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Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 2 September 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 10 raised, 2 lowered, 5 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue reached $12.2 billion: Revenue rose 34% year-over-year and 14.4% from the prior quarter's $10.7 billion. Management described the result as a record. Source
  • Operating profit reached a record: GAAP operating profit was $1,393 million, against $247 million a year earlier. Non-GAAP operating profit was $1,979 million, against $777 million. Source
  • Networking revenue up 74.9%: Networking revenue was $2.9 billion, up 7.5% from the prior quarter. Segment operating margin was 22.0%, close to the prior-year level. Source
  • Cloud & AI revenue up 25.4%: Cloud & AI revenue rose 17.3% from the prior quarter. Segment operating margin reached 17.0%, up from 12.4% in the prior quarter. Source
  • Gross margin rose to 40.1%: Non-GAAP gross margin was 40.4%, up 1,050 basis points year-over-year and 350 basis points sequentially. Source
  • Order backlog at a record level: Management said the order backlog was at a record level at the end of the quarter, together with record quarterly results. Source
  • Free cash flow reached $958 million: Operating cash flow was $1,641 million, against $1,305 million. Free cash flow was $958 million, against $790 million a year earlier. Source

“We delivered record revenue, orders, and profitability, fueled by surging customer demand across our portfolio”

Antonio Neri, president and CEO of HPE

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 2026$13.9 billion to $14.8 billionNew
GAAP diluted net EPS Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 2026$1.12 to $1.22New
Non-GAAP diluted net EPS Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 2026$1.20 to $1.30New
Non-GAAP EPS adjustments Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 2026approximately $0.08 per diluted shareNew
Capital returns to shareholders Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 2026at least 75% of free cash flowNew
Revenue growth Sourcefiscal 202634% to 37%Raised from 29% to 33%
Networking revenue growth Sourcefiscal 202673% to 74%Raised from 72% to 75%
GAAP operating profit growth Sourcefiscal 20261,070% to 1,105%Raised from 885% to 930%
Non-GAAP operating profit growth Sourcefiscal 2026100% to 105%Raised from 80% to 85%
Costs excluded from non-GAAP operating profit Sourcefiscal 2026approximately $2.5 billionLowered from $2.6 billion
GAAP diluted net EPS Sourcefiscal 2026$2.93 to $3.03Raised from $2.42 to $2.52
Non-GAAP diluted net EPS Sourcefiscal 2026$3.75 to $3.85Raised from $3.35 to $3.45
Net after-tax EPS adjustments excluded Sourcefiscal 2026approximately $0.82 per diluted shareLowered from $0.93
Free cash flow Sourcefiscal 2026at least $3.75 billionRaised from at least $3.5 billion
Non-GAAP income tax rate Sourcefiscal 202614%Kept
Revenue growth framework Sourcefiscal 202713% to 17%Raised from 8% to 12%
Non-GAAP diluted EPS growth framework Sourcefiscal 202716% to 20%Raised from 12% to 16%
Non-GAAP operating margin rate Sourcefiscal 202714% to 15%
Free cash flow Sourcefiscal 2027at least $5.0 billionRaised from at least $4.5 billion

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year revenue growth, GAAP and non-GAAP EPS, and free cash flow guidance raised; Networking growth and operating profit growth also raised. Source
  • Guidance raised: Fiscal 2027 growth framework raised for revenue, non-GAAP EPS, and free cash flow. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter estimates added for revenue, GAAP EPS, and non-GAAP EPS, compared with the prior quarter's third-quarter estimates. Source
  • New guidance: New plan to return at least 75% of free cash flow to shareholders in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Costs excluded from full-year non-GAAP operating profit now about $2.5 billion, from $2.6 billion; full-year EPS exclusions now $0.82, from $0.93. Source
  • Ended: The company sold its remaining H3C equity interest in May 2026, recording a $444 million gain; the H3C stake is no longer held. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue reached $12.2 billion: Revenue rose 34% year-over-year and 14.4% from the prior quarter's $10.7 billion. Management described the result as a record. Source
  • Operating profit reached a record: GAAP operating profit was $1,393 million, against $247 million a year earlier. Non-GAAP operating profit was $1,979 million, against $777 million. Source
  • GAAP net earnings rose sharply: Net earnings attributable to HPE were $1,540 million, against $305 million a year earlier. The result includes a $444 million gain on the sale of the H3C equity interest. Source
  • H3C earnings excluded from non-GAAP: Non-GAAP results no longer include H3C earnings, following the divestiture of the H3C investment. Source

Segments and product lines

  • Networking revenue up 74.9%: Networking revenue was $2.9 billion, up 7.5% from the prior quarter. Segment operating margin was 22.0%, close to the prior-year level. Source
  • Routing and data center networking grew sharply: Within Networking, Campus & Branch was $1.4 billion, up 31.0%; Data Center Networking was $382 million, up 112.2%; Security was $281 million, up 75.6%. Source
  • Cloud & AI revenue up 25.4%: Cloud & AI revenue rose 17.3% from the prior quarter. Segment operating margin reached 17.0%, up from 12.4% in the prior quarter. Source
  • Server sales led Cloud & AI: Storage was $1.3 billion, up 10.2% year-over-year. Financial Services was $0.9 billion, down 0.3% year-over-year. Source
  • Nine-month segment revenue and Corporate Investments: Nine-month Networking revenue was $8.3 billion, up 117.3%, and Cloud & AI revenue was $23.1 billion, up 15.4%. Corporate Investments margin was -24.1%. Source

“Our outstanding revenue performance and expanded profitability in the third quarter reflect robust demand across our portfolio and consistent, disciplined execution”

Marie Myers, executive vice president and CFO of HPE

Margins and costs

  • Gross margin rose to 40.1%: Non-GAAP gross margin was 40.4%, up 1,050 basis points year-over-year and 350 basis points sequentially. Source
  • Operating margin higher on revenue growth: GAAP operating margin was 11.4%, up 870 basis points year-over-year and 440 basis points sequentially. Source
  • Research and development and SG&A rose: Research and development expense was $1,158 million, against $622 million a year earlier; SG&A was $1,962 million, against $1,496 million. Source
  • Amortization and acquisition charges changed: Amortization of intangible assets was $315 million, against $126 million a year earlier; acquisition, disposition and other charges were $71 million, against $181 million. Source

Demand and order backlog

  • Order backlog at a record level: Management said the order backlog was at a record level at the end of the quarter, together with record quarterly results. Source
  • Consolidated revenue growth: Consolidated revenue rose 14.4% sequentially and 33.7% year-over-year. Source
  • Server revenue led sequential growth: Server revenue rose $1.3 billion sequentially, the largest sequential increase among the product lines in the segment table. Source

“AI is becoming a multi-year growth driver for HPE”

Antonio Neri, president and CEO of HPE

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Free cash flow reached $958 million: Operating cash flow was $1,641 million, against $1,305 million. Free cash flow was $958 million, against $790 million a year earlier. Source
  • Nine-month free cash flow positive: Nine-month free cash flow was $2.6 billion, against negative $934 million; nine-month operating cash flow was $4.2 billion. Source
  • Inventory and payables increased: Inventory was $11.8 billion at July 31, 2026, up from $6.4 billion at October 31, 2025; accounts payable was $13.7 billion, up from $7.7 billion. Source
  • Capital investment rose: Investment in property, plant and equipment and software assets was $745 million, against $576 million a year earlier. Source

Capital returns to shareholders

  • Shareholder returns of $324 million: Returns comprised dividends and share repurchases in the quarter, totaling $324 million, against $343 million in the prior quarter. Source
  • Nine-month repurchases and dividends: Nine-month common dividends paid were $568 million, against $513 million; repurchases were $447 million, against $102 million a year earlier. Source
  • Quarterly dividend rate unchanged: The dividend declared per share stayed at $0.1425, the same as the prior quarter and up from $0.13 a year earlier. Source

Coming up, as management said on 2 September 2026

  • Dividend payment date: Regular quarterly dividend of $0.1425 per share declared, payable on or about October 16, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Gross margin (GAAP) Source40.1%
Gross margin (non-GAAP) Source40.4%
Networking segment revenue Source$2.9 billion
Cloud & AI segment revenue Source$9.0 billion
Server revenue Source$6.8 billion
Storage revenue Source$1.3 billion
Financial Services revenue Source$0.9 billion
Order backlog Sourcerecord level

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.