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Coherent Corp.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 November 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 5 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue up 17% year over year: Revenue was $1,581.4 million, up 17.3% from a year earlier and 3.4% from the prior quarter. Source
  • Non-GAAP EPS up $0.49: Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $1.16, against $0.67 a year earlier. GAAP diluted EPS was $1.19, compared with a loss of $0.04. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating income rose: Non-GAAP operating income was $308.9 million, a 19.5% margin, up from $217.6 million a year earlier. GAAP operating income was $259.1 million. Source
  • Datacenter & Communications revenue up: Datacenter & Communications revenue was $1,090.0 million, up from $863.6 million a year earlier and $1,018.3 million in the prior quarter. Source
  • Non-GAAP gross margin up 200 bps: Non-GAAP gross margin was 38.7%, up from 36.7% a year earlier and 38.1% in the prior quarter. GAAP gross margin was 36.6%. Source
  • Debt reduced by $400 million: Management said the company paid down $400 million of debt in the quarter, with a $1,250.0 million Term A borrowing among the financing flows. Source
  • Aerospace and Defense sale accretive: Management said the sale of the Aerospace and Defense business is immediately accretive to both gross margin and EPS. Source

“Revenue growth of 19% year-over-year in the September quarter on a pro forma basis was driven by strong demand from AI-related datacenters and communications.”

Jim Anderson, CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceSecond quarter of fiscal 2026$1.56 billion to $1.70 billionNew
Gross margin (non-GAAP) SourceSecond quarter of fiscal 202638% to 40%New
Operating expenses (non-GAAP) SourceSecond quarter of fiscal 2026$300 million to $320 millionNew
Tax rate (non-GAAP) SourceSecond quarter of fiscal 202618% to 20%New
EPS (non-GAAP) SourceSecond quarter of fiscal 2026$1.10 to $1.30New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Second-quarter fiscal 2026 ranges for revenue, margin, operating expenses, tax rate and EPS were given. Source
  • Ended: The Aerospace and Defense business was sold; the company reports that the sale closed in the quarter. Source
  • New: Segment revenue is now shown as Datacenter & Communications and Industrial, where the prior release showed Networking, Materials and Lasers. Source
  • New: A 400 mW CW laser for co-packaged optics and silicon photonic designs was introduced and is being sampled. Source
  • New: The company refinanced its debt in the quarter, following repayment of $400 million of debt. Source
  • New: A full-year normalized tax rate is used for the non-GAAP income tax provision for fiscal 2026. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue up 17% year over year: Revenue was $1,581.4 million, up 17.3% from a year earlier and 3.4% from the prior quarter. Source
  • Non-GAAP EPS up $0.49: Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $1.16, against $0.67 a year earlier. GAAP diluted EPS was $1.19, compared with a loss of $0.04. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating income rose: Non-GAAP operating income was $308.9 million, a 19.5% margin, up from $217.6 million a year earlier. GAAP operating income was $259.1 million. Source
  • Net earnings attributable to Coherent: Net earnings attributable to Coherent Corp. were $226.3 million on a GAAP basis and $220.9 million on a non-GAAP basis. Source

Segments and reporting

  • Datacenter & Communications revenue up: Datacenter & Communications revenue was $1,090.0 million, up from $863.6 million a year earlier and $1,018.3 million in the prior quarter. Source
  • Industrial revenue below prior quarter: Industrial revenue was $491.4 million, down from $511.1 million in the prior quarter and up from $484.5 million a year earlier. Source
  • Segments sum to consolidated revenue: The two segments together make up consolidated revenue of $1,581.4 million for the quarter. Source

“We expect continued strong growth throughout this fiscal year based on increasing datacenter and communications demand along with our continued production capacity expansion.”

Jim Anderson, CEO

Products and customers

  • 400 mW laser sampling to customers: A new 400 mW CW laser for co-packaged optics and silicon photonic designs is being sampled to multiple customers. Source
  • 400G differential EML award: The 400G Differential-EML, enabling power-efficient 3.2T datacenter transceivers, received an ECOC’25 award for most innovative photonic component. Source
  • 1.6T direct detect reach to 6 km: Using embedded dispersion compensation, 1.6T links were demonstrated over 6 km based on EMLs, as a lower-power option for networks at scale. Source
  • 2D VCSEL arrays for AI scale-up: A next-generation 2D VCSEL array solution was demonstrated for near-packaged and co-packaged optics in the scale-up portion of AI networks. Source
  • Multi-Rail platform award: The Multi-Rail Technology optical amplification platform received an ECOC’25 award for optical transport. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Non-GAAP gross margin up 200 bps: Non-GAAP gross margin was 38.7%, up from 36.7% a year earlier and 38.1% in the prior quarter. GAAP gross margin was 36.6%. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating expenses steady: Non-GAAP operating expenses were $304 million, against $307 million in the prior quarter and $278 million a year earlier. Source
  • Restructuring and impairment charges recorded: GAAP restructuring charges were $19.3 million and impairment of assets held-for-sale was $9.1 million, against $53.9 million and $85.0 million in the prior quarter. Source
  • GAAP income tax benefit: GAAP income taxes were a benefit of $8.3 million, while non-GAAP income taxes were $51.5 million. Source

“We also refinanced our debt which will reduce our interest expense and further strengthen our balance sheet.”

Sherri Luther, CFO

Cash, debt and balance sheet

  • Debt reduced by $400 million: Management said the company paid down $400 million of debt in the quarter, with a $1,250.0 million Term A borrowing among the financing flows. Source
  • Operating cash flow lower year over year: Net cash provided by operating activities was $46.0 million, against $153.0 million a year earlier. Additions to property, plant and equipment were $103.9 million. Source
  • Cash balance and inventory build: Cash and cash equivalents were $852.8 million at September 30, 2025, against $909.2 million at June 30, 2025. Inventories rose to $1,632.6 million. Source
  • Long-term debt balance lower: Long-term debt was $3,259.4 million and the current portion $48.4 million, against $3,498.6 million and $188.3 million at June 30, 2025. Source
  • Financing fees excluded from non-GAAP: Financing fees, covering debt extinguishment and closing a new Credit Agreement and Term Loan B repricing, were excluded from non-GAAP results. Source

Share count and preferred stock

  • Diluted shares include Series B preferred: Diluted share count was 190.7 million, against 156.2 million basic, because Series B Preferred Shares are counted as if converted into common shares. Source
  • Preferred dividends deducted from earnings: Dividends on preferred stock were $33.5 million, against $31.8 million a year earlier, leaving $192.9 million available to common shareholders. Source
  • Basic EPS versus prior year: GAAP basic EPS was $1.24, against a loss of $0.04 a year earlier. Non-GAAP basic EPS was $1.20. Source

Portfolio and strategy

  • Aerospace and Defense sale accretive: Management said the sale of the Aerospace and Defense business is immediately accretive to both gross margin and EPS. Source
  • Sale gain excluded from non-GAAP: The $115.2 million gain on the sale of the business was excluded from non-GAAP results. Source
  • Sale proceeds received in cash: Cash proceeds from the sale were $391.1 million in the quarter, against $27.0 million a year earlier. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 November 2025

  • Investor presentation to be posted: An investor presentation is to be filed as an 8-K exhibit and posted on the website after market close on November 5, 2025. Source
  • Growth expected through fiscal 2026: Management expects continued growth through the fiscal year, based on datacenter and communications demand and capacity expansion. Source
  • Lower interest expense after refinancing: Management said the debt refinancing will reduce interest expense. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Restructuring charges include non-cash impairments of production assets, facility lease costs, severance and contract termination costs. Source
  • Financial: Management said variability in certain excluded items could significantly affect future GAAP results. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: The prior release expected the sale to close in the quarter; this release reports that the sale closed.

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.