The market's concerns that artificial intelligence poses a threat to Workday's business model have taken a toll on its stock price.Workday (WDAY 1.20%) share prices dipped last week despite the software-as-a-service (SaaS) company reporting results for its fiscal 2026 second quarter that topped analysts' consensus estimates. The stock is down by around 14% this year as of this writing.Workday provides financial and human capital management software, and like many broad-based SaaS companies, its stock has st ...

Workday (WDAY) Q2 2026 Earnings Call August 21, 2025 04:30 PM ET Company ParticipantsJustin Furby - Vice President, Investor RelationsCarl Eschenbach - CEO & DirectorZane Rowe - Chief Financial OfficerKash Rangan - Managing DirectorKirk Materne - Senior Managing Director - Equity ResearchMark Murphy - MD - Software ResearchBrad Zelnick - Managing DirectorGerrit Kazmaier - President - Product & TechnologyBrent Thill - MD & Tech Sector Leader - Software & Internet ResearchBradley Sills - Managing DirectorKarl ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Workday reported a 14% growth in subscription revenue, totaling $2,169 million for Q2 2026, with total revenue reaching $2,348 million, reflecting a 13% increase [28][29] - Non-GAAP operating margin stood at 29%, with non-GAAP operating income of $680 million [30][33] - Cash and marketable securities at the end of the quarter were $8,200 million, with operating cash flow of $616 million, an 8% growth [31][32] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Approximately 30% of net new deals were full suite offerings, with this number rising to over 50% in sectors like SLED and healthcare [10][12] - More than 70% of core customers are utilizing Workday Illuminate, with over 30% of customer-based deals including AI products [12][15] - The financial services sector saw significant expansions, including new relationships with Nationwide Insurance and others [12][13] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - U.S. revenue increased by 13% to $1,760 million, while international revenue grew by 11% to $584 million [29] - The twelve-month subscription revenue backlog (CRPO) reached $7,910 million, up 16.4% year-over-year [29][30] - Strong performance was noted in EMEA, particularly in Germany and the UK, with notable wins in APAC, including a deal in Vietnam [24][122] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Workday is focusing on AI-driven solutions and expanding its platform capabilities, including the acquisition of Paradox to enhance its recruiting suite [16][78] - The company is investing in organic innovation and strategic acquisitions to strengthen its market position and deliver greater value to customers [16][21] - Workday Government was launched to cater specifically to the needs of the U.S. government, emphasizing a commitment to modernization and AI integration [14][70] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's momentum, driven by AI innovation and a unified platform, while acknowledging macroeconomic challenges in certain sectors [25][56] - The company anticipates continued growth in subscription revenue, increasing its FY 2026 guidance to $8,815 million, reflecting a 14% growth [32][34] - Management highlighted the importance of customer trust in navigating AI transitions, positioning Workday as a key partner in this area [100][49] Other Important Information - Workday's headcount as of July 31 was approximately 19,500, with ongoing efforts to attract top talent [31][21] - The company is expanding its partner ecosystem, with over 20% of net new ACV sourced from partners in the last quarter [22] - Workday is actively pursuing growth opportunities in India, with plans to establish a local data center and expand its team [24][122] Q&A Session Summary Question: Market concerns regarding SaaS and AI startups - Management believes concerns about AI disruption to SaaS models are overblown, emphasizing Workday's strong market position and customer base [45][49] Question: Crosscurrents affecting growth - Management noted strong performance in Europe despite macroeconomic challenges, while observing some headwinds in the SLED market [56][58] Question: Workday Government subsidiary - The subsidiary was established to demonstrate commitment to the government sector and to provide a secure cloud environment [70][71] Question: Acquisition of Paradox - The acquisition is seen as a strategic move to enhance Workday's recruiting capabilities, with expected synergies and growth opportunities [78][84] Question: AI product engagement and win rates - Engagement with AI products is strong, with significant growth in adoption rates among customers [88][90] Question: International market performance - Management expressed satisfaction with growth in international markets, particularly in Europe and Japan, and highlighted plans for expansion in India [122][121]

Core Viewpoint - Workday's stock experienced a decline following its fiscal 2026 Q1 results, despite showing revenue growth and adjusted profitability that exceeded analysts' expectations. The market's disappointment stemmed from the company's guidance, which indicated lower-than-expected subscription revenue growth [1][5][6]. Financial Performance - Workday reported a revenue increase of nearly 13% year-over-year, reaching $2.24 billion [2][4]. - The company's net income on a GAAP basis fell to $68 million ($0.25 per share) from $107 million the previous year, but on a non-GAAP basis, earnings improved by 28% to $2.23 per share [4]. - Analysts had anticipated earnings of $2.01 per share, indicating that Workday's adjusted profitability significantly outperformed expectations [5]. Market Expectations - The market had high expectations for Workday's growth due to its involvement in AI, leading to disappointment when the company forecasted subscription revenue of $2.16 billion for the current quarter and $8.8 billion for fiscal 2026, both representing around 14% year-over-year growth [5][6]. - Analysts predict continued growth of approximately 13% for fiscal 2026 and 2027, with earnings per share expected to rise by 20% in fiscal 2026 and 16% in fiscal 2027 [11]. Client Engagement and AI Adoption - Workday's revenue growth was bolstered by product expansions among existing clients, including CVS Health, Chipotle, and FedEx, as well as new clients like United Airlines and Mutual of Omaha Insurance [8][9]. - A notable 25% of client expansions during the quarter involved at least one AI offering, highlighting the company's successful integration of AI solutions [10]. Valuation and Investment Potential - Despite the stock's recent decline, it is considered undervalued, with a five-year forward PEG ratio slightly above 1, suggesting it may be a bargain for investors [12][13]. - The company's prospects remain strong, driven by its focus on AI and a growing client base that is increasingly adopting its solutions [13].

Core Insights - Workday announced a new unified AI developer toolset at Workday DevCon 2025, aimed at enhancing productivity and enabling developers to customize AI applications on the Workday platform [1][2] - The new toolset addresses the challenges developers face in delivering sophisticated AI applications amidst a fragmented AI landscape, allowing for seamless integration of AI capabilities [2] - Workday's Developer Copilot, a conversational AI tool, has been shown to increase developer productivity by over 50% and will now include new features to further assist developers [3] Developer Tools and Features - The new AI developer toolset includes capabilities such as AI Widgets, which allow developers to add AI-powered features to applications, enhancing user experience in HR and finance [4] - Developers can connect third-party agents to the Workday Agent System of Record (ASOR) for improved agent collaboration and management [4] - A new command-line interface (CLI) tool, Workday Developer CLI, will help automate development tasks and integrate Workday into DevOps workflows [3] Data and Integration - Workday Illuminate, built on a dataset of over 1 trillion transactions annually, provides deep contextual understanding to transform business operations [4][6] - Expanded AI Gateway APIs will enable developers to integrate new Workday AI services into applications, allowing for natural language queries and document intelligence [4] Availability and Adoption - The Agent Gateway will be available to early adopter customers by the end of 2025, with other new features and services also set to launch by the same timeframe [7] - Workday serves over 11,000 organizations globally, including more than 60% of the Fortune 500, indicating a strong market presence and potential for widespread adoption of the new tools [8]

Core Insights - Workday has launched the Workday Agent Partner Network, a global ecosystem that connects AI agents from various industry leaders to its Agent System of Record (ASOR), enhancing productivity and collaboration [1][6][12] - The introduction of the Agent Gateway will facilitate seamless integration of AI agents from Workday and its partners, streamlining workflows across platforms [2][8] - Workday's platform aims to manage people, money, and AI agents together, reflecting the evolving nature of the workforce that now includes both humans and AI [3][4] Company Developments - Workday's ASOR will provide tools for hiring, onboarding, and managing AI agents, ensuring they operate securely and efficiently [5][6] - The Workday Marketplace now features agents from Workday and its partners, allowing customers to easily discover and deploy AI solutions tailored to their business needs [10] - Workday Illuminate, the next generation of its AI, leverages extensive HR and financial data to enhance business operations and decision-making [11][14] Industry Trends - The workforce is increasingly composed of both human employees and AI agents, necessitating a rethinking of management practices and compliance measures [4][5] - Major partners like AWS, Deloitte, and PwC are collaborating with Workday to develop AI agents that can transform enterprise workflows and improve decision-making across various functions [12][12][12] - The integration of AI agents into business processes is seen as a critical step towards managing the future workforce effectively [6][12]

Investment Rating - The report indicates a positive outlook for AI investments in manufacturing, with 96% of manufacturers increasing their AI investments and two-thirds already utilizing generative AI across multiple business functions [4][12]. Core Insights - The manufacturing industry is entering a new phase of AI deployment that focuses on addressing human-centric challenges and enhancing workforce capabilities [5][8]. - AI is seen as a strategic lever that will reshape the manufacturing industry by prioritizing people alongside technology [55]. Summary by Sections A New Phase for AI in Manufacturing - The manufacturing sector is increasingly adopting AI, with a significant number of companies already implementing generative AI [4]. - The next phase of AI will tackle new challenges, particularly those related to labor shortages and organizational changes [6][8]. Elevating Human Potential in Manufacturing - AI's impact is expanding beyond production to include HR, finance, and operations, enhancing employee engagement and retention [14][15]. - Smart factories are reported to have reduced training times significantly, indicating a shift towards more humanistic applications of AI [14]. Democratizing AI Benefits Across Manufacturing Organizations - The next-gen AI framework, Workday Illuminate, aims to bring clarity and democratize AI benefits across the organization [24][27]. - This framework facilitates a shift from isolated AI applications to a comprehensive business-wide ecosystem [27]. Cheat Sheet: Three Ways Manufacturers Using AI Will Thrive 1. Manufacturers will leverage skills-based talent management to address labor challenges and empower employees in their career development [34][41]. 2. AI will enhance mission-critical functionalities without adding IT burdens, allowing IT departments to focus on strategic contributions [42][44]. 3. A human-machine mindset will be adopted, emphasizing collaboration between human workers and AI agents to foster innovation and creativity [48][52]. Closing: AI Is More Than Technology - The report emphasizes that AI is not merely a technological tool but a strategic asset that can transform the manufacturing landscape by focusing on human-centric challenges [55][56].