include Pure Storage Cloud Azure Native, which simplifies the migration of VMware workloads to Azure, enhancing operational efficiency [5][10] - The Portworx integration with Pure Fusion allows for unified data and storage management across traditional and modern applications [5][10] Group 4: AI Copilot and Automation - The Pure1 AI Copilot has been expanded to enhance user interaction with storage systems, allowing for easier management through natural language queries [5][6] - AI Copilot's integration with Model Context Protocol servers enables IT teams to manage systems without deep technical expertise, enhancing operational efficiency [6][7] Group 5: Performance and Sustainability - The Key Value Accelerator is designed to improve AI inference workloads, reducing computational overhead and carbon footprints [10] - The next-generation data reduction engine, Purity Deep Reduce, aims to enhance efficiency while maintaining performance [10]

Core Insights - Pure Storage, Inc's (PSTG) shares have gained 37.1% in the past month and 29.4% since strong quarterly results were announced on August 27 [1][8] - The stock has outperformed the Computer-Storage Devices industry, the Zacks Computer and Technology sector, and the S&P 500 composite, which grew by 12.7%, 2.9%, and 3.1% respectively [4] Price Performance - Closing at $78.73, PSTG is near its 52-week high of $80.68 reached on August 28, 2025 [4] Business Growth Drivers - Strong demand from large enterprises and ongoing momentum in FlashBlade, particularly FlashBlade//E, are key growth drivers [5] - Subscription services revenues rose 14.8% to $414.7 million, with annual recurring revenues (ARR) reaching nearly $1.8 billion, up 18% year-over-year [6][8] - The introduction of new storage systems in the Flash portfolio aims to address high-performance and scalable workloads [7] - The launch of the Enterprise Data Cloud (EDC) enhances data and storage management capabilities [8] Financial Health - Pure Storage exited the fiscal second quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $1.5 billion, and cash flow from operations was $212.2 million [9] - The company returned $42 million to shareholders through share repurchases [10] Future Outlook - For fiscal 2026, PSTG expects revenues between $3.6 billion and $3.63 billion, indicating a 14% year-over-year growth at the midpoint [11] - Analysts have revised earnings estimates upward, reflecting bullish sentiment [12] Competitive Landscape - Despite strong performance, Pure Storage faces competition in the flash-based storage market and potential delays in enterprise cloud migrations due to macroeconomic uncertainties [13][14] Valuation Concerns - PSTG is trading at a forward Price/Earnings ratio of 36.41X, significantly higher than the industry average of 19.47X, raising concerns about its valuation [15] Investment Recommendations - Current sentiment suggests that new investors should wait for a better entry point, while existing investors are advised to retain their holdings [16][17]