Viavi Solutions(US:VIAV)2025-05-01 21:32Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net revenue for Q3 fiscal year 2025 was $284.8 million, exceeding the midpoint of guidance range of $276 million to $288 million, representing a sequential increase of 5.2% and a year-over-year increase of 15.8% [6] - Operating margin for the quarter was 16.7%, above the high end of guidance range of 13% to 15%, and increased by 1.8% sequentially and 7.4% year-over-year [6][7] - EPS was $0.15, above the high end of guidance range of $0.10 to $0.13, with a sequential increase of $0.02 and a year-over-year increase of $0.09 [7] Business Segment Data and Key Metrics Changes - NSE revenue for Q3 was $208.2 million, slightly above the midpoint of guidance range of $200 million to $212 million, with a year-over-year increase of 22.6% [7][8] - NE revenue for the quarter was $188 million, a year-over-year increase of 23.9%, driven by strong demand for fiber-led and production products [8] - SE revenue was $20.2 million, an increase of 11.6% year-over-year, in line with expectations [9] - NSE gross margin was 63.1%, up 1.7% year-over-year, while NE gross margin was 63.4%, an increase of 190 basis points [9] - OSP revenue for Q3 was $76.6 million, just above the high end of guidance range, with a year-over-year increase of 0.5% [10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The aerospace and defense business segment is expected to be a strong multiyear growth driver, particularly due to the acquisition of Inertia Labs [16] - Demand for fiber monitoring by hyperscale data center operators is expected to continue through calendar year 2025 [16] - The wireless business segment is seeing stronger demand for 5G field instruments, indicating a potential recovery in the overall wireless segment [17] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is prioritizing capital allocation towards M&A, specifically the acquisition of Spirent's high-speed Ethernet and network security business lines [12] - The company plans to finance the acquisition with additional debt while maintaining financial discipline, targeting less than four times gross leverage [12] - The company is assessing the potential impact of global tariffs on overall demand and timing of orders, with a cautious outlook for the fourth quarter [13][18] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the March quarter was unseasonably strong, continuing the recovery and growth momentum from fiscal Q2 [15] - There are concerns about potential delays in customer orders due to recently imposed tariffs, but no cancellations have been reported [22][24] - Management expects some orders may be delayed or reduced in volume as customers adjust to tariff impacts [26][70] Other Important Information - Total cash and short-term investments at the end of Q3 were $400.2 million, down from $512.8 million in the previous quarter, primarily due to the Inertia Labs acquisition [11] - The company did not purchase any shares during the quarter, focusing on M&A instead [12] Q&A Session Summary Question: Concerns about tariff impacts on revenue - Management indicated that while there are concerns about delays in approved POs, no orders have been canceled, and customers are accepting tariff increases [22][24] Question: Exposure to tariffs from manufacturing locations - Approximately 15% of revenue is subject to tariffs, with China being the most affected region, but management expects to mitigate this impact within three to six months [27][28] Question: Strength in NSE business and service provider spending - Management believes the demand from service providers is healthy and not indicative of a pull-forward, with expectations of gradual recovery in spending [60][62] Question: Update on the aerospace and defense business - The aerospace and defense segment is experiencing strong growth, particularly in positioning, navigation, and timing due to demand for drones and anti-jamming technologies [84] Question: Size of the fiber lab and production business - Management estimates that fiber lab and production may account for around 20% of NSE revenue, with expectations of strong growth driven by data center demand [88][90]