NetApp(NTAP) - 2025 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Record revenue for Q4 and fiscal year 2025 was $1,730 million, up 4% year over year and up 6% sequentially [21] - Q4 billings were$ 2,030 million, up 12% year over year, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of year-over-year revenue and billings growth [21] - Total revenue for fiscal year 2025 was $6,570 million, up 5% year over year, with billings at$ 6,780 million, up 8% year over year [27] - Q4 operating margin was 28.6%, up 50 basis points year over year, representing the highest for Q4 in the company's history [26] - EPS for Q4 was $1.93, up 7% year over year, driven by lower operating expenses and effective tax rate [26] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Hybrid cloud revenue for Q4 was$ 1,570 million, up 3% year over year [22] - Product revenue was $845 million, up 5% year over year, while support revenue was flat at$ 625 million [23] - Public cloud revenue was $164 million, up 8% year over year; excluding the divested SPOT business, it grew 22% year over year [23][29] - First-party and marketplace cloud storage services grew 44% year over year in Q4, comprising roughly 75% of public cloud segment revenue [12][23] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - All flash array annualized revenue run rate grew 14% year over year to a record$ 4,100 million in Q4 [9] - The company gained almost 300 basis points of all flash market share in calendar 2024, more than any other vendor [10] - Public cloud revenue growth was 22% year over year in Q4, excluding the divested SPOT business, indicating strong underlying growth [50] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company refreshed its entire systems portfolio and sharpened the focus on cloud services to lead in the enterprise AI market [7] - The strategy emphasizes investments in AI and data infrastructure modernization, cloud transformation, and cyber resilience [18][29] - The company plans to make prudent investments in R&D and sales capacity to drive ongoing innovation and capture additional market share [18] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - The global macroeconomic outlook shows mixed signals with a general slowdown in growth and lingering inflation concerns [17] - The company expects some increased spending caution and ongoing friction in the US public sector and EMEA [17] - Management remains confident in the company's ability to capitalize on significant opportunities in the enterprise AI market [18] Other Important Information - The company exited fiscal year 2025 with $4,540 million in deferred revenue, an increase of 7% year over year [24] - Operating cash flow was$ 1,510 million, and free cash flow was $1,340 million, both metrics down due to changes in working capital [28] - The company announced an increase in share repurchase authorization by$ 1,100 million [27] 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 revenue and EPS growth throughout the year [36][39] Question: Execution and timing of deals - Management noted strong Q4 performance and addressed concerns about political instability and macroeconomic factors affecting customer spending [45][46] Question: AI infrastructure deals - Management confirmed ongoing work with large cloud and enterprise providers on data modernization transactions, contributing to FY '26 outlook [55][56] Question: Public cloud revenue performance - Public cloud revenue in Q4, excluding SPOT, was up 22% year on year, with expectations for continued acceleration in FY '26 [50][51] Question: Product gross margins outlook - Management expects product gross margins to improve gradually throughout the fiscal year, with Q1 margins anticipated to be flattish [41][75] Question: Public sector exposure - US public sector accounts for low teens percentage of business, with federal making up 75% to 80% of that, and management is optimistic about upcoming spending bills [104]