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Seagate Technology Holdings plc: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 October 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 3 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue grew 21% year over year: Revenue was $2,629 million against $2,168 million a year earlier. Management cited 21% year-over-year growth. The prior quarter's revenue was $2.44 billion. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose from prior year: GAAP diluted EPS was $2.43 against $1.41. Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $2.61 against $1.58, which management said exceeded the high end of the guided range. Source
  • Mozaic HAMR ramp under way: Shipments of Mozaic HAMR products are ramping. Management said the products are qualified with five of the world's largest cloud customers. Source
  • Gross margin at record levels: GAAP gross margin was 39.4% against 32.9%, and non-GAAP gross margin was 40.1% against 33.3%. Management described both as record levels. Source
  • Fiscal second quarter guidance issued: Management gave revenue and non-GAAP diluted EPS ranges for the fiscal second quarter of 2026. Source
  • Free cash flow of $427 million: Cash flow from operations was $532 million, against $95 million a year earlier. Free cash flow was $427 million, against $27 million. Source

“Seagate delivered strong September quarter results, with revenue growth of 21% year-over-year and non-GAAP EPS exceeding the high end of our guided range.”

Dave Mosley, Seagate’s chair and chief executive officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue Sourcefiscal second quarter 2026$2.70 billion, plus or minus $100 millionNew
Non-GAAP diluted EPS Sourcefiscal second quarter 2026$2.75, plus or minus $0.20New
Share-based compensation excluded from non-GAAP EPS guidance Sourcefiscal second quarter 2026$0.24 per shareNew
Non-GAAP income tax rate Sourcefiscal year 202615.5%

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Revenue and non-GAAP diluted EPS guidance given for the fiscal second quarter 2026. Source
  • New: Quarterly cash dividend raised about 3%, to $0.74 per share, from the $0.72 per share declared in the quarter. Source
  • New: Mozaic HAMR qualifications reported at five large cloud customers, up from three cited in the prior quarter's call. Source

Quarter results and growth

  • Revenue grew 21% year over year: Revenue was $2,629 million against $2,168 million a year earlier. Management cited 21% year-over-year growth. The prior quarter's revenue was $2.44 billion. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose from prior year: GAAP diluted EPS was $2.43 against $1.41. Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $2.61 against $1.58, which management said exceeded the high end of the guided range. Source
  • Operating income rose to $694 million: GAAP income from operations was $694 million against $403 million. Non-GAAP income from operations was $763 million against $442 million. Source
  • Net income and adjusted EBITDA rose: Net income was $549 million against $305 million. Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA was $831 million, against $697 million in the prior quarter. Source

Products and customer qualifications

  • Mozaic HAMR ramp under way: Shipments of Mozaic HAMR products are ramping. Management said the products are qualified with five of the world's largest cloud customers. Source
  • AI and social video cited as demand: Management said the products support existing social media video use cases and growth from new AI applications, addressing performance, durability and total cost of ownership needs. Source
  • Full edge-to-cloud storage portfolio: The company describes its portfolio as storage devices, systems and services from edge to cloud, and says it has shipped over four billion terabytes of capacity. Source

“With clear visibility into sustained demand strength, we are ramping shipments of our areal density-leading Mozaic HAMR products, which are now qualified with five of the world’s largest cloud customers.”

Dave Mosley, Seagate’s chair and chief executive officer

Margins and cost lines

  • Gross margin at record levels: GAAP gross margin was 39.4% against 32.9%, and non-GAAP gross margin was 40.1% against 33.3%. Management described both as record levels. Source
  • Operating margin widened: GAAP operating margin was 26.4% against 18.6%. Non-GAAP operating margin was 29.0% against 20.4%. Source
  • Restructuring charge rose to $13 million: Restructuring and other, net was $13 million against $1 million in the prior-year quarter. The company excludes it from non-GAAP results. Source
  • Operating expenses rose on GAAP basis: GAAP operating expenses were $343 million against $311 million. Non-GAAP operating expenses were $291 million against $281 million. Source

Fiscal second quarter guidance

  • Fiscal second quarter guidance issued: Management gave revenue and non-GAAP diluted EPS ranges for the fiscal second quarter of 2026. Source
  • Pillar Two tax effect included: Guidance includes the estimated impact of the Pillar Two global minimum tax framework, effective from fiscal 2026 in major jurisdictions. Source
  • Convertible notes dilution included: Guidance includes the estimated net dilutive effect of the 2028 exchangeable senior notes. Source
  • Tariff impact assumed minimal: Guidance assumes minimal impact from global tariff policies announced as of the release date. Source
  • EPS guidance reconciled only for stock comp: Non-GAAP EPS guidance is not reconciled to GAAP beyond estimated share-based compensation, because some items cannot be reasonably predicted. Source

“AI is transforming how content is being consumed and generated, increasing the value of data and storage and Seagate is well positioned for continued profitable growth,”

Dave Mosley, Seagate’s chair and chief executive officer

Cash flow and capital spending

  • Free cash flow of $427 million: Cash flow from operations was $532 million, against $95 million a year earlier. Free cash flow was $427 million, against $27 million. Source
  • Capital spending rose to $105 million: Spending on property, equipment and leasehold improvements was $105 million, against $68 million a year earlier. Source
  • Working capital absorbed cash: Receivables, inventories and accrued employee compensation used cash. Payables and accrued expenses, income taxes and warranty provided cash. Source

Balance sheet and debt

  • Cash rose to $1.1 billion: Cash and cash equivalents were $1.1 billion at quarter end, against $891 million at June 27, 2025. Shares outstanding were 214 million. Source
  • Current debt rose to $1.5 billion: Current portion of long-term debt was $1,496 million, against nil at June 27, 2025. Long-term debt less current portion was $3,498 million, against $4,995 million. Source
  • Shareholders deficit fell to $63 million: Total shareholders' deficit was $63 million at quarter end, against $453 million at June 27, 2025. Source

Shareholder returns

  • Dividends and buybacks totaled $182 million: The company returned $182 million to shareholders through dividends and the repurchase of ordinary shares. Source
  • Repurchases resumed at $29 million: The company repurchased 153 thousand ordinary shares for $29 million, against no repurchases in the prior-year quarter, alongside $153 million of dividends. Source
  • Future dividends at Board discretion: Management said future quarterly dividends are at the Board's discretion and depend on financial position, results, available cash and capital requirements. Source

Demand, execution and strategy

  • Demand visibility cited by management: Management said it has clear visibility into sustained demand strength, which it linked to the ramp of Mozaic HAMR shipments. Source
  • AI raises value of data: Management said AI is changing how content is consumed and generated, raising the value of data and storage. Source
  • Execution and demand credited: Management credited the team's execution and customer demand for high-capacity storage products for the quarter's results. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 October 2025

  • Dividend payable January 9, 2026: The $0.74 quarterly dividend is payable January 9, 2026, to holders of record at the close of business on December 24, 2025. Source
  • Mozaic shipment ramp continues: Management said the company is ramping shipments of its Mozaic HAMR products. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Gross margin SourceGAAP 39.4%; non-GAAP 40.1%

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said non-GAAP EPS exceeded the high end of the guided range for the quarter. 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.