Ciena(CIEN) - 2025 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Ciena reported record fiscal fourth quarter revenue of $1.35 billion, up 20% year-over-year, and full year revenue of $4.77 billion, up 19% from fiscal 2024 [5][19] - Earnings per share (EPS) for Q4 was $0.91, a 69% increase year-over-year, and full year EPS was $2.64, up 45% from fiscal 2024 [5][25] - Record orders for the year reached $7.8 billion, resulting in a backlog of approximately $5 billion [5][23] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Optical business revenue increased by 19% year-over-year, driven by RLS growth of 72% [19][23] - Routing and switching business grew 49% year-over-year, with significant contributions from the 3000 and 5000 series products [19][23] - Global services revenue grew 25% year-over-year, with advisory and enablement services increasing by 53% and installation implementation services by 45% [19][23] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Demand from cloud customers, particularly hyperscalers, is accelerating, with service provider orders up nearly 70% for the year [6][8] - Ciena's optical market share has grown by two points year-to-date, with expectations for further gains in 2026 [9] - The company is experiencing strong demand for managed optical fiber networks (MOFEN) projects, with significant wins in India and other regions [8][9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Ciena is focused on high-speed connectivity technologies, particularly in the AI ecosystem, serving both cloud and service provider customers [5][6] - The company plans to increase investments to scale its business in response to growing demand, with a commitment to flat operating expenses in 2026 while investing in new opportunities [9][27] - Ciena anticipates a significant addressable market opportunity in and around data centers, with expectations of capital spending exceeding $7 trillion in AI-related infrastructure through the end of the decade [11][12] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the durability of demand and the company's financial trajectory, citing strong market dynamics and technology leadership [18][29] - The company expects revenue for fiscal 2026 to be approximately $5.7-$6.1 billion, representing nearly 24% annual growth at the midpoint [26] - Management highlighted the importance of addressing supply chain constraints and increasing capacity to meet unprecedented demand [54][56] Other Important Information - Ciena's adjusted gross margin for Q4 was 43.4%, with expectations for year-over-year improvements [24] - The company completed a cash purchase of Nubis Communications to enhance its interconnects portfolio [22] - Ciena's capital expenditures for fiscal 2026 are expected to be between $250 and $275 million to support robust demand [27] Q&A Session Summary Question: Guidance and New Use Cases - Management confirmed that new opportunities discussed are included in the guidance, with a significant increase in revenue from in and around data center projects [32] Question: Scale-across Opportunities - Management indicated that discussions with hyperscalers are ongoing, with initial wins expected to generate hundreds of millions in revenue [33] Question: Timeline for New Hyperscalers - Revenue from all three hyperscalers is expected to begin in 2026, with significant scaling anticipated in 2027 and 2028 [40] Question: Customer Concentration - Three customers accounted for just under 44% of Q4 revenue, with one being AT&T [41] Question: Supply Constraints - Management identified constraints primarily in photonics parts and optical components, with efforts underway to secure supply [54][56]