Fluence Energy (NasdaqGS:FLNC) Q4 2025 Earnings Call November 25, 2025 08:30 AM ET Company ParticipantsDavid Arcaro - Executive Director of Equity ResearchChristine Cho - Managing DirectorDylan Nassano - VPJulian Nebreda - President and CEOAhmed Pasha - CFOGeorge Gianarikas - Sustainability ResearchChris Shelton - VP of Investor RelationsConference Call ParticipantsAmeet Thakkar - Director and Equity Research AnalystMark Strouse - Equity Research AnalystBrian Lee - Clean Technology AnalystJustin Clare - Man ...

Fluence Energy (NasdaqGS:FLNC) Q4 2025 Earnings Call November 25, 2025 08:30 AM ET Company ParticipantsDavid Arcaro - Executive Director of Equity ResearchChristine Cho - Managing DirectorDylan Nassano - VPJulian Nebreda - President and CEOAhmed Pasha - CFOGeorge Gianarikas - Sustainability ResearchChris Shelton - VP of Investor RelationsConference Call ParticipantsAmeet Thakkar - Director and Equity Research AnalystMark Strouse - Equity Research AnalystBrian Lee - Clean Technology AnalystJustin Clare - Man ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q4 2025, Fluence Energy signed over $1.4 billion in orders, setting a record and bringing the backlog to $5.3 billion, indicating strong growth potential for 2026 and beyond [5] - Full year revenue for 2025 was approximately $2.3 billion, about $300 million below expectations due to manufacturing delays [6][18] - The company achieved a record adjusted gross margin of approximately 13.7% for the year and $19.5 million in adjusted EBITDA, at the top end of guidance [6][19] - Annual recurring revenue (ARR) ended at $148 million, slightly above the original guidance of $145 million [7] - Liquidity at the end of the quarter was approximately $1.3 billion, providing a strong financial position for growth [8][20] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The record order intake of $1.4 billion included contributions from all core markets, with approximately half from projects in Australia [8] - The U.S. market is expected to be the largest contributor to order intake in fiscal 2026, reflecting a strong pipeline [8] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - There has been a significant increase in larger deals, with 38 projects of at least 1 gigawatt hour in the pipeline, more than double from the previous year [9] - A landmark 4 gigawatt hour project with LEED was announced, marking the largest battery project in European history [9] - Demand from data center customers has surged, with discussions on projects representing over 30 gigawatt hours, 80% of which originated since the end of the quarter [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Fluence is focusing on enhancing its sales and project execution capabilities, with new leadership appointments to drive growth [11] - The SmartStack product is positioned as a key differentiator in the market, designed to reduce total cost of ownership and improve operational metrics [12][13] - The company is committed to strengthening its domestic supply chain, with production facilities in Tennessee, Utah, and Arizona [14][15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in meeting delivery commitments and capturing revenue shortfalls in fiscal 2026 due to improved production rates [15][20] - The company anticipates revenue growth of 50% in fiscal 2026, with guidance set between $3.2 billion and $3.6 billion [21] - Adjusted gross margin is expected to be between 11% and 13%, reflecting higher costs associated with new product rollouts [21] Other Important Information - Fluence has made significant progress towards compliance with the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA) regulations, securing a second supplier for domestic battery cells [16][17] - The company is actively working to resolve PFE compliance issues with its Tennessee facility [17][49] Q&A Session Summary Question: Changes in competitive environment - Management noted that while international competition remains strong, there is a shift in the U.S. market towards customers preferring U.S. or non-PFE manufacturers [25] Question: Future margin guidance - Management confirmed that the goal is to improve margins over time, maintaining a trajectory of growth [26] Question: Data center market sizing - The total addressable market (TAM) for data centers is now believed to be significantly higher than the previously estimated $8 billion, with ongoing discussions indicating a rapidly expanding market [28][29] Question: Q4 underperformance explanation - Management acknowledged disappointment in Q4 performance due to staffing challenges at the Arizona facility but reported significant improvements in production rates [39][40] Question: Incremental capacity from new cell supplier - The new supplier is expected to provide sufficient capacity to meet projected loads for the next couple of years without material deposit commitments [42] Question: Data center project sizes and geographic distribution - Most data center projects are currently U.S.-heavy, with a mix of sizes in line with existing backlog [53]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported approximately $432 million in revenue for Q2 2025, exceeding expectations due to faster project milestone achievements [9][30] - Adjusted gross profit was $45 million, resulting in an adjusted gross profit margin of approximately 10.4%, marking the seventh consecutive quarter of double-digit margins [30] - Annual recurring revenue (ARR) increased to $110 million, with a revised guidance for ARR of $145 million [9][32] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The backlog at the end of the quarter was approximately $4.9 billion, including $200 million in contracts added during the quarter [9][20] - The company anticipates a strong ramp-up in order volume, particularly in Australia, as it enters the second half of the fiscal year [9][10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The U.S. electricity demand is projected to grow by 11% through 2030, indicating a significant increase in annual energy storage capacity [14] - Battery storage capacity in Australia is expected to reach 51 gigawatt hours by February 2030, up from 7 gigawatt hours in 2024 [15] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on its SmartStack technology and U.S. domestic content strategy to create value for stakeholders [21][22] - The domestic content strategy aims to meet local manufacturing requirements under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), providing tariff incentives and creating jobs [25][28] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the long-term growth prospects for energy storage despite current tariff-related uncertainties [11][39] - The company believes that the high tariff levels on Chinese imports are unlikely to be sustainable and expects a return to normalized contracting activity in the U.S. market [12][39] Other Important Information - The company ended the quarter with over $1 billion in liquidity, including $610 million in cash, providing a strong financial foundation [10][32] - The revised guidance for fiscal 2025 reflects a lower revenue expectation due to tariff impacts, with a midpoint guidance of $2.7 billion [34][36] Q&A Session Summary Question: Clarification on AESC ramp and capacity - Management clarified that the Tennessee facility has two lines, each with a capacity of 3 to 3.5 gigawatt hours, allowing for a combined annualized run rate of 12 gigawatt hours through a mix of domestic and imported batteries [45][48] Question: Mix of contracts in pause state - Approximately half of the $700 million in paused contracts were already in backlog, while the other half were under advanced negotiations [97][98] Question: Domestic content strategy and customer willingness - Management indicated that customers are hesitant to commit to fully domestic offerings due to uncertainty around future tariff negotiations with China [109][111] Question: Competitive landscape and tariff impacts - The competitive landscape remains intense, with management noting that uncertainty has made it difficult to gauge competition levels [70][71] Question: Global alternative cell supply situation - Management acknowledged that while there is some production outside of China, the majority of cell production still comes from China, making diversification challenging [76][78]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported approximately $432 million in revenue for Q2 2025, exceeding expectations due to earlier-than-expected project milestone deliveries [7][28] - Adjusted gross profit was $45 million, resulting in an adjusted gross profit margin of approximately 10.4%, marking the seventh consecutive quarter of double-digit margins [28] - The annual recurring revenue (ARR) increased to $110 million, with a revised guidance for ARR set at $145 million [7][30] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The backlog at the end of the quarter was approximately $4.9 billion, including $200 million in contracts added during the quarter [7][18] - The company anticipates a strong ramp-up in order volume, particularly in Australia, as it enters the second half of the fiscal year [7][10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The U.S. electricity demand is projected to grow by 11% through 2030, indicating a significant increase in annual energy storage capacity [12] - Battery storage in Australia is expected to reach 51 gigawatt hours by February 2030, up from 7 gigawatt hours in 2024 [13] - The company expects 278 gigawatt hours of capacity additions in the U.S. through 2030, highlighting the growing significance of battery storage [14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on its SmartStack technology and U.S. domestic content strategy to create value for stakeholders [19][20] - The domestic content strategy aims to meet local manufacturing requirements under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), providing tariff incentives and creating jobs [23][25] - The company is optimistic about the long-term growth prospects for energy storage despite current tariff challenges [11][35] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the recent U.S. tariffs have introduced substantial economic uncertainty, impacting customer decision-making and project execution [36] - The company believes the current high tariff levels on Chinese imports are unlikely to be sustainable and expects a return to more normalized contracting activity [9][10] - Management remains confident in the long-term positioning of the company and its ability to navigate current challenges [37] Other Important Information - The company ended the quarter with over $1 billion in liquidity, including $610 million in cash, providing a strong financial foundation [8][30] - The company has paused execution of some U.S. contracts due to tariff uncertainties, but does not expect material cancellations [31][32] Q&A Session Summary Question: Clarification on AESC ramp and capacity - The company clarified that each production line has a capacity of 3 to 3.5 gigawatt hours, and by mixing domestic and imported batteries, they can achieve an annualized run rate of 12 gigawatt hours [44][46] Question: Impact of tariffs on pricing and margins - Management indicated that the uncertainty around tariffs makes it difficult to set stable pricing, but they believe they can remain competitive even with high tariffs [55][56] Question: Ownership structure and political concerns - The company has a plan in place to address potential future restrictions on ownership related to IRA benefits [65][66] Question: Competitive landscape and Chinese vendors - Management noted that competition is currently in a wait-and-see mode due to tariff uncertainties, but they believe their domestic production strategy positions them well [68][69] Question: Status of delayed projects in Australia - The company expects to sign two delayed projects in the current quarter and one in the fourth quarter, indicating progress in project execution [76] Question: Future bookings and domestic content strategy - Management explained that while a fully domestic offering would be attractive, customers are hesitant due to uncertainty about future tariff negotiations with China [103][106]