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Unisys Corp.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 24 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Q4 revenue rose on renewal timing: Fourth-quarter revenue reached $574.5 million, up 5.3% year over year and 2.7% in constant currency, mainly from the timing of software license renewals. Source
  • Full-year revenue declined on lower volume: Full-year revenue was $1,950.1 million, down 2.9% and 3.3% in constant currency. Source
  • Ex-L&S revenue fell in both periods: Ex-L&S revenue fell 1.4% in the quarter to $388.1 million and 3.5% for the year to $1,522.0 million. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating margin rose: Fourth-quarter non-GAAP operating margin was 18.0%, against 11.6%; the full-year margin was 9.1%, against 8.8%. Source
  • New Business bookings fell 38%: New Business TCV fell 38% to $136 million in the quarter and to $491 million for the year; management cited elongated sales cycles with prospective clients. Source
  • Full-year free cash flow was negative: Full-year free cash flow was $(217.6) million, down $272.9 million, mainly from cash contributions including the discretionary pension contribution. Source
  • Pension funding deficit fell $301.7 million: The defined benefit pension funding deficit was $448.5 million at December 31, 2025, down from $750.2 million a year earlier. Source

“We were pleased to deliver another year of solid profitability improvement, exceeding the high-end of our upwardly revised non-GAAP operating margin guidance.”

Deb McCann, Unisys Chief Financial Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue growth, constant currency SourceFull-year 2026(6.5)% to (4.5)%New
Revenue growth, reported SourceFull-year 2026(3.8)% to (1.8)%New
Non-GAAP operating profit margin SourceFull-year 20269.0% to 11.0%New
License and Support revenue SourceFull-year 2026approximately $415 millionNew
Ex-L&S revenue growth, constant currency SourceFull-year 2026(7.0)% to (4.5)%New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Full-year 2026 revenue growth and profitability guidance was issued in this release. Source
  • Ended: The 2025 guidance period closed; the release reports the year against the revised 2025 guidance. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Q4 revenue rose on renewal timing: Fourth-quarter revenue reached $574.5 million, up 5.3% year over year and 2.7% in constant currency, mainly from the timing of software license renewals. Source
  • Full-year revenue declined on lower volume: Full-year revenue was $1,950.1 million, down 2.9% and 3.3% in constant currency. Source
  • Net loss included pension settlement loss: Full-year net loss attributable to Unisys was $339.8 million, including a non-cash pension settlement loss of $227.7 million net of tax from an annuity purchase contract. Source
  • Diluted EPS for quarter and year: Fourth-quarter diluted EPS was $0.25, against $0.41; the full-year diluted loss per share was $4.79, against $2.79. Source
  • Non-GAAP diluted EPS rose: Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $0.86 in the fourth quarter, against $0.36, and $0.93 for the full year, against $0.62. Source

Segments and revenue mix

  • ECS revenue rose on license renewals: Enterprise Computing Solutions revenue rose 16.4% in the quarter to $236.8 million, primarily from the timing of license renewals. Source
  • DWS revenue fell in quarter and year: Digital Workplace Solutions revenue fell 1.4% in the quarter to $126.4 million and 2.9% for the year to $508.4 million. Source
  • CA&I revenue fell in public sector: Cloud, Applications and Infrastructure Solutions revenue fell 4.1% for the year to $732.8 million, while fourth-quarter revenue fell 1.1%. Source
  • CA&I margin rose on labor savings: CA&I gross margin rose 210 bps in the quarter to 20.7%, mainly from labor cost savings initiatives. Source

“we see increasing recognition for our capabilities across our clients, partners, and industry analysts as we work towards accelerating revenue growth.”

Michael Thomson, Unisys CEO and President

License and Support, Ex-L&S

  • L&S revenue rose on AI consumption: License and Support revenue rose 22.9% in the quarter to $186.4 million; management linked consumption to client adoption of AI. Source
  • Ex-L&S revenue fell in both periods: Ex-L&S revenue fell 1.4% in the quarter to $388.1 million and 3.5% for the year to $1,522.0 million. Source
  • Renewal bookings lifted total TCV: Fourth-quarter total TCV was $1,149 million, up 53%, with Ex-L&S renewals at $781 million and L&S renewals at $232 million; full-year total TCV was $2,207 million, up 13%. Source

Costs and margins

  • Non-GAAP operating margin rose: Fourth-quarter non-GAAP operating margin was 18.0%, against 11.6%; the full-year margin was 9.1%, against 8.8%. Source
  • Gross margin rose on renewal timing: Fourth-quarter gross margin was 33.9%, up 180 bps mainly from renewal timing; full-year gross margin was 28.2%, down 100 bps. Source
  • Ex-L&S margin fell on charges: Ex-L&S gross margin was 13.2% in the quarter, down 250 bps, including 110 bps of higher cost reduction charges and 70 bps from a client contract termination. Source
  • Hardware mix reduced ECS full-year margin: ECS full-year gross margin was 55.5%, down 250 bps, as hardware, which carries a lower margin than license renewals, grew as a share of ECS revenue. Source
  • DWS margin hit by termination costs: DWS gross margin was 10.5% in the quarter, down 540 bps, including 200 bps of costs from a mutually agreed client contract termination. Source

Demand and order book

  • Backlog grew to $3.16 billion: Backlog was $3.16 billion at year end, against $2.84 billion a year earlier; management attributed the increase primarily to Ex-L&S renewal signings. Source
  • New Business bookings fell 38%: New Business TCV fell 38% to $136 million in the quarter and to $491 million for the year; management cited elongated sales cycles with prospective clients. Source
  • Full-year New Business includes adjustment: Full-year New Business TCV includes a $228 million termination adjustment that was recorded in the first quarter of 2025. Source

Cash flow for the year

  • Q4 free cash flow rose $30.1 million: Fourth-quarter free cash flow was $85.8 million, up $30.1 million, mainly from lower net interest payments and higher collections on license renewals. Source
  • Full-year free cash flow was negative: Full-year free cash flow was $(217.6) million, down $272.9 million, mainly from cash contributions including the discretionary pension contribution. Source
  • Pre-pension free cash flow rose: Full-year pre-pension and postretirement free cash flow was $127.7 million, up $45.3 million, mainly from a legal settlement and working-capital changes. Source
  • Operating cash used for the year: Cash used for operations was $140.0 million for the year, against $135.1 million provided in 2024. Source

Pension funding

  • Pension funding deficit fell $301.7 million: The defined benefit pension funding deficit was $448.5 million at December 31, 2025, down from $750.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Cash contributions drove the reduction: Management attributed the reduction mainly to $343.7 million of cash contributions, including a discretionary contribution to the U.S. defined benefit plans. Source
  • Pension expense rose for the year: Pension and postretirement expense was $309.0 million for the year, against $182.2 million in 2024. Source

Debt and liquidity

  • Cash balance rose to $413.9 million: Cash and cash equivalents were $413.9 million at December 31, 2025, up $37.4 million from a year earlier. Source
  • Long-term debt rose with new notes: Long-term debt was $729.0 million at year end, up from $488.2 million, after $700.0 million of new long-term debt and $492.1 million of repayments. Source
  • Notes funded part of pension contribution: About $200 million of the discretionary pension contribution came from net proceeds of 10.625% Senior Secured Notes due 2031, and $50 million from cash on hand. Source

Strategy and AI-enabled solutions

  • Strategy balances investment and returns: Management described a consistent strategy that balances solution development investment against profitability, free cash flow and removal of pension liabilities. Source
  • AI in delivery and solution frameworks: Management said it is leveraging technology in delivery and building AI-enabled solution frameworks to speed client value realization. Source
  • Market positioning and recognition: Management said the approach lets Unisys show up differently in the market, with growing recognition from clients, partners and analysts. Source

Coming up, as management said on 24 February 2026

  • Results call on February 25: Management will hold a call on February 25 at 8 a.m. Eastern to discuss the fourth-quarter and full-year results and 2026 financial guidance. Source
  • Annual meeting held virtually April 30: The 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be held virtually on April 30, 2026, at 8 a.m. Eastern Time. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Renewal timing can shift License and Support TCV and revenue between periods. Source
  • Demand: Backlog conversion to revenue may be affected by execution timing, contract extensions, nullification or early termination. Source
  • External: Revenue is affected by changes in the U.S. dollar against major international currencies. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said full-year profitability exceeded the high end of the upwardly revised 2025 non-GAAP operating margin guidance. Source
  • Ahead: Management said the License and Support ecosystem has continued to outperform its financial expectations. 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.