Core Insights - Workday has established itself as a leading financial and human capital management software company, but its stock has remained stagnant for years, trading at levels similar to the end of 2020 after a 12.5% drop following its fiscal 2026 Q1 earnings report [1][2] Financial Performance - Workday's fiscal 2026 Q1 results exceeded analysts' expectations, with revenue rising 12.6% year over year to $2.24 billion and subscription revenue climbing 13.4% to $2.06 billion; adjusted earnings per share increased by 28% to $2.23 [4] - The company's 12-month subscription revenue backlog grew by 15.6% to $7.63 billion, while total subscription revenue backlog increased by 19% to $24.62 billion, indicating potential future revenue growth [7] - Operating cash flow for the quarter was $457 million, and free cash flow was $421 million; the company ended the quarter with $8 billion in cash and marketable securities and nearly $3 billion in debt [8] Strategic Initiatives - Workday is focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) to drive growth, with 25% of customer expansions including at least one AI product; new annual contract value for AI products more than doubled year over year [5] - The company is targeting medium-sized enterprises with its new WorkdayGo solution, which allows customers to be operational on its platform within 30 to 60 days [6] Future Outlook - Management maintained its full-year guidance for subscription revenue growth of 14% to $8.8 billion and increased its adjusted operating margin forecast from 28% to 28.5%, up from 25.9% last year [9] - For fiscal Q2, subscription revenue is expected to grow by 13.3% to $2.16 billion, with an adjusted operating margin of about 28% [9] - The company has not observed significant impacts from tariffs or macroeconomic challenges, and it anticipates slight acceleration in subscription revenue growth in the second half of the year [10] Valuation Metrics - Workday's stock trades at a forward price-to-sales (P/S) multiple of 6.7 and a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) of 27, which appears compelling for a high-margin business with strong customer retention and mid-teens revenue growth [12] - The company's operating leverage is leading to faster earnings growth, despite a slowdown in revenue growth over the years [11]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Workday reported a 13% growth in subscription revenue, totaling $2,059 million for Q1 FY 2026, with total revenue reaching $2,240 million, also up 13% [28][30] - Non-GAAP operating margin for the quarter was 30.2%, while GAAP operating income was impacted by a $166 million restructuring charge, resulting in a GAAP operating income of $39 million [30][31] - The twelve-month subscription revenue backlog (CRPO) increased by 15.6% to $7,630 million, and total subscription revenue backlog rose by 19% to $24,620 million [29][30] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - More than 30% of net new wins in Q1 were full suite, with over 50% in focused industries like healthcare and SLED [11][43] - New ACV from AI products more than doubled year-over-year, with approximately 25% of customer expansions including AI solutions [12][88] - Professional services revenue was $181 million, contributing to the overall revenue growth [28] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - U.S. revenue in Q1 totaled $1,680 million, up 13%, while international revenue also grew by 13% to $559 million [28][29] - The company saw notable wins in EMEA and APAC, with significant expansions in various sectors including healthcare and manufacturing [24][25] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Workday is focusing on AI integration and innovation, with a strong emphasis on delivering ROI for customers [20][26] - The launch of Workday Go aims to accelerate deployment for medium enterprises, allowing implementations in as little as 30 to 60 days [14][51] - The company is investing heavily in AI and expanding its partner ecosystem to drive growth and innovation [21][72] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in maintaining guidance despite macroeconomic uncertainties, citing strong customer demand and the value proposition of the Workday platform [40][42] - The company is closely monitoring specific markets like SLED and international business for potential impacts from the macro environment [25][108] - Management highlighted the importance of AI in driving customer engagement and future growth, with expectations for continued strong adoption [88][98] Other Important Information - Workday ended the quarter with $8 billion in cash and marketable securities and announced a new $1 billion open-ended buyback authorization [31] - The company is maintaining its FY 2026 operating cash flow outlook of $2,750 million and capital expenditures of approximately $250 million [35] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you discuss the current macro environment and how it affects guidance? - Management noted that the Workday value proposition remains strong, with customers consolidating on the platform for better ROI and TCO, despite some headwinds in specific industries [40][41] Question: What is the potential impact of Workday Go on medium enterprises? - Workday Go is designed to accelerate deployment and improve pricing and packaging for medium enterprises, allowing for faster implementations [51][52] Question: How is the adoption of Xtend and XtendPro progressing? - Adoption of Xtend and XtendPro is increasing, with significant growth in partner applications and customer customizations [58][60] Question: What are the growth rates for HCM versus Financials? - Both HCM and Financials are performing well, with a strong sales motion for full suite offerings contributing to overall growth [62][64] Question: How is the company approaching capital allocation in the current environment? - The focus remains on organic growth and strategic investments, with a commitment to returning capital to shareholders through buybacks [84][85] Question: What is the outlook for AI product monetization? - Strong adoption of AI solutions is already being seen, with expectations for continued growth and monetization opportunities in the near future [98][99]

Workday (WDAY) Q1 2026 Earnings Call May 22, 2025 04:30 PM ET Speaker0 Welcome to Workday's first quarter full year twenty twenty six earnings call. At this time, all participants are in a listen only mode. We will conduct a question and answer session towards the end of the call. During the Q and A, please limit your questions to one. I will now hand it over to Justin Furby, Vice President of Investor Relations. Speaker1 Thank you, operator. Welcome to Workday's first quarter fiscal twenty twenty six earni ...