greeksoup/ stock research

Flex Ltd.: Q4 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 8 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth-quarter net sales rose 17%: Q4 net sales were $7.5 billion, up 17% from $6.4 billion a year earlier. Full-year net sales were $27.9 billion, up 8% from $25.8 billion. Source
  • Q4 adjusted operating margin 6.7%: Q4 adjusted operating margin was 6.7%, against 6.2% a year earlier; GAAP margin was 5.0%, against 4.8%. This is the sixth quarter in a row at 6% or greater. Source
  • Full-year adjusted margin 6.3%: Full-year adjusted operating margin was 6.3%, against 5.7% in fiscal 2025; GAAP margin was 4.9%, against 4.5%. The release calls the adjusted figure another record. Source
  • Q4 free cash flow fell to $212 million: Q4 free cash flow was $212 million, against $325 million, after operating cash flow of $413 million and property purchases of $202 million. Source
  • Spin-off of Cloud and Power planned: Management announced a planned spin-off of its Cloud and Power Infrastructure segment into a separate publicly traded company. Source
  • Full-year adjusted margin guided higher: Full-year adjusted operating margin is guided at 7.0% to 7.1%, against 6.3% reported for fiscal 2026. Source
  • Adjusted EPS growth 32% at midpoint: Full-year adjusted EPS is guided at $4.21 to $4.51, growth of 32% at the midpoint, against $3.30 reported for fiscal 2026. Source

“Our strong finish to FY 2026 reflects disciplined execution and a clear strategy, supported by targeted acquisitions and capital investments aligned to Flex's long-term growth opportunities”

Revathi Advaithi, CEO of Flex

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales SourceFirst quarter of fiscal 2027$7.35 billion to $7.65 billionNew
Adjusted operating income SourceFirst quarter of fiscal 2027$469 million to $499 millionNew
Adjusted EPS SourceFirst quarter of fiscal 2027$0.86 to $0.92New
Interest and other; adjusted tax rate SourceFirst quarter of fiscal 2027Interest & Other approximately $65 million; adjusted income tax rate 21%New
Weighted average shares outstanding SourceFirst quarter of fiscal 2027approximately 374 millionNew
Net sales SourceFiscal year 2027$32.3 billion to $33.8 billionNew
Adjusted operating margin SourceFiscal year 20277.0% to 7.1%New
Adjusted EPS SourceFiscal year 2027$4.21 to $4.51New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: First-quarter fiscal 2027 guidance given in this release. Source
  • New guidance: Full-year fiscal 2027 guidance given in this release, with no prior fiscal 2027 figures in the previous release. Source
  • New: Planned spin-off of the Cloud and Power Infrastructure segment announced in this release; full-year guidance excludes its effect. Source

Fourth quarter and fiscal 2026 results

  • Fourth-quarter net sales rose 17%: Q4 net sales were $7.5 billion, up 17% from $6.4 billion a year earlier. Full-year net sales were $27.9 billion, up 8% from $25.8 billion. Source
  • Q4 EPS on GAAP and adjusted basis: Q4 diluted EPS was $0.67 GAAP and $0.93 adjusted, against $0.57 and $0.73 a year earlier. Full-year EPS was $2.33 GAAP and $3.30 adjusted, against $2.11 and $2.65. Source
  • Q4 operating income rose year on year: Q4 GAAP operating income was $372 million, against $305 million a year earlier. Source
  • Q4 sales above prior guidance range: Q4 net sales of $7.5 billion were above the $6.75 billion to $7.05 billion range given in the previous release for the quarter.

Margins and cost lines

  • Q4 adjusted operating margin 6.7%: Q4 adjusted operating margin was 6.7%, against 6.2% a year earlier; GAAP margin was 5.0%, against 4.8%. This is the sixth quarter in a row at 6% or greater. Source
  • Full-year adjusted margin 6.3%: Full-year adjusted operating margin was 6.3%, against 5.7% in fiscal 2025; GAAP margin was 4.9%, against 4.5%. The release calls the adjusted figure another record. Source
  • Gross profit and SG&A both higher: Q4 gross profit was $702 million, against $563 million; selling, general and administrative expenses were $289 million, against $234 million. Source
  • Restructuring charges mostly severance: Q4 restructuring charges were about $47 million and full-year charges $84 million, mostly employee severance, against $30 million and $84 million a year earlier. Source
  • Mukachevo charges from missile strike: Mukachevo-related charges were $5 million in Q4 and $51 million for the year, from asset impairments, inventory write-downs and other items after the August 21, 2025 missile strike. Source

“The missile strike caused substantial destruction, disrupted Mukachevo’s normal operations and Flex initiated contingency manufacturing plans at alternative manufacturing facilities.”

Flex Ltd., press release

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Q4 free cash flow fell to $212 million: Q4 free cash flow was $212 million, against $325 million, after operating cash flow of $413 million and property purchases of $202 million. Source
  • Full-year free cash flow $1,060 million: Full-year free cash flow was $1,060 million, against $1,082 million. Operating cash flow was $1,685 million, up from $1,505 million. Source
  • Capital spending rose sharply: Full-year purchases of property and equipment were $633 million, against $438 million; Q4 purchases were $202 million, against $112 million. Source
  • Receivables, inventory and payables grew: At March 31, 2026, receivables were $4,679 million, inventories $5,845 million and accounts payable $8,055 million, against $3,671 million, $5,071 million and $5,147 million. Source
  • Long-term debt rose; bank borrowings repaid: Long-term debt, net of current portion, rose to $3,751 million from $2,483 million, and current bank borrowings and debt were nil, against $1,209 million. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • Share repurchases of $944 million: Share repurchases were $944 million for fiscal 2026, against $1,257 million a year earlier. Source
  • Acquisition spending lower: Acquisitions of businesses used $40 million of cash in fiscal 2026, against $405 million in fiscal 2025. Source
  • Diluted share count lower: Full-year diluted shares averaged 378 million, against 398 million a year earlier. Source

“The Company expects additional immaterial near-term inefficiencies as Mukachevo’s operations are restored.”

Flex Ltd., press release

Planned spin-off of Cloud and Power Infrastructure

  • Spin-off of Cloud and Power planned: Management announced a planned spin-off of its Cloud and Power Infrastructure segment into a separate publicly traded company. Source
  • Legal and other costs for spin-off: Legal and other costs were about $26 million in Q4 and $53 million for the year, mainly tied to the spin-off and other portfolio optimization. Source
  • Fiscal 2027 guidance excludes spin-off: Fiscal 2027 guidance covers the full year and does not give effect to the planned spin-off, the release states. Source

Fiscal 2027 guidance

  • First-quarter and full-year guidance given: Guidance was given for the first quarter and full year of fiscal 2027, covering net sales, adjusted operating income, adjusted EPS and related items. Source
  • Full-year adjusted margin guided higher: Full-year adjusted operating margin is guided at 7.0% to 7.1%, against 6.3% reported for fiscal 2026. Source
  • Adjusted EPS growth 32% at midpoint: Full-year adjusted EPS is guided at $4.21 to $4.51, growth of 32% at the midpoint, against $3.30 reported for fiscal 2026. Source

Strategy and AI data center focus

  • Targeted acquisitions and capital investment: Management tied fiscal 2026 results to disciplined execution and a clear strategy, with targeted acquisitions and capital investments aligned to long-term growth. Source
  • AI data center power and cooling: The company says it helps customers speed data center deployment by solving power, heat and scale challenges with power and cooling technology. Source
  • Footprint across 30 countries: Flex describes a global footprint in 30 countries, with manufacturing, supply chain and lifecycle services from concept to scale. Source

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management described the Mukachevo strike as unusual, noting hostilities have been mainly focused in Eastern Ukraine, and said it disrupted normal operations. Source
  • Operational: Restructuring and impairment charges continued during the year, mostly for employee severance, which the release excludes from non-GAAP results. Source
  • Financial: A reduced valuation of a non-core investment fund produced about $25 million of equity losses for the year. Source
  • Regulatory: A $19 million tax charge followed the resolution of a tax dispute with a foreign tax authority covering fiscal years 2010 through 2020. 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.