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Seagate Technology Holdings plc: Q4 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 2 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Q4 revenue and gross margin: Fiscal Q4 revenue was $3.6 billion, against $2.4 billion a year earlier. GAAP gross margin was 52.3% and non-GAAP 52.7%, against 37.4% and 37.9% a year earlier. Source
  • Q4 earnings per share rose: GAAP diluted EPS was $5.58 against $2.24 a year earlier; non-GAAP diluted EPS was $5.71 against $2.59 a year earlier. Source
  • Operating margin rose year on year: Fiscal Q4 GAAP operating margin was 43.0% against 23.2%, and non-GAAP 44.6% against 26.2%. For fiscal 2026, GAAP was 33.6% against 20.8% and non-GAAP 36.5% against 23.4%. Source
  • Free cash flow in fourth quarter: Fiscal Q4 cash flow from operations was $1.3 billion and free cash flow $1.1 billion, against $508 million and $425 million a year earlier. Source
  • Debt reduced in quarter and year: Debt was reduced by $302 million in fiscal Q4 and $1.4 billion in fiscal 2026. Total debt at fiscal year end was $3.6 billion. Source
  • Fiscal Q1 2027 revenue guidance: Revenue guidance for fiscal Q1 2027 is $4.1 billion, plus or minus $100 million. The prior quarter's guidance was $3.45 billion, plus or minus $100 million. Source
  • Fiscal Q1 2027 EPS guidance: Non-GAAP diluted EPS guidance for fiscal Q1 2027 is $7.30, plus or minus $0.20. The prior quarter's guidance was $5.00, plus or minus $0.20. Source

“Our performance is being driven by robust cloud data center demand and disciplined execution, and we see the momentum continuing in 2027”

Dave Mosley, Seagate’s chair and chief executive officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceFiscal Q1 2027$4.1 billion, plus or minus $100 millionNew
Non-GAAP diluted EPS SourceFiscal Q1 2027$7.30, plus or minus $0.20New
Share-based compensation excluded from non-GAAP diluted EPS SourceFiscal Q1 2027$0.26 per shareRaised from $0.23 per share

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: The company began guidance for fiscal Q1 2027 revenue and non-GAAP EPS; the prior release gave guidance for fiscal Q4 2026. Source

Quarterly and annual results

  • Q4 revenue and gross margin: Fiscal Q4 revenue was $3.6 billion, against $2.4 billion a year earlier. GAAP gross margin was 52.3% and non-GAAP 52.7%, against 37.4% and 37.9% a year earlier. Source
  • Q4 earnings per share rose: GAAP diluted EPS was $5.58 against $2.24 a year earlier; non-GAAP diluted EPS was $5.71 against $2.59 a year earlier. Source
  • Fiscal 2026 earnings per share: Fiscal 2026 revenue was $12.2 billion against $9.1 billion. GAAP diluted EPS was $13.90 against $6.77; non-GAAP diluted EPS was $15.58 against $8.10. Source
  • Net income rose year on year: Fiscal Q4 GAAP net income was $1,294 million against $488 million; non-GAAP net income was $1,319 million against $556 million a year earlier. Source

Customers, products and demand

  • Hyperscale cloud and enterprise customers: The company describes its customers as hyperscale cloud providers, enterprises and consumers, and its storage helps them protect, create and manage data. Source
  • Demand tied to AI data growth: Management links demand to AI-driven data generation and says it sees durable long-term demand for mass capacity storage. Source
  • Mozaic and HAMR technology roadmap: Management said the Mozaic platform and HAMR technology roadmap position the company to address exabyte demand and let customers scale efficiently. Source

“As AI accelerates data generation and its value, we see durable long-term demand for mass capacity storage.”

Dave Mosley, Seagate’s chair and chief executive officer

Margins and costs

  • Operating margin rose year on year: Fiscal Q4 GAAP operating margin was 43.0% against 23.2%, and non-GAAP 44.6% against 26.2%. For fiscal 2026, GAAP was 33.6% against 20.8% and non-GAAP 36.5% against 23.4%. Source
  • Cost of revenue rose: Cost of revenue was $1,731 million in fiscal Q4 against $1,530 million, and $6,637 million for fiscal 2026 against $5,897 million. Product development was $188 million against $179 million. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating expenses rose: Non-GAAP operating expenses were $293 million in fiscal Q4 against $286 million, and $1,170 million for fiscal 2026 against $1,128 million. Source
  • $105 million legal settlement in fiscal 2026: A $105 million legal settlement was recorded in fiscal 2026 and is excluded from non-GAAP results. Restructuring and other, net totalled $27 million for fiscal 2026. Source

Cash flow and capital spending

  • Free cash flow in fourth quarter: Fiscal Q4 cash flow from operations was $1.3 billion and free cash flow $1.1 billion, against $508 million and $425 million a year earlier. Source
  • Fiscal 2026 cash generation: For fiscal 2026, cash flow from operations was $3.7 billion and free cash flow $3.1 billion, against $818 million of free cash flow in fiscal 2025. Source
  • Capital spending rose: Spending on property, equipment and leasehold improvements was $187 million in fiscal Q4 against $83 million, and $569 million for fiscal 2026 against $265 million. Source

“Seagate is well positioned to address strengthening exabyte demand through our Mozaic platform and differentiated HAMR technology roadmap, enabling customers to scale efficiently”

Dave Mosley, Seagate’s chair and chief executive officer

Debt and shareholder returns

  • Debt reduced in quarter and year: Debt was reduced by $302 million in fiscal Q4 and $1.4 billion in fiscal 2026. Total debt at fiscal year end was $3.6 billion. Source
  • Year-end cash and share count: Cash and cash equivalents were $1.7 billion at fiscal year end. Shares issued and outstanding were 227 million, up from 224 million at the end of the third quarter. Source
  • Q4 returns to shareholders: In the fiscal fourth quarter, $283 million was returned through dividends and share repurchases, alongside $302 million of debt retired. Source

Fiscal first quarter 2027 guidance

  • Fiscal Q1 2027 revenue guidance: Revenue guidance for fiscal Q1 2027 is $4.1 billion, plus or minus $100 million. The prior quarter's guidance was $3.45 billion, plus or minus $100 million. Source
  • Fiscal Q1 2027 EPS guidance: Non-GAAP diluted EPS guidance for fiscal Q1 2027 is $7.30, plus or minus $0.20. The prior quarter's guidance was $5.00, plus or minus $0.20. Source
  • Share-based compensation excluded from guidance: Non-GAAP EPS guidance excludes estimated share-based compensation of $0.26 per share, against $0.23 per share in the prior quarter's guidance. Source
  • Exchangeable notes dilution included: Fiscal Q1 2027 guidance includes the estimated net dilutive impact from the Exchangeable Senior Notes due 2028. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 July 2026

  • Dividend payable October 7, 2026: Quarterly dividend of $0.74 per share is payable October 7, 2026 to holders of record at the close of business on September 24, 2026. Future dividends are at the Board's discretion. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Gross margin (fiscal 2026) SourceGAAP 45.6%; non-GAAP 46.1%

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said the quarter exceeded its expectations for revenue and non-GAAP EPS, and that fiscal 2026 annual revenue grew 34%. 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.