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Axon Enterprise, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 24 February 2026: letter to shareholders. Guidance figures: 8 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Quarterly revenue grew 39%: Q4 revenue was $797 million. Management said premium software adoption, TASER 10, Axon Body 4 and counter-drone equipment drove the growth. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 46%: Q4 Adjusted EBITDA was $206 million, a 25.9% margin. Management attributed the increase to higher revenue, partly offset by continued R&D investment. Source
  • Vehicle Intelligence entered fixed ALPR: The company announced and shipped its entry into fixed automatic license plate recognition in under a year, adding Outpost and Lightpost form factors and a certified third-party camera program. Source
  • Gross margin down 220 basis points: Total gross margin was 57.9%, down 220 basis points, and adjusted gross margin was 61.1%, down 210 basis points. Management attributed the decline to tariffs and Platform Solutions mix. Source
  • Operating loss tied to headcount: Operating loss was $50 million. Management attributed it to increased headcount to support growth and to stock-based compensation expense. Source
  • Net debt fell $469 million sequentially: Cash and short-term investments of $1.7 billion compared with $1.8 billion of notes principal, a net debt position of $112 million. Management said the decline was primarily driven by acquisitions. Source

“Here's my conviction: nobody should be more aggressive or more thoughtful on AI than Axon.”

Rick Smith, Axon Founder and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue growth SourceFY202627% to 30%New
Adjusted EBITDA margin SourceFY202625.5%New
Stock-based compensation expense SourceFY2026$590 million to $620 millionNew
Stock-based compensation tied to incentive programs SourceFY2026approximately $230 million
Capital expenditures SourceFY2026$185 million to $215 millionNew
Conversion of future contracted bookings to revenue SourceNext 12 months20% to 25%
Annual revenue target Source2028approximately $6 billionNew
Adjusted EBITDA margin target Source2028approximately 28%New
Adjusted Free Cash Flow conversion Source202860% of Adjusted EBITDANew
Dilution from stock-based compensation SourceAnnual, through 2028less than 2.5%New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: The company established 2026 guidance covering revenue growth, Adjusted EBITDA margin, stock-based compensation and capital expenditures. Source
  • New guidance: The company introduced a new 2028 target model with revenue, Adjusted EBITDA margin, cash conversion and dilution targets. Source
  • New: Carbyne, an acquisition in the 911 category, closed in the first quarter of 2026. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Quarterly revenue grew 39%: Q4 revenue was $797 million. Management said premium software adoption, TASER 10, Axon Body 4 and counter-drone equipment drove the growth. Source
  • Full-year revenue rose 33%: For 2025 the company reported $2.8 billion in revenue, up 33%, and a 4.5% net income margin for the year. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 46%: Q4 Adjusted EBITDA was $206 million, a 25.9% margin. Management attributed the increase to higher revenue, partly offset by continued R&D investment. Source
  • GAAP net income fell to $3 million: Q4 net income was $3 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, down from $135 million a year earlier. Management cited operating losses and strategic investment activity. Source
  • Non-GAAP net income rose to $178 million: Non-GAAP net income was $178 million, or $2.15 per diluted share, up from $168 million, driven by higher revenue. Source

Segments and regions

  • Software & Services revenue rose 40%: Software & Services revenue was $343 million, with gross margin of 72.9%. Management cited new users and premium software adoption by existing customers. Source
  • Connected Devices revenue rose 38%: Connected Devices revenue was $454 million. Adjusted gross margin for the segment was 49.3%, down from 52.2% a year earlier. Source
  • Platform Solutions product scope: Platform Solutions covers fleet in-car video, interview room, fixed cameras, drones, counter-drone equipment and VR training hardware, plus related extended warranties. Source
  • US share of sales eased to 81%: United States sales were $644 million, 81% of Q4 revenue, compared with 83% a year earlier. Other countries contributed $152 million. Source

“Together, we believe our 2025 results reflect disciplined execution of our strategy and are a strong foundation for our longer-term guidance.”

Axon Enterprise, Inc., letter to shareholders

Products and customers

  • Axon Assistant live with customers: Axon Assistant, a voice-activated AI companion in body cameras, is live with customers. Initial features include real-time translation and voice-enabled policy chat with citations. Source
  • Vehicle Intelligence entered fixed ALPR: The company announced and shipped its entry into fixed automatic license plate recognition in under a year, adding Outpost and Lightpost form factors and a certified third-party camera program. Source
  • Responsible Innovation Framework as differentiator: Management described its Responsible Innovation Framework as a meaningful competitive differentiator, built into products through data management, usage controls and transparent governance. Source
  • Axon Body Mini aimed at enterprise: Axon Body Mini is a compact, durable body-worn camera for commercial settings such as retail, healthcare and logistics, carrying the Axon ecosystem into enterprise use. Source
  • Axon 911 first integration shipped: Axon 911 brings AI-enabled communications to the first moment of a call for help. The company said its first major integration with Axon Fusus has shipped. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin down 220 basis points: Total gross margin was 57.9%, down 220 basis points, and adjusted gross margin was 61.1%, down 210 basis points. Management attributed the decline to tariffs and Platform Solutions mix. Source
  • Operating loss tied to headcount: Operating loss was $50 million. Management attributed it to increased headcount to support growth and to stock-based compensation expense. Source
  • Cost lines as percent of revenue: Cost of sales was $335 million (42.1% of revenue), and R&D was $194 million (24.4%). SG&A included $124 million of stock-based compensation. Source
  • Severance costs excluded from adjusted results: The company excluded $31.8 million of non-recurring severance costs from adjusted measures. It described them as stock-based compensation, cash payments and employee benefits. Source

“Our emergence in this growing category has just begun.”

Axon Enterprise, Inc., letter to shareholders

Demand and the order book

  • Annual recurring revenue growth drivers: Management attributed annual recurring revenue growth to adoption of premium offerings and to new users of cloud products. Source
  • Net revenue retention accelerated: Management said net revenue retention rose as existing customers adopted additional value over time, with attrition it described as de minimis. Source
  • Bookings include third-party agent orders: Since Q3 2025, future contracted bookings include cumulative gross bookings, including third-party agent arrangements. Prior periods were not recast because the effect was immaterial. Source

Capital and cash position

  • Operating cash flow declined year over year: Q4 operating cash flow was $217 million, down from $250 million in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Free cash flow after capital spending: Operating cash flow supported free cash flow of $155 million in the quarter, after purchases of property and equipment. Source
  • Net debt fell $469 million sequentially: Cash and short-term investments of $1.7 billion compared with $1.8 billion of notes principal, a net debt position of $112 million. Management said the decline was primarily driven by acquisitions. Source
  • Capital expenditure plans described: Management said 2026 capital expenditure plans include long-term R&D projects, capacity expansion, global facility build-outs and new product development, excluding new headquarters costs. Source
  • Business combinations used $624 million: The company reported $624 million of cash outflow for business combinations, net of cash acquired, in the quarter. Source

Strategy and 2028 target model

  • AI Era Plan builds on earlier tools: The AI Era Plan extended transcription and Draft One with Brief One, Form One and Axon Assistant, which management described as first-of-their-kind advancements. Source
  • Hardware and cloud designed together: Management said designing hardware and cloud workflows in tandem lets the company deliver AI functionality tightly integrated into real-world operations. Source
  • Enterprise growth beyond public safety: Management said enterprise customers face challenges that mirror public safety, and it pointed to Axon Body Mini, Fusus, Axon Evidence and counter-drone solutions for those customers. Source
  • 2028 target model framed: Management set a 2028 target model and said the company's product portfolio, future contracted bookings and customer relationships support its confidence in the years ahead. Source

Coming up, as management said on 24 February 2026

  • Axon Week product announcements: Management plans to announce more AI capabilities at Axon Week in April. Source
  • Vehicle Intelligence enhancements ship: Key feature enhancements to Axon Vehicle Intelligence are expected to ship in the first half of 2026, with deployments scaling later. Source
  • Expanded 911 capabilities this year: Management expects to begin delivering expanded 911 capabilities to customers during 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Annual recurring revenue Source$1.3 billion, up 35% year over year
Net revenue retention Source125%
Future contracted bookings Source$14.4 billion, up 43% year over year
Annual bookings, 2025 Source$7.4 billion, up 46% year over year
Axon Assistant customers live Sourceapproximately 500

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Management said public dialogue around Axon Vehicle Intelligence continues to evolve, and it designs its tools around customer responsibility expectations. Source
  • Financial: Management attributed the year-over-year decline in operating cash flow to receivables timing and inventory investments. Source
  • External: Management cited global tariffs as a driver of lower gross margins, alongside product mix within Connected Devices. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said the company exceeded its prior three-year targets for 2025 for revenue and Adjusted EBITDA margin. Source
  • Not stated: Management said the product was announced in 2025 and is expected to begin shipping in mid-2026. 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.