greeksoup/ stock research

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 9 March 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 raised, 2 lowered, 5 new, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 18% year over year: Revenue was $9.3 billion, up 18% from the prior-year period and down 3.9% from the prior quarter. Source
  • Networking revenue more than doubled: Networking revenue was $2.7 billion, up 151.5%, because the segment now includes Juniper Networks. Source
  • Gross margin rose year over year: GAAP gross margin was 35.9% and non-GAAP gross margin was 36.6%, up 720 basis points on a non-GAAP basis from the prior-year period. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating margin reached 12.7%: Non-GAAP operating profit margin was 12.7%, compared with 12.2% in the prior quarter and 9.9% a year earlier. Source
  • Orders grew double digits across segments: The CEO said orders increased by double digits year over year in every segment. Source
  • Free cash flow was $0.7 billion: Free cash flow was $708 million, up $1.6 billion from the prior-year period, and operating cash flow was $1.2 billion. Source
  • Juniper and Catalyst synergies faster: The CFO said synergies from Juniper and Catalyst were faster than planned and contributed to performance, along with cost management. Source

“HPE delivered a strong first quarter, outperforming in our networking business and posting one of our most profitable quarters on record,”

Antonio Neri, president and CEO of HPE

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 2026$9.6 billion to $10.0 billionNew
GAAP diluted EPS Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 2026$0.09 to $0.13New
Non-GAAP diluted EPS Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 2026$0.51 to $0.55New
Non-GAAP EPS exclusions Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 2026approximately $0.42 per diluted shareNew
Revenue growth Sourcefiscal 2026 full year17% to 22%Kept
Networking revenue growth Sourcefiscal 2026 full year68% to 73%Raised
GAAP operating profit growth Sourcefiscal 2026 full year490% to 550%Raised from 455% to 520%
Non-GAAP operating profit growth Sourcefiscal 2026 full year32% to 40%Kept
GAAP diluted EPS Sourcefiscal 2026 full year$1.02 to $1.22Raised from $0.62 to $0.82
Non-GAAP diluted EPS Sourcefiscal 2026 full year$2.30 to $2.50Raised from $2.25 to $2.45
Non-GAAP EPS exclusions Sourcefiscal 2026 full yearapproximately $1.28 per diluted shareLowered from approximately $1.63 per diluted share
Free cash flow Sourcefiscal 2026 full yearat least $2.0 billionRaised from $1.7 billion to $2 billion
Non-GAAP operating profit exclusions Sourcefiscal 2026 full yearapproximately $2.7 billionLowered from approximately $2.9 billion
Non-GAAP income tax rate Sourcefiscal 202614%New

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year GAAP diluted EPS range raised to $1.02 to $1.22, from $0.62 to $0.82. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year non-GAAP diluted EPS range raised to $2.30 to $2.50, from $2.25 to $2.45. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year free cash flow estimate raised to at least $2.0 billion, from a $1.7 billion to $2 billion range. Source
  • Guidance raised: Networking segment revenue growth expectation raised to 68% to 73%. Source
  • Guidance raised: GAAP operating profit growth estimate raised to 490% to 550%, from 455% to 520%. Source
  • New guidance: Second-quarter revenue and EPS estimates given for the first time. Source
  • Guidance kept: Full-year revenue growth range of 17% to 22% reaffirmed. Source
  • New: Server, Hybrid Cloud and Financial Services merged into one reported segment, Cloud & AI. Source
  • Ended: Separate reporting for Server, Hybrid Cloud and Financial Services ended with the segment change. Source
  • New: Telco and Instant On businesses moved from Networking to Corporate Investments and Other. Source
  • New: Company entered agreements to sell its remaining H3C shares and stopped reporting H3C earnings in non-GAAP results. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 18% year over year: Revenue was $9.3 billion, up 18% from the prior-year period and down 3.9% from the prior quarter. Source
  • Networking revenue more than doubled: Networking revenue was $2.7 billion, up 151.5%, because the segment now includes Juniper Networks. Source
  • Profitability near record levels: The CEO said the quarter was one of the company's most profitable on record, with networking outperforming. Source

Segments and regions

  • Networking operating margin lower year over year: Networking operating profit margin was 23.7%, compared with 29.7% a year earlier and 23.4% in the prior quarter. Source
  • Cloud & AI revenue down, margin up: Cloud & AI revenue was $6.3 billion, down 2.7%, with operating profit margin of 10.2%, up from 8.4%. Source
  • Corporate Investments segment revenue fell: Corporate Investments and Other revenue was $261 million, down 2.2%, with a margin of -4.6% against -3.0% a year earlier. Source

“We successfully delivered on our commitments in the quarter, and exceeded our expectations for profitability and cash flow measures,”

Marie Myers, executive vice president and CFO of HPE

Products and customers

  • Server revenue declined 2.7%: Server revenue was $4.2 billion, down 2.7% from the prior-year period, while Storage was $1.1 billion, up 0.6%. Source
  • Campus & Branch and security grew: Campus & Branch revenue was $1.2 billion, up 42.0%; Security revenue was $255 million, up 114.3%. Source
  • Routing revenue added a large amount: Routing revenue was $780 million, compared with $1 million in the prior-year period. Source
  • Financial Services revenue steady: Financial Services revenue was $0.9 billion, up 0.3%, and is reported within the Cloud & AI segment. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin rose year over year: GAAP gross margin was 35.9% and non-GAAP gross margin was 36.6%, up 720 basis points on a non-GAAP basis from the prior-year period. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating margin reached 12.7%: Non-GAAP operating profit margin was 12.7%, compared with 12.2% in the prior quarter and 9.9% a year earlier. Source
  • Amortization of intangibles rose sharply: Amortization of intangible assets was $311 million, compared with $38 million in the prior-year period. Source

“Demand for our products and solutions was strong, with orders increasing double digits year over year across all segments.”

Antonio Neri, president and CEO of HPE

Demand and the order book

  • Orders grew double digits across segments: The CEO said orders increased by double digits year over year in every segment. Source
  • Second-quarter revenue estimated higher: Second-quarter revenue is estimated at $9.6 billion to $10.0 billion, compared with $9.3 billion in the first quarter. Source
  • Campus demand contributed growth: Campus & Branch revenue of $1.2 billion grew 42.0% from the prior-year period, within the Networking segment. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Free cash flow was $0.7 billion: Free cash flow was $708 million, up $1.6 billion from the prior-year period, and operating cash flow was $1.2 billion. Source
  • $348 million returned to shareholders: Capital returned to common shareholders totalled $348 million, through dividends and share repurchases. Source
  • Quarterly dividend unchanged: The board declared a regular cash dividend of $0.1425 per share, the same amount as in the prior quarter. Source
  • Debt repayments and buybacks: Debt payments were $917 million, and repurchases of common stock were $158 million during the quarter. Source
  • Cash balance declined: Cash and cash equivalents were $4.8 billion at January 31, 2026, down from $5.8 billion at October 31, 2025. Source

Strategy, integration and transformation

  • Juniper and Catalyst synergies faster: The CFO said synergies from Juniper and Catalyst were faster than planned and contributed to performance, along with cost management. Source
  • Combined networking innovation cited: The CEO said the quarter reflected the newly combined networking innovation of the company. Source
  • Transforming how the company operates: The CFO said the results underscore confidence in profitable, sustainable growth while the company transforms its operations. Source

Coming up, as management said on 9 March 2026

  • Quarterly dividend payment date: Regular dividend of $0.1425 per share is payable on or about April 23, 2026, to holders of record on March 24, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Gross margin (GAAP) Source35.9%
Gross margin (non-GAAP) Source36.6%
Segment revenue, Networking Source$2.7 billion
Segment revenue, Cloud & AI Source$6.3 billion
Segment revenue, Corporate Investments and Other Source$261 million
Data Center Networking revenue Source$444 million
Server revenue Source$4.2 billion
Storage revenue Source$1.1 billion

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Management referred to a dynamic commodity supply environment as part of the quarter's results. Source
  • Regulatory: The non-GAAP income tax rate could change because of the global tax environment and other factors. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: CFO said the company successfully delivered on its commitments in the quarter. Source
  • Ahead: Non-GAAP diluted EPS of $0.65 was above the range the company had given for the quarter. Source
  • Not stated: The 17% to 22% revenue growth range was reaffirmed, as previously provided at the Securities Analyst Meeting. 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.