Ceva Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call
What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 17 February 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.
Key takeaways
- Record fourth-quarter revenue: Total revenue was $31.3 million, compared with $29.2 million a year earlier and $28.4 million in the third quarter. The company excluded the divested Intrinsix design services business from the comparison. Source
- Licensing revenue grew 11%: Licensing and related revenue was $17.5 million, compared with $15.7 million a year earlier and $16.0 million in the third quarter. Source
- Royalties at four-year quarterly high: Royalty revenue was $13.8 million, compared with $13.5 million a year earlier and $12.4 million in the third quarter. Management described this as its strongest royalty quarter in more than four years. Source
- PC OEM NPU license signed: The PC OEM agreement covers NeuPro NPUs, which the company said were selected as foundational IP for next-generation on-device AI compute architecture. Source
- Record 2025 device shipments: Ceva-powered devices shipped in 2025 totaled 2.1 billion, up 6%. Bluetooth shipments were 1.1 billion devices for the year. Source
- Non-GAAP operating margin reached 18%: The CFO attributed the non-GAAP operating margin to disciplined execution and improving mix in the quarter. Source
- Follow-on raised about $63 million: The follow-on offering raised about $63 million net. Additional paid-in capital rose to $338.0 million from $259.9 million. Management said the proceeds enhance financial flexibility. Source
“With leadership across connectivity, sensing and inference, record Wi-Fi and cellular IoT shipments, and more than 20 billion Ceva-powered devices shipped to date, we enter 2026 in a position of strength.”
Amir Panush, Chief Executive Officer of Ceva
What changed from last quarter
- New: The company completed a strategic NPU licensing agreement with one of the world's leading PC OEMs in the fourth quarter. The third-quarter release described a Microchip NPU portfolio license. Source
- New: A follow-on offering was completed in the fourth quarter, with net proceeds of about $63 million. The third-quarter release did not mention an offering. Source
Quarter and full-year results
- Record fourth-quarter revenue: Total revenue was $31.3 million, compared with $29.2 million a year earlier and $28.4 million in the third quarter. The company excluded the divested Intrinsix design services business from the comparison. Source
- Operating result on two bases: Non-GAAP operating income was $5.7 million, compared with $4.5 million a year earlier. GAAP operating loss was $0.4 million, compared with a GAAP operating profit of $0.1 million. Source
- GAAP net loss narrowed: GAAP net loss was $1.1 million, compared with $1.7 million a year earlier. GAAP diluted loss per share was $0.04, compared with $0.07. Source
- Non-GAAP diluted EPS rose: Non-GAAP net income was $4.9 million, compared with $2.7 million. Non-GAAP diluted income per share was $0.18, compared with $0.11 in the fourth quarter of 2024. Source
- Full-year revenue rose 2%: Full-year total revenue was $109.6 million, compared with $106.9 million in 2024. Licensing and related revenue and royalties are reported separately in the statements of loss. Source
- Full-year GAAP loss widened: GAAP operating loss for 2025 was $11.3 million, compared with $7.5 million. GAAP net loss was $10.6 million, or $0.44 per diluted share, compared with $8.8 million, or $0.37. Source
Licensing and royalty revenue
- Licensing revenue grew 11%: Licensing and related revenue was $17.5 million, compared with $15.7 million a year earlier and $16.0 million in the third quarter. Source
- Royalties at four-year quarterly high: Royalty revenue was $13.8 million, compared with $13.5 million a year earlier and $12.4 million in the third quarter. Management described this as its strongest royalty quarter in more than four years. Source
- Royalties grew each quarter in 2025: Full-year licensing revenue was $63.6 million, up 6%. Full-year royalty revenue was $46.0 million, compared with $46.9 million in 2024. Source
- Smart edge share of revenue 86%: Smart edge markets generated 86% of total revenue in 2025. The company attributed this to market share gains by Ceva customers. Source
“This win is a powerful validation of our AI strategy and reinforces our belief that dedicated NPUs will become a standard requirement across personal computing platforms and increasingly across intelligent devices.”
Amir Panush, Chief Executive Officer of Ceva
Products, shipments and customers
- PC OEM NPU license signed: The PC OEM agreement covers NeuPro NPUs, which the company said were selected as foundational IP for next-generation on-device AI compute architecture. Source
- Eighteen licensing agreements in quarter: The company signed 18 IP licensing agreements in the fourth quarter across a broad range of end markets and applications, including three NPU licenses. Source
- Record 2025 device shipments: Ceva-powered devices shipped in 2025 totaled 2.1 billion, up 6%. Bluetooth shipments were 1.1 billion devices for the year. Source
- Quarterly shipments reached 606 million: Ceva-powered devices shipped in the fourth quarter totaled 606 million units. The third-quarter release reported 579 million units. Source
- Licensing agreements across markets: The 54 licensing agreements signed in 2025 spanned consumer, industrial, automotive, PC and infrastructure markets, with the largest count in consumer. Source
Operating expenses
- Research spending rose in quarter: Research and development, net was $18.9 million, compared with $16.9 million. Total GAAP operating expenses were $28.0 million, compared with $25.8 million, and sales and marketing was $3.5 million, compared with $3.6 million. Source
- Non-GAAP expenses edged higher: Non-GAAP operating expenses were $22.2 million, compared with $21.6 million, after excluding equity-based compensation, amortization of intangible assets and costs associated with asset acquisition. Source
- Equity compensation rose in quarter: Total equity-based compensation was $5.7 million in the fourth quarter, compared with $3.9 million. General and administrative equity-based compensation was $2.1 million, compared with $0.8 million. Source
“For the full year, non-GAAP net income increased 20% year-over-year and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share grew 17%, demonstrating consistent financial progress throughout 2025.”
Yaniv Arieli, Chief Financial Officer of Ceva
Gross and operating margins
- Fourth-quarter gross margin steady: GAAP gross margin was 88%, the same as a year earlier. Non-GAAP gross margin was 89%, also in line with the prior-year quarter. Source
- Full-year gross margins were lower: For 2025, GAAP gross margin was 87%, compared with 88% in 2024. Non-GAAP gross margin was 88%, compared with 89%. Source
- Non-GAAP operating margin reached 18%: The CFO attributed the non-GAAP operating margin to disciplined execution and improving mix in the quarter. Source
- Financial income and tax expense: Financial income, net was $1.4 million, compared with a loss of $0.1 million. Income tax expense was $2.2 million, compared with $1.7 million. Source
Demand and licensing activity
- Demand across AI and connectivity: Other fourth-quarter agreements included AI DSP licenses for automotive ADAS and consumer electronics, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth connectivity licenses, and a software engagement with a TV platform. Source
- Multi-technology customers in 2025: Of the 54 licensing agreements signed in 2025, ten were with OEMs. Twelve customers licensed more than one Ceva technology. Source
- Physical AI cited as market direction: Management said that the industry is entering a Physical AI era as AI moves into real-world devices. Source
Capital, cash and receivables
- Follow-on raised about $63 million: The follow-on offering raised about $63 million net. Additional paid-in capital rose to $338.0 million from $259.9 million. Management said the proceeds enhance financial flexibility. Source
- Cash and securities increased: Cash and cash equivalents were $40.6 million, compared with $18.5 million at year-end 2024. Marketable securities and short-term bank deposits were $181.4 million, compared with $145.1 million. Source
- Receivables rose year over year: Trade receivables, net were $19.5 million, compared with $16.0 million. Unbilled receivables were $29.9 million, compared with $21.2 million. Source
Technology platform and strategy
- AI fabric portfolio description: The company describes its portfolio of silicon and software IP as enabling devices to connect, sense and infer. Source
- Licensing and royalty flywheel: The CEO said multi-IP customer engagements are building a licensing and royalty flywheel that supports sustained value creation over time. Source
- Product range spans wireless and AI: The company describes its product range as covering wireless connectivity, sensing and Edge AI processing IP, along with embedded software. Source
Figures management reported
| Figure | Reported |
|---|---|
| Customers Source | 400+ |
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.