Fortinet(FTNT) - 2025 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total billings grew by 14% to $1.81 billion, with revenue increasing by 14% to $1.72 billion [11][13] - Operating margin reached a record 37%, with total gross margin at 81.6% [18] - Free cash flow was strong at $568 million, with adjusted free cash flow up to $646 million, representing a margin of 37% [18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Unified SaaS billings grew by 19%, with Fortinet SaaS billings growth exceeding 100% [11][6] - SecOps grew by 33%, contributing significantly to overall growth [11][10] - Product revenue increased by 18% to $559 million, driven by strong performance in multi-product deals [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - EMEA led revenue growth, followed by APAC and the Americas [13] - 15% of large enterprise customers are now using Fortinet SaaS, representing a 55% increase [7][11] - Operational technology solutions saw over 30% billing growth, indicating strong demand in that segment [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Fortinet aims to become the number one SaaS market leader in the coming years, leveraging its unique integration of NextGen Firewall, SD-WAN, and SaaS on a single operating system [6][8] - The company plans to continue investing in its go-to-market strategy, including cloud delivery infrastructure and increased sales capacity [23] - Fortinet's focus on AI-driven secure operations is expected to capture significant growth opportunities as customers scale AI globally [9][23] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in meeting the rule of 45 and continuing to gain market share, supported by strong demand for cybersecurity solutions [10][22] - The company anticipates continued strong growth driven by increased cybersecurity spending and the convergence of networking and security [22][23] - Management acknowledged that product revenue growth is a leading indicator for future service revenue, with expectations for improvement in the second half of 2026 [34][41] Other Important Information - Fortinet repurchased 23.3 million shares for $1.83 billion, reducing the total share count by approximately 3% [19] - Infrastructure investments were $88 million, up $51 million, as the company builds out its infrastructure footprint [18] Q&A Session Summary Question: Product revenues went up 18%, below expectations. What are the drivers? - Management attributed growth to strong demand across various segments, including SaaS and SecOps, rather than end-of-service upgrades [27][30] Question: Why is the guidance for next quarter less inspiring? - Management indicated that service revenue may be impacted by previous negative product revenue growth, which affects future service revenue [33][34] Question: What is the trajectory of services growth in the next 12 months? - Management expects service revenue growth to improve in the second half of 2026 due to increased product sales [41][42] Question: Can you elaborate on the eight-figure deal with the police force? - The deal included a combination of product and services, with a focus on sovereign SaaS to meet local data governance requirements [47][48] Question: How is the SaaS penetration rate from the SD-WAN install base? - Management noted that 15% of enterprise customers are adopting SaaS, with expectations for continued growth as more customers transition [60][61] Question: What are the growth drivers for operational technology security? - Management highlighted the increasing number of connected devices and the need for network security as key growth drivers in operational technology [77] Question: What is the impact of the 2026 end-of-service cohort on growth? - Management clarified that while the end-of-service cohort is a factor, the primary growth drivers are new features and technology advancements [81][82]