greeksoup/ stock research

Synaptics Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 6 November 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 7 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue up 14%, sixth straight rise: Revenue was $292.5 million, up 14% from $257.7 million a year earlier. Management said revenue has increased year-over-year for six consecutive quarters. Source
  • Core IoT product sales up 74%: Core IoT product sales rose 74% year-over-year. Management said this growth drove total revenue up 14%. Source
  • Loss per share and non-GAAP earnings: GAAP loss was $0.53 per basic share, against $0.58 a year earlier. Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $1.09, against $0.81 a year earlier. Source
  • Astra next-generation processors launched: Management said the company launched next-generation Astra processors in the quarter, described as an AI-native silicon platform for intelligent Edge applications. Source
  • Channel inventory lean, backlog healthy: Channel inventories are described as lean, and backlog for the quarter as healthy. The release gives no backlog dollar figure. Source
  • GAAP gross margin below prior year: GAAP gross margin was 42.6% of revenue, against 46.9% a year earlier. Source
  • Operating cash flow $30.2 million: Net cash from operating activities was $30.2 million, against a use of $11.4 million a year earlier. Source

“We delivered a strong start to fiscal 2026, with first quarter Core IoT product sales increasing 74% year-over-year and driving total revenue up 14% year-over-year.”

Rahul Patel, Synaptics' President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 2026$300M ± $10MNew
Revenue growth Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 2026approximately 12% year-over-yearNew
Gross margin Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 2026GAAP 43.0 percent ± 2.0 percent; non-GAAP 53.5 percent ± 1.0 percentNew
Acquisition and integration costs excluded from gross margin Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 2026$30.0 to $32.0 millionNew
Operating expense Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 2026GAAP $152M ± $4M; non-GAAP $106M ± $2MNew
Excluded operating expense items Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 2026$38.0 to $40.0 million share-based compensation; $1.0 to $2.0 million restructuring; $5.0 to $6.0 million acquisition and integrationNew
Earnings per share Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 2026GAAP ($0.50) ± $0.25; non-GAAP $1.15 ± $0.15New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Second-quarter fiscal 2026 guidance is given in this release. The prior release gave guidance for the first quarter only. Source
  • New: The company reported that it launched next-generation Astra processors during the quarter. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue up 14%, sixth straight rise: Revenue was $292.5 million, up 14% from $257.7 million a year earlier. Management said revenue has increased year-over-year for six consecutive quarters. Source
  • Core IoT product sales up 74%: Core IoT product sales rose 74% year-over-year. Management said this growth drove total revenue up 14%. Source
  • Loss per share and non-GAAP earnings: GAAP loss was $0.53 per basic share, against $0.58 a year earlier. Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $1.09, against $0.81 a year earlier. Source

Products and Edge AI launches

  • Astra next-generation processors launched: Management said the company launched next-generation Astra processors in the quarter, described as an AI-native silicon platform for intelligent Edge applications. Source
  • Design wins and pipeline growing: The CEO said the company is seeing a growing pipeline and increasing design-wins, with improving revenue, which he described as solid momentum. Source

“With a strong balance sheet and solid operating cash flow, we believe that we remain well positioned to invest in key organic growth initiatives while continuing to return capital to stockholders through share repurchases.”

Ken Rizvi, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer

Demand and the order book

  • Channel inventory lean, backlog healthy: Channel inventories are described as lean, and backlog for the quarter as healthy. The release gives no backlog dollar figure. Source
  • Order activity improved versus prior release: The prior release said order activity, backlog and channel inventory levels had improved, and linked this to first-quarter guidance.
  • Core IoT at three-year high: Management said Core IoT product sales reached their highest level in three years. Source

Costs, margins and operating expenses

  • GAAP gross margin below prior year: GAAP gross margin was 42.6% of revenue, against 46.9% a year earlier. Source
  • Non-GAAP gross margin slightly lower: Non-GAAP gross margin was 53.2% of revenue, against 53.9% a year earlier. Source
  • Acquisition costs rose as share of revenue: Acquisition and integration costs were $30.5 million, or 10.4% of revenue, against 8.1% a year earlier. They are excluded from non-GAAP results. Source
  • Non-GAAP R&D higher year-over-year: GAAP research and development expense was $94.4 million, against $81.3 million. Non-GAAP R&D was $73.6 million, against $66.8 million. Source

Cash, capital and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash flow $30.2 million: Net cash from operating activities was $30.2 million, against a use of $11.4 million a year earlier. Source
  • Cash rose as investments matured: Cash and cash equivalents ended at $459.9 million, from $391.5 million. Net proceeds of $61.0 million came from short-term investments, and capital spending was $12.2 million. Long-term debt was $835.4 million. Source
  • Buybacks of $7.2 million in quarter: The company repurchased $7.2 million of common stock in the quarter, exclusive of excise taxes, against none a year earlier. Source
  • New $150 million buyback approved: The prior release said the Board approved a new repurchase program of up to $150 million, after the previous authorization expired.

Strategy and investment priorities

  • Core IoT and Edge AI priorities: The prior release set priorities of accelerating Core IoT growth with an Edge AI emphasis, delivering the product roadmap and maintaining operational discipline.
  • Engineering talent and customer ties: The prior release said the CEO's conversations with employees and customers deepened confidence in engineering talent, technology and customer relationships.
  • Focus aimed at sustained growth: Management said the Core IoT focus is intended to position the company for sustainable, long-term growth.

Coming up, as management said on 6 November 2025

  • Continued share repurchases alongside investment: Management said it expects to keep returning capital through share repurchases while investing in organic growth. Source
  • Second-quarter revenue growth guided: At the midpoint of guidance, management expects approximately 12% year-over-year revenue growth in the second quarter. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Gross margin, GAAP Source42.6% of revenue (46.9% a year earlier)
Gross margin, non-GAAP Source53.2% of revenue (53.9% a year earlier)
Core IoT product sales growth Source74% year-over-year
Channel inventories Sourcelean (no figure given)
Backlog Sourcehealthy (no figure given)

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: The prior release said the company would deliver on its product roadmap. This release says the Astra launch was achieved during the quarter. Source
  • Not stated: The prior release set first-quarter revenue guidance. This release reports revenue of $292.5 million and does not say whether the guidance was met.

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.