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DigitalOcean Holdings, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 24 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 5 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth-quarter revenue rose 18%: Fourth-quarter revenue was $242 million, up from $205 million a year earlier. Source
  • Fiscal 2025 revenue reached $901 million: Fiscal 2025 revenue was $901 million, up from $781 million in fiscal 2024. Source
  • Inference and core cloud carry most AI ARR: Management said more than 70% of AI customer ARR comes from inference services and core cloud products rather than from bare metal. Source
  • Net dollar retention rose to 101%: Net dollar retention was 101% for the fourth quarter, up from 99% a year earlier. The prior release gave 99% for the third quarter of 2025. Source
  • Remaining obligations rose to $134 million: Remaining performance obligation was $134 million, of which $73 million is expected within 12 months, against $22 million a year earlier. Source
  • Gross margin was 59% in quarter: Fourth-quarter gross profit was $142 million, up 13%, with margin of 59%, against 60% in the third quarter according to the prior release. Source
  • Operating cash flow fell year over year: Fourth-quarter operating cash flow was $57 million, a 24% margin, against $71 million at 35% a year earlier. Adjusted free cash flow was $27 million at 11%. Source

“AI is reshaping entire industries, and we are built for this shift.”

Paddy Srinivasan, CEO of DigitalOcean

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue growth SourceExit rate of fiscal 202625%+
Revenue growth SourceFiscal 202730%Raised from 18 - 20% growth target
Total revenue SourceFiscal 2026$1.075 to $1.105 billionRaised
Total revenue SourceFirst quarter 2026$249 to $250 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA margin SourceFirst quarter 202636% to 37%New
Non-GAAP diluted net income per share SourceFirst quarter 2026$0.22 to $0.27New
Fully diluted weighted average shares SourceFirst quarter 2026 and fiscal 2026approximately 111 to 112 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA margin SourceFiscal 202636% to 38%
Adjusted free cash flow margin SourceFiscal 202615% to 17% of revenue
Unlevered adjusted free cash flow margin SourceFiscal 202618% to 20% of revenue
Non-GAAP diluted net income per share SourceFiscal 2026$0.75 to $1.00
Rule of 50 SourceFiscal 2027weighted Rule of 50 companyNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: The 2027 growth target moved from 18 - 20% in the prior release to 30% in this release. Source
  • New guidance: Guidance for the first quarter of 2026 was initiated in this release. Source
  • New: Total customer count was redefined, and users spending $500 or less a month were excluded. Source
  • New: Remaining performance obligation now covers all contracts regardless of term. The prior release reported $47 million on the earlier definition. Source
  • New: Public preview of the Agent Development Kit was launched on the AI platform. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Fourth-quarter revenue rose 18%: Fourth-quarter revenue was $242 million, up from $205 million a year earlier. Source
  • Fiscal 2025 revenue reached $901 million: Fiscal 2025 revenue was $901 million, up from $781 million in fiscal 2024. Source
  • One-time items lifted fiscal net income: Fiscal 2025 net income was $259 million, up 207%. Diluted EPS included one-time benefits from a valuation allowance release and a convertible note gain. Source
  • Fourth-quarter net income and EPS: Fourth-quarter net income attributable to common stockholders was $26 million, up 40%, with net income margin of 11%. Source

Customers and product usage

  • Inference and core cloud carry most AI ARR: Management said more than 70% of AI customer ARR comes from inference services and core cloud products rather than from bare metal. Source
  • Largest customer tiers grew fastest: The number of $500K+ and $1M+ customers grew 51% and 71%. Their revenue, at 17% and 14% of total, grew 97% and 123%. Source
  • $100K+ customers grew 58% in revenue: The number of $100K+ customers grew 26%. Their share of total revenue was 28%, and their revenue grew 58%. Source
  • Platform added GPU and inference features: The inference platform reached general availability for enhanced GPU observability, managed NFS for GPU workloads and multi-node AMD GPU support. Source

“We delivered 18% top-line growth in Q4 and reached $1 billion in annualized monthly run-rate revenue in December.”

Paddy Srinivasan, CEO of DigitalOcean

Retention and remaining obligations

  • Net dollar retention rose to 101%: Net dollar retention was 101% for the fourth quarter, up from 99% a year earlier. The prior release gave 99% for the third quarter of 2025. Source
  • Remaining obligations rose to $134 million: Remaining performance obligation was $134 million, of which $73 million is expected within 12 months, against $22 million a year earlier. Source
  • Record organic incremental ARR added: The company added $51 million of organic incremental ARR in the quarter, which management described as a record. Source

Gross margin and operating costs

  • Gross margin was 59% in quarter: Fourth-quarter gross profit was $142 million, up 13%, with margin of 59%, against 60% in the third quarter according to the prior release. Source
  • Operating expense rose in each line: Research and development was $44.3 million and sales and marketing was $22.5 million in the quarter. General and administrative expense was $36.7 million. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin was 41%: Fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA was $99 million, up 16%. Fiscal 2025 adjusted EBITDA was $375 million at a 42% margin. Source

“We now expect to deliver 21% growth in 2026, to exit 2026 at 25%+ growth and to reach 30% growth in 2027”

Paddy Srinivasan, CEO of DigitalOcean

Cash flow and cash balance

  • Operating cash flow fell year over year: Fourth-quarter operating cash flow was $57 million, a 24% margin, against $71 million at 35% a year earlier. Adjusted free cash flow was $27 million at 11%. Source
  • Fiscal adjusted free cash flow increased: Fiscal 2025 unlevered adjusted free cash flow was $166 million at an 18% margin, against $116 million at 15% in fiscal 2024. Source
  • Cash balance ended year at $254 million: Cash was down from $428 million a year earlier. Current debt rose to $325 million at year end, from $9.5 million at September 30, 2025. Source

Convertible notes and share repurchases

  • 2026 convertible notes repurchased at discount: The company repurchased about $1,188 million of 2026 convertible notes principal at a $56 million discount to par. Cash repayments of those notes were $1,131 million. Source
  • Fiscal share repurchases and cumulative totals: The company repurchased 2,356,547 shares in fiscal 2025, with $82.1 million of cash outflow. Cumulative repurchases since IPO total $1.6 billion. Source
  • 2030 notes and credit facility proceeds: Fiscal 2025 financing included $606 million net proceeds from 2030 convertible notes, with $84 million of capped call purchases. Source

Equipment and capital spending

  • Property and equipment capex was $129 million: Fiscal 2025 capital expenditures on property and equipment were $129 million, down from $178 million. Internal-use software spending was $11 million. Source
  • Equipment bought under financing arrangements: Equipment acquired under financing arrangements totaled $127 million in fiscal 2025, matched by financing proceeds of the same amount. Source

Guidance for 2026 and 2027

  • Full-year 2026 revenue guidance stated: Full-year 2026 revenue is expected at $1.075 billion to $1.105 billion. Source
  • First-quarter 2026 guidance initiated: First-quarter 2026 guidance covers revenue of $249 to $250 million, adjusted EBITDA margin of 36% to 37%, and non-GAAP diluted EPS of $0.22 to $0.27. Source
  • 2026 margin and cash flow ranges: Full-year 2026 adjusted EBITDA margin is 36% to 38%, adjusted free cash flow margin 15% to 17%, and unlevered adjusted free cash flow margin 18% to 20%. Source
  • Growth expectations for 2026 and 2027: Management expects 21% growth in 2026, growth of 25% or more at the exit of 2026, and 30% growth in 2027. Source

Coming up, as management said on 24 February 2026

  • Exit 2026 at 25%+ growth: Management expects to exit 2026 with growth of 25% or more. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Annual recurring revenue (ARR) Source$970 million, up 18%
Net dollar retention rate Source101%
Remaining performance obligation Source$134 million, of which $73 million within 12 months
Customers SourceMore than 640,000
Customers above $1 million in ARR Source$133 million ARR, up 123%
AI customer ARR Source$120 million, up 150%

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management names a growing number of bare metal GPU providers as competitors and says it distinguishes itself from them. Source
  • Demand: Management notes RPO is not necessarily indicative of future revenue growth and may rise when customers move to commitment-based agreements without added revenue. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management said the company is on track to be a weighted Rule of 50 company in 2027. Source
  • Not stated: The prior release said the 2027 growth targets of 18 - 20% would be delivered a full year earlier, in 2026.

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.