NetApp(NTAP) - 2025 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Record revenue for Q4 FY 2025 was $1,730 million, up 4% year over year and up 6% sequentially [20] - Q4 billings were$ 2,030 million, up 12% year over year, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth [20] - Total revenue for FY 2025 was $6,570 million, up 5% year over year, with billings at$ 6,780 million, up 8% year over year [26] - Q4 operating margin was 28.6%, up 50 basis points year over year, representing the highest for Q4 in the company's history [24] - EPS for Q4 was $1.93, up 7% year over year, driven by lower operating expenses and an effective tax rate [24] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Hybrid cloud revenue for Q4 was$ 1,570 million, up 3% year over year [20] - Product revenue was $845 million, up 5% year over year, while support revenue was flat at$ 625 million [21] - Public cloud revenue was $164 million, up 8% year over year, and grew 22% year over year when excluding the recently divested SPOT business [21][28] - First-party and marketplace cloud storage services grew 44% year over year in Q4, comprising roughly 75% of public cloud segment revenue [11][12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - All flash array annualized revenue run rate grew 14% year over year to a record$ 4,100 million in Q4 [8] - The company gained almost 300 basis points of all flash market share in calendar 2024, more than any other vendor [9] - Public cloud revenue growth was driven by strong performance in first-party and marketplace services, which are expected to continue accelerating [47] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to lead in the enterprise AI market and has positioned itself to capitalize on the growth of all flash systems and public cloud services [6][7] - Focus on modernizing data infrastructure and enhancing cloud transformation to meet customer demands for AI readiness and operational efficiency [7][8] - Plans to make prudent investments in R&D and sales capacity to drive ongoing innovation and capture additional market share [17] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - The global macroeconomic outlook shows mixed signals, with expectations of increased spending caution and ongoing friction in the US public sector and EMEA [16] - Management remains confident in the company's ability to deliver strong performance despite uncertainties, driven by alignment with key IT priorities [16][17] - The company expects FY 2026 total revenue to be in the range of $6,625 million to$ 6,875 million, reflecting a cautious outlook due to macroeconomic factors [28][29] Other Important Information - The company exited FY 2025 with $4,540 million in deferred revenue, an increase of 7% year over year [22] - Cash flow from operations was$ 675 million, and free cash flow was $640 million in Q4 [24] - The company announced an increase in share repurchase authorization by$ 1,100 million [26] Q&A Session Summary Question: Guidance for Q1 and full year - Management acknowledged Q1 guidance appears light but emphasized strong momentum and large deals in the pipeline for the year [35][38] Question: Execution and macro concerns - Management noted that while there are macro concerns, strong execution in Q4 and a robust pipeline provide confidence in growth [42][44] Question: Public cloud revenue performance - Public cloud revenue in Q4, excluding SPOT, was up 22% year over year, with expectations for continued acceleration in FY 2026 [47] Question: AI infrastructure deals - Management confirmed ongoing negotiations for sizable AI and data infrastructure modernization deals, contributing to FY 2026 outlook [53] Question: Product gross margins outlook - Management expects product gross margins to improve gradually throughout FY 2026, with Q1 margins expected to be flattish [65][70] Question: Public sector exposure - US public sector accounts for low teens percentage of business, with ongoing concerns about budget approvals impacting growth [100][116]