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Sandisk Corp.: Q4 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 10 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth quarter revenue up 51%: Fourth quarter revenue was $8.97 billion, up 51% sequentially from $5.95 billion. GAAP net income was $6.90 billion, or $43.97 per diluted share, against $3,615 million in the third quarter. Source
  • Non-GAAP earnings per share $39.25: Non-GAAP diluted net income per share was $39.25 for the fourth quarter, against $23.41 in the third quarter. Non-GAAP net income was $6,162 million. Source
  • Fiscal 2026 revenue up 175%: Fiscal 2026 revenue was $20.25 billion, up 175% from $7,355 million. GAAP diluted EPS was $73.76 and non-GAAP diluted EPS was $70.88, against $2.99 in fiscal 2025. Source
  • Datacenter revenue rose sharply: Datacenter revenue was $2,977 million in the fourth quarter, up 103% sequentially from $1,467 million. For fiscal 2026 it was $5,153 million, up from $960 million. Source
  • Five more NBM agreements signed: Five additional agreements were signed after the April call: three with new customers and two expanding earlier NBMs. Five had been announced in April. Source
  • NBM model built on multi-year commitments: The company described the new business model as multi-year customer engagements backed by firm financial commitments, as stated in the April release.
  • Gross margin rose to 84.6%: Gross margin was 84.6% on both GAAP and non-GAAP bases, up 6.2 points from 78.4%. Fiscal 2026 GAAP gross margin was 71.5%, against 30.1% in fiscal 2025. Source
  • Operating cash flow of $7.1 billion: Operating cash flow was $7,126 million in the fourth quarter and $11,671 million for fiscal 2026. Free cash flow was $7,083 million in the quarter and $11,494 million for the year. Source
  • Additional $14 billion buyback approved: The board approved an additional $14 billion buyback program, bringing total remaining authorization to $15.5 billion. Source

“We closed fiscal 2026 with a leading technology portfolio, established datacenter as a key growth pillar, and deepened our customer partnerships,”

David Goeckeler, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sandisk

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceFiscal first quarter 2027$10.30 billion to $10.80 billionNew
Gross margin (non-GAAP) SourceFiscal first quarter 202783.0% to 85.0%New
Gross margin (GAAP) SourceFiscal first quarter 202783.0% to 84.9%New
Operating expenses (non-GAAP) SourceFiscal first quarter 2027$520 million to $540 millionNew
Operating expenses (GAAP) SourceFiscal first quarter 2027$574 million to $614 millionNew
Tax expense (non-GAAP) SourceFiscal first quarter 202715.0%New
Diluted net income per share (non-GAAP) SourceFiscal first quarter 2027$44.00 to $46.00New
Diluted shares outstanding SourceFiscal first quarter 2027approximately 155 millionNew
Items excluded from non-GAAP diluted EPS guidance SourceFiscal first quarter 2027$59 million to $81 millionNew
Share repurchase authorization SourceNot statedadditional $14 billion; total remaining $15.5 billionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Five additional NBM agreements were signed: three with new customers and two expanding on previously signed NBMs. Source
  • New: The board approved an additional $14 billion buyback program, bringing total remaining authorization to $15.5 billion. Source
  • New guidance: First guidance for the first quarter of fiscal 2027 was issued, covering revenue, margins, operating expenses, tax rate, EPS and shares. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Fourth quarter revenue up 51%: Fourth quarter revenue was $8.97 billion, up 51% sequentially from $5.95 billion. GAAP net income was $6.90 billion, or $43.97 per diluted share, against $3,615 million in the third quarter. Source
  • Growth split between volume and price: Management attributed about one-third of the sequential revenue growth to higher volumes and two-thirds to higher pricing. Source
  • Non-GAAP earnings per share $39.25: Non-GAAP diluted net income per share was $39.25 for the fourth quarter, against $23.41 in the third quarter. Non-GAAP net income was $6,162 million. Source
  • Fiscal 2026 revenue up 175%: Fiscal 2026 revenue was $20.25 billion, up 175% from $7,355 million. GAAP diluted EPS was $73.76 and non-GAAP diluted EPS was $70.88, against $2.99 in fiscal 2025. Source
  • Revenue compared with April range: Fourth quarter revenue of $8,965 million compared with the $7.75 billion to $8.25 billion range given in the April 30, 2026 release.

Segments and end markets

  • Datacenter revenue rose sharply: Datacenter revenue was $2,977 million in the fourth quarter, up 103% sequentially from $1,467 million. For fiscal 2026 it was $5,153 million, up from $960 million. Source
  • Edge remained the largest segment: Edge revenue was $5,432 million in the fourth quarter, up 48% sequentially. For fiscal 2026 Edge revenue was $12,160 million, up 195% year-over-year. Source
  • Consumer revenue declined sequentially: Consumer revenue was $556 million, down 32% sequentially from $820 million and down 5% from $585 million a year earlier. Source

“Our technology and products are well positioned to create value for our customers and generate growing and durable free cash flow.”

David Goeckeler, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sandisk

Customers and new business model

  • Five more NBM agreements signed: Five additional agreements were signed after the April call: three with new customers and two expanding earlier NBMs. Five had been announced in April. Source
  • NBM model built on multi-year commitments: The company described the new business model as multi-year customer engagements backed by firm financial commitments, as stated in the April release.
  • Mix shift to higher-value customers: Management attributed revenue outperformance to a mix shift toward higher-value customers and to higher pricing. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin rose to 84.6%: Gross margin was 84.6% on both GAAP and non-GAAP bases, up 6.2 points from 78.4%. Fiscal 2026 GAAP gross margin was 71.5%, against 30.1% in fiscal 2025. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating expenses up 8%: Non-GAAP operating expenses were $484 million, up 8% sequentially from $448 million. GAAP operating expenses were $545 million, down 1% from $551 million. Source
  • Operating income rose with revenue: Non-GAAP operating income was $7,104 million, up 68% sequentially. GAAP operating income was $7,037 million, up 71%. Source
  • Stock compensation excluded from non-GAAP: Non-GAAP results exclude stock-based compensation, which was $67 million in the fourth quarter and $232 million for fiscal 2026 on the cash flow statement. Source
  • Income tax expense increased: GAAP income tax expense was $946 million in the fourth quarter, against $492 million in the third quarter. Non-GAAP income tax expense was $950 million. Source

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Operating cash flow of $7.1 billion: Operating cash flow was $7,126 million in the fourth quarter and $11,671 million for fiscal 2026. Free cash flow was $7,083 million in the quarter and $11,494 million for the year. Source
  • NBM payments reduce adjusted cash flow: Adjusted free cash flow was $5,035 million after a $1,938 million impact from NBM prepayments and deposits, which management said are not indicative of core cash flows. Source
  • Receivables and tax payable higher: Accounts receivable, net was $4,708 million at July 3, 2026, against $1,068 million at June 27, 2025. Current income tax payable was $1,286 million, against $43 million. Source
  • Debt repaid during fiscal 2026: Debt repayments were $1,900 million in fiscal 2026. Cash and cash equivalents were $4,762 million at July 3, 2026, against $1,481 million at June 27, 2025. Source

Capital returns and share count

  • Repurchases of $4.5 billion in quarter: The company repurchased $4,524 million of common stock in the fourth quarter. The fiscal 2026 total is the same $4,524 million. Source
  • Additional $14 billion buyback approved: The board approved an additional $14 billion buyback program, bringing total remaining authorization to $15.5 billion. Source
  • Diluted share count on GAAP basis: Diluted weighted average shares were 157 million in the fourth quarter and 155 million for fiscal 2026, against 145 million a year earlier. Source

Next-quarter guidance

  • First quarter margins guided: Non-GAAP gross margin is guided to 83.0% to 85.0% and GAAP gross margin to 83.0% to 84.9% for the first quarter of fiscal 2027. Source
  • Operating expense and tax guidance: Non-GAAP operating expenses are guided to $520 million to $540 million. Non-GAAP tax expense is guided to 15.0%, based on non-GAAP pre-tax income. Source
  • Excluded items in EPS guidance: Items excluded from non-GAAP diluted EPS guidance total $59 million to $81 million, and their timing cannot be quantified with certainty. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 August 2026

  • First quarter fiscal 2027 guidance: Management guided first-quarter fiscal 2027 revenue and non-GAAP diluted EPS, detailed in the guidance section. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Gross margin (fourth quarter, GAAP and non-GAAP) Source84.6%
Datacenter revenue (fourth quarter) Source$2,977 million
Edge revenue (fourth quarter) Source$5,432 million
Consumer revenue (fourth quarter) Source$556 million
Datacenter revenue (fiscal 2026) Source$5,153 million

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Charges excluded from non-GAAP guidance have timing and amounts that management says cannot be quantified with certainty, so GAAP reconciliations are not available without unreasonable effort. Source
  • Regulatory: Fiscal 2026 included charges for settling previously existing legal matters. Management excludes these charges from non-GAAP results. Source
  • Financial: Non-GAAP tax expense may differ from GAAP tax expense because of differences in tax treatment, interim estimates, and the timing of GAAP operating expenses. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: After announcing five NBM agreements on the April call, the company reported five additional agreements signed since then. 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.