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Cloudflare, Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 6 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 raised, 3 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue up 36% year-over-year: Revenue was $696.1 million, against $512.3 million a year earlier. The first-quarter release reported 34% year-over-year growth. Management said revenue accelerated. Source
  • Full-year revenue guidance raised: Full-year fiscal 2026 revenue is now expected at $2,864.0 to $2,870.0 million, up from $2,805.0 to $2,813.0 million in the first-quarter release. Source
  • Agentic Internet platform build-out: The CEO said the company is building infrastructure, controls, developer tools and payment rails for the Agentic Internet, as the web shifts toward AI answer engines and agent-driven commerce. Source
  • Gross margin lower year-over-year: GAAP gross margin was 71.8%, against 74.9%; non-GAAP gross margin was 73.1%, against 76.3%. Cost of revenue was $196.5 million, against $128.7 million. Source
  • Restructuring charge of $150.7 million: Restructuring and other charges of $150.7 million were recorded in the quarter, and the company excludes them from non-GAAP results. Source
  • Free cash flow rose to $56.4 million: Free cash flow was $56.4 million, or 8% of revenue, against $33.3 million, or 6%. Net cash provided by operating activities was $117.6 million, against $99.8 million. Source
  • Workforce cut of about 1,100 people: The first-quarter release said the company expects to reduce its current workforce by about 1,100 people as part of the operating model plan.

“We delivered a stellar second quarter, highlighted by revenue accelerating to $696.1 million, up 36% year-over-year, and record growth in total paying customers, large customers, and developers on our platform.”

Matthew Prince, co-founder & CEO of Cloudflare

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Total revenue SourceThird quarter of fiscal 2026$736.0 to $737.0 millionNew
Non-GAAP income from operations SourceThird quarter of fiscal 2026$129.0 to $130.0 millionNew
Non-GAAP net income per share, diluted SourceThird quarter of fiscal 2026$0.34New
Total revenue SourceFull year fiscal 2026$2,864.0 to $2,870.0 millionRaised from $2,805.0 to $2,813.0 million
Non-GAAP income from operations SourceFull year fiscal 2026$443.0 to $445.0 millionRaised from $418.0 to $421.0 million
Non-GAAP net income per share, diluted SourceFull year fiscal 2026$1.25 to $1.26Raised from $1.19 to $1.20

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year fiscal 2026 revenue, non-GAAP income from operations and non-GAAP net income per share guidance were each raised from the first-quarter release. Source
  • New guidance: Third-quarter fiscal 2026 guidance was given for the first time, covering revenue, non-GAAP income from operations and non-GAAP net income per share. Source
  • Ended: The second-quarter fiscal 2026 guidance period ended with the reporting of these results.

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue up 36% year-over-year: Revenue was $696.1 million, against $512.3 million a year earlier. The first-quarter release reported 34% year-over-year growth. Management said revenue accelerated. Source
  • GAAP net loss increased year-over-year: GAAP net loss was $170.0 million, or $0.48 per basic and diluted share, against $50.4 million, or $0.15, a year earlier. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating income rose; margin eased: Non-GAAP income from operations was $96.1 million, or 13.8% of revenue, against $72.3 million, or 14.1%, a year earlier. Source
  • Non-GAAP net income per share rose: Non-GAAP net income per diluted share was $0.29, against $0.21 a year earlier. Non-GAAP net income was $107.8 million, against $75.1 million. Source

Full-year and third-quarter guidance

  • Full-year revenue guidance raised: Full-year fiscal 2026 revenue is now expected at $2,864.0 to $2,870.0 million, up from $2,805.0 to $2,813.0 million in the first-quarter release. Source
  • Full-year operating income guidance raised: Full-year non-GAAP income from operations is now expected at $443.0 to $445.0 million, against $418.0 to $421.0 million previously. Source
  • Third-quarter guidance issued: Third-quarter revenue is expected at $736.0 to $737.0 million, with non-GAAP income from operations of $129.0 to $130.0 million and non-GAAP net income per share of $0.34. Source

“As the web shifts to AI answer engines and agent-driven commerce, we are seeing a fundamental rewrite of the Internet for machine-to-machine traffic.”

Matthew Prince, co-founder & CEO of Cloudflare

Products, customers and platform

  • Agentic Internet platform build-out: The CEO said the company is building infrastructure, controls, developer tools and payment rails for the Agentic Internet, as the web shifts toward AI answer engines and agent-driven commerce. Source
  • Record growth in customers and developers: The company reported record growth in total paying customers, large customers and developers on its platform during the quarter. Source
  • Machine-to-machine traffic shift cited: The CEO said the company sees a fundamental rewrite of the Internet for machine-to-machine traffic as AI answer engines grow. Source

Costs, margins and restructuring

  • Gross margin lower year-over-year: GAAP gross margin was 71.8%, against 74.9%; non-GAAP gross margin was 73.1%, against 76.3%. Cost of revenue was $196.5 million, against $128.7 million. Source
  • Restructuring charge of $150.7 million: Restructuring and other charges of $150.7 million were recorded in the quarter, and the company excludes them from non-GAAP results. Source
  • Operating expenses rose year-over-year: Total operating expenses were $705.2 million, against $450.9 million. Sales and marketing was $276.1 million, up from $219.4 million; research and development was $159.5 million, up from $134.6 million. Source
  • Stock-based compensation charges rose: Stock-based compensation and related employer payroll taxes were $140.6 million, against $132.0 million a year earlier. Source

“The business model of the web is changing, and no company is better positioned than Cloudflare to help define its future.”

Matthew Prince, co-founder & CEO of Cloudflare

Demand and deferred revenue

  • Current deferred revenue increased: Current deferred revenue was $812.2 million at June 30, 2026, up from $755.1 million at March 31, 2026 and $684.2 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Accounts receivable rose: Accounts receivable, net, was $422.9 million at June 30, 2026, compared with $382.5 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Noncurrent deferred revenue slightly lower: Noncurrent deferred revenue was $40.3 million at June 30, 2026, against $41.1 million at December 31, 2025. Source

Cash and capital position

  • Free cash flow rose to $56.4 million: Free cash flow was $56.4 million, or 8% of revenue, against $33.3 million, or 6%. Net cash provided by operating activities was $117.6 million, against $99.8 million. Source
  • Six-month free cash flow reached $140.5 million: Six-month free cash flow was $140.5 million, or 11% of revenue, against $86.1 million in the same period of 2025. Source
  • Cash and securities of $4.16 billion: Cash, cash equivalents and available-for-sale securities were $4,162.8 million at June 30, 2026, against $4,163.9 million at March 31, 2026. Source
  • Convertible notes carried $3.27 billion: Convertible senior notes were carried at $1,293.3 million as current and $1,977.0 million as noncurrent at June 30, 2026. Source

Strategy, acquisitions and investment

  • Agentic AI-first operating model: The first-quarter release said the company will accelerate its evolution to an agentic AI-first operating model, which the CEO said would make the company faster and more innovative.
  • Goodwill rose on acquisitions: Goodwill rose to $376.2 million from $226.6 million at December 31, 2025. Asset acquisitions and business combinations used $75.1 million of cash over the six months. Source
  • Property and equipment purchases fell: Purchases of property and equipment were $50.0 million in the quarter, against $59.9 million. Capitalized internal-use software was $11.2 million, against $6.6 million. Source

People and restructuring plan

  • Workforce cut of about 1,100 people: The first-quarter release said the company expects to reduce its current workforce by about 1,100 people as part of the operating model plan.
  • Plan charges split between cash and stock: The first-quarter release estimated cash costs of $105.0 to $110.0 million, mainly notice period, severance and benefits, and non-cash share-based award expense of $35.0 to $40.0 million.
  • Founders' letter on operating model: The first-quarter release pointed readers to a letter from the company's founders on the operating model change.

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Current RPO growth Source35% year-over-year
Large customers and paying customers Sourcerecord growth

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: The first-quarter release said restructuring cost estimates rest on assumptions, and actual costs may differ materially from them.

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The first-quarter release estimated total plan charges of $140.0 to $150.0 million, with most in the second quarter. The second-quarter release recorded restructuring and other charges of $150.7 million.
  • Not stated: The first-quarter release said execution of the workforce plan would be substantially complete by the end of the third quarter of fiscal 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.