Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for the fourth quarter was $1.9 billion, up 12% quarter over quarter and 8% year over year, exceeding guidance [5][17] - Non-GAAP earnings per share for the quarter were $0.29, above the guidance range of a loss of $0.10 to a profit of $0.15 [19] - Non-GAAP gross margin for the fourth quarter was 26.4%, up 370 basis points from the prior quarter [18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Cloud revenue for the fourth quarter was $213 million, up 8% sequentially and 25% year over year [18] - Client revenue was $1.1 billion, up 19% sequentially and 3% year over year [18] - Consumer revenue was $585 million, up 2% quarter over quarter and 12% year over year [18] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Data center represented over 12% of total bits shipped in the fourth quarter, indicating significant growth in this market [9] - Hyperscale capital expenditure in the U.S. is estimated to grow 47% year over year to $368 billion, with rising investments in Asia and Europe [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is transitioning to BIX-eight as its prominent node, which is expected to drive significant financial improvement and expanding margins [7][8] - The strategy focuses on the adoption of QLC-based SSDs and PCIe Gen five and six solutions to meet the demands of AI and data-intensive workloads [11][12] - Continued innovation in flash-based storage is emphasized, with a commitment to product development and strategic partnerships in the gaming sector [13][14] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about fiscal year 2026, anticipating a favorable supply-demand dynamic and continued demand exceeding supply [6][27] - The company plans to manage supply in line with demand, adjusting wafer starts and underutilizing fabs when necessary [22] - Management highlighted the importance of navigating tariffs and maintaining a competitive edge in the global market [60] Other Important Information - The company reduced inventory days from 150 to 135, reflecting improved demand-supply alignment [20] - A significant focus on high bandwidth flash memory technology was noted, with expectations for product samples by 2027 [15][16] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide more depth on gross margins? - Management indicated that underutilization costs are decreasing, with startup costs impacting gross margins significantly [30] Question: What is the strategy behind the high bandwidth flash partnership? - The partnership aims to standardize technology for broader applicability across various markets, including AI workloads [34][36] Question: How do you view the growth in client demand in the second half of the year? - Management sees consistent demand from customers, with normalized inventory levels and an undersupplied market [58] Question: What is the outlook for the data center side? - The company aims to increase its market share in the data center segment, with ongoing qualifications and product launches [66] Question: How is the company navigating competitive dynamics in China? - The company views China as an attractive market and is confident in its ability to compete effectively [82] Question: What are the expectations for startup costs moving forward? - Management expects startup costs to decrease significantly in the upcoming quarters, with minimal impacts anticipated [46][71]
Sandisk Corporation(SNDK) - 2025 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript