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Coherent Corp.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 6 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue grew 21% year over year: Revenue was $1.81 billion, up 21% from a year earlier and 27% on a pro forma basis, and up 7.1% on the prior quarter. Nine-month revenue was $5.07 billion, up 18.5%. Source
  • GAAP and non-GAAP EPS both higher: GAAP diluted EPS was $0.97, against a loss of $0.11 a year earlier. Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $1.41, against $0.91. Source
  • Datacenter and communications led growth: Datacenter & Communications revenue was $1,361.6 million, up from $968.7 million a year earlier and $1,208.0 million in the December quarter. Source
  • Gross margin rose on both bases: GAAP gross margin was 37.7%, up 243 basis points year over year. Non-GAAP gross margin was 39.6%, up 105 basis points. Source
  • Capacity expansion tied to AI demand: Management said it is rapidly expanding capacity to meet demand as AI datacenter infrastructure continues to scale. Source
  • Operating cash flow was low: Nine-month net cash from operating activities was $10.1 million, against $503.3 million a year earlier. Source

“As AI datacenter infrastructure continues to scale, we are rapidly expanding capacity to meet demand.”

Jim Anderson, CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 2026$1.91 billion to $2.05 billionNew
Gross margin (non-GAAP) Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 202639.0% to 41.0%New
Operating expenses (non-GAAP) Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 2026$360 million to $380 millionNew
Tax rate (non-GAAP) Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 202618% to 20%New
EPS (non-GAAP) Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 2026$1.52 to $1.72New
Tax rate (non-GAAP normalized) Sourcefiscal year 202619%Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Ranges for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026 are new. The prior release gave ranges only for the third quarter. Source
  • Ended: The sale of the Munich tools product division closed at the end of January 2026, according to the prior release.
  • New: Nine-month cash flow shows $2.0 billion from issuing common shares. The six-month cash flow in the prior release had no such line. Source

Revenue and earnings growth

  • Revenue grew 21% year over year: Revenue was $1.81 billion, up 21% from a year earlier and 27% on a pro forma basis, and up 7.1% on the prior quarter. Nine-month revenue was $5.07 billion, up 18.5%. Source
  • GAAP and non-GAAP EPS both higher: GAAP diluted EPS was $0.97, against a loss of $0.11 a year earlier. Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $1.41, against $0.91. Source
  • Operating income rose from last year: GAAP operating income was $201 million, an 11.1% margin, against $72 million a year earlier. Non-GAAP operating income was $366 million, a 20.3% margin. Source

Segment revenue

  • Datacenter and communications led growth: Datacenter & Communications revenue was $1,361.6 million, up from $968.7 million a year earlier and $1,208.0 million in the December quarter. Source
  • Industrial revenue below last year: Industrial revenue was $444.0 million, against $529.2 million a year earlier and $477.6 million in the December quarter. Source
  • Nine-month segment totals reported: Nine-month Datacenter & Communications revenue was $3,659.6 million, against $2,736.8 million. Nine-month Industrial revenue was $1,413.0 million, against $1,543.9 million. Source

“Significant revenue growth together with gross margin expansion drove a year-over-year increase in our GAAP and non-GAAP EPS.”

Sherri Luther, CFO

Costs and margins

  • Gross margin rose on both bases: GAAP gross margin was 37.7%, up 243 basis points year over year. Non-GAAP gross margin was 39.6%, up 105 basis points. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating costs rose: Non-GAAP operating expenses were $348 million, up 17.0% from $297 million a year earlier. Non-GAAP SG&A fell to 9.4% of revenue, and R&D rose to 9.9%. Source
  • Restructuring and integration charges: GAAP restructuring charges were $34.4 million, against $73.8 million a year earlier. Integration, site consolidation and other costs were $18.9 million, excluded from non-GAAP results. Source

Demand and capacity build

  • Capacity expansion tied to AI demand: Management said it is rapidly expanding capacity to meet demand as AI datacenter infrastructure continues to scale. Source
  • Capital ramp tied to visibility: The CFO said capital investment is being ramped to add capacity, given visibility into ongoing demand. The release gives no backlog or order figure. Source
  • Photonics breadth cited as position: Management cited the breadth of its photonic technology portfolio and its manufacturing scale as the basis for its market position. Source

“We remain focused on ramping our capital investment to drive increased capacity”

Sherri Luther, CFO

Cash, debt and capital spending

  • Operating cash flow was low: Nine-month net cash from operating activities was $10.1 million, against $503.3 million a year earlier. Source
  • Capital spending rose: Nine-month additions to property, plant and equipment were $547.2 million, up from $309.5 million a year earlier. Source
  • Debt repaid alongside new borrowings: Nine-month payments on existing debt were $1,761.7 million. Term A Facility proceeds were $1,250.0 million, and revolver proceeds were $628.8 million. Source
  • Cash and short-term investments: At March 31, 2026, cash and cash equivalents were $1,592.7 million and short-term investments were $825.0 million, against $909.2 million of cash at June 30, 2025. Source
  • Inventories and payables increased: Inventories were $2,126.8 million, up from $1,437.6 million at June 30, 2025. Accounts payable were $1,343.4 million, up from $847.0 million. Source

Share count and preferred stock

  • Preferred dividends fell to nil: Dividends on preferred stock were nil in the quarter, against $1.6 million in the December quarter and $32.7 million a year earlier. Source
  • Diluted share count rose: Average diluted shares were 196.4 million, against 192.8 million in the December quarter and 155.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Basic share count up year over year: Average basic shares were 190.2 million, up from 167.5 million in the December quarter and 155.2 million a year earlier. Source

Portfolio changes and gains

  • Aerospace and defense sale last quarter: The December-quarter gain of $115.2 million came from the sale of the aerospace and defense business, as reported in the prior release.
  • Equity investment stake sold: A $14.1 million gain was recorded in the quarter on the sale of shares in an equity method investment. Source
  • Nine-month gains on business sales: Gains on sale of business were $8.9 million in the quarter and $124.1 million for the nine months. Source

Basis of guidance and disclosure

  • Non-GAAP guidance omits some items: The company gave no GAAP reconciliation for fourth-quarter non-GAAP ranges, saying certain items cannot be forecast without unreasonable efforts. Source
  • Guidance limited to call and release: The company said its financial guidance is limited to comments on the public earnings call and the business guidance statements in the release. Source
  • Prior non-GAAP figures recast: The company refined its non-GAAP methodology in the second quarter of fiscal 2025, and prior non-GAAP figures were recast to match. Source

Coming up, as management said on 6 May 2026

  • Investor presentation posted after call: The company said it will file an investor presentation as an 8-K exhibit and post it on its website after market close on May 6, 2026. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Management said restructuring, integration, foreign exchange and share-based compensation items could significantly affect future GAAP results. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The CFO said the company continues to ramp capital investment for more capacity. The release does not state progress against this plan. Source
  • Not stated: The prior release gave a third-quarter revenue range. The current release does not state whether that range was met.

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.