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Diodes Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 12 May 2026: call transcript. Guidance figures: 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 22% year over year: Revenue was $405.5 million, up 22.1% from a year earlier and 3.5% sequentially from $391.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source
  • Earnings more than doubled on operating leverage: GAAP net income was $15.0 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, against a $0.10 per-share loss a year earlier. Non-GAAP adjusted EPS was $0.43, against $0.19. Source
  • Gross margin up 70 basis points: Gross margin rose 70 basis points sequentially, which management credited to automotive and industrial mix and improving utilization. Source
  • Point-of-sale rose, channel inventory fell: Global point-of-sale rose sequentially, and channel inventory decreased again, both in dollars and in weeks. Source
  • Management sees real demand, not replenishment: Management said the sequential gain reflects real demand rather than replenishment, pointing to point-of-sale and distribution data. Source
  • Free cash flow of $32.4 million: Operating cash flow was $64.3 million, up $26.2 million from the prior quarter. Free cash flow was $32.4 million, up $20.0 million. Source
  • Three-year targets released earlier this year: Management said the three-year interim targets were released earlier this year and that the first quarter was a first step toward them. Source

“This quarter was a great first step toward executing on these goals.”

Gary Yu, President, Chief Executive Officer & Director, Diodes, Inc.

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceSecond quarter 2026approximately $435 million, plus or minus 3%
GAAP gross margin SourceSecond quarter 202632.8% plus or minus 1%
Non-GAAP adjusted EPS SourceSecond quarter 2026$0.60, plus or minus $0.10
Effective tax rate SourceFull year 2026approximately 18%, plus or minus 3%Kept
Revenue, gross profit and non-GAAP EPS SourceThree-year interim targets$2 billion annual revenue; $700 million gross profit; over $4 non-GAAP EPSKept
Capital expenditures SourceAnnualized5% to 9% of revenue

What changed from last quarter

  • New: The company refined the presentation of its guidance to simplify it and align it with the three-year targets introduced last quarter. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 22% year over year: Revenue was $405.5 million, up 22.1% from a year earlier and 3.5% sequentially from $391.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source
  • Earnings more than doubled on operating leverage: GAAP net income was $15.0 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, against a $0.10 per-share loss a year earlier. Non-GAAP adjusted EPS was $0.43, against $0.19. Source
  • Fifth straight double-digit growth quarter: Management said this is the fifth consecutive quarter of double-digit year-over-year growth and the highest percentage increase since the fourth quarter of 2021. Source
  • Sequential growth above seasonal pattern: Management said first-quarter revenue rose 3.5% sequentially, against a typical seasonal decline of about 5%. Source

Segments and regions

  • Asia remains the largest region: Asia was 77% of revenue in the first quarter, Europe 14% and North America 9%. Source
  • Europe led growth: Management said Europe led growth, helped by automotive orders and broad industrial demand. Source
  • Automotive revenue up over 32%: Automotive revenue rose 3.8% sequentially and over 32% year-over-year. Management said visibility continues to improve. Source
  • Industrial up 13% sequentially: Industrial revenue grew 13.2% sequentially and over 31% year-over-year. Management said much of the demand is being driven by AI infrastructure. Source
  • Computing dipped sequentially, up over 21%: Computing revenue fell 3.7% sequentially but grew over 21% year-over-year. Management cited AI server and data center demand. Source
  • Communications and consumer each up 3.8%: Consumer and communications revenue each rose 3.8% sequentially. Communications grew over 17% year-over-year and consumer over 26%. Source

“So, what we're seeing is definitely demand is real.”

Emily Yang, Senior Vice President-Worldwide Sales & Marketing, Diodes, Inc.

Products and design wins

  • Automotive design wins across focus areas: Management cited design wins across connected driving, comfort, safety and electrification, with ADAS, telematics and infotainment platforms among them. Source
  • Transistors winning AI server power designs: Management said its bipolar junction transistors have been winning designs in AI server power supply units. Hall sensors are used in fan applications for thermal management. Source
  • Silicon carbide ready for 800-volt platforms: Management said its silicon carbide MOSFETs are ready for 800-volt platforms, alongside analog and discrete devices. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin up 70 basis points: Gross margin rose 70 basis points sequentially, which management credited to automotive and industrial mix and improving utilization. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating expenses at 25.6%: GAAP operating expenses were $109.0 million, or 26.9% of revenue. Non-GAAP excludes $3.9 million of acquisition-related amortization and $1.1 million of board and officer retirement expense. Source
  • Pricing stabilised on product mix: Management said pricing stabilised in the first quarter, mainly because of product mix, and that constrained supply typically holds prices flat or lifts them. Source

“we are well aligned to deliver increasing earnings and cash flows towards the achievement of our three-year financial goals.”

Emily Yang, Senior Vice President-Worldwide Sales & Marketing, Diodes, Inc.

Demand and channel

  • Point-of-sale rose, channel inventory fell: Global point-of-sale rose sequentially, and channel inventory decreased again, both in dollars and in weeks. Source
  • Management sees real demand, not replenishment: Management said the sequential gain reflects real demand rather than replenishment, pointing to point-of-sale and distribution data. Source
  • Supply disruption still a benefit: Management said the company continues to benefit from market supply disruption and remains strategically selective about demand creation. Source
  • Customers more willing to requalify parts: Management said tight supply makes customers more willing to requalify parts, though process qualification still takes time for the company to ramp. Source

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Free cash flow of $32.4 million: Operating cash flow was $64.3 million, up $26.2 million from the prior quarter. Free cash flow was $32.4 million, up $20.0 million. Source
  • Net cash flow positive despite higher capex: Net cash flow was $26.9 million, which management said came despite higher capital spending than in the prior quarter. Source
  • Cash, debt and working capital: Cash, restricted cash and short-term investments were about $409 million. Total debt was about $55 million and working capital about $891 million. Source
  • Inventory dollars rose on raw materials: Total inventory rose $21.2 million to $492.8 million. Raw materials increased $24.0 million, while finished goods decreased $3.3 million. Source

Strategy and margin plan

  • Growth built on design wins and products: Management named content expansion, design-win momentum and new product introductions as the cornerstones of its growth initiatives. Source
  • Cost efficiency to drive margin expansion: Management said increased manufacturing and cost efficiency are intended to further drive margin expansion alongside growth initiatives. Source
  • Three-year targets released earlier this year: Management said the three-year interim targets were released earlier this year and that the first quarter was a first step toward them. Source

Manufacturing and capacity

  • Scotland and South Portland fabs shipping: Management said the Scotland and South Portland wafer fabs have been shipping to key customers since last year, with loading improving over the next couple of years. Source
  • Utilization gains expected in 2027 and 2028: Management said much more utilization improvement at those two fabs is expected in 2027 and 2028, as customer qualifications take time. Source
  • Other fabs and back end well loaded: Management said the remaining wafer fabs are in good loading, and back-end operations are almost fully loaded at present. Source
  • Process qualification progressing, still slow: Management said process qualification is progressing well, but it will still take time before internal factories ramp further. Source

AI and new market exposure

  • AI demand beyond AI servers: Management said AI demand spans power supply, networking, switching, routers and optical modules, not only AI servers. Source
  • No AI revenue sizing given: Asked to size AI exposure, management gave no figure, pointing instead to AI server ramp-up and power supply work for 800-volt systems. Source
  • Satellite customer engagement: Management said it is engaging many customers in low-Earth orbit satellite work and gave no further detail on the call. Source

Coming up, as management said on 12 May 2026

  • Sixth double-digit growth quarter in Q2: Management said Q2 would be the sixth consecutive quarter of double-digit year-over-year growth and another quarter of above-seasonal sequential growth. Source
  • New product introductions to be shared: Management said it will share some of the new product introductions for 800-volt and AI power applications in the future. Source
  • More satellite detail to come: Management said it may share more about its satellite work in the future. Source
  • Figures pending Form 10-Q filing: The first-quarter figures are preliminary and unaudited until the Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2026 is filed.

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total inventory days Source157 days (161 last quarter; 187 a year earlier)
Finished goods inventory days Source55 days (59 last quarter)
Gross margin Source31.8% of revenue (31.5% a year earlier; 31.1% last quarter)
Industrial share of product revenue Source24% (22% last quarter)
Automotive share of product revenue Source20%
Computing share of product revenue Source26%
Consumer share of product revenue Source17%
Communications share of product revenue Source13%
Automotive plus industrial share of product revenue Source44%, up 2 points from last quarter
Channel inventory weeks SourceLower end of normal 11 to 14 week range

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Notebook and motherboard demand moderated, which management tied to a softer market for those applications and a memory shortage. Source
  • Demand: Management said humanoid robotics volume is still pending to ramp, so the company has not discussed that area much. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said first-quarter capital spending of 7.9% of revenue was within the targeted range of 5% to 9%. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it continues to expect the full-year tax rate at about 18%, plus or minus 3%. 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.