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Sandisk Corp.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 January 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 8 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 31% sequentially: Revenue was $3,025 million, up 31% from $2,308 million in the first quarter and up 61% from $1,876 million a year earlier. Source
  • Net income and EPS both rose: GAAP net income was $803 million, or $5.15 per diluted share. Non-GAAP net income was $967 million, or $6.20 per diluted share, against $1.22 in the first quarter. Source
  • Datacenter revenue up 64% sequentially: Datacenter revenue was $440 million, up from $269 million in the first quarter and $250 million a year earlier. Source
  • Demand described as strengthening: Management described a structural reset to align supply with sustained demand, and described demand dynamics as strengthening. Source
  • Gross margin up 21.1 points: GAAP gross margin was 50.9%, up from 29.8% in the first quarter; non-GAAP gross margin was 51.1%, up from 29.9%. Source
  • Operating cash flow reached $1,019 million: Net cash from operating activities was $1,019 million, against $95 million a year earlier. Six-month operating cash flow was $1,507 million. Source

“This quarter’s performance underscores our agility in capitalizing on better product mix, accelerating enterprise SSD deployments, and strengthening market demand dynamics”

David Goeckeler, CEO, Sandisk

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue Sourcefiscal third quarter of 2026$4.40 billion to $4.80 billionNew
Gross margin Sourcefiscal third quarter of 2026GAAP 64.9% to 66.9%; non-GAAP 65.0% to 67.0%New
Operating expenses Sourcefiscal third quarter of 2026GAAP $496 to $532 million; non-GAAP $450 to $470 millionNew
Interest and other expense, net Sourcefiscal third quarter of 2026GAAP $23 to $28 million; non-GAAP $25 to $30 millionNew
Tax expense (non-GAAP) Sourcefiscal third quarter of 2026$325 to $375 millionNew
Diluted EPS (non-GAAP) Sourcefiscal third quarter of 2026$12.00 to $14.00New
Diluted shares outstanding Sourcefiscal third quarter of 2026~157 millionNew
Items excluded from non-GAAP diluted EPS Sourcefiscal third quarter of 2026$47 million to $65 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: First guidance for the fiscal third quarter of 2026 was given, covering revenue, margins, expenses, interest and other expense, tax, diluted EPS and shares. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 31% sequentially: Revenue was $3,025 million, up 31% from $2,308 million in the first quarter and up 61% from $1,876 million a year earlier. Source
  • Net income and EPS both rose: GAAP net income was $803 million, or $5.15 per diluted share. Non-GAAP net income was $967 million, or $6.20 per diluted share, against $1.22 in the first quarter. Source
  • Six-month revenue and profit higher: For the six months, revenue was $5,333 million against $3,759 million, and GAAP net income was $915 million against $315 million a year earlier. Source
  • Operating income rose to $1,065 million: GAAP operating income was $1,065 million, against $176 million in the first quarter. Non-GAAP operating income was $1,133 million, against $245 million. Source

Segments and end markets

  • Datacenter revenue up 64% sequentially: Datacenter revenue was $440 million, up from $269 million in the first quarter and $250 million a year earlier. Source
  • Edge was largest end market: Edge revenue was $1,678 million, up from $1,387 million in the first quarter and $1,028 million a year earlier. It was the largest of the three end markets reported. Source
  • Consumer revenue up 39% sequentially: Consumer revenue was $907 million, up from $652 million in the first quarter and $598 million a year earlier. Source

“Our structural reset to align supply with attractive, sustained demand positions us to drive disciplined growth and deliver industry-leading financial performance.”

David Goeckeler, CEO, Sandisk

Products, customers and demand

  • Better product mix cited: Management cited better product mix as one of three drivers of the quarter, alongside accelerating enterprise SSD deployments and strengthening market demand dynamics. Source
  • AI infrastructure builders drove datacenter growth: Management attributed datacenter growth to adoption among AI infrastructure builders, semi-custom customers, and technology companies deploying AI at scale. Source
  • Demand described as strengthening: Management described a structural reset to align supply with sustained demand, and described demand dynamics as strengthening. Source

Costs and margins

  • Gross margin up 21.1 points: GAAP gross margin was 50.9%, up from 29.8% in the first quarter; non-GAAP gross margin was 51.1%, up from 29.9%. Source
  • Operating expenses fell 7% sequentially: GAAP operating expenses were $476 million, down from $511 million in the first quarter and up from $411 million a year earlier. Non-GAAP operating expenses were $413 million. Source
  • R&D and SG&A spend detailed: Research and development expense was $327 million and selling, general and administrative expense was $139 million in the quarter. Source
  • Interest and other expense widened: Total interest and other expense, net was $128 million, against $22 million a year earlier. It included other expense, net of $115 million. Source

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Operating cash flow reached $1,019 million: Net cash from operating activities was $1,019 million, against $95 million a year earlier. Six-month operating cash flow was $1,507 million. Source
  • Free cash flow was $980 million: Free cash flow was $980 million after capital spending of $39 million. Adjusted free cash flow, which adds activity related to Flash Ventures, was $843 million. Source
  • Receivables rose, inventories fell: Inventories were $1,970 million, against $2,079 million at June 27, 2025, and accounts receivable were $1,239 million, against $1,068 million. Source

Share count and separation items

  • Diluted share count rose: Diluted weighted average shares were 156 million, against 145 million a year earlier. Basic weighted average shares were 147 million. Source
  • Separation costs continued: Business separation costs were $9 million, against $21 million a year earlier. Separation from Western Digital was completed on February 21, 2025. Source
  • Divestiture working capital provision: An amendment entered September 25, 2025 included a $10 million provision for working capital support. The adjustment was recognized as a loss on business divestiture in the quarter ended October 3, 2025. Source

Coming up, as management said on 29 January 2026

  • Non-GAAP EPS range for third quarter: Management gave a fiscal third quarter non-GAAP diluted EPS range of $12.00 to $14.00, the next period covered by guidance. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Gross margin, GAAP Source50.9%
Gross margin, non-GAAP Source51.1%
Datacenter revenue Source$440 million
Edge revenue Source$1,678 million
Consumer revenue Source$907 million

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Management said the timing and amount of additional charges excluded from non-GAAP diluted EPS depend on certain actions and cannot be reasonably predicted. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said second quarter revenue was above the guidance range it had given. 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.