Ribbon munications (US:RBBN)2025-10-22 21:32Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported revenues of $215 million for Q3 2025, a 2% increase year-over-year, and year-to-date revenue has increased by 6% [18][7] - Non-GAAP gross margin for Q3 was 52.6%, lower than expected due to reduced software sales to U.S. government customers, but overall gross margin improved sequentially by 50 basis points [18][19] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q3 was $29 million, a $1 million decrease from the prior year, driven by lower gross margins [19][18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - IP Optical Networks revenue for Q3 was $91 million, an 11% increase year-over-year, with a positive EBITDA contribution of $1 million [21][11] - Cloud and Edge segment revenue for Q3 was $124 million, a decrease of 3% year-over-year, with adjusted EBITDA down $10 million year-over-year [22][15] - Sales to service providers increased by 5% year-over-year, while sales to enterprise customers decreased by approximately 3% year-over-year [8][15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Sales to Europe, Middle East, and Africa grew 26% year-over-year, while sales to Asia-Pacific increased by 13%, led by India [10][12] - North American sales were impacted by lower U.S. federal sales, declining approximately 10% year-over-year [10][15] - The company expects continued strong execution in North America, particularly with Verizon projects [26][29] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on AI ops and automation through its new product, Acumen, which aims to help customers transition to autonomous networks [4][5] - The strategy includes expanding the Cloud and Edge portfolio to support agentic AI platforms and enhancing network reliability [4][6] - The company is optimistic about the convergence of AI and voice technologies, viewing it as a significant opportunity for growth [7][29] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the U.S. government shutdown has delayed procurement processes but emphasized that no business has been lost, only delayed [9][8] - The outlook for Q4 remains strong, with expectations for it to be the strongest quarter of the year despite the shutdown [25][29] - The company anticipates revenue in a range of $230 million to $250 million for Q4, with adjusted EBITDA projected between $42 million and $48 million [28][29] Other Important Information - The company repurchased approximately 900,000 shares for a total cost of $3.5 million during Q3 [23] - The company is experiencing foreign exchange headwinds of approximately $3 million year-over-year, primarily due to the shekel [43][42] - The company has identified several new growth vectors related to AI technology and autonomous network operations [30][29] Q&A Session Summary Question: Future growth from AI and automation - Management views AI ops as a new category that will drive growth in the Cloud and Edge segment, allowing customers to build their own smart agents [32][33] Question: Performance of Verizon and U.S. IP Optical Networks - Verizon grew about 20% year-over-year in Q3, with a focus on services rather than products [34][35] Question: Impact of the government shutdown - Management believes that without the shutdown, they would have comfortably met or exceeded guidance for Q3 [37][38] Question: Foreign exchange and tariff impacts - Foreign exchange impacts were approximately $3 million, while tariffs are a smaller headwind of about $0.5 million per quarter [42][45] Question: Sustainability of growth in India - India has shown sustained momentum over the past five quarters, with a strong partnership with BARDI contributing to growth [49][50] Question: Expectations for government business growth - Management anticipates solid growth in government programs as they expand deployments and seek new customers [70][69]