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Akamai Technologies Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 19 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 12 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Q4 revenue rose 7% to $1.095B: Q4 revenue was $1.095 billion, up 7% year-over-year and 6% excluding foreign exchange, after 5% reported growth in Q3 2025. Source
  • GAAP operating income fell 36%: GAAP operating margin was 9%, down from 16% in Q3 2025, after the restructuring charge. Non-GAAP results exclude that charge. Source
  • Non-GAAP EPS up 11% to $1.84: Non-GAAP EPS was $1.84, compared with $1.86 in Q3 2025. Full-year non-GAAP EPS was $7.12, up 10% year-over-year. Source
  • Security revenue up 11%: Security revenue was $592 million, up 11% year-over-year, compared with 10% growth in Q3 2025. Full-year Security revenue was $2.243 billion, up 10%. Source
  • Cloud Infrastructure full-year revenue up 36%: Cloud Infrastructure Services revenue for 2025 was $314 million, up 36% year-over-year. Growth in Q3 2025 was 39%. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating margin flat at 29%: Non-GAAP operating margin was 29%, flat year-over-year and down from 31% in Q3 2025. Full-year non-GAAP operating margin was 30%, up one point. Source
  • Restructuring charge taken in Q4: The charge covered severance for a workforce reduction and impairments of intangible assets. Management described it as aligning investments and structure with long-term growth priorities. Source

“These rapidly growing products are well-positioned to drive faster overall revenue growth for Akamai in the future”

Dr. Tom Leighton, Akamai’s Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue Sourcefirst quarter 2026 (three months ending March 31, 2026)$1,060 million to $1,085 millionNew
Revenue Sourcefull year 2026 (year ending December 31, 2026)$4,400 million to $4,550 millionNew
Non-GAAP operating margin Sourcefirst quarter 202626% to 27%New
Non-GAAP operating margin Sourcefull year 202626% to 28%New
Non-GAAP net income per diluted share Sourcefirst quarter 2026$1.50 to $1.67New
Non-GAAP net income per diluted share Sourcefull year 2026$6.20 to $7.20New
Non-GAAP tax rate Sourcefirst quarter 202619%New
Non-GAAP tax rate Sourcefull year 202619%New
Shares used in non-GAAP per diluted share calculations Sourcefirst quarter 2026148 millionNew
Shares used in non-GAAP per diluted share calculations Sourcefull year 2026147 millionNew
Capex as a percentage of revenue Sourcefirst quarter 202623% to 25%New
Capex as a percentage of revenue Sourcefull year 202623% to 26%New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: First guidance was provided for the first quarter and full year 2026. The prior release gave guidance only for the fourth quarter and full year 2025. Source
  • New: Q4 2025 included a $55 million restructuring charge. Q3 2025 had a restructuring benefit of $15 thousand. Source

Fourth quarter and full-year results

  • Q4 revenue rose 7% to $1.095B: Q4 revenue was $1.095 billion, up 7% year-over-year and 6% excluding foreign exchange, after 5% reported growth in Q3 2025. Source
  • Full-year revenue reached $4.208B: Full-year 2025 revenue was $4.208 billion, up 5% year-over-year, the same growth rate as in the nine months to September 30, 2025. Source
  • GAAP operating income fell 36%: GAAP operating margin was 9%, down from 16% in Q3 2025, after the restructuring charge. Non-GAAP results exclude that charge. Source
  • Non-GAAP EPS up 11% to $1.84: Non-GAAP EPS was $1.84, compared with $1.86 in Q3 2025. Full-year non-GAAP EPS was $7.12, up 10% year-over-year. Source

Solutions and geographic mix

  • Security revenue up 11%: Security revenue was $592 million, up 11% year-over-year, compared with 10% growth in Q3 2025. Full-year Security revenue was $2.243 billion, up 10%. Source
  • Guardicore and API Security up 36%: Guardicore Segmentation and API Security revenue was $90 million in Q4, up 36%. Full-year revenue of these products was $293 million, up 43%. Source
  • Delivery revenue down 2%: Delivery revenue was $311 million, down 2% year-over-year, compared with a 4% decline in Q3 2025. Full-year Delivery revenue fell 5% to $1.257 billion. Source
  • Cloud computing revenue up 14%: Cloud computing revenue was $191 million, up 14% year-over-year, compared with 8% growth in Q3 2025. Full-year cloud computing revenue was $708 million, up 12%. Source
  • International revenue up 11%: International revenue was $542 million, up 11% and up 8% excluding foreign exchange. U.S. revenue was $553 million, up 4%. Source

“Akamai delivered strong year-end performance, with better-than-expected results on the top and bottom lines.”

Dr. Tom Leighton, Akamai’s Chief Executive Officer

Cloud Infrastructure and AI demand

  • Cloud Infrastructure full-year revenue up 36%: Cloud Infrastructure Services revenue for 2025 was $314 million, up 36% year-over-year. Growth in Q3 2025 was 39%. Source
  • Inference Cloud linked to growth: Management attributed Cloud Infrastructure Services growth in part to customer interest in the new Akamai Inference Cloud and to AI applications and agents. Source
  • Inference Cloud launched in Q3: The Akamai Inference Cloud, powered by NVIDIA AI infrastructure, was launched in Q3 2025 and is described as enabling AI at the edge.

Margins and profit measures

  • Non-GAAP operating margin flat at 29%: Non-GAAP operating margin was 29%, flat year-over-year and down from 31% in Q3 2025. Full-year non-GAAP operating margin was 30%, up one point. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA up 7%: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 42% of revenue in Q4. Full-year Adjusted EBITDA was $1.802 billion, up 7%. Source
  • GAAP net income down 39%: GAAP net income was $85 million, compared with $140 million in Q3 2025. Full-year GAAP net income was $452 million, down 10%. Source
  • Non-GAAP net income up 6%: Non-GAAP net income was $270 million, up 6%, compared with $269 million in Q3 2025. Full-year non-GAAP net income was $1.046 billion, up 5%. Source

Restructuring and non-GAAP treatment

  • Restructuring charge taken in Q4: The charge covered severance for a workforce reduction and impairments of intangible assets. Management described it as aligning investments and structure with long-term growth priorities. Source
  • Restructuring excluded from non-GAAP: Restructuring charges are excluded from non-GAAP results, so the Q4 charge appears only in the GAAP lines. Source
  • Total operating costs rose in Q4: Total costs and operating expenses were $1.000 billion in Q4 2025, compared with $888.6 million in Q3 2025. Source

Cash flow and capital spending

  • Q4 operating cash flow was $367M: Cash from operations was $367 million, or 33% of revenue, down from $442 million in Q3 2025. Full-year cash from operations was $1.519 billion, or 36% of revenue. Source
  • Capex fell to 14% of revenue: Capex was 14% of revenue in Q4 2025, down from 21% in Q3 2025. Full-year capex was 19% of revenue, with total capital expenditures of $818 million on an accrual basis. Source
  • Cash and marketable securities $1.920B: Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaled $1.920 billion at December 31, 2025, up from $1.813 billion at September 30, 2025. Source

Share repurchases and share count

  • No buybacks in Q4 2025: The company repurchased no shares in Q4 2025, the same as in Q3 2025. Source
  • 2025 buybacks totaled $800 million: Full-year 2025 repurchases were $800 million, matching the nine-month total reported in the Q3 2025 release. Source
  • Shares outstanding rose to 145M: Shares outstanding were 145 million at December 31, 2025, up from 144 million at September 30, 2025. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Cloud Infrastructure Services revenue (Q4 2025) Source$94 million, up 45% year-over-year
Number of employees (end of period) Source11,382

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Non-GAAP guidance excludes items that management says are hard to predict, such as stock-based compensation on performance awards. Source
  • External: Management noted that a weaker local currency at international subsidiaries reduces consolidated results stated in U.S. dollars. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.