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F5 (FFIV) Soars 9% as Q1 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates
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F5, Inc. (FFIV - Free Report) shares jumped 9.2% during Monday’s extended trading session after the company reported better-than-expected first-quarter fiscal 2024 results. This Seattle, WA-based company’s non-GAAP earnings of $3.43 per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.03 and increased 39% from the year-ago quarter’s $2.47 per share.
The bottom line was also way higher than management’s guided range of $2.97-$3.09 per share. The robust bottom-line performance reflects the combined impact of gross margin improvement and disciplined operating expense management.
F5’s revenues of $693 million for the first quarter surpassed the consensus mark of $687.1 million and came toward the high end of management’s guidance range of $675-$695 million. However, on a year-over-year basis, revenues decreased 1%, primarily due to continued weakness in Systems sales.
Product revenues (44% of total revenues), which comprise the Software and Systems sub-divisions, decreased 10% year over year to $306 million. The decline in Product revenues was mainly due to lower Systems sales, partially offset by increased Software sales. The company’s reported non-GAAP Product revenues were slightly higher than our estimates of $319.4 million.
Systems revenues plunged 22% year over year to $135 million, accounting for approximately 44% of the total Product revenues. The company revealed that the decline reflects a lower level of backlog-related shipments compared to prior quarters, while the demand shows some signs of stabilization. Our estimates for Systems revenues were pegged at $149.3 million.
The negative impacts of lower Systems sales were partially offset by the improved performance of Software. Software revenues increased 2% year over year to $170 million in the first quarter. Our estimates for Software’s first-quarter revenues were pegged at $170.1 million.
Global Service revenues (56% of the total revenues) grew 7% to $387 million. The robust growth was mainly driven by price increases introduced in fiscal 2022 and the benefits of high-maintenance renewals. Our estimates for Global Services revenues were pegged at $366.1 million.
F5 registered sales growth across the EMEA and APAC regions, witnessing a year-over-year increase of 5% and 8%, respectively. However, revenues from the Americas region fell 6% on a year-over-year basis. Revenue contributions from the Americas, EMEA and APAC regions were 54%, 28% and 18%, respectively.
Customer-wise, Enterprises, Service providers and Government represented 64%, 17% and 19% of product bookings, respectively.
Margins
On a year-over-year basis, GAAP and non-GAAP gross margins expanded 240 basis points (bps) and 270 bps to 80.3% and 83.1%, respectively. We believe that the improvement could be primarily driven by price realization and ease in supply-chain constraints, as well as reductions in ancillary supply-chain costs.
The company’s first-quarter GAAP operating expenses went down 13.8% to $391.7 million, while non-GAAP operating expenses declined 12.7% to $330 million. GAAP operating expenses as a percentage of revenues decreased to 56.5% in the first quarter of fiscal 2024 from 64.8% in the year-ago quarter. Meanwhile, non-GAAP operating expenses as a percentage of revenues declined to 47.6% from 54% in the year-ago quarter.
F5’s GAAP operating profit jumped 81.3% to $165 million, while the margin expanded 1080 bps to 23.8%. Moreover, the non-GAAP operating profit jumped 33% year over year to $246 million, while the margin improved 900 bps to 35.5%. An increase in the non-GAAP operating margin was primarily driven by an improvement in the gross margin and lower operating expenses as a percentage of revenues.
Balance Sheet & Cash Flow
F5 exited the December-ended quarter with cash and short-term investments of $826 million compared with the previous quarter’s $808 million. The company generated operating cash flow of $165.3 million in the first quarter.
During the quarter, FFIV repurchased shares worth $150 million. As of Jan 29, 2024, F5 had $772 million remaining under its current authorized share repurchase program. The company is committed to using at least 50% of free cash flow for share repurchases.
Guidance
F5 projects non-GAAP revenues in the $675-$695 million band (midpoint of $685 million) and non-GAAP earnings per share in the $2.79-$2.91 band (midpoint of $2.85) for the second quarter of fiscal 2024. The non-GAAP gross margin is forecasted between 82% and 83%.
The company expects second-quarter non-GAAP operating expenses between $347 million and $359 million. Share-based compensation expenses are anticipated in the range of $56-$58 million.
For fiscal 2024, F5 reaffirms revenue growth forecast of flat to a low-single-digit-percentage decline. Non-GAAP gross and operating margins are still anticipated in the ranges of 82-83% and 33-34%, respectively.
However, the company raised the non-GAAP EPS growth guidance range to 6-8% from 5-7% projected earlier on the updated annual tax rate outlook. F5 now projects the effective tax rate for fiscal 2024 to be 21-22% instead of the 21-23% projected previously.
Moreover, FFIV still intends to return at least 50% of its fiscal 2024 free cash flow to shareholders through share buybacks.
Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider
F5 currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Shares of FFIV have risen 25.6% over the past year.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Zoom’s fiscal 2024 earnings has been revised upward by 3 cents to $4.94 per share in the past 60 days, suggesting year-over-year growth of 13%. The long-term estimated earnings growth rate for the stock stands at 33.5%. Shares of ZM have declined 8% over the past year.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Amazon’s 2023 earnings has been revised upward by a penny to $2.70 per share in the past seven days, which calls for an increase of 280.3% on a year-over-year basis. The long-term expected earnings growth rate for the stock is pegged at 28.5%. AMZN stock has returned 56.4% over the past year.
The consensus mark for NVIDIA’s fiscal 2024 earnings has been revised upward by 2 cents to $12.31 per share over the past 30 days, indicating a whopping 269% increase from fiscal 2023. It has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 13.5%. In the trailing 12 months, NVDA stock has surged 219.8%.
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F5 (FFIV) Soars 9% as Q1 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates
F5, Inc. (FFIV - Free Report) shares jumped 9.2% during Monday’s extended trading session after the company reported better-than-expected first-quarter fiscal 2024 results. This Seattle, WA-based company’s non-GAAP earnings of $3.43 per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.03 and increased 39% from the year-ago quarter’s $2.47 per share.
The bottom line was also way higher than management’s guided range of $2.97-$3.09 per share. The robust bottom-line performance reflects the combined impact of gross margin improvement and disciplined operating expense management.
F5’s revenues of $693 million for the first quarter surpassed the consensus mark of $687.1 million and came toward the high end of management’s guidance range of $675-$695 million. However, on a year-over-year basis, revenues decreased 1%, primarily due to continued weakness in Systems sales.
F5, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
F5, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | F5, Inc. Quote
Top Line in Detail
Product revenues (44% of total revenues), which comprise the Software and Systems sub-divisions, decreased 10% year over year to $306 million. The decline in Product revenues was mainly due to lower Systems sales, partially offset by increased Software sales. The company’s reported non-GAAP Product revenues were slightly higher than our estimates of $319.4 million.
Systems revenues plunged 22% year over year to $135 million, accounting for approximately 44% of the total Product revenues. The company revealed that the decline reflects a lower level of backlog-related shipments compared to prior quarters, while the demand shows some signs of stabilization. Our estimates for Systems revenues were pegged at $149.3 million.
The negative impacts of lower Systems sales were partially offset by the improved performance of Software. Software revenues increased 2% year over year to $170 million in the first quarter. Our estimates for Software’s first-quarter revenues were pegged at $170.1 million.
Global Service revenues (56% of the total revenues) grew 7% to $387 million. The robust growth was mainly driven by price increases introduced in fiscal 2022 and the benefits of high-maintenance renewals. Our estimates for Global Services revenues were pegged at $366.1 million.
F5 registered sales growth across the EMEA and APAC regions, witnessing a year-over-year increase of 5% and 8%, respectively. However, revenues from the Americas region fell 6% on a year-over-year basis. Revenue contributions from the Americas, EMEA and APAC regions were 54%, 28% and 18%, respectively.
Customer-wise, Enterprises, Service providers and Government represented 64%, 17% and 19% of product bookings, respectively.
Margins
On a year-over-year basis, GAAP and non-GAAP gross margins expanded 240 basis points (bps) and 270 bps to 80.3% and 83.1%, respectively. We believe that the improvement could be primarily driven by price realization and ease in supply-chain constraints, as well as reductions in ancillary supply-chain costs.
The company’s first-quarter GAAP operating expenses went down 13.8% to $391.7 million, while non-GAAP operating expenses declined 12.7% to $330 million. GAAP operating expenses as a percentage of revenues decreased to 56.5% in the first quarter of fiscal 2024 from 64.8% in the year-ago quarter. Meanwhile, non-GAAP operating expenses as a percentage of revenues declined to 47.6% from 54% in the year-ago quarter.
F5’s GAAP operating profit jumped 81.3% to $165 million, while the margin expanded 1080 bps to 23.8%. Moreover, the non-GAAP operating profit jumped 33% year over year to $246 million, while the margin improved 900 bps to 35.5%. An increase in the non-GAAP operating margin was primarily driven by an improvement in the gross margin and lower operating expenses as a percentage of revenues.
Balance Sheet & Cash Flow
F5 exited the December-ended quarter with cash and short-term investments of $826 million compared with the previous quarter’s $808 million. The company generated operating cash flow of $165.3 million in the first quarter.
During the quarter, FFIV repurchased shares worth $150 million. As of Jan 29, 2024, F5 had $772 million remaining under its current authorized share repurchase program. The company is committed to using at least 50% of free cash flow for share repurchases.
Guidance
F5 projects non-GAAP revenues in the $675-$695 million band (midpoint of $685 million) and non-GAAP earnings per share in the $2.79-$2.91 band (midpoint of $2.85) for the second quarter of fiscal 2024. The non-GAAP gross margin is forecasted between 82% and 83%.
The company expects second-quarter non-GAAP operating expenses between $347 million and $359 million. Share-based compensation expenses are anticipated in the range of $56-$58 million.
For fiscal 2024, F5 reaffirms revenue growth forecast of flat to a low-single-digit-percentage decline. Non-GAAP gross and operating margins are still anticipated in the ranges of 82-83% and 33-34%, respectively.
However, the company raised the non-GAAP EPS growth guidance range to 6-8% from 5-7% projected earlier on the updated annual tax rate outlook. F5 now projects the effective tax rate for fiscal 2024 to be 21-22% instead of the 21-23% projected previously.
Moreover, FFIV still intends to return at least 50% of its fiscal 2024 free cash flow to shareholders through share buybacks.
Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider
F5 currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Shares of FFIV have risen 25.6% over the past year.
Some better-ranked stocks from the broader technology sector are Zoom Video Communications Inc. (ZM - Free Report) , Amazon.com (AMZN - Free Report) and NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA - Free Report) . Zoom currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while Amazon and NVIDIA each carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Zoom’s fiscal 2024 earnings has been revised upward by 3 cents to $4.94 per share in the past 60 days, suggesting year-over-year growth of 13%. The long-term estimated earnings growth rate for the stock stands at 33.5%. Shares of ZM have declined 8% over the past year.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Amazon’s 2023 earnings has been revised upward by a penny to $2.70 per share in the past seven days, which calls for an increase of 280.3% on a year-over-year basis. The long-term expected earnings growth rate for the stock is pegged at 28.5%. AMZN stock has returned 56.4% over the past year.
The consensus mark for NVIDIA’s fiscal 2024 earnings has been revised upward by 2 cents to $12.31 per share over the past 30 days, indicating a whopping 269% increase from fiscal 2023. It has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 13.5%. In the trailing 12 months, NVDA stock has surged 219.8%.