Akamai(US:AKAM)2025-02-21 03:10Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Akamai reported total revenue of $1.02 billion for Q4 2024, representing a 3% year-over-year increase [45] - Non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) was $1.66, exceeding guidance and down 2% year-over-year [50] - Security revenue reached $535 million, growing 14% year-over-year, while compute revenue grew to $167 million, a 24% year-over-year increase [46][48] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Security became the majority revenue contributor for the first time, surpassing $2 billion in annual revenue and growing 16% year-over-year [10] - Cloud computing revenue was $630 million, growing 25% over 2023, with cloud infrastructure services contributing $230 million, up 32% [10] - Combined revenue from security and compute accounted for 69% of total revenue in Q4 [48] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - International revenue was $490 million, up 2% year-over-year, representing 48% of total revenue [49] - The company anticipates a decline in delivery revenue to shrink to about 10% year-over-year in 2025, with signs of improvement in the delivery marketplace [36] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Akamai is transforming from a CDN pioneer to a cybersecurity and cloud computing company, focusing on expanding its security offerings and cloud infrastructure services [9][12] - The company aims to achieve a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 10% for security products over the next three to five years, targeting over $3 billion in security revenue by the end of the decade [16][17] - Akamai plans to focus more on compute investments, expecting cloud infrastructure services ARR to grow by 40% to 45% in 2025 [29] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about future growth, citing strong demand for security solutions and cloud infrastructure services [41] - The company expects to see revenue growth acceleration in 2025, driven by improvements in product mix and operational efficiency [40] - Management acknowledged challenges from foreign exchange fluctuations and the impact of a major customer pursuing a DIY strategy [37][59] Other Important Information - Akamai's capital expenditures (CapEx) for Q4 were $193 million, representing 19% of revenue, with plans to continue share buybacks [51][52] - The company expects to generate approximately $85 million to $105 million in revenue from the Edgio transaction in 2025 [53] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you expand on the large cloud deal and the competitive environment? - Management indicated that the customer is increasing usage of Akamai's cloud infrastructure services and that a data center is being built in Scandinavia to meet specific needs [81][82] Question: Is the $100 million compute deal the same as the five-year deal with the largest delivery customer? - Management confirmed that they are the same customer [86] Question: Can you elaborate on the $60 million headwind from the largest customer? - The headwind is primarily due to the customer's DIY build-out, which will reduce reliance on Akamai's services [92] Question: What is the outlook for retaining Edgio contracts? - Management expressed confidence in retaining the Edgio customer base, with no significant churn anticipated [120] Question: What steps are being taken to minimize disruption from changes in the go-to-market strategy? - Management is in the early stages of a two-year process to transform the sales force and improve account segmentation and pricing strategies [105][106]