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Sandisk Corp.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 9 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 97% sequentially: Revenue was $5,950 million, up 97% from $3,025 million in the second quarter and up 251% from $1,695 million a year earlier. Source
  • Mix shift and pricing cited: Management attributed the quarter's revenue result to a mix shift toward higher-value customers and to higher pricing. Source
  • Datacenter revenue rose most: Datacenter revenue was $1,467 million, up 233% from $440 million in the second quarter and up 645% from $197 million a year earlier. Source
  • Gross margin reached 78.4%: Gross margin was 78.4% on both GAAP and non-GAAP bases, compared with 50.9% GAAP and 51.1% non-GAAP in the second quarter. Source
  • Three New Business Model agreements: The company ended the third quarter with three signed New Business Model agreements. The release gives no contract values or terms. Source
  • Debt repayments in the year: Debt repayments were $650 million in the quarter and $1,900 million for the nine months. Debt issuance costs of $32 million were recorded in the prior-year period. Source
  • Fourth quarter revenue expected higher: Management expects fourth quarter revenue of $7.75 billion to $8.25 billion, compared with $5.95 billion in the third quarter, with non-GAAP EPS of $30.00 to $33.00. Source

“This quarter marks a fundamental inflection point for Sandisk - where our technology leadership is enabling a deliberate shift in our mix toward the highest-value end markets, led by Datacenter,”

David Goeckeler, CEO of Sandisk

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 2026$7.75 billion to $8.25 billionNew
Non-GAAP diluted net income per share Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 2026$30.00 to $33.00New
Gross margin Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 2026GAAP 78.9% to 80.9%; non-GAAP 79.0% to 81.0%New
Operating expenses Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 2026GAAP $523 million to $558 million; non-GAAP $480 million to $500 millionNew
Interest and other income (expense), net Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 2026GAAP $12 million to $32 million; non-GAAP $10 million to $30 millionNew
Non-GAAP tax expense Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 2026$775 million to $875 millionNew
Diluted shares outstanding Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 2026about 158 millionNew
Stock-based compensation excluded from non-GAAP Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 2026gross margin about $4 million to $6 million; operating expenses about $43 million to $58 millionNew
Items excluded from non-GAAP diluted EPS Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 2026$45 million to $62 million in aggregateNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Fourth quarter guidance was issued for revenue and non-GAAP EPS. The prior release gave third quarter guidance of $4.40 billion to $4.80 billion and $12.00 to $14.00 EPS. Source
  • New: The company reports three signed New Business Model agreements as of quarter-end. The prior release did not mention these agreements. Source
  • New: A share repurchase program was recently authorized. The release gives no amount or timing for it. Source
  • Ended: Long-term debt was nil at April 3, 2026, against $1,829 million at June 27, 2025. Source

Quarter results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 97% sequentially: Revenue was $5,950 million, up 97% from $3,025 million in the second quarter and up 251% from $1,695 million a year earlier. Source
  • Mix shift and pricing cited: Management attributed the quarter's revenue result to a mix shift toward higher-value customers and to higher pricing. Source
  • Earnings per share rose: GAAP net income was $3,615 million, or $23.03 diluted per share, against $803 million or $5.15 in the second quarter. Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $23.41 against $6.20. Source
  • Nine-month revenue and earnings: Nine-month revenue was $11,283 million against $5,454 million a year earlier. Nine-month GAAP net income was $4,530 million, and non-GAAP diluted EPS was $31.32. Source

Segments and end markets

  • Edge is the largest segment: Edge revenue was $3,663 million, up 118% from $1,678 million in the second quarter and up 295% from $927 million a year earlier. Source
  • Datacenter revenue rose most: Datacenter revenue was $1,467 million, up 233% from $440 million in the second quarter and up 645% from $197 million a year earlier. Source
  • Consumer revenue fell sequentially: Consumer revenue was $820 million, down 10% from $907 million in the second quarter, and up 44% from $571 million a year earlier. Source

“We are also advancing to a new business model built on multi-year customer engagements backed by firm financial commitments.”

David Goeckeler, CEO of Sandisk

Margins, costs and pricing

  • Gross margin reached 78.4%: Gross margin was 78.4% on both GAAP and non-GAAP bases, compared with 50.9% GAAP and 51.1% non-GAAP in the second quarter. Source
  • Operating expenses rose sequentially: GAAP operating expenses were $551 million and non-GAAP $448 million, against $476 million and $413 million in the second quarter. Research and development was $337 million. Source
  • Debt extinguishment loss excluded: A $46 million loss on debt extinguishment is included in GAAP operating expenses and excluded from non-GAAP results. Business separation costs were $7 million. Source
  • GAAP tax expense rose: GAAP income tax expense was $492 million against $134 million in the second quarter. Non-GAAP income tax expense was $540 million. Source

Customers and order book

  • Three New Business Model agreements: The company ended the third quarter with three signed New Business Model agreements. The release gives no contract values or terms. Source
  • Contract liabilities rose sharply: Current contract liabilities were $323 million and non-current $188 million at April 3, 2026, against $25 million current at June 27, 2025. Source
  • Receivables rose with revenue: Accounts receivable were $2,726 million at April 3, 2026, against $1,239 million at January 2, 2026. Cash flow shows a $1,487 million receivables increase in the quarter. Source

“Together, this transformation is driving structurally higher and more durable earnings power,”

David Goeckeler, CEO of Sandisk

Cash, debt and capital

  • Operating cash flow of $3.0 billion: Operating cash flow was $3,038 million and free cash flow $2,993 million in the quarter. Adjusted free cash flow was $2,955 million. Source
  • Debt repayments in the year: Debt repayments were $650 million in the quarter and $1,900 million for the nine months. Debt issuance costs of $32 million were recorded in the prior-year period. Source
  • Cash balance rose: Cash and cash equivalents were $3,735 million at April 3, 2026, up from $1,539 million at January 2, 2026. Source

Fourth quarter expectations

  • Fourth quarter revenue expected higher: Management expects fourth quarter revenue of $7.75 billion to $8.25 billion, compared with $5.95 billion in the third quarter, with non-GAAP EPS of $30.00 to $33.00. Source
  • Margin and expense ranges given: Fourth quarter gross margin is guided at 78.9% to 80.9% GAAP and 79.0% to 81.0% non-GAAP, with non-GAAP operating expenses of $480 million to $500 million. Source
  • Tax and share count guided: Non-GAAP tax expense is guided at $775 million to $875 million, on about 158 million diluted shares. Source

Reporting basis and non-GAAP items

  • Separation from Western Digital: Sandisk completed its separation from Western Digital on February 21, 2025 and became a standalone public company. Earlier periods are carve-out figures. Source
  • Prior-year goodwill impairment: The prior-year quarter included a $1.8 billion goodwill impairment charge, excluded from non-GAAP results, after a trading price decline triggered an impairment analysis. Source
  • Non-GAAP exclusions listed: Non-GAAP measures exclude stock-based compensation, business separation costs, employee termination and other items, divestiture gains and losses, debt extinguishment losses and tax adjustments. Source

Coming up, as management said on 30 April 2026

  • Two more NBM agreements in Q4: Management said it signed two additional New Business Model agreements in the fiscal fourth quarter, after the quarter-end. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Gross margin (GAAP) Source78.4%
Datacenter segment revenue Source$1,467 million
Edge segment revenue Source$3,663 million
Consumer segment revenue Source$820 million

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Timing and amount of charges excluded from non-GAAP guidance cannot be further allocated or quantified with certainty, according to management. Source
  • Financial: Non-GAAP tax expense may differ from GAAP tax expense because of the tax treatment of excluded items and interim estimates. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Third quarter revenue was above the guidance range given in the second quarter release, per management. 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.