ServiceNow(NOW) - 2025 Q2 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Subscription revenues for Q2 reached $3,113 million, growing 21.5% year over year in constant currency, exceeding guidance by 200 basis points [27] - Remaining Performance Obligations (RPO) ended at approximately $23,900 million, representing 25.5% year over year constant currency growth [27] - Current RPO was $10,920 million, reflecting 21.5% year over year constant currency growth, also a 200 basis point beat versus guidance [27] - Operating margin was reported at 29.5%, over 250 basis points above guidance, while free cash flow margin was 16.5%, up 300 basis points year over year [26][32] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Technology workflows had 40 deals over $1 million, including four over $5 million, while ITSM, ITOM, ITAM, Security, and Risk were involved in at least 15 of the top 20 deals [7] - CRM and industry workflows maintained strong momentum with 17 of the top 20 deals exceeding $1 million [7] - The Now Assist product line saw significant growth, with net new ACV for ITAM surging nearly six times quarter over quarter [30] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Transportation and logistics delivered over 100% year over year growth in net new ACV, while technology, media, and telecom grew over 70% year over year [28] - Retail and hospitality, as well as energy and utilities, also showed strength, each growing over 50% year over year [28] - The company achieved a robust 98% renewal rate, highlighting its strategic importance as an AI platform for business transformation [28] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on integrating AI into its workflows, emphasizing the importance of cross-functional work in AI applications [9][45] - The acquisition of Logic AI is aimed at reimagining CRM, with a strong push into the front office and significant growth in CPQ [15][30] - The company is positioning itself as a leader in enterprise AI, with a vision of embedding AI agents into everyday tools rather than traditional CRM screens [14][67] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the global environment is rapidly changing, with AI transformation being a top priority for enterprises across all industries [8][9] - The company remains confident in its guidance for Q3 and the remainder of 2025, despite navigating challenges in the U.S. federal sector [34][53] - The outlook for 2025 has been raised, with subscription revenue expected to reach between $12,775 million and $12,795 million, representing 20% year over year growth [34] Other Important Information - The company ended Q2 with approximately $10,800 million in cash and investments, and bought back approximately 381,000 shares as part of its share repurchase program [32] - The company is investing in AI talent and technical selling to meet the growing demand for AI transformation [110] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is driving the better-than-expected execution? - Management attributed the success to a strong culture and the transformative impact of AI, which has led to larger business cases across all industries [41][44] Question: How is the pipeline for federal activity? - Management indicated that despite uncertainties, the federal team executed well, closing six new logos in Q2, and they are building prudence into their assumptions for the U.S. federal sector [51][53] Question: Are customers using AI Control Tower as a central control plane? - Management confirmed that the AI Control Tower is designed to manage all agents, including third-party agents, and is expected to enhance collaboration across business processes [55][60] Question: What are the immediate opportunities in front office workflows? - Management highlighted significant opportunities in sales and order management, particularly in public sector entities looking to replace fragmented legacy CRM systems [66][69] Question: What drove the robust upside in revenue guidance? - Management noted strong net new ACV performance and better-than-expected on-prem performance, largely due to early renewals [120]