greeksoup/ stock research

Gen Digital Inc.: Q4 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 7 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 2 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Full-year revenue passed $5 billion: FY26 revenue rose 27% from $3,935 million to $5,000 million. GAAP operating income rose 32% to $2,120 million, and GAAP diluted EPS rose 53% to $1.57. Source
  • Trust-Based Solutions revenue more than doubled: Trust-Based Solutions revenue was $446 million in Q4, against $202 million a year earlier. Full-year revenue was $1,661 million against $759 million. Source
  • Litigation credit lifted GAAP results: Q4 included a $353 million litigation benefit that the company excludes from non-GAAP results. The year had a $336 million benefit, against $65 million of cost in fiscal 2025. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating margin lower year on year: Non-GAAP operating margin was 50.0% in Q4 against 58.4% a year earlier, and 50.9% for the year against 58.4%. GAAP operating margin was 62.6% in Q4. Source
  • Free cash flow reached $1,523 million: Free cash flow was $1,523 million for the year against $1,206 million, and $449 million in Q4 against $470 million. Operating cash flow was $1,545 million for the year. Source
  • FY27 guidance raised: The company raised its fiscal 2027 revenue and EPS guidance and gave first-quarter fiscal 2027 ranges in this release. Source

“FY26 was a defining year for Gen, our strongest results in a decade, with revenue crossing $5 billion for the first time,”

Vincent Pilette, CEO of Gen

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceQ1 FY27$1,300 million to $1,325 millionNew
Non-GAAP EPS SourceQ1 FY27$0.68 to $0.70New
Revenue SourceFY27$5,325 million to $5,425 millionRaised
Non-GAAP EPS SourceFY27$2.85 to $2.95Raised

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: FY27 revenue and non-GAAP EPS guidance raised, per the release headline. The earlier figures are not in the documents. Source
  • New guidance: First-quarter FY27 revenue and EPS ranges were given. The documents contain no earlier first-quarter FY27 range. Source

Full-year and fourth-quarter results

  • Full-year revenue passed $5 billion: FY26 revenue rose 27% from $3,935 million to $5,000 million. GAAP operating income rose 32% to $2,120 million, and GAAP diluted EPS rose 53% to $1.57. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating income grew 11%: Full-year non-GAAP operating income was $2,543 million, up 11%. Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $2.56, up 15% from $2.22. Source
  • Q4 revenue grew 27%: Fourth-quarter revenue was $1,283 million, up 27% from $1,010 million a year earlier. Source
  • Q4 revenue above prior guidance: February guidance for the quarter was $1.24 billion to $1.26 billion of revenue and $0.64 to $0.66 of non-GAAP EPS. Reported Q4 non-GAAP diluted EPS was $0.67.
  • Q4 GAAP profit rose sharply: Q4 GAAP operating income was $803 million, up 93%, and GAAP diluted EPS was $0.84 against $0.23 a year earlier. The litigation credit is covered below. Source

Segments and revenue mix

  • Trust-Based Solutions revenue more than doubled: Trust-Based Solutions revenue was $446 million in Q4, against $202 million a year earlier. Full-year revenue was $1,661 million against $759 million. Source
  • Cyber Safety Platform revenue rose: Cyber Safety Platform revenue was $837 million in Q4, up from $808 million. Full-year revenue was $3,339 million against $3,176 million. Source
  • Partner revenue rose to $235 million: Q4 partner revenue was $235 million against $132 million, and direct revenue was $1,048 million against $878 million. Full-year partner revenue was $863 million against $472 million. Source

“Our fourth quarter capped a record year for Gen, with results exceeding guidance, driven by healthy demand for our Cyber Safety Platform, double-digit revenue growth in Trust-Based Solutions and strong execution across the board,”

Natalie Derse, CFO of Gen

Customers and bookings

  • Paid customers reached 79 million: Total paid customers were 79 million at April 3, 2026, up from 68 million at March 28, 2025 and 78 million at January 2, 2026. Source
  • Bookings rose 27% in Q4: Q4 bookings were $1,364 million, against $1,319 million in the third quarter and $1,076 million a year earlier. Source
  • Full-year bookings rose 28%: Full-year bookings were $5,107 million, up 28% from $3,988 million in fiscal 2025. Source

Costs, margins and one-off items

  • Litigation credit lifted GAAP results: Q4 included a $353 million litigation benefit that the company excludes from non-GAAP results. The year had a $336 million benefit, against $65 million of cost in fiscal 2025. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating margin lower year on year: Non-GAAP operating margin was 50.0% in Q4 against 58.4% a year earlier, and 50.9% for the year against 58.4%. GAAP operating margin was 62.6% in Q4. Source
  • Sales and marketing spend rose sharply: Sales and marketing expense was $327 million in Q4 against $196 million, and $1,228 million for the year against $745 million. Research and development was $104 million in Q4 against $81 million. Source
  • Instacash Advances sale produced losses: The cash flow statement shows a loss on sale of Instacash Advances of $59 million in Q4 and $205 million for the year. The release does not describe the sale. Source

“This growth momentum, combined with our extraordinary free cash flow generation, gives us the confidence to raise the bar for FY27.”

Natalie Derse, CFO of Gen

Cash flow, capital and shareholder returns

  • Free cash flow reached $1,523 million: Free cash flow was $1,523 million for the year against $1,206 million, and $449 million in Q4 against $470 million. Operating cash flow was $1,545 million for the year. Source
  • Buybacks and dividends paid in year: The company repurchased $634 million of common stock in the year, including $200 million in Q4. Dividends paid were $312 million for the year and $76 million in Q4. Source
  • Debt repayments exceeded new issuance: Debt repayments were $3,620 million for the year against $3,475 million of new issuance. Long-term debt was $8,015 million at year end against $7,968 million. Source
  • Year-end cash fell to $411 million: Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash were $411 million at April 3, 2026, down from $1,006 million at March 28, 2025. Source

Acquisitions and strategy

  • Acquisition payments rose to $1,032 million: Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired, was $1,032 million for the year, including $156 million in Q4, against $84 million a year earlier. The release does not name the businesses acquired. Source
  • Capital aimed at high-return investment: The CFO said capital will be allocated with discipline, prioritising high-return investments to extend growth and deliver shareholder returns. Source
  • Cyber safety and financial wellness linked: The CEO said cyber safety and financial wellness belong together, and that the company continues to expand and connect the Gen platform. Source

Fiscal 2027 guidance

  • FY27 guidance raised: The company raised its fiscal 2027 revenue and EPS guidance and gave first-quarter fiscal 2027 ranges in this release. Source
  • First-quarter guidance set: Guidance is given on a non-GAAP basis. The company said it does not provide a reconciliation of the forecast ranges, because most adjustments relate to events not yet occurred. Source
  • Quarterly dividend kept at $0.125: The board approved a quarterly dividend of $0.125 per common share, the same amount declared in February. Source

Coming up, as management said on 7 May 2026

  • Dividend payment on June 10, 2026: The $0.125 quarterly dividend is payable June 10, 2026 to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 18, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total paid customers Source79 million at April 3, 2026, up from 68 million at March 28, 2025

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said the fourth quarter results exceeded the company's guidance. 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.