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Seagate Technology Holdings plc: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 27 January 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 1 lowered, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue reached $2.83 billion: Revenue was $2,825 million against $2,325 million a year earlier, an increase of about 21.5%. Management said results exceeded its own expectations on both the top and bottom line. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose on higher income: GAAP diluted EPS was $2.60 against $1.55 a year earlier, and non-GAAP diluted EPS was $3.11 against $2.03. GAAP net income was $593 million against $336 million. Source
  • Gross margin rose to 41.6%: GAAP gross margin was 41.6% against 34.9% a year earlier, and non-GAAP gross margin was 42.2% against 35.5%. Management described these as new records for gross margin. Source
  • Free cash flow reached $607 million: Cash flow from operations was $723 million against $221 million, and capital spending was $116 million. Six-month free cash flow was $1,034 million against $177 million. Source
  • Retired $500 million of 2028 notes: The company retired $500 million of its 2028 exchangeable senior notes in the quarter, alongside $154 million of dividends paid. Source
  • Data center demand cited as driver: Management cited the durability of data center demand and the ongoing ramp of HAMR-based Mozaic products as drivers of the quarter. Source
  • Mozaic qualified with five cloud customers: In the first-quarter release, Mozaic HAMR products were described as qualified with five of the world’s largest cloud customers, with shipments ramping.

“Seagate’s December quarter results exceeded our expectations on both the top and bottom line, setting new records for gross margin, operating margin, and non-GAAP EPS.”

Dave Mosley, Seagate’s chair and chief executive officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue Sourcefiscal third quarter 2026$2.90 billion, plus or minus $100 millionRaised from $2.70 billion, plus or minus $100 million
Non-GAAP diluted EPS Sourcefiscal third quarter 2026$3.40, plus or minus $0.20Raised from $2.75, plus or minus $0.20
Share-based compensation excluded from non-GAAP EPS Sourcefiscal third quarter 2026$0.23 per shareLowered from $0.24 per share
Non-GAAP income tax rate Sourcefiscal year 202615.5%Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Fiscal third-quarter revenue guidance was raised to $2.90 billion, plus or minus $100 million, from $2.70 billion, plus or minus $100 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Fiscal third-quarter non-GAAP diluted EPS guidance was raised to $3.40, plus or minus $0.20, from $2.75, plus or minus $0.20. Source
  • Guidance lowered: The estimated share-based compensation charge excluded from non-GAAP EPS guidance was lowered to $0.23 per share from $0.24 per share. Source
  • Ended: The fiscal second-quarter guidance listed an estimated Pillar Two impact; the fiscal third-quarter guidance does not list it.
  • New: During the quarter the company retired $500 million of its 2028 exchangeable senior notes and paid $154 million in cash dividends. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue reached $2.83 billion: Revenue was $2,825 million against $2,325 million a year earlier, an increase of about 21.5%. Management said results exceeded its own expectations on both the top and bottom line. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose on higher income: GAAP diluted EPS was $2.60 against $1.55 a year earlier, and non-GAAP diluted EPS was $3.11 against $2.03. GAAP net income was $593 million against $336 million. Source
  • Debt transactions added a net loss: The reconciliation shows a $66 million net loss from debt transactions in the quarter, against none a year earlier. Interest expense was $72 million, against $84 million. Source

Margins and costs

  • Gross margin rose to 41.6%: GAAP gross margin was 41.6% against 34.9% a year earlier, and non-GAAP gross margin was 42.2% against 35.5%. Management described these as new records for gross margin. Source
  • Operating margin reached 29.8%: GAAP operating margin was 29.8% against 21.0%, and non-GAAP operating margin was 31.9% against 23.1%. Income from operations was $843 million against $488 million. Source
  • Operating expenses rose modestly: Non-GAAP operating expenses were $290 million against $287 million a year earlier. Cost of revenue was $1,649 million against $1,513 million. Source
  • Restructuring charges stayed small: Restructuring and other, net was $3 million in the quarter against $1 million a year earlier. The six-month figure was $16 million against $2 million. Source

“As AI applications amplify the creation and economic value of data, modern data centers increasingly need storage solutions that combine performance and cost-efficiency at exabyte-scale.”

Dave Mosley, Seagate’s chair and chief executive officer

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Free cash flow reached $607 million: Cash flow from operations was $723 million against $221 million, and capital spending was $116 million. Six-month free cash flow was $1,034 million against $177 million. Source
  • Six-month operating cash flow rose: Six-month net cash from operating activities was $1,255 million against $316 million, with six-month net income of $1,142 million. Source
  • Receivables and payables moved: Accounts receivable used $287 million in the six months against $158 million a year earlier. Accounts payable provided $162 million, against a use of $190 million. Source
  • Cash balance stood at $1.0 billion: Cash and cash equivalents were $1,046 million at quarter end, against $1,112 million at the end of the first quarter. Ordinary shares outstanding were 218 million. Source

Dividends, debt and share repurchases

  • Dividend held at $0.74 per share: The board declared $0.74 per share, payable April 8, 2026. Dividends paid were $154 million in the quarter and $307 million in the six months. Source
  • Retired $500 million of 2028 notes: The company retired $500 million of its 2028 exchangeable senior notes in the quarter, alongside $154 million of dividends paid. Source
  • No repurchases in second quarter: Six-month repurchases totalled $29 million, the same amount reported for the first quarter, which suggests no repurchases in the second quarter.

Demand, products and customers

  • Data center demand cited as driver: Management cited the durability of data center demand and the ongoing ramp of HAMR-based Mozaic products as drivers of the quarter. Source
  • Mozaic qualified with five cloud customers: In the first-quarter release, Mozaic HAMR products were described as qualified with five of the world’s largest cloud customers, with shipments ramping.
  • Roadmap built on areal density: Management said its areal-density-driven product roadmap is intended to meet evolving storage requirements and exabyte demand growth for customers. Source

Third-quarter assumptions and measures

  • Tariff impact expected to be minimal: Fiscal third-quarter guidance assumes minimal impact from global tariff policies announced as of the release date. Source
  • Exchangeable notes dilution included: Third-quarter guidance includes the estimated net dilutive impact from the 2028 exchangeable senior notes. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA over last twelve months: Last twelve months non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA was $3,053 million, against $2,682 million in the first-quarter release. Quarterly adjusted EBITDA was $962 million. Source

Coming up, as management said on 27 January 2026

  • Dividend payment on April 8: The $0.74 per share dividend is payable April 8, 2026, to holders of record at the close of business on March 25, 2026. Source
  • Fiscal third-quarter guidance given: Management provided revenue and non-GAAP diluted EPS guidance for the fiscal third quarter of 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Revenue Source$2,825 million
Gross margin (GAAP) Source41.6%
Gross margin (non-GAAP) Source42.2%

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management stated that the quarter’s results exceeded its expectations on the top and bottom line. Source
  • Not stated: Management expects the capped call transactions to offset the notes’ dilution partly or in full. No status is 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.